The hammered dulcimer is a stringed instrument that is based upon a sound box that is shaped as a trapezoid. The musician sits or stands in front of the instrument, which lies upon a stand at an inclined angle. The principle way to play the instrument is to hammer the strings with two lightweight hammers, hence the moniker hammered dulcimer.

The name dulcimer is Graeco-Roman in origin, meaning sweet song. The instrument is a classical instrument, having been around for thousands of years. There are variations of the instrument all over the world, having seen play in Europe, Asia, and other areas. The instrument has seen a revival of play in modern days, with a variety of play techniques being utilized.

The strings of a hammered dulcimer are alternately strung across two bridges. The number of strings is variable and is a measure of the dulcimer. For example, a 14/15 dulcimer has 14 strings on left and 15 on the right. The strings are typically tuned diatonically, following a circle of fifths. This will result in a most of a chromatic scale being implemented. Modern players may add additional strings with a small bridge in order to implement the missing notes.

The hammer of the hammered dulcimer is used to strike the strings in order to create the sound. These are traditionally made from wood, but can be made of any material. Typically, there is a pad or soft covering at the end of the mallet where it strikes the string to produce a smoother, softer sound. The traditional shape of the mallet is a tear drop shape at the end of a handle. Western dulcimer hammers are typically stiff, while eastern are usually flexible, enabling a rapid double or triple strike depending upon the striking gesture.

Several hammered dulcimer players have developed their own technique for striking the strings, as well as differing hammers and string setups. Many musicians have used items such as hacksaw blades, steel wire, and other items, each giving their own characteristics to the sound of the dulcimer as it was being played. The traditional striking technique involves holding a mallet in each hand with a bit of balance going on between the thumb and first finger. Just by shifting the fingers slightly, the hammer will swing over its length. Striking involves a combination of finger and lower arm motion to enable the strike and rapid recover for the next strike. Based upon finger tension and motion, the hammer may vibrate, enable very rapid strikes of strings.

More recently developed is a four hammer technique, where the first two hammers are griped between thumb and first finger, and the second two are gripped between the second and third fingers. This enable much more rapid play for a given hand speed, as well as being able to chord four notes instead of two.

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Originally posted 2009-01-30 05:45:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Acoustic Musical Instruments, Instrument History, dulcimer