The body of the dulcimer is usually made of
harder wood like cherry, black walnut, or mahogany
. The tuning pegs are Brazilian rosewood, although old dulcimers have ebony, rosewood, metal, or crude wooden pegs.
What is a hammered dulcimer made of?
Hammers are usually made of
wood
(most likely hardwoods such as maple, cherry, padauk, oak, walnut, or any other hardwood), but can also be made from any material, including metal and plastic.
Are dulcimers zithers?
It is classified as an
diatonically fretted “zither”
– a “zither” being an instrument with strings stretched across a box from end to end and having no neck as do guitars and violins. Autoharps and hammered dulcimers are also zithers.
What kind of instrument is the dulcimer?
Dulcimer,
stringed musical instrument
, a version of the psaltery in which the strings are beaten with small hammers rather than plucked.
How do you make a dulcimer?
- Step 1: Plywood Layout and Cutting Pieces for Body. …
- Step 2: Glue Bottom Section of Body Together. …
- Step 3: Cut Out Sound Holes and Finish Gluing Body. …
- Step 4: Shape Fingerboard and Add Tuners, Nuts and Frets. …
- Step 5: Attach Fingerboard to Body. …
- Step 6: Strings and Finish Work.
Why is it called a hammered dulcimer?
Although these traditional names are occasionally still used, the common name for this instrument today is dulcimer after the Latin and Greek words dulce and melos, which combine to mean sweet tine or sweet melody. The term hammered dulcimer is often used since
small mallets or hammers are used to create the sound
.
Is a hammer dulcimer hard to play?
Hammered dulcimer is one of the most satisfying instruments to learn because it’s easy to make a pleasant sound right from the beginning. You can start at any age, and you can have fun with it even if you don’t know any music theory and have
never played
an instrument before.
Is the dulcimer mentioned in the Bible?
The dulcimer is mentioned in the Bible in
the book of Daniel 3:5, 10, and 15
where King Nebuchadnezzar used the dulcimer “in symphony” with other instruments to command Shad’rach, Me’shach, and Abed’-Nego to worship the golden idol he had created.
How much do dulcimers cost?
As a quick overview, our harps range in price from under $1,000 up to around $7,000. Our dulcimers range from
about $700 to about $4,500
. To view, download or print a price list, click the links below. Prices can also be found on our harp and hammered dulcimer model and accessory pages.
Can you use guitar strings on a dulcimer?
If you need stainless steel or wound strings and you’re not near a “dulcimer string” source, you might be able to use a
guitar or octave mandolin string
of the same or smaller gauge if it’s long enough. … Of course, it’s a good idea to keep a small store of spare strings.
Is a violin a fiddle?
Western classical players sometimes use “fiddle” as an
affectionate term for the violin
, that intimate companion and workmate. But in the United States, most often “fiddle” means the violin as used in Irish-Scottish-French traditional music and all the descendant American styles: Appalachian, bluegrass, Cajun, etc.
Can you play a dulcimer like a guitar?
You can play tunes the very first time you pick it up
, even if you can’t read music. The neck of the dulcimer is fretted like a guitar. The first fret is “1”, the second fret is “2′′, and so on. … All you have to do is push down the string at the fret corresponding to the number and strum the strings with the other hand.
What kind of strings does a dulcimer use?
Dulcimer strings are typically
nickel, bronze or steel wound and available in sets of four strings
. Unlike hammered dulcimer strings, which is played with a small mallet, Appalachian dulcimer strings are played by plucking or strumming.
What is the best wood for a dulcimer?
Western red cedar
is the most widely used of the cedars for dulcimer soundboards. The wood is softer and lighter than spruce but is less affected by changes in humidity. The sound properties of western red cedar are notable for very clear highs, excellent balance throughout the tonal range and a warm tone.
How many frets does a dulcimer have?
All charts show the exact locations (to the thousandth of an inch) for the nut, bridge, and
thirty-six frets
(21 whole-number frets, plus the “half-number” frets). Each dulcimer fret position is identified three ways: 1) inches to previous fret; 2) inches to nut; 3) inches to bridge.
How wide is a dulcimer?
Dulcimer tops, backs and sides are made of thin slabs of wood, 1/10′′ to 1/8′′ thick. The usual width of the top and back is
between 6-1/2′′ to 8′′ at the widest
.
