Playing
The hammered dulcimer is among the easiest of all stringed instruments to play. Most people find that they have the dexterity and coordination required and acquire skill quickly. Playing melodies on the dulcimer is a matter of developing convenient patterns of striking the appropriate strings. Once you work out the basic melody, you can gradually add various embellishments, such as harmonies and chording, drone notes, rolls, and other percussive effects.
With the traditional 5th-interval tuning, several notes are repeated in different locations. This happens because many of the available scales have notes in common, and the duplicated notes permit a number of alternative patterns for any given melody.
The magic of the dulcimer lies in its ability to give beauty and life to the simplest of melodies—a real attraction for the beginner—yet its potential intricacies can challenge the most skilled player.
Instruction
Many people, even those with no musical background, learn to play the hammered dulcimer on their own. We also carry some very good instructional books and DVDs, and private and group lessons are offered in many areas of the country.
Our acoustic music shop offers a larger selection of instructional materials, and you can also check our workshop schedule to see when we’ll next be offering dulcimer instruction at Dusty Strings.