What is a Dulcimer?

*A dulcimer by any other name will sound as sweet!* This article interests me because it is written from the viewpoint of the zither-type instrument called dulcimer, mentioning the Appalachian dulcimer as a footnote. In my part of the world, the American South, the term “dulcimer” is used primarily to refer to the Appalachian, or lap, dulcimer, and the zither-type instrument is always specifically designated “hammer/hammered dulcimer.”

The hammered dulcimer is the older form, but the oldest of all, the dulcimer referred to in the Old Testament, is said to have been an instrument that we know as a plucked psaltery.

The newest form of instrument to be called dulcimer is the Appalachian dulcimer, a folk instrument created by settlers in the Southern Appalachias. It is a three-or-four-stringed instrument with a long fret board. It is tuned modally, and traditionally played in a position in which it is laid across the player’s lap. It is a surprisingly versatile instrument in that it can be played in a simple style that any novice can learn within a few hours or played with a variety of techniques and flourishes to satisfy accomplished musicians.

These instruments are typically handcrafted by individuals who use a variety of woods and decorative motifs, but there are three basic shapes for the body: hourglass, teardrop, and rectangular box. In the South, there are many groups and clubs devoted to the Appalachian dulcimer, and festivals and workshops to celebrate it are becoming ubiquitous. These events often include workshops for a wide variety of instruments (hammered dulcimer, bowed psaltery, bowed dulcimer, autoharp, spoons, pennywhistle, and even steel drums), but the Appalachian, or lap, dulcimer is the featured instrument. Check out the North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Association. This group sponsors a fall festival each year the weekend before Thanksgiving. There is even a magazine devoted to dulcimers: Dulcimer Players’ News.

The hammered dulcimer is a rectangle with multiple strings, the size depending on the number of strings. Some are small enough they are nearly square, some larger and thus obviously rectangular. The Appalachian dulcimer is much longer and narrower, often with some shaping of the body faintly reminiscent of a violin's. The Appalachian dulcimer typically has 3 strings, two of which are used in a similar manner to a guitar's and the third is left free as a drone -- kept at the same pitch throughout the song.

The sound is gentle and soothing to the ears, never loud, tends to have a kind of ringing quality on the hammered type since nothing stops the tones after the hammer strikes. If you've seen an autoharp, which was once popular in folk singing, the hammered type is generally similar. But both are usually kept flat in front of the player.

What does a Dulcimer look like?