The Dulcimer’s Distinctive Tones
There are two distinct types of dulcimers in existence, but only one of them has a distinctly American history and sound. The hammered dulcimer is popular in many corners of the world including China, Southwest Asia and Central Europe. It’s seen somewhat of a revival in the domestic folk music scene in recent years. Unlike its worldly counterpart, the Appalachian dulcimer played a large part in the development of American roots music.
The instrument is picked in the manner of a guitar rather than hit with metal mallets like a hammered dulcimer. There may be as many as 12 dulcimer strings on a given instrument, and they are played in a variety of manners. Most players lay the dulcimer flat on their lap or place them on a table. One hand takes care of the fretwork while the other stays occupied with strumming.