How to Play a Hammered Dulcimer

Summary: The hammered dulcimer is in the stringed instrument musical family that was invented in Iran roughly 2000 years ago. It is comprised of a trapezoidal shaped piece of wood that has strings stretched over it. Depending on the number of strings, a hammered dulcimer can span multiple octaves. The hammered dulcimer resembles the harp because it requires a tuning wrench for tuning; it resembles a piano in the fact that the strings are usually in pairs to maximize the sound. To play this instrument, the musician holds a mallet in each hand and strikes the strings for a note.

In this series of expert videos, you will learn more about the history and function of the hammered dulcimer. Watch as our expert plays this beautiful instrument and demonstrates the function of the damper pedal. Get tips on playing the hammered dulcimer including tips on accompanying lead instruments or voice with the hammered dulcimer, and learn how to play different tunes, songs, and jigs on this instrument. Watch these videos to learn how to tune the hammered dulcimer and play muted notes. This amazing instrument is very popular in different styles of music including Celtic and Irish music.

This series is an Equilibrio Films production.