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there is really only one important thing to remember: the dulcimer is a folk
instrument, and the essence of folk music is not technique, but personal enjoy-
ment. We'll give you some specific instructions so you can get started playing right
away, but feel free to develop other styles. In folk music there are no absolutes —
any way you can get music out of the instrument is a good way to play.
P O S I T I O N I N
P O S I T I O N I N
P O S I T I O N I N G T H E I N S
G T H E I N S
G T H E I N S
G T H E I N S T R
P O S I T I O N I N
P O S I T I O N I N
G T H E I N S
Most players put the long side of the instrument toward them when playing. It
doesn't make much difference if you sit or stand while playing, as long as you can
easily reach all the notes. If you set the instrument on the floor or on a table, you
will notice that tone and volume are expanded if the top edge of the dulcimer is
propped up so the back is free to resonate. Also, the dulcimer is more comfortable
to play when it's tilted toward you. Your instrument has a threaded insert built into
its back that allows you to attach a playing leg. A short leg props the dulcimer up
off a table-top at a comfortable slant. A long leg lets you play while sitting in a
chair, with the leg supporting the instrument in front of you and the bottom (long)
edge of the instrument resting on your knees. This is a very portable and inexpen-
sive way of supporting the instrument while you play. Setting it on a stand so the
back vibrates freely gives maximum volume and provides a consistent height no
matter where you play. It also allows you to keep your instrument out on display
where it's more likely to invite you to play. Short and long playing legs are available,
as are folding wooden stands and fully adjustable leg systems. Check with your
dealer or with us for more information.
H A M M E R S
H A M M E R S
H A M M E R S
H A M M E R S
H A M M E R S
You will probably encounter all sorts of different hammers. The single-sided
hammers provided with most of our instruments are a good, well-balanced design
and construction, suited to all styles of playing. They are made of bare hardwood
and will give the loudest sound. We also make a leather-padded version, which
gives a softer tone that is nice for mood and variety. Double-sided hammers,
included with our chromatic models, have both bare wood and leather covered
playing surfaces on one hammer. You'll find that hammer preferences are a very
individual thing. Variations include double vs. single sided, padded vs. unpadded,
types of padding, length of hammer, type of wood, shape of handle and hammer-
ing surface, weight, and balance. Try out as many as you can to see what suits you
best. We make two styles of single-sided hammers, both in bare wood and leather
covered, and two shapes of double-sided hammers. We also make double padded
hammers, with thin leather on one side and felt on the other.
P L
P L A A A A A Y I N
P L
P L
P L
You may initially have a problem focusing your eyes on the strings as you play.
Practice eases this fairly quickly. Tilting the top of the instrument toward you can
improve your perspective somewhat, the angle being purely a matter of preference.
It is helpful to focus on the black and white bridge caps where the strings cross the
bridge, rather than on the strings themselves. The bridge caps are easier to see and
provide location markers.
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T R
T RU M E N T
T R
U M E N T
U M E N T
U M E N T
T R
U M E N T
Y I N G G G G G
Y I N
Y I N
Y I N
Hammers are generally held between the thumb and forefinger, and the strings
are struck about one inch from the bridge. Rock the hammers in your hands a few
times to get their feel, then strike a sharp blow to a note, stopping the action as the
hammer rebounds off the string. The striking motion should come from your
wrist, not your elbow. Keep this up until you can easily get a single, well-pro-
nounced note. If you hold the hammers a bit more loosely, put a little more
pressure down with your thumbs, and don't stop the action after the first rebound,
you will find that they bounce off the strings in a sort of roll. This is a trill, a
common embellishment.
A good way to start playing is to run through the major scales. You can refer
back to Scales, Bridges, and Tuning Schemes (page 9) for information on their
location and layout. Play with authority — use enough force to get the best tone
from the instrument. Timid playing may make your instrument sound brash, thin,
or indistinct. As you gain confidence, your accuracy and tone production will improve.
Although a great deal of instructional material is available for the hammered
dulcimer, probably the most common means of learning a song is by ear. You
don't have to read music; just take a song whose melody is familiar and translate it
into a hammering pattern. The easiest playing method is to alternate notes between
the left and right hands, though you may want to deviate from this once in a while
to keep your hands from getting in each other's way. Start by taking a very familiar
song, such as Oh Susannah and learn your way around the strings by picking out the
melody with one hand. Simple tunes like these usually start on the tonic, or first
note of the scale, of the key in which you are playing (D for D major, G for G
major, etc.). If the first note is not the tonic, then try the third ("mi") note of the
scale. Next, play the tune while alternating hands. Try to develop coordination in
both hands so that you can use either hand as well as the other. Experiment with
putting in a few trills as you play.
With practice your reflexes will adjust to the distances between courses, the
hammers will become comfortable extensions of your hands, and your music will
gain rhythm and continuity. Here are a few more embellishments you'll want to
incorporate in your playing:
Chords — hitting two notes simultaneously. The easiest combinations to find
involve the thirds, fifths, and octaves (DO, MI, SOL, DO).
Arpeggios — hitting in rapid succession the notes DO, MI, SOL, DO of any
scale, producing a nice full chord.
Drones — inserting between melody notes the "tonic" (DO) of the key
you're playing in. This is like the bagpipe, which drones a constant note while
playing the melody. The mountain dulcimer also uses a drone note.
You can listen to live or recorded music for inspiration. There are many
recordings of hammered dulcimer music available. There is also an abundance of
good self-instruction methods, including books, book and CD sets, videos, and
DVDs. See your dealer or contact Dusty Strings for instructional materials. You
can also subscribe to Dulcimer Players News for quarterly information and articles
about players, festivals, tunes, techniques, recordings, and lots of other dulcimer-
related things (P.O. Box 2164, Winchester VA 22604 or www.dpnews.com).
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