Description: The Appalachian dulcimer is a chordophone although it’s named "dulcimer" its classification or nomenclature is that this instrument is a zither. When playing the instrument the musician sits the dulcimer on his lap henceforth the nickname "lap dulcimer". Its believed the roots of the dulcimer in North America was established by the Scotch-Irish, the English, and German settlers in Pennsylvania around "1720" to "1770". This dulcimer is in the same family of instruments as the French Epinette, and other related Germanic zithers such as the Scheitholt, the Norwegian Langleik, the Islandic Langspiel, the Swedish Hummel, and the Hungarian Citera in which are of the same branch of this family of zithers. Although the hour-glass shape is one of the common profiles other non-curved shapes do exist for this musical instruments some would see flat sides rather then curved. Electric dulcimers have also been making a strong presence these days just as the electric autoharp has done so as well. The playing techniques traditionally have been strumming, or picking though sometimes a wooden slide like tool is used to press on the string (similar to the French Epinnet playing), rather then producing chords, although chords, scales, and much fancier techniques are used depending on the stylings of the performers.
The Traditions and History: The Appalachian-dulcimer is used in what we refer to as the "Old Time music tradition" which predates blue-grass, country and contemporary folk music. When the melodies are learnt on the dulcimer these melodies are often handed down from generation to generation. Many of these melodies remain in the Appalachian communities still to this day. The dulcimer later on in the 20th century the Appalachian dulcimer has crossed over into many other different genres ranging from jazz, rock, and pop music.
Construction: The construction of the dulcimer is often run often by small family businesses and shops ran by one individual themselves. When shaping the side wood for the body of the dulcimer during the old times a hot pipe was heated this technique is still practiced. Many use steam-baths or steaming the wood to bend the sides into shape. Nowadays a wood bending device which is controlled by a heater-coil is used to bend the wood this is the same device used to assist in the bending of wood for making violins. The fret board is diatonically spaced per fret. Metal frets of brass are often used. The frets are the same thing gauge as the mandolin-frets. This has been standard in making the dulcimer fret board for a long time. now. The dulcimer-fret board also has a thin height profile or "action" just underneath the strings. The tuning pegs some of then wooden mostly they are machine-gear tuners they are inserted where the head-stock is as with many stringed instruments. String-sets of guitar and or banjo-strings can be used often most players of Appalachian dulcimer use acoustic or steel-guitar strings.
Shapes and profiles of the dulcimer: The most common of the shape you see is the "hour-glass" shape. The other shape is a flat-shape or profile where two sides are flat. Other profiles or body shapes are the "tear-drop", the "back pack" this is a much smaller profile akin to the "back pack guitar" this profile is lightweight and portable. Or the "Youngster" or the "Virginia" and "concert models". There are custom and experimental models of this instrument as well.
The Tunings: These are the tunings in which the dulcimer is tuned to or to which the dulcimer can be tuned to. As I stated the fretting system is diatonic. However the standard DAD or DAA tunings are used to play the standard myxalodian mode. The tunings them selves correspond to the modes played on the dulcimer be it Myxalodian or Ionian or other modes used to play the particular folk songs. There are three known means of stringed-arrangements the "Ozark method" in which each four strings are a single string apart from each other. The common method is a course of two strings together and the rest of the three strings are individual and separate. Although Myxalodian is the most common of the mode and tuning used on the dulcimer, there are many alternate tunings which range from Aeolian, Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, and other modal tunings are used.
Name |
Key |
3-stringed |
4-stringed |
Ionian |
Key of A |
A-A-D |
A-A-a-d |
Aeolian |
Key of C |
C-C-D |
C-C-a-d |
Key of F |
C-F-C |
C-F-c-c |
|
Key of C |
C-G-G |
C-G-g-g |
|
"Jazz Tuning" |
Key of D |
D-A-A |
D-D-a-d |
Key of D |
D-A-C |
D-A-c-c |
|
D- Mixilodian |
Key of D |
D-A-D |
D-D-a-d |
D-Dorian |
Key of D |
D-A-G |
D-A-g-g |
Key of G |
D-G-D |
D-D-a-d |
|
Dorian |
Key of G |
D-G-D |
D-D-g-d |
Ionian |
Key of G |
G-G-D |
G-G-a-d |
E-A-C |
E-A-c-e |
||
E-A-E |
E-E-a-e |
||
Key of A min |
E-A-G |
E-a-g-e |
|
E-E-A |
E-E-a-e |
||
E-E-B |
E-E-b-e |
The Anatomy of the Appalachian Dulcimer : The construction of the dulcimer is often run often by small family businesses and shops ran by one individual themselves. When the particular hour-glass profile is achieved, during the old times a hot steel-pipe heated often by a fire or now a propane torch, would be the source of heat when bending the strips of wood to which make up the sides of the instruments. Nowadays a wood bending device which is controlled by a heater-coil is used to bend the wood this is the same device used to assist in the bending of wood for making violins. The fret board is diatonically spaced per fret. Brass fretts are added they are the same or similar guage to mandolin frets.
This has been standard in making the dulcimer fret board for a long time now. The dulcimer-fret board also has a thin height profile or "action" just underneath the strings. The tuning pegs some of then wooden mostly they are machine-gear tuners they are inserted where the head-stock is as with many stringed instruments. String-sets of guitar and or banjo-strings can be used often most players of Appalachian dulcimer use acoustic or steel-guitar strings. In the case of my specimin the woods are ebony for the fingerboard, and black-walnut for the body its a wood known for its beauty and fine grain although sturdy and strong to work with.
The profile and shapes of the Appalachian-dulcimer : The most common of the shape you see is the "hour-glass" shape. The other shape is a flat-shape or profile where two sides are flat. Other profiles or body shapes are the "tear-drop", the "back pack" this is a much smaller profile akin to the "back pack guitar" this profile is lightweight and portable. Or the "Youngster" or the "Virginia" and "concert models". There are custom and experimental models of this instrument as well.