What kind of wood are dulcimers made of?
Tonewoods used for dulcimer soundboards include spruce, mahogany, western red cedar, redwood and birch. Spruces are among the most used type of soundboard wood and the most commonly found species is Sitka spruce. This wood is tough, stable and produces a clear, loud, bright tone.
Is mountain dulcimer hard to play?
Dulcimers are the easiest stringed instrument for beginners to play, ideal for children and non-musicians who want to play tunes or accompany singing. Dulcimers are a relatively quiet instrument. Their sweet quiet sound is well-suited to personal relaxation or playing in a cozy environment.
Why do dulcimers have hearts?
Children as well as adults are also drawn to the visual allure of the instrument shaped with curves resembling the female body often along with heart shaped sound holes. Tradition tells us that the heart shaped cut-outs marked the instrument as one used in the mountain courting ritual.
What is the difference between a dulcimer and a mountain dulcimer?
A dulcimer is a stringed folk instrument which basically comes in two different varieties: the hammered dulcimer – which has strings stretched over a sounding board with a trapezoidal shape, generally setting on a stand, angled in front of the player who strikes the strings with two small hammers called mallets and the …
What is the best wood for a dulcimer?
Black walnut/butternut – Good warmth, very good volume, very good sustain, great clarity. This is clearly our number-one selling combination of woods. It is a “go to” choice for a LOT of great dulcimer players.
What is the easiest dulcimer to play?
With only three or four strings and a simple diatonic fret pattern, the Appalachian dulcimer is generally regarded as one of the easiest string instruments to learn.
What kind of dulcimer does Cyndi Lauper play?
mountain dulcimer player
Cyndi Lauper is also a high-profile mountain dulcimer player, having studied with the late David Schnaufer.
What kind of dulcimer did Joni Mitchell play?
According to a 2014 Wall Street Journal article, Joni wrote the song “Carey” while staying in Crete and she wrote the song “California” while in Paris, using the dulcimer Joellen made for her.
What are the 4 strings on a dulcimer?
A four-string dulcimer has one bass string, one middle string, and two melody strings. A five-string dulcimer has two bass strings, one middle string, and two melody strings. When there is a set of strings (two bass strings or two melody strings), all strings in that set should be tuned in the same manner.
What is a ginger dulcimer?
McSpadden Ginger Models are smaller dulcimers with a 23 3/16″ fretboard that can provide a high (Key of G) clear voice similar to that of a mandolin. On request they can be set up in the Key of D to be used as a smaller standard dulcimer for players who have difficulty reaching positions on a standard size fretboard.
How do I choose a mountain dulcimer?
Finding and buying a mountain dulcimer is a matter of looking and listening carefully: ask around, listen to various players. Look for a solid wood instrument; ask about its finish, request geared tuners, check its action, and sight down the top of the fingerboard to make sure its dead flat.
What is the most common dulcimer tuning?
There are many ways you can tune a dulcimer, but currently the most common tunings are DAD, DAA, or DGD. DAD is the most common but it is often easier for the beginning player to tune to DAA or the so-called “Reverse Ionian” tuning, (DGD).
Are McSpadden dulcimers good?
McSpadden dulcimers are top quality and suitable for professional use, live or in a recording studio. The dulcimer pictured, model 4SHWW, is currently strung with a heavier gauge and tuned to baritone, which really fills out its sound. It uses a 28 inch scale length and is normally tuned D-A-AA.
What key is mountain dulcimer?
There are two common tunings for mountain dulcimer, DAA and DAD. In DAA, the bass string is tuned to D with the middle and paired melody strings tuned to A. In DAD, the bass string is tuned to D with the middle string tuned to A.
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Modes and Tunings for the Mountain Dulcimer.
| Major Modes | Minor Modes |
|---|---|
| Ionian | Dorian |
How many strings should a dulcimer have?
Number of strings: Dulcimers may have as few as two or as many as 12 strings (in up to six courses). Up to the 1960s most mountain dulcimers had three strings. The most popular variant today is four strings in three courses, with doubled melody strings.