History of the Hammered Dulcimer

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      The Hammered Dulcimer is an ancient trapezoidal musical instrument with several courses of strings. Dulcimers originated in the Middle East and were brought to Europe during the Crusades.  Similar instruments have spread around the world. Dulcimers have many names in many lands.  For example: in China it is called a "Yang Ch’in", in Persia a "Santur", in Hungary a "Cymbalon" (it’s national instrument), in Germany a "Hackbrett" (relates to a butcher block used for cutting sausage meat). The name "dulcimer" is derived from Latin, meaning "sweet song". Hammered dulcimers were popular in England during the reign of King James I.  At the time when the bible was translated into English as the King James Bible. The hammered dulcimer was mentioned among other instruments in the book of Daniel, chapter 3, verse 5 "…the sound of cornet, flute, sakbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music…"

The dulcimer is played with small wooden hammers to set the strings into vibration much like the piano. Over 200 years ago, the dulcimer and the harpsichord were involved in a revolution that led to the invention of the pianoforte. Harpsichords are not amenable to playing with dynamics. Pushing the keys harder or softer does not give you a softer (piano) or louder (forte) sound. The dulcimer on the other hand is capable of playing with dynamics. Mechanizing the hammered dulcimer action and linking it with the harpsichord keyboard gives you a keyboard action that can play soft and loud, piano and forte. A piano could be described as a mechanized hammered dulcimer operated with keys borrowed from a harpsichord. The harp-like tone of a dulcimer is sustained, for unlike a piano, it has no dampers to stop the strings from vibrating.

Here in the U.S., the Hammered Dulcimer is commonly found in folk music circles and has enjoyed a revival since the 1960’s. There are more than 100 professional performers nationwide of which my partner, Bill Robinson, is one. Growing demand for its use in the sound studios have pushed the demand for the instrument to a level of respect never before known.

There is often confusion when one hears the word "dulcimer" with another instrument known as a mountain or Appalachian dulcimer. It is a more modern instrument and was born in the Appalachian Mountains. The most likely explanation for the use of the name "dulcimer" in conjunction with the Appalachian instrument is that the name was taken from the Biblical reference to the hammered dulcimer. The mountain dulcimer looks like as elongated fiddle with frets and is strummed while resting in your lap.