If you can't obtain a string chart from the dulcimer maker, your best bet is to find a micrometer and measure the diameters of the strings that are currently on the instrument. Typically the hackbrett is played along with an accordion, fiddle, and double bass quartet. Country/Region of Manufacture: United States. Teach A Tune Available in multiple gauges, these strings will provide the perfect fit for your instrument. It has 100 strings and has been found in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir since ancient days. Add to Cart. We believe our quality hand-crafted instruments are the best sounding, most durable, most stable hammered dulcimers available at any price. Repeat Step 6 using planks of the same high quality wood in this case, mahogany. The instrument is played with bamboo sticks which are flexible and have soft leather at the tip, allowing a beautiful soft tone. Once again, the internet (taking anomalous reviews with a grain of salt) can be a helpful resource for finding out which instruments have a reputation for tuning stability. As it turns out, there are many people playing the obscure hammered dulcimer all over the world! Classical composers like Zoltn Kodly, Igor Stravinsky, and Pierre Boulez have all used this instrument in their music. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Tuning Tips More information on the D570 model can be found here. Belarusian tsymbaly also tend to be without dampers because hands and fingers are used to dampen the strings instead. Structural dowels can be also applied in this step (as shown in the video), but this step is optional. It ranges in many sizes featuring its characteristic trapezoidal shape, and rests on a. Our article on how to choose a hammered dulcimer which reviews some of the key considerations. Price: $3545 Includes double-sided hammers and gooseneck tuning wrench. Hammered Dulcimers. It is still played occasionally in live performances today. Hammers are usually made of wood (most likely hardwoods such as maple, cherry, padauk, oak, walnut, or any other hardwood), but can also be made from any material, including metal and plastic. A mitre saw will come in handy to make the angled cuts. The first step in building a hammered dulcimer is selecting the right materials. To order a particular string for your Dusty dulcimer, you'll need a string chart for your dulcimer model (available on this page under the String Charts tab), which you'll use to determine the diameter and material of the string you need. The East Tirol hackbrett, or Osttiroler hackbrett, is also a diatonic tuning but is smaller than the Styrian. So if youre looking for a new hobby or want to try your hand at woodworking, building a hammered dulcimer is the perfect way to get started! This style of music was used as an accompaniment to Sufi hymns, and also a dance called Hafiz Nagma. This technique is called (fnzh), which is perfect for higher range notes and glissandos. Instrument: Dulcimer. These include Belarusian folk songs and dances, original compositions of composers of Belarus, Russian and foreign classics, music of current composers, and popular music of today. And in this guide, we will walk you through every step of the process. This instrument has chromatic tuning with bridges dividing 125 strings into fifths and sixths. For those curious, the pantaleon was created in the late 1600s as a fusion of the hammered dulcimer and the harpsichord. Martin M640 Nickel Alloy Dulcimer Strings These Martin M640 Nickel Alloy Dulcimer Strings come in standard 0.012-0.022 gauge, and are built to last. If youd like to hire Nicolette for content writing or copywriting work, contact her at: nicolettelady@protonmail.com, Cover image: File:Giovanni Battista DallOlio, Salterio in legno dorato e dipinto, 1764, Museo Civico di Modena, part.jpg by Archivio del Museo Civico di Modena is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Hammered dulcimers of non-European descent may have other tuning patterns, and builders of European-style dulcimers sometimes experiment with alternate tuning patterns. The. That Standard Sizes are 15/14 or 16/15 which give you about 3 octaves of the keys of D and E. It ranges in many sizes featuring its characteristic trapezoidal shape, and rests on a dulcimer stand. In our previous article . You can see that 23 pairs of strings (minimum) means that there are at least 46 tightly-wound metal wires being stretched between the two ends of the thing. The tetrachord markers found on the bridges of most hammered dulcimers in the English-speaking world were introduced by the American player and maker Sam Rizzetta in the 1960s. Make this space by moving the rail back and forth over a table saw 3/8 in height, removing material little by little. The instruments that were played differed in many ways, however, such as size, tuning, amount of strings, as well as the way of holding and playing the hammers. These makers produce a wide variety of cimbaloms, from the classic cimbalom to its smaller versions, to even smaller, more portable versions. The Master Works hammered dulcimers have a comparatively long sustain, which is excellent for full-sounding slow-to-medium tempo music (e.g. We have recordings of most of our dulcimer models on our video page. Check out this video about the Appenzeller hackbretts past and future: A version of the German hackbrett has ended up right here in our own backyard. You hold a hammer lightly between your thumb and pointer finger and let it bounce on a string, preferably close to one of the bridges. Hammered dulcimers can also be chromatic, which allows for a longer range in the higher registers. This instrument is played not only in Iraq, but also in Syria, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Greece (the Aegean coasts), and Azerbaijan. Hammered dulcimer is the type we make, and it is played by striking the strings with a pair of special mallets called hammers. Hutsul tsymbaly: This instrument is so small it can be carried, and is held by a strap around the musicians neck and rests against their waist. Cimbalom. Built with a lovely Cherry veneer on a durable ply top. However, in general, you can expect to spend between $50 and $250 on materials for a standard hammered dulcimer. The Mexican salterio is placed in the lap and plucked with plectrums (metal picks attached to the index finger on each hand). Travel size hammered dulcimer by TK O`Brien. Hammered dulcimer is one of the most satisfying instruments to learn because it's easy to make a pleasant sound right from the beginning. The number of strings in a course was increased from four to eight to compete with the sound of the more recent addition of violins in bands. Dulcimer.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. $19.95. When tuning, use a guitar pick instead of your fingers to pluck the strings. Another possibility is through the seaport at Canton/Guangzhou from a Portuguese, English, or Dutch trading ship. It is pitched in A (A-E-A) between the standard and the bass dulcimer. We hope this helped with finding your perfect hammered dulcimer. There are usually 23 or more pairs of string stretched across these bridges in such a way that you can play notes by tapping each pair of strings (called a course) near the bridges. You can start at any age, and you can have fun with it even if you don't know any music theory and have never played an instrument before. A 15/14, for example, has 15 strings crossing the treble bridge and 14 crossing the bass bridge, and can span three octaves. (Ordinarily, 5mm "zither pins" are used, similar to, but smaller in diameter than piano tuning pins, which come in various sizes ranging upwards from "1/0" or 7mm.). With the tip of a hobby knife or spade drill bit, mark holes through the paper through the top of the soundboard to indicate the general outline of the designs. We will touch on the history and musical traditions of their past, todays styles, as well as peek at the instruments wave of the future. This is because there does not need to be a distinction from the Appalachian dulcimer (aka lap, plucked, or mountain dulcimer) as in the US. [citation needed]. However, if youre new to woodworking or dont have access to power tools, then it will likely take longer to complete the project. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com, Plywood vs. Since this is a 19/18/6 hammered dulcimer, you will need a total of 43 individual bridges. Ethereal salterio music rang out in churches, theaters, and private palazzi. ), and you don't have to perform for anyone besides yourself if that's what makes you happy. Full size dulcimer, ideal for both beginner or intermediate player. As with a piano, the purpose of using multiple strings per course is to make the instrument louder, although as the courses are rarely in perfect unison, a chorus effect usually results like a mandolin. Once the soundboard is completed, apply a coat of urethane to the inside of the instrument as well as to the interior side of the soundboard. If there isn't, we can ship a dulcimer to you from our workshop here in Seattle, with the guarantee that you can return it for a full refund (minus the shipping cost) if it doesn't meet your expectations. If you have an older D25 with some three-string courses, you will need to buy an extra individual string for each of those courses. covers only2-1/2 octaves, also considered as a student dulcimer. Since a baritone or low-strung dulcimer is sometimes simply a standard dulcimer with thicker strings, I choose not to give the baritone its own size category. When deciding on a size, our advice is always to go for as much range as your budget allows (taking into account any space or weight limitations, of course). They are available in the following ranges; 12/11,3/13/12,13/12,15/14,16/15, 3/17/17 and one size of Tsimbl. The Ukrainian tsymbaly () has courses of between three and five strings, as well as bass strings that may have one to two strings wrapped. Apply adhesive to the top of each bridge and let dry. Woodworkers may already have access to several of these tools in their workshop. These hammers have the ability to play up to four notes at the same time, due to each single hammer having two striking surfaces on it. Glue the trim to the sides and cut off any pointy edges. Next, cut a plastic dowel into small pieces to fit to the top of each bridge. We haven't decorated a dulcimer like this since around 1980, but we ended up with a small piece of bird's-eye, just big enough for a couple of hammered dulcimer sets, and decided to make something special! 12/11 is a common size for a small dulcimer, and it means there are 12 courses of strings on the treble bridge and 11 courses on the bass bridge. It sound will satisfy the discrimination . Tons of people just like you play the dulcimer, salterio, hackbrett, cimbalom, santur, yangqin, and khim. So take some time to think about what you want your dulcimer to look like and sound like, and then choose the right materials to make your vision a reality. The Salzburg hackbrett, or Salzburger hackbrett, has chromatic tuning and 128 strings. The heads of two sided hammers are usually oval or round. Definitions of these two instruments can be hazy and confusing. This means the root note is on one side and the fifth is on the other as in our modern American hammered dulcimers. You can browse our dulcimer models, read about how our instruments are made, or start with the Hammered Dulcimer Beginner's Guide if you're new to all of this. This is called a 12/11 or 13/12. Think of it like a piano, where you might go 50 years or more with the same set of strings. $400.00 + $89.99 shipping . This orchestra laid the foundation for the reconstruction of the national folklore instrument, the tsymbaly. , a descendant of the Italian salterio, is simply called dulcimer. Opens in a new window or tab. Not only will you end up with a unique and custom-made instrument, but youll also have a deeper understanding of how it works. Adding a thin layer of felt between two finished slats is recommended to create better final acoustics. Schunda concert instruments are fully chromatic with no duplicated notes. Roman Kumlyk The Owner Of The Museum Of Musical Instruments And Hutsuls Lifestyle In Verkhovyna (Ukraine) by MariyaZ is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Most Ukrainian folk instrument ensembles and orchestras of today like the Orchestra of Ukrainian Folk Instruments and the State Bandurist Capella usually have two concert cimbaloms. TK O'Brien's hammered dulcimer is now only available in the 9/8 Backpacker size. Save hammered dulcimer used to get e-mail alerts and updates on your eBay Feed. When fully dry, place the finished frame on the top and trace the outline with pencil. The 22 and 30-note khims are very large and therefore heavy. Photos, prices, and detailed descriptions for each of our dulcimer models, Beginner's guide to hammered dulcimers, general dulcimer info, & specifics about how we build them, Compare sound clips, prices and features of Dusty Strings hammered dulcimers, Custom options include dampers, abalone inlay & curly maple trim, Everything you need to outfit and service your hammered dulcimer (and some other fun stuff), Hammered dulcimer care & feeding, plus answers to common technical questions, Online ordering, string charts, & how to replace your strings. Student Model Hammer Dulcimers These instruments are a less expensive well-constructed alternative to my Custom Dulcimers. The salterio of France was called doulcemr (derived from Latin. It was also found in Boikivshchyna, Transcarpathia, Podolia, Bessarabia and Eastern Ukraine. A dulcimer usually has two bridges, a bass bridge near the right and a treble bridge on the left side. However, if you have one of our larger models with wound strings or phosphor bronze strings in the lower register, you might consider changing just those strings every few years, as they can lose their tone and start to sound dull over time. Here is a rendition of a traditional mariachi song, Las Bicicletas: : The country cook plays her Hackbrett so prettily that the gods prefer it even to Apollos lyre., In 1713 by Mattheson: The trifling Hackbrettes (apart from the big ones with gut strings called Pantalon, which is highly privileged) should be nailed up in houses of ill-repute., Of the hakkebord on an anonymous Dutch engraving of that era: I love my Hakkebord, as much as one can love anything. This extends from C to e on the Helmholtz pitch notation. If you take all the strings off at once, you will have the benefit of being able to thoroughly clean the dulcimer, but your bridges will also move around and it will be more work to re-position them so that you can get the dulcimer back in tune. Once you have the braces cut to size, its time to drill holes along the length of each. Mexico: The salterio of Mexico, or salterio Mexicano, is related to the psaltery of the 16th century. The graphics below compare the various sizes of my traditional hammered dulcimers all except the 3/16/15/8 Travel which is located below in relationship to my 3/16/18/9 (7/8"). In either case, be sure to take your time and read through the instructions carefully before starting construction. The Backpacker is a unique sized affordable, portable and well built instrument. This is the standard size that is popular among beginners. You play by striking the strings with a pair of hammers, which are often made of wood and can have a variety of striking surfaces to produce different types of sound. Considering the cost of this model, this hammered dulcimer is a very good overall value. Hammered dulcimer is one of the most satisfying instruments to learn because it's easy to make a pleasant sound right from the beginning. We ran into too much inconsistency in the wire's strength, and have switched to using .022" PB in its place. If youre working with power tools, be sure to read the safety instructions carefully and follow all of the safety precautions. NEW Vintage Handmade Hammered Dulcimer 12/11 1980's Kit + Hammers Music Books . Hammered dulcimers typically use light gauge strings, which can be either metal or nylon. Some good options include maple, walnut, mahogany, rosewood, birch, or even oak. Shipping to: 23917. We offer a variety of models and price levels to suit everyone from beginner to professional, and we are excited to share our love of this fascinating instrument with you! Although it had a distinctive name in each country, it was everywhere regarded as a kind of psalterium. To start, carefully cut each internal brace to length and make the appropriate angled cuts to fit into each notch. The concert cimbalom was a variation created by V. Jzsef Schunda in 1874 in Budapest. Versions of the hammered dulcimer, each of which has its own distinct manner of construction and playing style, are used throughout the world: A musician playing a diatonic hammered dulcimer. Jonlut, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. Harmony Time: Embellishments for Hammered Dulcimer . There are four to five bridges on a yangqin: a bass bridge, right bridge, tenor bridge, left bridge, and chromatic bridge. Next, lay the moveable internal braces to the top of the instrument across the stationary lateral braces. The shift from the bass bridge to the treble bridge is required because the bass bridge's fourth string G is the start of the lower tetrachord of the G scale. Hi ! Color: Brown. Such instruments are often called "chromatic dulcimers" as opposed to the more traditional "diatonic dulcimers". The 14 is the number of string pairs passing over the bass (right) bridge. Apply graphite to one edge of the plank and rub that edge against the edge of the other plank. This then possibly led to the evolution of the Persian santur as well as other versions in the Middle East. In case you were wondering, purchasing a new hammered dulcimer can cost between $200 and 300 for a student version and up to well over $2000 for a custom-built instrument. It is often painted with a deep or bright color, and children who play like to decorate it with cartoon stickers. Tsymbaly. The notes extend from lower yakah (G) up to jawab jawab husayni (a) and is fully chromatic. They are either a simple piece of wood or are tipped with velvet. When the braces are completed, one will be placed under each bridge and they will end up touching the soundboard. Billy Bennington (19001986), a player from Norfolk, England, used cane hammers bound with wool. This ensures a consistent thickness which improves adhesion and reduces spillover. We are doing our best! Beautiful Vintage Mid East MFG. The Acoustic Music Shop Features Quality Hammered Dulcimers and Hammered Dulcimer Accessories from Master Works, Dusty Strings, Songbird and Rick Thum. Hammered dulcimer sizes are often described by the number of notes on each bridge. More on that later! Start by laying a long ruler over the frame and mark where the notches will be made. Some dulcimers instead use one continuous piece of wire for each course, meaning that the wire needs to be long enough to go from one tuning pin across the dulcimer and back to another tuning pin. Please leave us a comment below with any questions, observations, or inspirations youve gotten from this post! We appreciate your continued patience if we are slower than usual to respond to your emails and phone calls. The player could go on up a couple notes (G A B), but the next note will be a flatted seventh (C natural in this case), because this note is drawn from the G tetrachord. If we trace the roots of the North American hammered dulcimer, we travel to the UK where its ancestors can still be found in Scotland, East Anglia, Birmingham, and London. Oops! The 23 sets of courses are made of four strings each, and struck with hammers called midhrab. The santur has Persian origins, but is a direct descendant of the qunan and earliest psalteries. We do know that along with the harp and pipes, the hammered dulcimer (teadchlar in Irish) was popular in Ireland in the 17th century. Due to its fun shape and colors, the kids often are attracted to this variety of khim. The dulcimer comes in various sizes, identified by the number of strings that cross each of the bridges. Schunda manufactured over 10,000 of his instrument and it soon became popular with the bourgeoisie and Romani (Gypsies) alike. What kinds of music can you play? There are tenor, soprano, or requinto varieties. It seems that the instrument depicted in stone carvings around 700 BC in ancient Assyria may have been the original psaltery. The instrument is referred to as "hammered" in reference to the small mallets (referred to as hammers) that players use to strike the strings. The D45 is our mid-priced solid-wood model, the D550 offers a slightly richer tone and more bass notes, and the D670 is the "grand piano" of dulcimers, with the biggest sound and the largest range. This is a very heavy instrument with a steel structure (38 kg), and the body is reinforced by iron bars. Its 19th-century popularity spread across the Austro-Hungarian Empire by way of Jewish and Roma musicians. We expect that most beginners will have at least a few questions that aren't covered here. 9/8 Hammered Dulcimer - Backpacker. The instrument came in three sizes: prima, alto, and bass. The treble strings, made of steel, are grouped in courses of four strings. The Lady Victoria line of Hammered dulcimers are now available in two size options! File: .jpg by Nikolaj Potanin from Russia is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Building your own hammered dulcimer is definitely a challenging but rewarding project. The hammered dulcimer also spread throughout Canada with the early settlers. It's a lot of work, and in most situations, there won't be much of a noticeable improvement to the tone. This can be as simple as putting down a few sheets of plywood on the floor or setting up a small workbench in a corner of the room. There is quite a lot of variation in how hammered dulcimers are designed, built, and tuned, which means that, unlike guitars, there isn't a generic string set that will work on any dulcimer. Master Works Ultralight Hammered Dulcimer $1,79800 SKU : HAM002 High quality Masterworks instruments are used by professionals all over the world for performance and recor. If you're looking for a place to start, here are some popular choices from different parts of our price range. Next, notches are added along the internal sides of each pin block. Thank you! You can play standing up or sitting down, depending on the height of the stand. It is struck with sticks wound with cotton on the tips to produce a soft, ethereal sound. The hackbrett comes in various sizes and shapes, including trapezoid, half-trapezoid, rectangle, and with and without soundhole decor. The santoor of India is said to be a variation of the Iranian santur, referred to as Shatha Tantri Veena (100-stringed instrument) in Sanskrit texts. Once the glue is applied, be sure to apply pressure at all points using clamps and weights. The mezrab (or hammers) are lightweight and held between the index and middle fingers. The hammered dulcimer has two long bridges namely, a bass bridge near the right and a treble bridge on the left side. Is Hammered Dulcimer hard to learn? Start by marking 1 1/8 intervals along each bridge; these marks are where the strings will ultimately rest. We appreciate your continued patience if we are slower than usual to respond to your emails and phone calls. The bass bridge holds up bass strings, which are played to the left of the bridge. These hammers are also wrapped with leather, providing a softer sound. In order to make things easier, its a good idea to dedicate a specific area of your workshop to woodworking projects. Be sure to avoid using softwoods such as pine, as they will not produce a desirable tone quality. Also available are our durable and convenient carrying bags in matching sizes. We don't use any pushy sales tactics, and would love to answer any questions you might have (or help you figure out what questions to ask). Once a perfect fit is achieved, glue the planks together. The 15 is the number of pairs of strings passing over the treble (center) bridge. Semi-concert tsymbaly: Manufactured from 1950 to 1986 by Chernihiv Musical Instrument Factory. You can also view our full line of hammered dulcimers here. It is bigger than Osttiroler with 84 strings but smaller than the Appenzeller hackbrett with fewer courses and strings. We no longer sell .020" phosphor bronze wire. Paul Van Arsdale (19202018), a player from upstate New York, used flexible hammers made from hacksaw blades, with leather-covered wooden blocks attached to the ends (these were modeled after the hammers used by his grandfather, Jesse Martin). For this reason, it's not usually possible for us to tell you what materials and gauges of strings your dulcimer was designed for. The evolution of the psalterium resulted in the harpsichord; that of the dulcimer produced the pianoforte.[7]. So if youre looking for a cheaper option, building your own dulcimer is definitely the way to go! For this step, it will be most efficient to create several long bridges, and simply cut them to length using a double edge hand saw. The next step is to make the bridges. The Zhinovich National Academic Folk Orchestra of Belarus, named after musician Joseph Iosifovich Zhinovich in 1930, is the oldest musical collective in the country today. Like the salterio of Italy, the doulcemr went through a short trend in the 17th and 18th centuries. While you certainly dont need all of these tools to build your first hammered dulcimer, having these will make the job easier. The next step is to make space under the two frame rails to accommodate the moveable internal braces created above. Size: 1/2. Use a Forstner bit or spade bit for this step, making sure to keep the drill bits perpendicular to the surface of the wood. Once the varnish has dried, lightly tap in the pins to the pin block with a hammer (a rubber mallet works best if available). Finish with a double edge hand saw and sand. Once all the holes have been drilled, cut through each hole with a saw. The bridges are wood pieces that separate the strings from the sound board. With the wood you selected for your hammered dulcimer, begin by cutting the frame sides to length. J. C. Rockwell Dulcimer Company began making baritones in 1994. Roosebeck Double Strung Hammered Dulcimer Features: 10 treble and 9 bass courses Construction: Indian Rosewood String material: brass, steel Accessories included: One pair of two-sided dulcimer hammers have a leather pad on one side. Check out our post here. Photos, prices, and detailed descriptions for each of our dulcimer models, Beginner's guide to hammered dulcimers, general dulcimer info, & specifics about how we build them, Compare sound clips, prices and features of Dusty Strings hammered dulcimers, Custom options include dampers, abalone inlay & curly maple trim, Everything you need to outfit and service your hammered dulcimer (and some other fun stuff), Hammered dulcimer care & feeding, plus answers to common technical questions, Online ordering, string charts, & how to replace your strings. The final step is to apply the strings and tune using a standard dulcimer tuning wrench. If youre familiar with basic woodworking techniques and have access to the right tools, then you should be able to build a simple hammered dulcimer as a weekend project. When selecting wood for your dulcimer, its important to choose a hardwood that is both durable and tonally resonant. The strings of a hammered dulcimer are usually found in pairs, two strings for each note (though some instruments have three or four strings per note). Roma musicians gathered and played a somber elegy by his graveside, and this is how the group began. He was known as The Primas of kings and the king of Primases. Sebastian Virdung; uploaded by de:User:Matthias.Gruber, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Most people these days start out with 15/14s or 16/15s with the wider 1" string spacing which is better for beginners. About the author:In her childhood, Nicolette Foss could be found underneath piles of sawdust in her fathers hammered dulcimer workshop. The main factors that affect the price are the materials (solid wood vs. laminated wood), the size/range, and the complexity of the design. Master Works Hammered Dulcimer 16/15 Pioneer Package $86900 SKU : HAM095CR An excellent starter package for folks interested in beginning with the hammered dulcimer. The hammers are covered with felt to make a softer sound. Start by taping a piece of tracing paper to the top of the soundboard and indicate the location of each of the pins. To get an idea of the wide range of music that people play on hammered dulcimer, check out the videos in this blog post. The tsymbaly is called the instrumental voice of Belarus. The mezrabs (hammers) are oval-shaped and held between the index, thumb, and middle fingers. The player can incorporate portamentos (gliding from one note to another) and vibratos (pressing down on the strings) in this manner as they play. The smaller instruments will have less bass response and sound brighter, while the larger instruments support more bass end and more volume. She helped with odds and ends in the business, attended folk music festivals, and learned the importance of hard work. It has 100 strings and has been found in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir since ancient days. We recommend specialty stores that cater to hobby enthusiasts. This instrument is also capable of harmonics and (chn zh), which involves flicking the sticks lightly over the strings, creating tremolo, a quick vibration. Are you on a budget or are brand new to playing music? Shop: Buy a hammered dulcimer and discover . German Americans: A version of the German hackbrett has ended up right here in our own backyard. The tuning system for these cimbaloms has a pitch range of four octaves plus a major third. Sponsored . Santur. That will give you about 2-1/2 octaves of the keys of G and A. However, the Persian Santoor manufacturer pledges a lifetime warranty for the instruments it produces. Contact, Demonstrating our Exciting Electric Hammered Dulcimer-Songbird Dulcimers, John Fritzler Polka Band Dutch Hop on Mollie B Polka Party Let's Have A Party & Sully's Polka, 100 Tagu Ciganyzenekar Cignytz -Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra Cignytz 2008, () . Finish the notches with a chisel and use sand paper to smoothen. The term yangqin (or yang quin, yang chin) was once written as , which meant foreign zither. See their website here: https://www.jpstrings.com/brinst.htm The 16/15 is a Phoebe. The instrument has a clever mechanism that allows the possibility to shorten the length of all sides so they sound a semitone higher. The Whippoorwill hammered dulcimer offers at full sized, beautiful sounding hammered dulcimer at an unbelievable price. Both hammers are lacewood with rosewood trim inclusive of a tuning tool and drawstring bag. 15/14 is a good, all-around size for most dulcimer music as it covers a range of 3 octaves whereas any other dulcimer with a size lower than 15/14 for example 12/11, 10/9, etc. Still need help selecting the right instrument? The middle note is (La3 or A3) on the right side of the treble bridge. Both the folk and concert varieties of the cimbalom landed in countries like Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Slovakia, Moldova, Belarus, and Ukraine, where the culture has held and it is still played today. Unlike guitar strings, which must be replaced often due to the corrosive effects of salt and perspiration from the player's fingers, hammered dulcimer strings can last many years with little care. The notes extend from lower yakah (G) up to jawab jawab husayni (a) and is fully chromatic. Below is an excellent video produced by master craftsman Aaron Wolff, who builds a 5 octave, 19/18/6 hammered dulcimer from scratch. [1], Hammered dulcimers and other similar instruments are traditionally played in Iraq, India, Iran, Southwest Asia, China, Korea, and parts of Southeast Asia, Central Europe (Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland (particularly Appenzell), Austria and Bavaria), the Balkans, Eastern Europe (Ukraine and Belarus), and Scandinavia. Appearance is also an important consideration. What is a hammered dulcimer anyway? This tuning results in most, but not all, notes of the chromatic scale being available. However, for those looking to take their time to build a more precision instrument, allow at least 1-2 weeks. Not only is he an exceptionally talented builder, but he is a talented hammered dulcimer player as well. Update your shipping location. The bass strings are copper wound and have courses of three strings. The small ensemble including the smaller cimbalom (tambal mic) was favored by Roma musicians and originated from the klezmer style. It still had the same four-octave range, however. The Persian santur has a diatonic tuning, with tones that are designated into 12 modes, or dastgahs, which makes up the classical music of Persia called the Radif. It makes certain styles like blues, jazz, classical and non-Western folk music easier to play. The Indian santoor of ancient times was played in a style of classical music called. . This is considered the khims traditional shape. There is a lot more detailed information elsewhere on the site, and you're more than welcome to give us a call if you'd like to talk to a person! Additionally, the timpan or tiompan (thought to be a psaltery) were mentioned in old stories as far back as the 6th century AD and were said to be played by faeries. For example, on an instrument with D as the lowest note, the D major scale is played starting in the lower-right corner and ascending the bass bridge: D E F G. This is the lower tetrachord of the D major scale. It was made from tree bark, stones, and strung with goat intestines a far cry from the Persian santur of today! The Irish player John Rea (19151983) used hammers made of thick steel wire, which he made himself from old bicycle spokes wrapped with wool. Shifting down three courses transposes the D-major scale to A-major, but of course the first Do-Re-Mi would be shifted off the instrument. In Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, the name salterio was used to describe two kinds of zithers: the hammered dulcimer and the psaltery. It especially became popular alongside Chinese opera because it was used within opera groups. Shipping and handling rates can be found on our Shipping Costs page. And the future looks bright for the hammered dulcimer. [3][4] Typically, the lowest note (often a G or D) is struck at the lower right-hand of the instrument, just to the left of the right-hand (bass) bridge. photozou: , CC BY-SA 2.1 JP , via Wikimedia Commons. It will quickly get frustrating if you're spending more time tuning than you are playing! This shape is said to be easier for musicians to carry. There is a lot more information on our website, but we also love helping beginners explore this delightful instrument, so please email us or give us a call if we can be of any help! In this article, we will take a deep dive into these instruments: the dulcimer, salterio, hackbrett, cimbalom, santur, yangqin, and khim. This helps mitigate any potential moisture-related problems down the road due to humidity. Typically only professionals play these instruments for special occasions. You can play them two ways; with the rubber side for a soft sound, or with the bamboo handle for a crisper tone (the pointed ends can also be used to pluck the notes). 5 ply Baltic birch is used for the top and back. Many are fully chromatic, but like our chromatic dulcimers many are also based on a diatonic layout. Whether youre a beginner or an experienced woodworker, we hope that this guide to building a hammered dulcimer has something for everyone! Here the choice of wood is yours, but we suggest using mahogany if this option is available to you. Wound strings are wound to lengths that work for Dusty Strings dulcimers. This then possibly led to the evolution of the Persian santur as well as other versions in the Middle East. The hammered dulcimer (also called the hammer dulcimer) is a percussion-stringed instrument which consists of strings typically stretched over a trapezoidal resonant sound board. The Overture combines affordability with a satisfying amount of playing range. This D570 is one of a very limited edition featuring densely-figured bird's-eye maple rails and pinblocks. However, for over 100 years many players in Western Canada play the Ukrainian tsimbaly. It was then perceived that the psalterium (in which the strings were plucked) and the dulcimer (in which they were struck), when provided with keyboards would give rise to two distinct families of instruments, differing essentially in tone quality, in technique and in capabilities. There have been phases of popularity over the years, including hammered dulcimer music genres like celtic, hymns, polkas, waltzes, and even modern rock and pop songs. Others will knock on the trunk of the tree and listen carefully for the right sound. Musicians often have several different sets of hammers to choose from, all with slightly varied tones. Where graphite remains is where you need to shave off excess material so that both edges are flush with each other. If you do decide to restring the whole instrument, we recommend changing the strings course by course. Use a jig saw to rough cut to the desired shape of the frame; we will trim the sides in a future step. The Iraqi santur (or santour, santoor) is made of walnut, and has a total of 92 strings, either steel or bronze. Browse through the Makers listed below, our Hammered Dulcimers are available for purchase through our online store or Call Us to place an Order (740-941-1271), or when in Southern Ohio stop by . At this point the player returns to the bottom of the instrument and shifts to the treble strings to the right of the treble bridge to play the higher tetrachord: A B C D. The player can continue up the scale on the right side of the treble bridge with E F G A B, but the next note will be C, not C, so he or she must switch to the left side of the treble bridge (and closer to the player) to continue the D major scale. Happy hammering! Note: The D25 full set contains two strings per course. Most traditional American hammered dulcimers have the major keys of F, C, G and D easily available, which works well for a variety of musical styles like old-time, bluegrass, hymns, Celtic tunes, and even some pop music. When attaching two planks together, try this helpful trick. For folks who preferably like to play fast or with a band (contra dance music) should opt for instruments with less sustain. If you're lucky, your local music store will have a hammered dulcimer teacher in residence, but if not, there are lots of other options for learning to play!There are also a lot of ways to learn on your own, from YouTube videos to online Dulcimer School to books and DVDs. Spare string packs contain one to three strings of each gauge used on that model, and are useful for having backup strings in case of breakage, but will not provide enough strings to restring the whole instrument. Strings are grouped together in courses, most commonly in pairs on modern instruments, and all the strings in a course are tuned to the same note. The smaller size dulcimer has 12 and 11 . If you want a simpler project, make the frame smaller to accommodate just 9 treble courses. We no longer sell .020" steel wound strings and recommend replacing those with .022" steel wound instead. These days, you can find her belly dancing to instrumental Arabic music, learning the Serbian language, making short films with friends, and cuddling her cat Georgie. Remove the paper. The larger the dulcimer is, the more keys there are available, and certain instruments might also incorporate additional chromatic notes outside of the traditional major-scale tuning scheme. This does not include the cost of workshop tools. Each set of strings is tuned in unison and is called a course. Replacing your first broken string can seem daunting, but with a little patience, a tuning wrench, and a pair of wire snips, you'll be a pro in no time. This transposes one equally tempered scale to another. We hope you have learned something new about the hammered dulcimer; either an interesting historical tidbit, or a new musical style that gives you the inspiration to pick up your hammers and play. Here is a rendition of a traditional mariachi song, Las Bicicletas: 1551 Hackbrett. However, over time the first character was changed to , which means acclaimed. Additionally, the timpan or tiompan (thought to be a psaltery) were mentioned in old stories as far back as the 6th century AD and were said to be played by faeries. Photos, prices, and detailed descriptions for each of our dulcimer models, Beginner's guide to hammered dulcimers, general dulcimer info, & specifics about how we build them, Compare sound clips, prices and features of Dusty Strings hammered dulcimers, Custom options include dampers, abalone inlay & curly maple trim, Everything you need to outfit and service your hammered dulcimer (and some other fun stuff), Hammered dulcimer care & feeding, plus answers to common technical questions, Online ordering, string charts, & how to replace your strings, view our full line of hammered dulcimers here. spacing between string courses (I think you can adapt to any spacing, really, though.) Dukes, counts, countesses, priests, nuns, and cardinals were all lovers and players of this instrument. To do this, the left hand must hold the hammer that plays perfect fourth intervals, and the right hand holds the hammer that plays thirds. Ireland: Though Irish folk music is a huge part of our repertoire for the hammered dulcimer here in the US, little is known about the Irish instruments history. Next, set the table saw at a 10-12 degree angle and carefully guide each bridge along the table saw. Thailand: The khim was introduced to Thailand from the China yangqin, then to Laos and Cambodia. These hammers are also wrapped with leather, providing a softer sound. Nowadays salterios are hung up in museums, cherished in private collections, and played by a select few professional musicians such as Franziska Fleischanderl. String Spacing As of August 2016, we have improved the string design a little bit for some of our Chromatic Series dulcimers. The hammered dulcimer is set before the musician, who in more traditional styles may sit cross-legged on the floor, or in a more modern style may stand or sit at a wooden support with legs. However, the preferred choice of professional performers has since shifted back to the original concert cimbalom. Music on the yangqin can be played either solo or as part of an ensemble. Built with a lovely Cherry veneer on a durable ply top. The cimbalom, or concert cimbalom, is a descendant of the hackbrett. This type of tsymbaly was the reason for the instruments popularity in Eastern Ukraine in the post-war years. $229.00. The main popularity of the instrument rose in the Carpathians and Southwestern Ukraine especially with the Hutsul and Bukovinian people. The Persian Walnut Wood Santoor and Roosebeck Hammered Dulcimer both have 10/9 bridges for treble and bass course respectively, whereas the Sapelli Pioneer Hammered Dulcimer has 15/14 bridges for treble and bass course. Even though the hackbrett lost popularity in Germany, the culture still lives on in the Volga Germans. More recently, there was a rise in popularity due to a Thai novel Khu Kam (later a TV series and movie), where the main character played the khim, and more notably the classical Thai song Nang Kruan. It was made from tree bark, stones, and strung with goat intestines a far cry from the Persian santur of today! For the back of the hammered dulcimer, use thick planks of wood. With a compass, mark out circles along each bridge and drill using a drill press. Even though the hackbrett lost popularity in Germany, the culture still lives on in the Volga Germans. If you're unable to measure the existing strings, another option is to try looking at some of our string charts (available on this page) and guessing which one is the most similar to your dulcimer. The khim is played either sitting on the floor, or sitting or standing with the khim on a stand. If they are heavily tarnished, a very fine steel wool will clean them, but make that choice with care because it may also take off some of the protective coating that keeps them from rusting. The D570 has a deep, lush bass voice with a clear, sparkly treble and an even tone all around. Carefully cut to match the dimensions of the frame using a table saw. Ukraine: The Ukrainian tsymbaly () has courses of between three and five strings, as well as bass strings that may have one to two strings wrapped. These are the most modern designs of the khim, known as a fancy khim. The Thai people learned to play and build the earliest khims at the end of the Ayutthaya period (14th to 18th century). This style of music was used as an accompaniment to Sufi hymns, and also a dance called Hafiz Nagma. However, the instrument is beginning to evolve for a new generation. Dulcimer is also being used more and more by composers who write for film, and you can hear some examples of that in this post. But in the end it comes down to musician taste. Schunda manufactured over 10,000 of his instrument and it soon became popular with the bourgeoisie and Romani (Gypsies) alike. Questions? For example, mahogany has a beautiful dark finish that would look great as a soundboard on any hammered dulcimer, while maple impacts a lighted, more cheerful tone. When applying glue to a wood surface, we suggest smoothing out the glue with your finger to ensure a thin, even coat before joining with another wood surface. You may celebrate the New Year with 'Auld Lang Syne,' and Valentine's Day with 'My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose.' . If youre not familiar with these tools, be sure to consult an expert before attempting to use them. Since then, however, modern instruments now have a pitch range that can extend five fully chromatic octaves: from AA to a. Shorter hammers are used compared to the cimbalom hammers, but not still not as short as those used by the tsymbaly players of Belarus. 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