How To Play The Dulcimer
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- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2009
- The Appalachian lap dulcimer is the easiest stringed instrument to learn! Play a tune in just five minutes, even if you've never played an instrument before. David is playing on a Backyard Music Simplicity Dulcimer. Check them out at backyardmusic.com
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Your a good teacher, thank you
I need one of these in my life 😍 thanks for sharing 👍
I've made instructional vids for dulcimer myself, and I must say that your superb presentation is an inspiration to me. What clarity, what superb pacing, and what a friendly manner you bring to your teaching. Thanks.
If a person is Left-Handed would they play it the opposite way ?
... neaning turn it around so that the right hand is pressing on the white ?
This is really useful! I am an elementary music teacher (K-6) and I am moving to a new district this year. In my new classroom I have a class set of dulcimers, but ZERO experience playing them. Thank you for such an accessible beginner video!
Krista, feel free to contact us via our Backyard Music website. I can send you (and any other music teacher in a similar situation) some helpful materials
This is great! That cardboard instrument sounds just fine and is proof that you don’t need expensive materials or fancy designs to make a good sounding instrument that is fun to play!
I love this! I've been wanting to build a "something" to play music. Thank you so much for simplifying it so even I can understand it! Thank you so so much!!!
excellent lesson!! Well-paced and enjoyable to listen to.
What a great tutorial. You are a very good teacher. Thank you.
This was so easy and fun. I just started trying the dulcimer. Thanks for sharing.
This demystified the dulcimer for me. Thank you so much!
I really like this...easy to see and understand at a nice pace.
Fantastic little instrument!
Under the machining section the most important one is left out - milling. Cnc milling is top 3 most important operations to understand as an efficient ME. You design some stuff, need prototypes, you’re probably going to be ordering 3D prints or milled parts. Maybe laser cut, maybe turned, but milling is so ubiquitous.
Excellent!
Great demonstration. Thank you.
Thank you! They are such fun!
Thank you! This tutorial will give me a good start.
Thank you for this video! I really want to learn to play an instrument as an adult- your presentation makes it seem possible.
ILLONA M Dubaldo (
Such a mystery, thanks for posting to explain this beautiful instrument. Reminds me of a mandolin on the lap.
Actually the dulcimer is probably the least mysterious! The scale on the fret board allows it to be the most "first start" player friendly instrument that we know of! That's the magic of it!! Thanks for viewing!
Thank you,very encouraging
Excellent!
Great instructional video, thanks for posting it :)
I am new to the dulcimer with no musical experience, your video is very helpful..Thank you.
You are welcome! Enjoy the dulcimer. Such fun!
Best yet. Thank you
I love DULCIMER music !!! T.L.B.
Great lesson. thank you so much!
thank you for the intro video... ! how is yours tuned? are all dulcimers tuned the same way? mine has more frets toward the center... (total beginner)
thanks!
Very good sir. Thank you.
The lowest string is tuned to the tonic. For instance C for the key of C. The middle string is tuned a 5th above that: G for the key of C. The melody string is tuned differently depending on what mode your tune is in: major, minor, Dorian, etc.
Excellent!!
Wonderful thank you
What kind of wood is your dulcimer? I'm making one out of redwood and cypress. It has a pecan nut and bridge.
Very nice! But you forgot to show us how to tune one before playing.
@numanuma20 Ah, that sounds somewhat reminiscent to a dulcitar. I suggest looking that up, my friend.
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tidy and clear. awesome instruction. good wishes for the new year.
beautiful!!!
its like persian clasical instrument Seh Tar.
hello, What is this tuning? DAA?
This video was something I lack sufficient eloquence to praise. Thank you!
You are welcome! Enjoy playing the dulcimer!
What key is it in.?
You're the best.
Thanks so much
thank you sir
Great tutorial! Your dulcimer is beautiful. Can I find one like that?
Hello! You can find a dulcimer just like that one at Backyardmusic.com
@@BackyardMusicSounds I bought a musical instrument used and I'm having trouble identifying it ... I thought it was a dulcimer but now I'm not so sure .
It's flat on the bottom and top I'm just shaped like an elongated oval and it has what looks like a violin scrolled back at the top as if it was supposed to have me be the wand that goes against the strings just like a cello or violin .
In total it's about two and a half feet tall including the neck .... I'm not looking at it right now and I can't recall if it has four strings ...
Do you think you can tell me what you think it is because I looked at every stringed musical instrument and gave up .
@@gardensofthegods Hmmm...is there some way you can send a photo to the Backyard.music.instruments@gmail.com. Could better help identifying it by being able to see it. Looking forward!
GOOD WORK OLETIMER
I have an upright version of it that takes on the banjo form. Can I learn using your videos?
Have you learned to play your dulcimer
thank u helped my son alot he can actually can play now ;]
This is interesting: this dulcimer shape looks very much like the instrument that probably was its ancestor, the Hommel (Belgium/Netherlands) or Hummel (Germany). Do you know how old the oldest American dulcimers are with this shape? I would love to know.
Hello! Yes...the shape is very reminiscent of the European zithers. It also uses the similar drone sounds of the zithers (traditionally only the melody string is noted and the other strings play open). The development of the dulcimer in the Appalachian mountains and surrounding areas began in the mid 1800's when the northern European settlers made their homes there. They didn't bring their zithers with them...so they used the tradition and built their own "version". As for the shape...there is no traditional shape. Being a common folk instrument different builders created their own styles. Now the "hourglass" and the "teardrop" shapes are the most popular....but there are still many variations. The first models we had at Backyard music were hourglass shape...but then we discovered the ease with anyone building a kit when we developed the present shape....extremely easy to fold into a box (a wonderful soundbox!). So, with all that....of the oldest version of this shape I couldn't even guess...but there are photos out there of very old dulcimers....and the different shapes and ideas are amazing...
Thanks for asking....hope this answers!
@@davidmagnuson2652 ok, thanks for the information.
that makes sense now! I really need to buy a cheap good mountain dulcimer now!
+ChristunaTee I just bought one a garage sale for $40.00 price tag 135.00. Now to figure out how to play
+NotMister good for you! haha hope I find one soon!
+ChristunaTee Hey there, thanks for watching! If you're still looking for a good affordable dulcimer, check out our website where you can order the dulcimer featured in the video: www.backyardmusic.com/dulcimers.html
Great video. I would add how it is tuned...
Hello Craig! Thanks for asking! In this video the tuning is DAA, also called Ionion Mode. Another popular tuning is DAD, known as the Mixolydian mode. There are several other but these two are among the most used. Hope that helps!
FYI your link to your site in the description is broken, it has a trailing space or something.
Thanks so much for letting us know of the problem! Try again...it seems we've fixed it!
Thank you! Great presentation and lesson. Now to get started on our great find for $40.00.
+NotMister Thanks, glad you enjoyed the lesson -- good luck and happy strumming with your new dulcimer!
Why didn't you tell us the fingering for the songs mentioned. What tuning are you using?
Hello! The dulcimer is tuned DAA in this video. Also known as the Ionian mode
Wow
I was given a three-string dulcimer for free at a yard sale. I had to get some strings for it, and now I'm ready to go! Is the tuning D A D?
I believe it is supposed to be low or regular F then C C
That is the way mine is and it sounds just like his
Most popular tuning is DAd or DAa.
Can this be strung left handed?
It sure can be strung left handed!
Why are there no frets for the whole chromatic scale? That would be useful...
Because the mountain dulcimer is traditionally a diatonic instrument. Chromatic models are available, or you could add extra frets to a normal one if you wanted to.
+Krešimir Cindrić It's an odd instrument in that it's purely diatonic. Put simply: You can strum around randomly on a diatonic instrument and it'll almost always sound nice. Try that with a guitar, and you're in for a bad time.
+Najey Rifai Yes, I know the difference between diatonic and chromatic instruments, but in this case, it seems strange to me that there are no frets for the whole chromatic scale, since that limits the instrument significantly regarding what melodies can be played on it. And I don't really see any downsides to a fully chromatic instrument, since this diatonic scale is just a subset of the chromatic scale and everything that can be played on this diatonic instrument can be played on a fully chromatic instrument. And, at least in this case, the solution to add more frets is so simple and elegant, I fail to see the reason not to do so. Having more frets does not make the instrument any more difficult to play, since you can simply ignore the frets you don't need.
I guess if you don't know which notes you are playing and have no idea which notes are part of the scale you want to play in, then having the choice of playing more notes means a greater chance of your random improvisation sounding badly. But is random strumming a proper way to play an instrument, anyway? If so, why bother learning music at all?
Krešimir Cindrić You have to understand the history of this instrument: It was created both to acompany fiddles, and to provide background sound in relaxed situations. After this, music began being written for it, and it was only relatively recently that picked music was written for it.
I can however see where you're coming from. A good idea would be to color code all the frets for the diatonic scale
It does not limit what melodies can be played on it. You only use 7 notes in any give key anyways.
So it is exactly the same as playing in the key of D major. Or use a capo to play in other keys.
thnx! very clear! Gd bless!
I want to learn to play the Delcimer and maybe I can move up to the Guitar???
Hello Betty! The dulcimer certainly is different than the guitar! For one while both are strung and fretted the dulcimer is much easier to play as it is played flat across your lap or on a table (one can see much easier when fretting) and often enough with fretting only the melody string while the others drone. Also the scale on a dulcimer is a diatonic scale (Do-Re-Me...very player friendly...no "off notes") and a guitar is chromatic (just about all notes possible!). Both are rewarding to play but the guitar is certainly more a challenge than the dulcimer
Good luck with whatever music you play!
what are the strings tuned to? thanks
Our dulcimers sound best when tuned DAA or DAD. Other tunings (or "modes") are possible...but sounds best in D.
Hope that answers your question.
@@BackyardMusicSounds thanks,, I gotta figure out now which strings are which, two skinny strings a middle skinny string and last a fat bass string,, I think someone might have just put whatever on this,,
@@Rich2481 do you have a 4 string dulcimer? are the 2 melody strings close together? are are string gauges marked (or are they in envelopes that state string diameter?). If they are not marked then your best bet is to go by feel (or thickness) of the strings. The wound one will be the bass string....the farthest away from you on the fret board. Of the strings that remain....if you feel one that is thicker than the others that one would be the middle string....the thinnest strings would be your melody strings (some dulcimers have 2...or "double melody" strings...and some only have one. If your's has 2 melody strings those 2 will be tuned to the same note (most likely a D). Some common gauges of strings would be .022 (or .023) for the bass string, .012 (or .014) for the middle and .010 (or .011) for the melody strings...Those gauges would be best for a DAD tuning...for a DAA the melody strings could be the same gauge as the middle strings (.012 or .014).
Hope that helps!
@@BackyardMusicSounds appreciate the comment back,, yes it has 4 strings, two strings are close together and the middle one seems the same thickness with an end string thick and wire wound If I held it like a right hand guitarist would, the two strings together would be at the top and the thickest string at the bottom,, i went ahead and ordered a set from Amazon,
@@Rich2481 Glad I could help! Is the dulcimer you have a Backyard Music dulcimer?
I picked up some of these cardboard dulcimers that he sells. They're pretty okay not bad
tuning is 3 string 1 5 5 or C G G or 4 string 1 5 5 55 C G G GG
The tunings that work best for the Backyard Music Dulcimers are in the key of D...DAA (Bass D, Middle string A and melody string A). Another popular tuning is DAD (Bass D, Middle A and melody D). If you have a dulcimer with double melody strings they are both tuned the same (either A or D...depending on which tuning (or mode) that you are using). There are other tunings but these are among the most played. Some dulcimers are in the Key of C but the Backyard Music Dulcimer is intended for the key of D.
@@davidmagnuson2652 yes, up a whole
step
O goody .. now I can take it off the wall!! :o)
worldpeaz Did you take it off the wall and how far did you get?!
I WANT one of these! Problem is I am BROKE! Even for a cheap instrument, I am BROKE at the mo ....
.....is it really that easy?
We say Yeah! it really is that easy...and so much fun!
That thing needs more frets...
There are dulcimers out there with more frets...in fact we make a few that are chromatic!....but, of course, the traditional dulcimer started years ago with Do-Re-Mi!
@@BackyardMusicSounds Dictated limitations in various instruments makes birth for interesting styles and songs too. Btw, may the Dulcimer have been the origin of what later became the banjo ?
@@ogreunderbridge5204 I would say the dulcimer is not the origin of the banjo...they were two different ideas that developed separately at the same time. The banjo really began in the South...it greatly resembles the African Xalam. While the Banjo began in the South the further development (to what we know now) was later farther up North....Philadelphia and Boston (not to forget mention of Western CT!)