The term dulcimer encompasses two distinct families of stringed instruments: the hammered dulcimer and the mountain dulcimer, also known as the Appalachian dulcimer.
Although they differ greatly in construction, playing style, and cultural context, both share a common thread in their classification as dulcimers, a word derived from the Latin dulcis (sweet) and the Greek melos (song), meaning "sweet song."
The hammered dulcimer is among the oldest known dulcimer forms, with roots stretching back to ancient Persia around 900 AD, where it was known as the santur. From Persia, the instrument spread across Asia and Europe, evolving into regional variants such as the Hungarian cimbalom, the Chinese yangqin, and the Indian santoor. It reached Western Europe by the Middle Ages, where it became popular in folk traditions before declining with the rise of keyboard instruments like the harpsichord and piano.
The hammered dulcimer is a trapezoidal wooden box with numerous strings stretched over a soundboard. Strings are arranged in courses (pairs or triples) and tuned in a diatonic scale, with bridges dividing them into different pitch ranges. The number of strings varies widely, from small folk dulcimers with 12-20 courses to large concert cimbaloms with over 100 strings.
The hammered dulcimer is played with lightweight wooden mallets or "hammers," often padded or wrapped to produce different tonal qualities. The player strikes the strings to create a bright, percussive sound, sometimes damping strings with the palm or fingers for articulation. Ornamentation includes rapid rolls, arpeggios, and rhythmic patterns that exploit the instrument's resonance.
Variants include the Santur (Persia, India), the Yangqin (China), the Cimbalom (Hungary), and the American hammered dulcimer, which is central to folk revivals in the United States.
The Appalachian (mountain) dulcimer emerged in the 19th century in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. It evolved from European zither-like instruments brought by immigrants, particularly the German scheitholt. Unlike the hammered dulcimer, it is a relatively recent invention, deeply tied to American folk traditions and the cultural identity of Appalachia.
The Appalachian dulcimer is a long, narrow, fretted instrument with three to five strings, typically built in a teardrop, hourglass, or rectangular shape. Strings run over a diatonically fretted fingerboard, unlike the chromatic frets of guitars or violins. They are traditionally homemade, often from local woods, although modern luthiers craft refined versions.
The Appalachian dulcimer is played on the lap, with the body resting horizontally. Early styles used a "noter," a small stick, to slide along the melody string while drones sounded continuously. Modern players use fingerpicking, strumming, and chordal accompaniment, expanding the dulcimer's harmonic range. Its gentle, resonant tone has made it a favorite in folk and singer-songwriter traditions.
Variants include the standard mountain dulcimer, the chromatic dulcimer, the electric dulcimer, and the baritone and bass dulcimers.
Despite their differences, both instruments came to share the name dulcimer because of their sweet, melodic sound and their role as accessible folk instruments. The hammered dulcimer's name was carried into English from its European forms, while the Appalachian dulcimer was named in the 19th century by analogy, even though it is technically a fretted zither rather than a struck chordophone.
The classification reflects less a strict organological lineage and more a cultural perception, in that both instruments produce a "sweet song" and serve as approachable, community-centered instruments. Over time, the shared name has created a dual identity, uniting two very different instruments by a single word.
The hammered dulcimer and the Appalachian dulcimer represent two branches of musical history, one ancient and global, the other modern and regional.
They will also be united here, in that online resources for either of these families of dulcimers are suitable for this category.
E-commerce sites offering dulcimers for sale can be found in our Musical Instruments category.
Recommended Resources
Bill Flanagan - Hammered Dulcimer
Bill Flanagan's official hammered dulcimer site presents his music, recordings, videos, photos, schedule, and news in a simple WordPress layout. The homepage features his instrument, recent news, and several embedded recorded tracks and albums. Included are notes on Bill's relationship with the hammered dulcimer, embedded tracks and albums, media galleries with photos and videos, a news feed with dates and posts about new instruments, and basic contact details.
https://hammerdulcimer.com/
Blue Ridge Mountain Dulcimer Players Club
The BRMDPC meets quarterly to share dulcimer music, play together, promote mountain dulcimer activities locally and statewide, and perform at festivals. Meeting details, membership information, and event requests are featured on the club's website. Its stated purpose if to promote "mountain dulcimer activities locally and statewide, and playing at festivals, retirement centers, farmers' markets, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and other venues." Contacts are provided.
https://blueridgemountaindulcimerplayers.com/
This is a buyer's guide and informational blog focused on dulcimers (mountain, hammered, and hybrid dulcimer guitars), offering reviews, buying advice, and accessory recommendations for players of all levels. Among the qualities discussed on the website are wood quality (maple, spruce, cedar, walnut, and cherry), shape and length (which influence playability and tone), and ease of use and tunability (emphasizing durable tuners and a stable setup). Recommendations for accessories are included.
https://dulcimer.net/
The quarterly print magazine is dedicated to mountain and hammered dulcimer enthusiasts, offering sheet music, tablature, musician-written articles, and stories linking dulcimer tradition to the present. Print subscriptions are available quarterly, with details and ordering on the site's "Subscribe" pages. The DPN archives have been digitized and are available through the Internet Archive, with links provided. Contacts for editorials and feedback are included.
https://www.dpnews.com/
Focused on mountain dulcimer tablature, clubs, builders, teachers, events, and user-submitted tabs, Dulcimertab is run with posts and updates about new tablature and community listings. Users can browse the top navigation for categories (Tablature, Events, Clubs, Builders, Teachers, Submit Tab), which are the main content areas, or check the homepage for recent posts featuring the latest tabs and community updates. New tabs are submitted via a given email address.
https://www.dulcimertab.com/
Presented by the Original Dulcimer Players Club, Evart Funfest is an annual acoustic-instrument music festival held the third weekend in July at the Osceola County Fairgrounds in Evart, Michigan. Dates, admission costs, and the main activities and programming are featured on the website, along with recreational vehicle (RV) and primitive camping opportunities, vendor and instrument sales, farmers market performances, local church appearances, and community breakfasts.
https://evartdulcimerfest.org/
Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer
FOTMD is an active online community and social network for Appalachian mountain dulcimer players, builders, teachers, and fans. The site hosts forums, groups, photo, video, and audio galleries, classifieds, events, member profiles, and resources for learning and instrument care. Its forums and groups cover topics such as beginner players, making, fingerpicking, history, and regional groups, with questions, discussions, and peer support. Member-upload photos and audio are included.
https://fotmd.com/
Hills of Kentucky Dulcimer Club
The HOKD is a community group dedicated to performing and teaching the Appalachian (mountain) dulcimer, as well as other traditional mountain instruments. Its stated mission is to entertain and educate neighbors and communities with mountain music. Founded in 1992, the organization is actively engaged in community performances and educational programs, including events at community centers, libraries, festivals, museums, schools, nursing homes, and senior centers.
https://www.hokdulcimer.com/
Ken Kolodner is a Baltimore-based hammered dulcimer player and old-time fiddler who offers recordings, lessons, workshops, retreats, and a schedule of concerts and jams on his website. Key offerings include CDs and recent projects, collaborations, and releases, along with comprehensive video lessons and PDF sheet music for the hammered dulcimer and fiddle, information and a list of scheduled workshops and retreats, and a performance calendar of upcoming concerts.
https://www.kenkolodner.com/
North Harris County Dulcimer Society
The NHCDS is a Houston-area group for acoustic musicians that offers free lessons, regular jam sessions, and social events focused on American and world folk music. Meeting schedules and locations are featured, along with the typical flow of meetings, an overview of the instruments welcomed (including mountain/Appalachian dulcimers, hammered dulcimers, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, autoharp, flute, harmonica, upright bass, and other acoustic instruments), and the typical atmosphere is discussed.
https://nhcds.org/
Founded in 1996, the PDC is a community group that promotes learning, playing, and performing the Appalachian mountain dulcimer and the hammered dulcimer. The club welcomes players of all levels, emphasizing the importance of teaching and supporting beginners. Monthly meetings are held in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and are open and free to anyone interested in dulcimers. The club also organizes all-day jams and performs at local functions, as well as runs festival events.
https://www.poconodulcimer.club/
