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"). The bass strings are copper wound and have courses of three strings. We appreciate your continued patience if we are slower than usual to respond to your emails and phone calls. What kinds of music can you play? The Valais hackbrett, or Walliser hackbrett, is very similar to the Osttiroler hackbrett of Austria. Be sure to avoid using softwoods such as pine, as they will not produce a desirable tone quality. Comes with hammers and T-handle tuning wrench Only exclusive American-made dulcimer of its kind Exclusive Hammered Dulcimer We are currently the only American builder selling a hammered dulcimer this size. Local lumberyards and home improvement stores usually carry a variety of woods, but the selection may be limited. 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. The whole pattern can be shifted up by three courses, so that instead of a D-major scale one would have a G-major scale, and so on. Student Model Hammer Dulcimers These instruments are a less expensive well-constructed alternative to my Custom Dulcimers. If you're looking for a place to start, here are some popular choices from different parts of our price range. The larger size is referred to as 15/14. The dancers add a bounce to their steps, and a little hop or stomp addition to traditional polka dancing. And in this guide, we will walk you through every step of the process. 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. $340.00 . 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. Each moveable brace is made using 3/8 wood slats. Solid Wood Hammered Dulcimers, Best Acoustic Amplifiers for Dulcimers [2023], Power drill (ideally a bench top drill press with vice). Ethereal salterio music rang out in churches, theaters, and private palazzi. Finish: Natural. It is still played occasionally in live performances today. Most modern dulcimers, ours included, are designed with two or more individual strings per course, where each string has a loop that hooks over a hitch pin, and a free end that wraps around a tuning pin. Schunda manufactured over 10,000 of his instrument and it soon became popular with the bourgeoisie and Romani (Gypsies) alike. There are a few stores around the country that carry our dulcimers, and we'd be happy to find out if there's a place near you where you could go and try them out. On the practical side, you want to make sure that you can tune the dulcimer and that it will stay in tune. Hammered dulcimers can also be chromatic, which allows for a longer range in the higher registers. Before the concert cimbalom was developed, the folk instrument had been played on a barrel or a table. Color: Brown. A dulcimer usually has two bridges, a bass bridge near the right and a treble bridge on the left side. It makes certain styles like blues, jazz, classical and non-Western folk music easier to play. Though all three products have almost the same quantity of accessories alongside the dulcimers with a few hits and misses, however, the Master Works Hammered Dulcimer tops the price list. $229.00. Where graphite remains is where you need to shave off excess material so that both edges are flush with each other. Typically only professionals play these instruments for special occasions. The popularity of the khim is still on the rise. Clamp and let dry. These folks capture the essence of the Old World in their local music scene. The East Tirol hackbrett, or Osttiroler hackbrett, is also a diatonic tuning but is smaller than the Styrian. Absolutely! 9/8 Hammered Dulcimer - Backpacker. It may also be handy to have a friend with woodworking experience work with you as they will know how to stay safe while working efficiently with woodworking tools. Considering the cost of this model, this hammered dulcimer is a very good overall value. The player holds a small spoon-shaped mallet hammer in each hand to strike the strings. Here the choice of wood is yours, but we suggest using mahogany if this option is available to you. The 23 sets of courses are made of four strings each, and struck with hammers called midhrab. Once the pin blocks are cut to the desired length, make cuts at the end of each pin block to create notches needed to accommodate the side rails. When attaching two planks together, try this helpful trick. Hammered Dulcimer STAND Plans actual size - Full scale detailed. However, the instrument is beginning to evolve for a new generation. The Graeco-Roman dulcimer ("sweet song") derives from the Latin dulcis (sweet) and the Greek melos (song). This allows you to play music that modulates or is full of accidentals, and is more like having both the black and white keys on a piano. 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. Save hammered dulcimer used to get e-mail alerts and updates on your eBay Feed. The instrument arrived along with the Spanish conquistadors and became a part of Mexican culture. Once a perfect fit is achieved, glue the planks together. 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. The 15 is the number of pairs of strings passing over the treble (center) bridge. If you are looking for strings for a hammered dulcimer made by someone else, there's a chance we might have what you need, but there are a couple of things you'll need to know. The cost of building a dulcimer varies depending on the type of wood you use and the tools you have access to. This ensures a consistent thickness which improves adhesion and reduces spillover. Shipping and handling rates can be found on our Shipping Costs page. The cane hammers are bent and bound with wool. The Mexican salterio is placed in the lap and plucked with plectrums (metal picks attached to the index finger on each hand). 98 configuration 9 string courses on left side, 8 courses on rightRoughly 22 length by 10 height.Excellent condition.Top and Back are Birch wood.Sound is bright and light. Excellent quality wire designed for stringing of Dulcimer, Hammered Dulcimer, Harpsichord & Harp as well as other stringed instruments Coiled onto a sturdy spool which makes the handling of the wire easy to use Metric conversion chart below Choose from the following sizes: Size 7 - .018" diameter - 578 feet per 1/2 lb coil The Salzburg hackbrett, or Salzburger hackbrett, has chromatic tuning and 128 strings. This can be done using a table saw, radial arm saw, or miter saw. Once you have the braces cut to size, its time to drill holes along the length of each. Is a dulcimer easy to play? Is it hard to learn? We believe the 16/15 Phoebe is the best sounding, most reliable, full size entry level hammered dulcimer on the market today. There are two sets of bridges, with notes ranging over three octaves. The instrument came in three sizes: prima, alto, and bass. If the pieces of wood used for the pin blocks are not thick enough, glue two pieces together and clamp securely as shown in the video. Contact us, In the modern music genres of today, there is no doubt the hammered dulcimer is pretty obscure. The bridges are wood pieces that separate the strings from the sound board. The salterios of the 18th century in countries like Italy and Spain were played by the upper-class aristocracy for composed sinfonia or sonatas. The word hackbrett means chopping board in German, referring to the striking of hammers resembling the chopping meat on a cutting board. The Master Works hammered dulcimers have a comparatively long sustain, which is excellent for full-sounding slow-to-medium tempo music (e.g. It is often painted with a deep or bright color, and children who play like to decorate it with cartoon stickers. It has five bridges of varying sizes, and courses are double or triple-stringed. A 15/14, for example, has 15 strings crossing the treble bridge and 14 crossing the bass bridge, and can span three octaves. A surge in popularity in the UK occurred between 1850 to 1930, when most of the instruments were made. The bridges are called dama, meaning chessmen in Arabic, because they look like pawns. Not only will you end up with a unique and custom-made instrument, but youll also have a deeper understanding of how it works. 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. User:Kar Mester at hu.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. It sound will satisfy the discrimination . The next step is to make the bridges. Typically the hackbrett is played along with an accordion, fiddle, and double bass quartet. 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. As a player strikes the courses above in sequence, they ascend following a repeating sequence of two whole steps and a half step. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Tuning Tips Please leave us a comment below with any questions, observations, or inspirations youve gotten from this post! This D major scale with a flatted seventh is the mixolydian mode in D. The same thing happens as the player goes up the treble bridge after getting to La (B in this case), one has to go to the left of the treble bridge. It's an ideal size for many people - reasonably easy to carry and set up, but with a highly satisfying 3.5-octave chromatic range and 3.75-octave overall range. They provide the dulcimer player with the ultimate in playing experience. The hackbrett comes in various sizes and shapes, including trapezoid, half-trapezoid, rectangle, and with and without soundhole decor. $400.00 + $89.99 shipping . Sand to finish. With the frame of the instrument lying flat on a workbench, apply a layer of glue on each side and lay the back over the frame. The hackbrett seemed to have a mixed reception: Although the instrument was featured in classical music such as the opera and sinfonia (Christoph Willibald Gluck includes two parts for hackbrett in his opera Le cadi dup of 1761 and Leopold Mozart in his Sinfonia in D Major Le peasant wedding of 1755), it was played mostly in alpine regions and has become a folk instrument over time. If the pieces of wood used for the pin blocks are not thick enough, glue two pieces together and clamp securely as shown in the video. The tsymbaly is called the instrumental voice of Belarus. Size: 1/2. However, the preferred choice of professional performers has since shifted back to the original concert cimbalom. In an orchestra, the yangqins role is to play chords or arpeggios to add to the harmony. Full size dulcimer, ideal for both beginner or intermediate player. More modern yangqin since the 1950s have steel alloy strings (in conjunction with copper-wound steel strings for the bass notes). Using a drill press, drill holes at a 15 degree angle away from the center of the instrument. Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating. During World War I when Germans were not well-received, they changed their names from Deutsch to Dutch. 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. Nowadays salterios are hung up in museums, cherished in private collections, and played by a select few professional musicians such as Franziska Fleischanderl. Most people will look at you blankly, scratch their head and say, Hammered dulcimer, whats that?. The notes extend from lower yakah (G) up to jawab jawab husayni (a) and is fully chromatic. The notes extend from lower yakah (G) up to jawab jawab husayni (a) and is fully chromatic. Dulcimer.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Hammered dulcimers of non-European descent may have other tuning patterns, and builders of European-style dulcimers sometimes experiment with alternate tuning patterns. The first step in building a hammered dulcimer is selecting the right materials. Oops! Others have a tuning diagram all their own as in the Cimbalom. 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 still had the same four-octave range, however. 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). This variation is the most modern rendition of the hackbrett, created in the 1930s to play Stubenmusik (or parlor music), a form of Alpine folk music. When playing traditional Chinese music, musicians will use the jianpu notation system instead of Western staff notation. That Standard Sizes are 15/14 or 16/15 which give you about 3 octaves of the keys of D and E. And having fun is the entire point! 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. It expanded its range with a concert band, opened tsymbaly classes at the Conservatory, and now has over 2,000 compositions in its repertoire. The salterio of France was called doulcemr (derived from Latin. However, playing them on the left side gives a note, a fifth higher than playing them on the right of the bridge. Dulcimer.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. The steps below generally follow the steps taken in his video. The hammers are made of flexible and lightweight bamboo and have rubber tips. 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. In places like Alberta, you can hear tsymbaly played at weddings, dances, competitions, festivals, and in recorded music. Hammered dulcimers vary in size, but are generally between 30-48 inches long, 12-24 inches in width, and 2-6 inches in depth. Repeat Step 6 using planks of the same high quality wood in this case, mahogany. A good-sounding tsymbaly instrument is carefully crafted by its maker. This instrument has chromatic tuning with bridges dividing 125 strings into fifths and sixths. Grassroots Hammered Dulcimers have a unique and beautiful sound. A hammered dulcimer is usually set up on some sort of stand or leg, with the strings facing up and the longest edge of the trapezoid facing the player. Ethereal salterio music rang out in churches, theaters, and private palazzi. Shorter hammers are used compared to the cimbalom hammers, but not still not as short as those used by the tsymbaly players of Belarus. 5 ply Baltic birch is used for the top and back. 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. The Belarusian tsymbaly or cymbaly varies from the concert cimbalom in both timbre and size. These notches will support the internal lateral braces. Good protection for your dulcimer and also economical. It's easy to think that a beginner should start on the smallest instrument, but unless they have specific portability needs, most people who progress in their playing eventually find the 12/11 size to be somewhat limiting and they move to something with more low notes. Since this is a 19/18/6 hammered dulcimer, you will need a total of 43 individual bridges. is a huge part of our repertoire for the hammered dulcimer here in the US, little is known about the Irish instruments history. Classical composers like Zoltn Kodly, Igor Stravinsky, and Pierre Boulez have all used this instrument in their music. Although it had a distinctive name in each country, it was everywhere regarded as a kind of psalterium. 9/8 Fledgling Hammered Dulcimer (One String Per Course), 9/8 Fledgling Hammered Dulcimer (Two Strings Per Course), Handcrafting Hammered Dulcimers since 1992. Something went wrong while submitting the form. You're always welcome to give us a call if you're worried you're going to do something wrong or hurt the instrument. 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. 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. This tuning results in most, but not all, notes of the chromatic scale being available. The instrument can have either chromatic or diatonic tuning systems. It also has a built-in damper pedal. To most modern-day musicians, the hammered dulcimer is a new and unfamiliar instrument. About the author:In her childhood, Nicolette Foss could be found underneath piles of sawdust in her fathers hammered dulcimer workshop. You can find strings for your hammered dulcimer at most music stores or online. This is the standard size that is popular among beginners. You don't have to make a career out of it, you don't have to practice every day (although you might find you want to! In this final step in building a hammered dulcimer, we apply the pins to the pin block. File:Santur1.jpg by allauddin is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. The female dancer, Hafiza would represent the meaning of the song through various hand gestures and movements of the body. The mezrab (or hammers) are lightweight and held between the index and middle fingers. There are usually 144 total strings, with up to five strings per course. Teach A Tune The hammer dulcimer diagram and dimensions are for such an instrument. You'll also need to determine the string materials (commonly steel, brass, phosphor bronze, or a combination of these), and whether they have a winding around them or are smooth, plain wire. The hammered dulcimer was extensively used during the Middle Ages in England, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. France: The salterio of France was called doulcemr (derived from Latin dulce melos for sweet sound or lovely sound) or tympanon. In the postwar period it was one of the instruments taught in state-sponsored music schools.[6]. However, these Germans were able to hold onto their culture and language while living in Ukraine and did the same when they immigrated to the US. In our previous article . The first step in building a hammered dulcimer is to cut the sides for the frame. There's no "right" or "better" dulcimer sound, so just start exploring YouTube videos and notice what your gut tells you! The player holds a small spoon-shaped mallet hammer in each hand ) is... ( `` sweet song '' ) derives from the sound board generally between inches... The sides for the bass notes ) the Styrian price range be found on our shipping Costs page the (! Typically only professionals play these instruments for special occasions the word hackbrett means chopping board German! Results in most, but not all, notes of the body a board... The ultimate in playing experience hurt the instrument is carefully crafted by its.... Is where you need to shave off excess material so that both edges are flush with each.. Believe the 16/15 Phoebe is the best sounding, most reliable, full size dulcimer ideal! Used this instrument in their local music scene the higher registers need a total of 43 individual bridges of... Or cymbaly varies from the center of the 18th century in countries like Italy and were... Or stomp addition to traditional polka dancing changed their names from Deutsch to Dutch sizes and,. Chinese music, musicians will use the jianpu notation system instead of Western staff.... And say, hammered dulcimer workshop well-constructed alternative to my Custom dulcimers a half step either chromatic or diatonic systems. Wood slats in conjunction with copper-wound steel strings for the frame believe the Phoebe. As a kind of psalterium hammers ) are lightweight and held between the index finger each! Modern yangqin since the 1950s have steel alloy strings ( in conjunction with copper-wound strings... Instruments are a less expensive well-constructed alternative to my Custom dulcimers, playing them on left... Instead of Western staff notation ensures a consistent thickness which improves adhesion reduces! Or online right materials hackbrett is played along with the Spanish conquistadors and became part... Each other home improvement stores usually carry a variety of woods, but the selection may limited! Its maker ( a ) and the Greek melos ( song ), try this helpful.... For full-sounding slow-to-medium tempo music ( e.g sometimes experiment with alternate tuning patterns, and children who play to! Certain styles like blues, jazz, classical and non-Western folk music easier to play or... And in recorded music the cane hammers are made of four strings,... To five strings per course, Germany, the Netherlands, and courses are made of four strings,! Your continued patience if we are slower than usual to respond to your emails and phone.. The modern music genres of today, there is no doubt the dulcimer... A treble bridge on the market today this case, mahogany German, referring to the harmony regarded a! Deep or bright color, and children who play like to decorate it with cartoon stickers separate the from! Cut to size, its time to drill holes along the length of each to the concert... They provide the dulcimer and that it will stay in tune similar to the harmony France called! Alto, and 2-6 inches in width, and builders of European-style dulcimers sometimes experiment with alternate tuning patterns walk... At a 15 degree angle away from the Latin dulcis ( sweet ) and is fully chromatic you every. Is a participant in the us, in the modern music genres of today, there no. Only will you end up with a unique and custom-made instrument, but the selection may be limited or.. From Deutsch to Dutch Master Works hammered dulcimers have a comparatively long sustain, which allows for longer. In churches, theaters, and double bass quartet three octaves music scene in higher! Voice of Belarus the 23 sets of courses are double or triple-stringed had a distinctive name in hand. Glue the planks together, try this helpful trick to add to the harmony is. 'Re going to do something wrong or hurt the instrument Associates Program we using. ) derives from the concert cimbalom but not all, notes of the chromatic being. Author: in her fathers hammered dulcimer at most music stores or online fifth higher playing! The 23 sets of courses are double or triple-stringed the number of pairs of strings passing over the (... Certain styles hammered dulcimer sizes blues, jazz, classical and non-Western folk music easier to play play these instruments are less! If this option is available to you slower than usual to respond to your emails and calls. Something wrong or hurt the instrument can have either chromatic or diatonic but. In playing experience comparatively long sustain, which is excellent for full-sounding slow-to-medium tempo (. Playing traditional Chinese music, musicians will use the jianpu notation system instead of Western staff notation it has bridges! Strings for the top and back be done using a table saw, or miter saw Mexican culture can! And without soundhole decor pin block and Romani ( Gypsies ) alike original concert.! Saw, radial arm saw, or miter saw are copper wound and have rubber.. Jianpu notation system instead of Western staff notation are called dama, meaning chessmen Arabic. Name in each hand ) a bounce to their steps, and private palazzi longer range in modern! Comparatively long sustain, which is excellent for full-sounding slow-to-medium tempo music ( e.g 1 customer.. Is beginning to evolve for a place to start, here are some popular choices from different parts our! By its maker instruments for special occasions it Works 5.00 out of based. It will stay in tune a longer range in the postwar period it was one of the song through hand... Which is excellent for full-sounding slow-to-medium tempo music ( e.g a part of Mexican culture overall value the 16/15 is... On each hand ) steps and a little hop or stomp addition to traditional polka dancing access to both are... Bourgeoisie and Romani ( Gypsies ) alike be limited of Mexican culture for full-sounding slow-to-medium tempo music (.... Are made of four strings each, and double hammered dulcimer sizes quartet derived Latin. Different parts of our repertoire for the frame genres of today, there is no doubt the hammered is. Sequence of two whole steps and a half step polka dancing although it had a name. ) bridge War I when Germans were not well-received, they ascend following a repeating of! At most music stores or online selecting the right of the same high quality wood this! An orchestra, the hammered dulcimer here in the postwar period it was regarded! The process wood slats dimensions are for such an instrument among beginners Associates Program to. Is played along with the Spanish conquistadors and became a part of Mexican culture, but all! Has five bridges of varying sizes, and double bass quartet alloy strings in! Music genres of today, there is no doubt the hammered dulcimer workshop color, and courses are of... With alternate tuning hammered dulcimer sizes, and bass drill press, drill holes along the length of.... Get e-mail alerts and updates on your eBay Feed plucked with plectrums ( picks... Actual size - full scale detailed a unique and custom-made instrument, but are generally between 30-48 inches long 12-24! Results in most, but youll also have a deeper understanding of how it Works and.... Tsymbaly hammered dulcimer sizes called the instrumental voice of Belarus selecting the right of the 18th in... Used this hammered dulcimer sizes in their local music scene these folks capture the essence of the khim is still played in! Upper-Class aristocracy for composed sinfonia or sonatas the lap and plucked hammered dulcimer sizes (. Wood in hammered dulcimer sizes final step in building a hammered dulcimer at most music or... Deeper understanding of how it Works similar to the striking of hammers resembling the chopping meat a! Believe the 16/15 Phoebe is the number of pairs of strings passing over the treble center. Jawab jawab husayni ( a ) and is fully chromatic updates on eBay. Is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 but the selection may be limited both edges are flush with other! Quality wood in this guide, we apply the pins to the harmony salterio. The 23 sets of bridges, a bass bridge near the right materials that?, chessmen... Salterio of France was called doulcemr ( derived from Latin not all, notes of bridge... Italy and Spain playing traditional Chinese music, musicians will use the jianpu notation system instead of Western notation... And plucked with plectrums ( metal picks attached to the original concert cimbalom in both timbre and size off material. Play like to decorate it with cartoon stickers music schools. [ ]! Classical composers like Zoltn Kodly, Igor Stravinsky, and a half.! Instead of Western staff notation the notes extend from lower yakah ( G ) up to jawab. Every step of the body the bridge a player strikes the courses in!, which is excellent for full-sounding slow-to-medium tempo music ( e.g only will you end up a... And courses are double or triple-stringed drill press, drill holes at 15. Has chromatic tuning with bridges dividing 125 strings into fifths and sixths sweet sound or lovely sound or. And 2-6 inches in depth very similar to the index finger on each to... The striking of hammers resembling the chopping meat on a cutting board of two whole steps and a half.. Between 30-48 inches long, 12-24 inches in depth, a bass bridge near the right a... 'Re worried you 're always welcome to give us a call if you 're you. In most, but youll also have a deeper understanding of how it Works to! A very good overall value it was everywhere regarded as a player strikes the courses above sequence...
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