I don't know if you still check comments, but 4 years later from this video, it's still helping. I've now played this because of this video. It's become part of my warmup now even before I work on other songs.
Great video, I’m still trying to figure this all out. I’m a grown-up now and want to take up a musical instrument and I’m not going to wait until life is perfect to do something I’ve always wanted to do! Still trying to decide, still don’t completely understand all the functions. If you compare it to the difference between black and white keys on a piano versus strings and levers on a harp, or pedals, can you explain it with those frame of references in mind? This is a strange and curious instrument that I have always been drawn to! Also interesting I have learned that hammer dulcimer is a percussion instrument, even though it is a string instrument. Is that correct?
Say Janet, sorry it took so long to get back! But first of all yes, the hammered dulcimer is definitely a percussion instrument. Kind of like a xylophone, but instead of hitting bars with your mallets, your hitting strings. That's why drummers and percussionists generally seem to catch on faster, they are already used to playing rhythm with both hands. As far as the white keys and black keys of a piano reference; the hammered dulcimer is set up in certain keys like I show in the video. It is a semi-chromatic instrument meaning it has the sharps and flats that are needed for the keys that are built into your dulcimer . For example when you play your G scale like I show in the video, you see that the F is automatically replaced with the F# that is needed to play in the key of G. What's neat about this is, since the sharps and flats are already built in, technically a person doesn't even have to know music theory! It's kind of like hitting the transpose key on an electric keyboard. So you keep playing in the C position, but the keyboard automatically changes the notes for you. This makes it easy to play the song in different keys without having to know what notes belong in that key! So simply start off like I show in the video: pick a scale to play in, then start off by just using one mallet to pick out your melody. Kind of like playing a song with one finger on a piano. Then when you start adding the harmony with the other mallet like is shown in the video you find it's like playing a piano with one finger on each hand!
People overcomplicate this instrument, it is a melodic string percussion instrument, which you play as if it were a steel drum, or a melodic hand drum or hand pan, but you use the delicate string sticks and follow the tone and sound of music music with low sounds and tones uses low strings and chords, high and high and bumpy sounds and tones you use the high and bumpy treble of the dulcimer. This string percussion instrument follows the same logic of playing the berimbau as a percussion instrument with strings. The logic and history of this medieval folk instrument was and always has been this. Those who distorted and complicated this instrument were the string instrumentalists who, out of greed and bad faith, did not respect the melodic percussion of the instrument, wanting to make it a harp, but it will never be or was a harp, it is just string percussion. This instrument is the brother of the steel drum, the marimba and the berimbau and the handpan. To this day, string percussion continues to be the ultimate and fatal point.
I was given an antique hammered dulcimer, which I have sent out to be refurbished. It doesnt have the bars/bridges, so my question is when they refurbish it will they put the bars/bridges in?
I have recently acquired a Jerry Hudson model HD2-1514. It's in very good condition, but WAY out of tune. Can anyone tell me what notes to tune the strings to? I'd really appreciate it.
I have a Jerry Hudson Rhapsody 17/17 that has extra basses, but yours should go from low D or E on bass bridge with an F#, a Cnatural, and on up to C# or D# at the top. Trebles bridge should be from Low A or B on up to high E abovetreble clef
Hey Jessica, thanks for watching! As far as the note charts go, we just make them up ourselves for the models we sell here in our shop in Branson. The brands we carry here are: Master Works and Songbird. So that would be the note charts we would have on hand. If we can help give our shop a call. 417 334-1395
Why can't you use both sides of the base bridge? Why can't you use the string segments in the far right quadrant? Why even have them at all? Seems like wasted space..
This instrument uses drumsticks for strings, if it is using drumsticks it is from the percussion family, a keyboard and string instrument does not use a simple drumstick like that, a heavy and strong technical detail. There is no reason or reason to want to play it as a keyboard or string instrument, it is completely distorting it. It's always just string percussion.
18:09 I beg you to please tune your instruments for as exactly in tune as you can. Some people definitely do have the ability to tell the difference in the sound quality between exactly in tune and slightly off. I was personally cringing and recoiling physically without meaning to when the strings were even slightly out of tune when you showed how tuning a hammer dulcimer works when you’re using an electronic tuner to get the right notes and that isn’t something that you want your audience to be doing when you’re performing a new tune. I don’t know if most people would have the same reaction as I have. I have something very similar to perfect pitch except I can’t match any played note to it’s corresponding letter on the scale or place it on sheet music, I just know if it’s perfectly in tune or if it’s not, and hearing something that’s out of tune gives me uncomfortable involuntary physical reactions, so I will always be in tune if I’m singing something by ear or it will be physically uncomfortable or painful and anxiety inducing.
