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Hammer Dulcimer

  • 03-01-2011 07:27PM
    #1
    Hammerer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭


    I've inherited a hammer dulcimer. It was made about 1915 in Glasgow, and used by (scottish) musicians at local crossroad dances.
    It's what might be called a 14/14/13 dulcimer. It has three banks of strings: a bank of of 14 stringsets across the instrument and supported by a central bridge (giving two treble banks, one left one right, 14 stringsets each), and a third bank of 13 base stringsets spanning right across the instrument. Each stringset comprises 3 individual strings. 14+14+13= 41 notes in all.
    Does anyone know what keys/notes to tune the instrument to? Each of the three banks of strings seems to be tuned to a major key (C, G, A, D, whatever) perhaps with some minor variations, but it's a little difficult to tell, many of them are fairly slack.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    Ostrom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭Ostrom


    Sorry i cant help personally, but any chance of a photo? You might be able to google a local history folk music archive (irelands physical archive is quite extensive) that might have some information? You could try emailing the irish archive in ucd about scottish contacts if you're looking for transcripts, i've always found them very helpful.


  • #3
    markok84
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭markok84


    You could try asking Dizzi on her website, she's got some pretty informative vids on youtube about the hammered dulcimer and also the music she makes with it is really beautiful. I've started building a 16/15 dulcimer myself.


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