Hammered Dulcimers

A different instrument from its mountain cousin. A hammered dulcimer is played with two small mallets across dozens of strings, not strummed across the lap. The technique, the tuning, and the voice are closer to a small piano than to a fretted dulcimer.

The 12/11 is the working musician's size. Twelve courses on the treble bridge and eleven on the bass give you a full diatonic range with enough chromatic flexibility for most folk, Celtic, and early-music repertoire, in a body small enough to carry to a session without a second pair of hands.

Solid wood, hand-built shells. Rosewood frames and quality soundboards give the instrument the bright, sustained voice that fills a room. Cheaper hammered dulcimers use thin laminates and lose presence within a year. Ours hold their tone for decades.

Hammers included. Every Roosebeck hammered dulcimer ships with a matched pair of double-sided hammers, soft on one face and hard on the other, so you can shift between gentle accompaniment and clear melodic attack.

The 12/11 is the right starting point for almost every player. It is the size most teachers recommend, the size most tuition books are written for, and the size that travels comfortably to a
workshop or session. The range covers traditional Irish, Scottish, Appalachian, and early-music repertoire without forcing you into transposition. Players who already know they want full classical or chromatic range should look at the larger 16/15 builds when those return to stock. Players who want the smallest, lightest entry point
will want the 10/9. For everyone in between, the 12/11 is the long answer.

Hammered dulcimer is one of the most rewarding instruments to start because the layout is visual. You can see your scale on the bridges, and most players are picking out simple tunes within the first hour. The two-bridge system takes a session or two to internalize, and after that, the rest is repertoire and practice. Every Roosebeck hammered dulcimer ships with hammers, a tuning wrench, and an owner's guide. A stand and a tuner are the two accessories worth picking up early.