Appalachian Dulcimer
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The Appalachian Dulcimer is an elegant figure-eight-shaped string instrument. To play the instrument you press the strings with the fingers of your left hand, and pluck them with your right. Originating in the late 18th century, the Appalachian dulcimer has been used for dance music. It has also accompanied ballads and songs since the 1950s.
| Family |
| Strings |
| Pitch range |
| Around two octaves. |
| Material |
| Wooden fretbox and body, with metal strings. |
| Size |
| Variable. This example is 3 ft 4 in (1 m) long. |
| Origins |
| The Appalachian dulcimer was derived from the northwest European zither, and has been played in the Appalachian mountains of North America since the late 18th century. |
| Classification |
| Chordophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of strings. |
| And also... |
| In the 1950s, American performers popularized the Appalachian dulcimer, establishing it as an accompaniment to ballads and dances. |
