Hammered Dulcimer

The hammered dulcimer is a string instrument whose strings stretch over a trapezoidal sound board. The strings are then struck with small mallet hammers to produce a vibration. The strings are usually in pairs, with two strings per note (though some have three or four strings per note). Just like the piano, having multiple strings per note helps to make the instrument louder. The hammers are traditionally made of wood or, less commonly, metal or plastic.

The hammered dulcimer has been used all over the world and was very popular during the Middle Ages in Europe. More recently it has been used in the United States in some American folk music.

Study the image provided to gain an understanding of this instrument.