When our ancestors settled in the Appalachian Mountains, they brought with them the Scots-Irish music they loved. There, among these pioneers, a new instrument that could be easily constructed with materials at hand was born. The lovely haunting sound of its droning strings is reminiscent of the sounds of the bagpipe. The music we play is based in traditional American culture, aurally conveyed ballads, folk songs, fiddle tunes, and gospel tunes. This music comes from our home-made and store-bought dulcimers and from our hearts and souls.

What Is A Mountain Dulcimer?

The Mountain Dulcimer is traditional to the southern Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States. A narrow fingerboard with 3 or 4 strings is attached to a larger sound box. It is laid flat on the lap and the strings are plucked or strummed with the right hand, while fretted with the other. While easy to learn to play, the dulcimer is capable of a wide range of complexity. The most common tuning is DAD. Music is arranged in “Tablature” (tabs), a form of musical notation indicating fingering, making it easy for even those who do not read music to be able to play.