Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn the hammered dulcimer
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The hammered dulcimer is a box of strings you play by bouncing two light hammers off them, and one maker's guide says it is easy to make a pleasant sound from the beginning. Folk-music weeks in the UK and US run courses for complete beginners, and some lend instruments for the week.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
What it's really like
The instrument sits on a stand with its strings facing up. The strings run in courses, usually pairs tuned to the same note, and you strike them near the bridges with hammers held lightly between thumb and forefinger. Bare wooden hammers give a sharper sound; felt or leather gives a gentler one.
Dusty Strings, a Seattle maker, says you can start at any age with no music theory or previous instrument. Common Ground on the Hill's beginners' week asks for no musical experience or music reading, and covers hammering technique, tuning, finding all the notes, and scales and arpeggios in D, G and A.
Tuning is part of the job. The first full tuning takes a while; with practice it takes under 15 minutes, and often only a few strings need adjusting.
The same maker's guide lists its instruments from about $750 to around $4,500, so a loan instrument on a first course is worth asking for.
Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Halsway Manor, Somerset, hosted by the Nonsuch Dulcimer Club | Dulcimers week, 24 to 28 May 2027: hammered dulcimer introductory course for beginners and improvers; loan instruments available subject to demand | £240 non-resident; £300 camping; £345 to £470 full board |
| Nonsuch Dulcimer Club, UK | Workshops online and in person through the year, an annual residential weekend in the autumn and a quarterly newsletter | Not listed on the page |
| Common Ground on the Hill, US | Beginners Bootcamp: Week 2, 4 to 9 July 2027, with Mary Lynn Michal and Ken Kolodner; a dulcimer can be provided for the week if you ask | Tuition not listed on the class page |
| Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago | Private lessons for beginning hammered dulcimer, in eight-week sessions | School-wide private lesson rates for a session: $360 for 30-minute lessons ($350 members); $656 for 60 minutes ($636 members) |
Mary Lynn Michal is listed as a hammered dulcimer tutor at both the Halsway Manor week and Common Ground on the Hill. Halsway asks beginners to request a loan instrument early when booking.
How to start
- Join a dulcimer club or society for news of workshops and players near you; the Nonsuch Dulcimer Club covers the UK.
- Book a beginners' course that lends instruments, so you can try one before you buy.
- Ask a teacher or club what size of instrument to start on before you spend money.
Where to go
- Nonsuch Dulcimer Club (UK), on Making Music UK
- Halsway Manor: Dulcimers week, May 2027 (Somerset) UK
- Common Ground on the Hill: Beginners Bootcamp, hammered dulcimer US
- Dulcimer Players News: US dulcimer club directory US
We opened these links on 13 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Is the hammered dulcimer hard to learn?
The maker Dusty Strings says it is easy to make a pleasant sound from the beginning and that no music theory or previous instrument is needed. Tuning takes practice.
Do I need to read music to play the hammered dulcimer?
Not to start. Common Ground on the Hill's beginners' week says no music reading is required.
What is the difference between a hammered dulcimer and a mountain dulcimer?
The hammered dulcimer is played by striking the strings with hammers. The mountain dulcimer is fretted and strummed.
How much does a hammered dulcimer cost?
Dusty Strings lists its instruments from about $750 to around $4,500. Some courses, including Halsway Manor and Common Ground on the Hill, lend instruments to beginners.
Where this comes from: Dusty Strings, Beginner's guide to hammered dulcimers; Making Music, Nonsuch Dulcimer Club; Halsway Manor, Dulcimers 2027; Common Ground on the Hill, Beginners Bootcamp: Hammered Dulcimer; Old Town School of Folk Music, Dulcimer; Dulcimer Players News, Club directory. Opened 13 November 2026.
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