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New to Dulcimers?

A Beginner Friendly Camp

If you have ever been interested in playing a musical instrument but were afraid you didn't have the talent, Heritage Dulcimer Camp is for you. We offer beginning exploratory classes on both the mountain and hammered dulcimers taught by some of the best instructors in the country. Classes are small so individual attention is assured. The warm family atmosphere allows great interaction between campers and their instructors both in and out of class. Many of our returning campers got their introduction to their instruments at camp and have progressed through the succeeding levels. Many have gone on to play both instruments.

There has been a great resurgence of interest in both instruments. One reason is surely that unlike many other instruments both dulcimers are quite easy to coax a tune from even if you have no musical background. If you can hum a tune you can begin to play one. Early progress is rapid and most people who start with skilled instruction continue to play for a lifetime.

A word about each instrument as they are quite different, sharing only strings and a common name. The hammered dulcimer is the older of the two. It's antecedents go far back in history. It is the precursor to percussion keyboard instruments like the piano as the strings are struck with hammers. They come is a variety of sizes and complexities but the beginner's instrument is quite simple and easily transported. The hammered dulcimer has a voice that carries easily in conjunction with other instruments and is often used in folk ensembles and more than occasionally with orchestral groups. Compared to other instruments a good hammered dulcimer is quite affordable.

By contrast the mountain dulcimer is a fairly recent development though it too has ancient roots. It is often referred to as the Appalachian dulcimer, indicating its more exact place of origin, or the lap dulcimer describing the way it is played. Unlike the hammered dulcimer it has a relatively soft voice and is more suited for intimate situations or small groups. Modern builders have often succeeded in enhancing the carrying power of the instrument without detracting from its "sweet sound." The exact origins of the mountain dulcimer are obscure though it is not more than a couple of hundred years old and no references are known earlier than the middle of the 19th century. It is a diatonic instrument and a member of the fretted zither family. The earliest instruments were played with a melody string and drones. Most instruments today are built to play chords. The mountain dulcimer is still evolving. Modern versions take many forms including baritone and bass range ones and some that are even fully chromatic.

As with most musical instruments, the possibilities for a lifetime of musical challenges are endless. One has only to listen to the variety of styles played by those who have mastered their respective instruments to realize their potentials. Our instructors are represented by excellent recordings and often books of arrangements, all of which are made available at camp.