I've tried to tilt my dulcimer up as described here. The instrument does resonate much better that way but certain fingerings are also more challenging. Just have to stick with it I guess. Somewhere between the angle of the tilt and how much you point the dulcimer away from you seems to be the key.

Someone mentioned putting it on a hard surface like a table top. I'll have to try that. I'm a telephone tech of 30 years. Putting the phone (an old phone with REAL bells) on a hard surface was a good cure for customers who were hard of hearing and often made the difference in hearing the phone or not hearing the phone when it rang.

Thanks again.

Maybe I am getting the angle wrong. I play banjo and Guitar and possibly that is why I try to hold it at the wrong angle. When I chord it seems harder also. Will have to chat with you one day. If you can message me or e-mail me your skype name and the best time to contact you.

Have a great day.

Hi Gary,

Too hard in what way? It takes some "fiddling" to get the angle right - too great an angle from the horizontal of the lap, and the left hand has a hard time with fretting. Was that the problem you had? This has worked for all my students, though the angle varies, depending on the person and the style/size/shape of their dulcimer. If you want to Skype sometime, I'll talk you through it.

Linda

Gary Major said:

Thanks Linda.

I tried that and found it too hard for me to play. Great idea though and I think it may work for others also.

Gary, The increased resonance of a dulcimer tilted up off the lap is one more reason that I, like many others including Steve Seifert and Aaron O'Rourke, play with my dulcimer strap around my back and the dulcimer tilted away from the body. The scroll end is out on the left knee and the bridge end is tucked close on the right side. Though I made this choice mainly for ergonomic reasons, the improved sound is very noticeable and welcome.

Linda

www.cabinhillmusic.com

Pam -- a possum board is simply a rectangle of 3/8" or thicker plywood or board that is a bit wider and longer than the body of your dulcimer (tuning head doesn't count). To that board you glue two short lengths of square dowel about 1/4" to 3/8" square and as long as the board is wide. Glue the dowels so they will be a few inches in from the ends of the dulcimer as it sits on them. Don't pad the sticks -- it will negate the effect of freeing up the back. If you find you need to hold the dulcimer in place, drill holes near the ends on either side of the instrument and use small bungees or rubber bands.

Thank you all for the quick response. I have the plans for a Possum Board and I think that would work.

What a great place FOTMD. You are all truly good friends.

Hi Gary, Have you tried playing your dulcimer setting it on top of a table?

This may give you a different sound and maybe similar to having a possum board.

Hello all:

As I am playing my Dulcimer I have it on my knees with a strap for support. However as I played a chord then tilted the dulcimer I got a more richer sound and more vibration. When I returned to the regular position on my knees it went a bit dulled again.

Would this be because of the wood the dulcimer is made up with? Am I stopping the vibration by it on my knee support? Is there a apparatus or some way to keep the sustain when the Dulcimer is on my knees as the same if I tilted it? I play through a pic up and amp also and one can really see the difference in the sound when resting on the knees and off the knees.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.