Venni, when you start looking at any learning materials, you should keep in mind that your dulcimer has a few 'additional frets'- it has the 6.5 and the 13.5 pair of extra frets (most modern dulcimers have those by the way), but it also has the 1.5 and 8.5 pair of frets. Most typical dulcimers do not have the 1.5 and 8.5 frets, but don't worry, it will simply mean you'll have a few extra notes you can play if certain tunes call for them. The important thing to remember as a beginner though is that if you ever use or read TAB instruction (as so many dulcimer players do), you will need to be able to count your fret numbers properly so you can accurately play the numbers indicated in the tab. If you know that you have a 1.5 and an 8.5 fret, it won't throw you off. If you start from the peghead end of your dulcimer and don't count the NUT, then the frets you have on YOUR dulcimer will be numbered as follows: 1, 1.5, 2, 3, then 4 all by itself, then 5, 6, 6.5, and 7. Then a space, then 8, 8.5, 9, and 10. Don't worry about higher frets than that for now. A dulcimer with NO extra frets will have frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10...etc. Those are what we refer to as having a diatonic fretted pattern. Very old dulcimers often had purely diatonic fretboards with no extra frets. But you don't have to know a bunch about all that to get playing! I only tell you about your extra frets so you can count your fret numbers correctly and won't get all confused if you try to follow a tab. The note you get when you press a string at the 7th fret is an octave higher than the open string, as in DO RE MI FA SOL LA TI do.
Many dulcimer tabs call for using the 6.5 fret. A few tabs call for using the 1.5 fret. Other tabs don't use either of those frets. You can play in any of those situations with no problems. My two mountain dulcimers are fretted the way yours is, by the way. Those extra frets can come in handy for certain tunes, and ignoring those extra frets when they're not needed is not a big problem. :)
That's a nice looking instrument, Venni. Congratulations! And as Robin says, you should see a label inside the lower bout if you look through the soundholes.
In case you didn't know, it has a 1+ fret. Just be aware of that if you try to follow tablature. Just know the frets on the first octave go 1, 1+, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6+, 7.
Enjoy your dulcimer. It looks very nice.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Venni, when you start looking at any learning materials, you should keep in mind that your dulcimer has a few 'additional frets'- it has the 6.5 and the 13.5 pair of extra frets (most modern dulcimers have those by the way), but it also has the 1.5 and 8.5 pair of frets. Most typical dulcimers do not have the 1.5 and 8.5 frets, but don't worry, it will simply mean you'll have a few extra notes you can play if certain tunes call for them.
The important thing to remember as a beginner though is that if you ever use or read TAB instruction (as so many dulcimer players do), you will need to be able to count your fret numbers properly so you can accurately play the numbers indicated in the tab. If you know that you have a 1.5 and an 8.5 fret, it won't throw you off.
If you start from the peghead end of your dulcimer and don't count the NUT, then the frets you have on YOUR dulcimer will be numbered as follows: 1, 1.5, 2, 3, then 4 all by itself, then 5, 6, 6.5, and 7. Then a space, then 8, 8.5, 9, and 10. Don't worry about higher frets than that for now. A dulcimer with NO extra frets will have frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10...etc. Those are what we refer to as having a diatonic fretted pattern. Very old dulcimers often had purely diatonic fretboards with no extra frets.
But you don't have to know a bunch about all that to get playing! I only tell you about your extra frets so you can count your fret numbers correctly and won't get all confused if you try to follow a tab.
The note you get when you press a string at the 7th fret is an octave higher than the open string, as in DO RE MI FA SOL LA TI do.
Many dulcimer tabs call for using the 6.5 fret. A few tabs call for using the 1.5 fret. Other tabs don't use either of those frets. You can play in any of those situations with no problems.
My two mountain dulcimers are fretted the way yours is, by the way. Those extra frets can come in handy for certain tunes, and ignoring those extra frets when they're not needed is not a big problem. :)
I like the looks of your dulcimer! Happy strumming!
It is a Model 51 Dulcimer made by Black Mountain
Oh ok
That's a nice looking instrument, Venni. Congratulations! And as Robin says, you should see a label inside the lower bout if you look through the soundholes.
In case you didn't know, it has a 1+ fret. Just be aware of that if you try to follow tablature. Just know the frets on the first octave go 1, 1+, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6+, 7.
Venni, there appears to be a maker's label inside one of the lower sound holes. The label should give the name of the maker.
That's nice with the butterflies. Do you know what maker it is?
I forgot
That's nice with the butterflies. Do you know what maker it is?