Construction: Design

Designing the Dulcimer

A dulcimer which is properly designed for a specific musician will enhance the musical performance. Subtle influences can be exerted on behalf of the musician in the design phase of construction.

We begin by listening to the performer's playing style, repertory, and voice. This gives a sense of what the dulcimer can do to complement and augment the musical presentation. The principle design decisions that come out of this evaluation are selections for:

These choices will determine the primary voicing of the instrument. Each dulcimer should be designed for the musician playing it. For instance, for a soprano musician who likes finger-picking styles, we want to build a dulcimer that will complement her singing with a rich, mellow voice. But the voice must also be well-balanced across the fretboard so her right-hand action is integrated well into chordal structures. On the other hand, a baritone who strums a lot will most likely profit from an instrument with extra "presence" in the high end, yet keep all the drone strings distinct from one another without sounding shrill.

All that's very well," you might say, "But I'm no singer, so I don't need all that." Ah, but your voice is in your music whether you sing or not! Your voice is one of the most basic characteristics you have. Your voice, believe it or not, will influence everything you do, including the music you like and the music you play. It is a subtle influence, but it is there. So I always listen to a musician's voice, whether he or she is a singer or not. Would you give Julia Childs a bright, brilliant dulcimer? Absolutely not!

Dwain Wilder

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