At the risk of overwhelming you with choices, I've included a wide range of educational approaches and materials for building skill and repertoire. If you learn exclusively by ear there really aren't any standouts. If you have a strong background in reading music, Lucille Reilly's Striking Out and Winning remains an excellent choice, followed by her A-Chording. Lucille has three tapes that can be purchased with Striking Out. My best beginning package is Madeline MacNeil's Book, CD and DVD package, You Can Teach Yourself Hammer Dulcimer. I also recommend Ken Koldner's new instructional CDs. I suggest you start small then when you are feeling confident open yourself to more diverse influences either through another educational approach or just by listening to some good recordings. If you need more help, please call or e-mail me. Let me know what you'd like and I'll send you back the shipping charges.

Other Hammered Dulcimer Resources
A page with links to the most popular resource sites and a place to sign up for the hammered dulcimer discussion board

Playing the Hammered Dulcimer in the Irish Tradition

by Karen Ashbrook
Encourages dulcimer players at the intermediate-to-advanced level to play the "right way". Teaches basic, simple techniques that create the feel of traditional Irish music.
90 pp book with CD $19.95

Learn to Play the Hammered Dulcimer- Instructional DVD

by Karen Ashbrook

2 hours of detailed Hammered Dulcimer Instruction by premier dulcimer teacher and Maggie's Music recording artist Karen Ashbrook. The lessons include: holding the hammers, tuning, scales, excercises, major and minor chord shapes, beginning tunes, and beginning arranging. The DVD comes with a booklet of charts, information on the dulcimer, and music.

Shot at historic Gaasbeek Castle!

DVD with booklet $38

27 Tunes. $20

DULCIMER JAM

A book of favorite Jam tunes arranged for hammered and fretted dulcimer. The perfect companion when musicians are gathered to engage in that most wondrous of activities - the jam session. The book includes arrangements for both dulcimers, guitar chords, dulcimer tablature and standard music notation.

42 Tunes. $20

LAUGHING WILLOW

A song book from the album with arrangements for hammered and fretted dulcimer. An autobiographical celebration with the hammered dulcimer in the lead, accompanied by piano, guitar, wind chimes, glockenspeil, Buddhist Monks, and nature's critters.

13 tunes

$10 for book CD $15 Cassette $10.

Bach Dances for Hammered Dulcimer

Arranged by Carrie Crompton

Features 15 easy to challenging arrangements of Bach's dance music set for solo and duo hammered dulcimer with continuo chordsprovided for a guitarist. The dance tunes have familiar rhythms, and blend well with traditional dance music in a set.

Book only $15 CD $16, Together $30

An instructional method by Carrie Crompton

Technical excercises and repertoire in a graded series of lessons for beginners. Covers melodic playing in eight keys and four time signatures, and beginning back-up techniques that sound really good. 130 pages. $25

by Jamie Janover produced by Dusty Strings

A wealth of information to help every player, from beginners through professionals, become more proficient and make their music more exciting. Topics include hammer techniques, percussion techniques, rolls, major and minor chords and scales, improvisation, soloing over a chord progression, odd time signatures, advanced rhythmic techniques, tips for playing live, and advice for the professional. (113 min.) Price: $39.95

The Kitchen Musician's Occasional Collections

A collection of tune books, written and arranged with the hammer dulcimer in mind. Most of the tunes have been set in the best hammer dulcimer keys (D, G, A, C and relative minors) to be playable by chromatic and non-chromatic dulcimer. They are suitable for most other folk instruments as a source of common and uncommon tunes. Guitar chords, historical notes, and discography included with each book. Compiled by Sara Johnson.

#1 Occasional Waltz, Air and Misc
#2 Occasional Collection of Old-Timey Fiddle Tunes
#3 O'Carolan Tunes for Hammer Dulcimer, Fiddle
#4 Occasional Collection of Fine Tunes (popular dance)
#5 Mostly Irish Airs
#6 Occasional Jigs
#7 Michigan Tunes
#8 Twenty eight country dances
#9 Favourite Scotch Measures
#10 Airs and Melodies of Scotland's Past
#11 Christmas Carols for Hammer Dulcimer
#12 Classical Dulcimer Duets
#13 The Litel Renaissance & Medaeival Faque Book
All books $8 each

Hymns and Carols.

by William M. Jones (my father)
Arranged for the Hammer Dulcimer . Suggested ways to perform over 30 tunes on a 12/11 or 15/14. In standard notation. Revised and reprinted 2007.
WJ 1 $15

Instructional Recording: Fiddle Tunes (Reels) Volume 1 2 CDs $25
The focus of these recordings is to guide the student through a host of arranging ideas in a systematic way. The recordings essentially mirror what Ken does in weeklong workshops or lessons. These recordings are geared primarily to intermediate and advanced but much of the material is appropriate for the advanced beginner.


This recording is a double CD of separate tracks of instructions for arranging and playing four fiddle tunes: North Carolina Breakdown, Oklahoma Rooster, Round the Horn and Eddie’s Reel. The ideas and techniques are applicable to many tunes. Written music with chords for each basic tune is included. Tracks include descriptions of:
• The basic tune
• Description of hammering and phrasing
• Flams
• Chords
• Basslines
• Chord substitutions
• Drones
• Fills
• Melodic Runs
• Syncopations
• Anticipated beats
• Ghost notes
• Variations
• Improvising
• Many other rhythmic and melodic ideas
• Back-up ideas (vamps, harmony, chromatic runs)
• Fully embellished version


2 CDs $25

Instructional Recording: Waltzes and Slow Tunes, Volume 1 ( 2 CDs $25)


This recording is a double CD of separate tracks of instructions for arranging and playing two waltzes and two slower pieces extremely well-suited to display a wide variety of ideas. The tunes are Coleman's March, Caspian Lake, Evening of Roses, and Down Home Waltz. ALL of the tunes in their basic form are quite simple and easily played by an advanced beginner or even by many beginning players. Many of the arranging ideas are perfect for advanced beginners (as presented in Evening of Roses and Coleman’s March). However, there are many additional ideas presented for these tunes that will challenge at least intermediate level players. While again a relatively simple tune, the arrangement of Caspian Lake is probably more suited for an intermediate level player. The arrangement presented for The Down Home Waltz is probably most suited for at minimum an intermediate level player.

All ideas and techniques are applicable to many tunes. Written music with chords for each basic tune is included. Tracks include descriptions of:
• The basic tune
• A description of hammering and phrasing
• Chord progression and substitutions
• Use of the relative minor and 7th chords (major, minor, dominant & diminished 7th )
• Use of secondary dominants and the circle of fifths
• Hand separation; plucking and hammering together
• Using octaves
• Basslines
• Dissonance
• Chromatics
• Accent shifts and syncopations
• Flams, two and three note chords
• Use of fills, drone notes and melodic runs
• Tremolos
• Hammered and bounced triplets
• Ideas for improvisation and many variations
• Dynamics and phrasing
• Back-up ideas
• Includes fully embellished versions
• Many other arranging ideas

Ideas and techniques are applicable to many different pieces of music.

by Ken Koldner

The tunes in this book are, for the most part, written with simple melodic lines with suggested chordss than than more complete arrangements.

Book/ $9

CD $15

Book/CD Package $24

You Can Teach Yourself Hammer Dulcimer

by Madeline MacNeil
This book begins with tuning tips and scales, then continues with arrangements to help you with skill building. Covers major and minor keys, duplicated notes, modulations, walking bass lines, chromatic notes, drone harmony, back-up chords, interval harmony and more. The DVD and CD feature Madeline MacNeil's hammer dulcimer solos. A nice combination of optional approaches.
Book/CD/DVD Combo $25

This collection of music convey's Madeline's love of hymn, here written so they may be performed with other instruments. Standard notation

Book $13

The Hammer Dulcimer

A 90 minute DVD taught by John McCutcheon
This easy-to-follow, comprehensive beginner's course on DVD makes it easy to see the way the hammers are held, where the notes are found, and how to make exciting music almost immediately.
DVD $32

by Kim Murley
Traditional Chinese tunes for all mid-range melody instruments (in staff and Chinese number notation) and China travel anecdotes. Something different!
Book and Cassette combination $15

This book was written to aide the dulcimer player in playing back-up. It provides the tools needed for musicians who are seeking to go beyond simple melody lines. The majority of chords diagrammed are those most commonly used, and those whose notes are clustered on the instrument in six repeated shapes. Diagrams are drawn for 15/14 dulcimer.

Book $13

These 20 favorite English Christmas carols are arranged for a standard 15/14 hammered dulcimer but will easily transfer to the standard 12/11 instrument. Chord symbols have been provided to allow an accompaniment instrument and will also facilitate the player in adding further embellishments and/or variations to the tunes. The standard notation provided will help the player to learn the songs quickly; however, listening to the recording will prove to be an invaluable aid to the "by ear" player as well as to the player who wishes to gain new ideas for arrangements using additional instruments. In addition, lyrics are provided for the player who may wish to accompany a vocal arrangement. For the beginning to advanced player.

$18 book/cd

The Scottish Songbook for Hammered Dulcimer is a collection of standard tunes from Scotland. It is accessible to all levels of players, including both a beginning "melody-only" version and an intermediate arranged version for each song. In addition, each tune has guitar chords notated and lyrics where applicable. Standard notation only.

Book $13

This sizeable collection of hammered dulcimer tunes brings together over 225 old-time and Celtic traditional tunes that are commonly heard at gatherings of old-time musicians. This is music that has been passed down vocally, or learned by ear instrumentally, and derived from countries where many of our ancestors originated. Trying to separate American and Celtic traditional music is an impossible task, as so many of the tunes we consider our own are adapted versions of tunes passed on to us from other countries and would fit into either category. This book therefore features favorite selections from both American and Celtic traditions. These instrumental arrangements are written in standard notation only with chord symbols. 256 pages

Book $25

Striking Out...and Winning

by Lucille Reilly
A thorough, well-written introduction to the hammer dulcimer. Covers everything a beginner/intermediate player would need to know. Lots of clear diagrams and photos. 50 tunes for all levels. Spiral bound. 170 pages. 3 companion cassettes (order separately).
SOW Book $35
SOW CDS $35

The Hammered Dulcimer A-Chording

by Lucille Reilly.
How to play chords on the hammered dulcimer, why chords are the way they are, plus basic chord progressions you can add to dance tunes right away. Includes seven different chording styles to dress up your waltzes, hymns, and your own singing voice. Has the chords to all 50 tunes in Striking Out.
LR 3 $28

Mist and Stone

Mist and Stone is the popular and critically acclaimed recording by hammered dulcimer soloist Maggie Sansone.
Book $11

Sounds of the Season

Included are new variations on 15 Celtic and traditional Christmas favorites.

Sounds of the Season II

A NAIRD "Indie " nominee for "Best Seasonal Album of the Year". Includes medieval folk carols, English, Frech and Flemish carols.

CD $15 Book $8 Book/CD $23

Traditions/Hammered Dulcimer

A lively collection of toe-tapping jigs, reels, hornpipes, lilting Scottish strathspeys, 18th century airs, medieval and Renaissance court dances and a country rag.
Book $13

A Scottish Christmas for Hammered Dulcimer

Contains the dulcimer pieces as played on the Maggie's Music recording - A Scottish Christmas.

Book $10 Book/CD $23

A Traveler's Dream/Celtic Explorations for Hammered Dulcimer

A collection of traditional and orginal music arranged for the hammered dulcimer. Contains reels, airs, jigs, slip jigs, dances and solos

Book $18 Book and CD $33

by Steve Shmania

The book provides a music theory primer helping you to learn to play in any key in the equal tempermant scale. The book defines scales, chords, inversions, enhancements, substitutions, progressions and their playing patterns on the Linear Chromatic. It also covers putting it all together to play traditional, jazz, blues and classical music. There are now two versions of the book; one using the Standard Marking and the other using the Piano Marking system. When ordering make sure you specify which version of the book you'd like.

A collection of 17 traditional American fiddle tunes arranged for the hammered dulcimer by Rick Thum. All of them fit on a 12/11. Book $9 Book/CD combo $23

By Linda Lowe Thompson
An easy to understand instructional package for beginners. Lots of good tunes in standard notation and tablature.
Book and CD: $25.00

Hammer Dulcimer Christmas

By Linda Lowe Thompson.
This is Linda's third book containing 46 traditional and lesser known carols with chord symbols, tips on simplifying arrangements and suggestions for accompanying singers. For intermediate and advanced players.
Book $20

Classical Hammered Dulcimer

By Linda Lowe Thompson

90 pages. 51 small classical pieces done in two. Voice One is the melody; VoiceTwo , second part. First 4 pages of music show how you can use the matierials as an easy solo, intermediate solo, advanced solo, or duet. Contains historical info and illustrations.

Book $20

Sacred Hammered Dulcimer

20 lessons as well as 47 arrangements of hymns Lessons: Adapting Hymnal Harmonies, Changing Keys, Expanding An Arrangement, Choosing Chords for a Tune, Getting A Full Sound, Jumping From One Octave to Another, Make A Simpler Arrangement, Make a Duet Out of a Solo, Making a Back-Up from the Solo, Melody in the Bass, Once Through Unembellished, One Tune 3 Settings, One Tune Two Speeds, Performance: dynamics, Performance: expression, Performance: Weddings, Putting 2 Tunes Together, Quick and Easy Arrangements, Transposing, Writing a Bridge Between Tunes. 6 arrangements also have back-ups. 94 pages, 47 tunes. $20

Mark is the '98 National Hammered Dulcimer Championship winner. His book features transcriptions of music from Mark's albums, as well as highlights from several of the lessons that Mark teachers in his workshops such as scales and chords and arranging and embellishing

Book $15

The Hammered Dulcimer: A History

by Paul M. Gifford

Paul offers a discussion of the medieval origins of the dulcimer and its subsequent spread, under many different names to other parts of the world. Through local histories, news clippings, rare photographs, interviews and articles by specialists in their own languages, the book examines the playing of the dulcimer and its associated social meanings. The culmination of thirty years of research, this books pays special attention to the North American tradition of the instrument from the early eighteenth century to the 1970s revival (from the book jacket) 440 pages $60 plus $4 shipping

Featured hammered dulcimer players include: Karen Ashbrook, Nicholas Blanton, Jane Chavalier, Mitzie Collins, Carrie Crompton, Lucille Reilly, Brenda Hunter,Carole loenic, Ken Koldner, Madeline MacNeil, David Neiman and more

Book/CD combo $30

The Basic Guide to How to Read Music

by Helen Cooper
Guides the reader through rhythm, scales and intervals, keys, and tonality right through to score reading.
Book 80 pp $10

A Rhythmic Vocabulary

by Alan Dworsky & Betsy Sansby

A musician's guide to understanding and improvising with rhythm. This step by step comprehensive course includes: hundreds of patterns drawn from African and Afro-Cuban rhythms explained and organized according to their structures: bit-sized lessons arranged in order of difficulty; a CD that aids practice; exercises to reinforce your understanding; and a fun way to create rhythms while you walk. Book/CD set $30

by James Morton. Thorough and easy to understand, this exciting method is loaded with information. It clearly teaches the basics and is highly recommended for the beginning drummer of any age. Teaches rhythmic fundamentals which can be adapted for the hammered dulcimer student.

Book $10 CD $16