Q. I love the sound of the hammered dulcimer, but being a guitar player, I would prefer to find a plucked instrument that sounds like the hammered dulcimer. Is there one that sounds close to it?
A. Nothing plucked will sound quite the same as something hammered. Same deal with your guitar - consider slapping vs plucking in tone quality.
The hammered dulcimer is a fretless zither - any member of the fretless zither family will be reasonably similar. I have a collection of early 20th century zithers that we very common parlor instruments at the turn of the last century that might be what you're looking for. You can find them in antique stores and on eBay. Caution: repairs on these are not simple and restringing one can be costly. (not unlike the hammered dulcimer) http://www.fretlesszithers.com/ is among the leading resources on these. The Menzenhauer/Schmidt 2 1/2 models were popular pre-guitar parlor instruments capable of a chord accompaniment as well as melody.
At 100+ years old, after being stored in attics and barns with full string tension, many of these are cracked down the back or the top and bottom soundboards have been pulled off. I've done a restoration on one of these and caution that it's a lot more work then it at first appears it will be. On the plus side, they are very mechanically simple.
If you can find an example of the Psaltery made by Oscar Schmidt and designed by Satis Coleman - it's a really interesting example of a fretless zither with no chord section. http://www.fretlesszithers.com/znochords.html they show up on eBay pretty regularly.
The modern incarnation commonly called a Lap Harp is very similar but not often with the range of some of these early examples. http://www.tkobriens.com/lapharp.html is an example of modern makers.
The fretted zithers are more similar to a guitar but well removed from the hammered dulcimer and similar instruments. Examples are the Mountain Dulcimer, Scheitholt and Hummel, and the Concert Zither. The Concert Zither is an extremely complicated combination of the fretted and fretless zithers.
Concert Zither - http://www.zitherist.com/en/resources/24-history/45-the-concert-zither
Mountain Dulcimer (aka Appalachian Dulcimer) - http://www.mcspaddendulcimers.com/
Scheitholt - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheitholt
Consider though - why not put on some finger picks and pluck a hammered dulcimer? It'd have a different sort of sound more like a harpsichord and would be really hard to learn to play fast - but there's no reason it can't be done. Especially if you put picks on both hands and played that way.
Another instrument descended from the family of fretless zithers is the autoharp. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoharp it's a true fretless zither (as is the hammered dulcimer) but is smaller and has a mechanical process for blocking the chords.
Also, the hammered dulcimer is a predecessor to the harpsichord which is a parent to the piano. The harpsichord is mechanically plucked while the piano is mechanically hammered. They are, in form, the same instrument family.
Note: what makes the zithers differ from your guitar (lute family) and harps is that the strings on a zither run horizontally over the entirety of the soundboard without an attached neck. Zithers may have a fretboard or not. Those without are usually strung like a horizontal harp with a single string for each pitch. Some are strung in groupings to allow chording - such as CEGBb to allow a C7 to be strummed. Others are strung chromatically or diatonically. The Psaltery referenced above is strung in G Mixolydian for example.
Fretted zithers may be diatonic (mountain dulcimer) or chromatic (concert zither) or some combination or partially chromatic or modal. [the mountain dulcimer is actually fretted most commonly modally in Myxolydian]
Lutes (such as your guitar and the violin) have a neck and harp strings run perpendicular to the soundboard. So, the "Lap Harp" isn't a harp at all - anymore than a "Guitar zither" is a guitar. The "Mandolin zither" is strung in double courses.
Is there a software for easier music composition without the use of musical instruments?
Q. I want to know if there is a software like what's in JamStudio.com
http://www.jamstudio.com/Studio/index.htm
...that let's a composer create music through guitar or piano chords etc. without the use of any electric musical instruments
...just like a virtual music maker.....pretty PLEEEEEEEASE :) ^_^
A. I think audacity is one. Thats the only thing i know lol. Hope this helps
What's a good keyboard for a beginner?
Q. Does anyone know a good keyboard for under $500. I'm 14 and want to become a singer/songwriter actor and need to learn an instrument. I love keyboard/Piano and Guitar but I'm guessing Keyboard is easier, anyway could you give me some info like how long it takes to learn and get good. THIS MEANS A LOT TO ME, no rude comments, thanks in advance
A. At your price range and as a complete (ambitious) beginner, you'd be wise to first try a keyboard as you'd find the guitar a bit more challenging as far as getting to play 'clean' notes and combinations from the start.
Here's a list of makers to look for: Casio; Korg; Williams and Yamaha. There are as well: Alesis; Kawai; Kurzweil; Rhodes and Roland. These are a bit more pricey and some models depend upon additional amplification and power monitors (speaker systems) to get all they were designed for out of them. Avoid them, not only because of the expense, but they are really intended for stage and studio use.
Kawai (top piano makers) and Williams offer up digital pianos for the pure piano player in mind, having far less features as other makes when it comes to voices (instrument samplings) and accompaniments (band, orchestra, background music, etc.) programs. Both are fine examples.
Get a keyboard with at least a 61-key layout for the 5 octave playing range most anyone can be comfortable with for nearly all the music out there. And one with a 76 key is really all anyone would need for all the music you can come up with over the years to come. Having to have a full 88 keyboard only applies for those who are already been playing for several years, OR, is required by certain instructors to become familiar with 'full orchestral' piano expression and support in music training.
Most starter keyboard will come with learning aids as lighted keys, software instruction and manuals to get anyone started out. As well, outputs (jacks) for headphones for the times you want ot play without disturbing anyone else around. Also, better keyboards will provide pedal (ad-on) input effects (as sustain and mute) to add to the 'piano' feature of the digital keyboard. Touch sensitive features as well to simulate ''weighted' keys' if the keyboard doesn't come (usually the 88's will) with them as part of the mechanical construction to make it feel like a real, 'acoustic' piano.
p.s.: Oh, and it will take a good year to discover if one can accomplish any instrument on the average, and you'd know in a few months if you are going to stick with it. There are books on piano chords and learning guides (CD and DVD) you should get as well when you purchase the keyboard.
Get to a music store, OR a piano dealer, that carries the keyboards mentioned and not a department store. Take someone with you who may already be a piano player to help make a decision and try out everything you can get your hands on.
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Title : Plucked instrument that sounds like a hammered dulcimer?
Description : Q. I love the sound of the hammered dulcimer, but being a guitar player, I would prefer to find a plucked instrument that sounds like the h...