Which Dulcimer Hammer Should I Use?

Joshua Messick shares his thoughts on choosing the right hammered dulcimer hammer. JoshuaMessick.com
Correction
When discussing weight, I should have said 12-16 grams per set or 6-8 grams per hammer.
Hammer Length / Striking Surface Designs
I should have mentioned hammers vary by length and design of the striking surface. When playing a tall instrument, a longer hammer helps to reach the high notes. Some players prefer the balance and feel of shorter hammers. There is no right or wrong -- it's just preference. If your instrument has tight string spacing, a curved or smaller striking surface helps improve accuracy.
|| Connect ||
Join my mailing list: JoshuaMessick.com
Follow on Facebook: bit.ly/2Gl8JdK
|| My Hammers ||
My Master Works "Joshua Messick" hammers: bit.ly/2td3GU0
|| Recommended Hammers ||
Please let these makers know Joshua sent you!
Master Works: bit.ly/2RPcR6W
Bob Bedard: bit.ly/2TGaVPY
Rick Fogel: bit.ly/2I1Pwj2
Jill Weimer: bit.ly/2E0htn4
--Special Hammers
Double-Headed Hammers: bit.ly/2I1Pwj2
Hammers with Pick: bit.ly/2RPxfos
|| Learn about my "DulciForte" hammered dulcimer ||
• Master Works DulciFort...
|| My CDs & Sheet Music ||
JoshuaMessick.com
|| My Digital Music ||
iTunes / Apple Music: apple.co/2FD6C4y
Amazon Music: amzn.to/2RzvQTL
Bandcamp: bit.ly/2DlToXx

[@texasmurphy7088]

I really liked all of the hammer tones. Each of them has a different personality to the tone it elicits from the dulcimer. Depending on the piece, I would likely start off with that first one and the mellow sound.

[@juliawinfree9222]

You are so fun and enjoyable to learn from! I find myself using my double sided hammers the most. Thank you

[@JoshuaMessick]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the view and comment :)

[@richardbergmark6722]

Thank you for sharing your gift. I am looking for seriously getting into playing hammered dulcimer. Please share your wisdom to narrow down the right fit. Many thanks.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Richard Bergmark Hey there Richard! I’d love to help. Can you in touch with me through my website? JoshuaMessick.com/contact

[@christiansaint716]

About which of the five hammers you used, I really liked the tone of the moleskin one. The tone was definitely more mellow. I think it also depends on which song you want to play. For instance you wouldn't want a bright sound w/a song like Hallelujah, but you would want a much brighter sound w/something like an Irish Jig.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Great observations! It absolutely depends on what music you're playing. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@VickiGibboney]

I like your last example using the wood side of the hammers. I've played with Bob Bedard hammers for years and really like them. One side is leather, one side is ebony.

[@spineloccio5394]

Thanks, Joshua! I took some classes with Stephen Humphries at WCU’s HD winter weekend in January, and the hammers he was using had 3 layers of moleskin on one side and 7 layers of masking tape on the other. He also had some kind of athletic tape on the handles for a better grip.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks for sharing this, Steve. Any type of material you can put on the striking surface will change the sound. It's super fun to experiment and find new sounds. Also, I think grips are great! I don't have the problem of slippery fingers, so I don't personally use them. But, I can't think of any reason why not to! If it helps players out, go for it.

[@appogiatura]

I love the crisp articulation of wood or even metal striking surfaces. That being said, I think it is most important to choose a striking surface that fits the music. A reel or fiddle tune? Wood surface for me;. A slower air or ballad? The gentler sound of leather or even felt. Thanks for the tips and thoughtful video!

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thank you! You are 100% correct -- honor the music. Thanks for commenting and watching the channel. I appreciate you!

[@elizabethkrause1500]

I almost always play with the wood side of my hammers. This is because I'm never amplified, playing with other musicians, and often playing for dancers. But it is nice to have different options. I recently started playing with different hammers than I had been using. They are much heavier than my previous hammers, and I noticed that my accuracy suffered. Perhaps one could practice with heavier hammers and then use lighter hammers for performances? It would be like runners who practice while wearing ankle weights, haha. Also, I am very glad you mentioned the wind. This came as an unexpected surprise to me when I set up in an open space to accompany dancers and discovered what the wind can do to hammers. On a side note, I met a dulcimer player at a fair who had a really nice little wooden box that fit her hammers perfectly. She said it was an incense stick box. After recently breaking a hammer, I got one for myself for added protection.

[@JoshuaMessick]

I've experimented with practicing with heavier and performing with lighter hammers in the past. It's a wonderful idea worth exploring. Unfortunately, I didn't find it helped... I've found it's best to get calibrated with the weight that works best, and stick with it. For me, that's about 12 grams per hammer. I almost mentioned transporting hammers in a box (pencil box, cylinder shipping container, etc.), but I decided to cover the topic on a future video. An incense box is a great idea. Once you've broken a hammer (or in my case a bunch...) you'll never want to do that again! :-)

[@macinman]

Hey Joshua, I've just literally found your channel today, but have loved hammered dulcimer music for a long time. Some of my favorites are the Smoky Mountain Hymns albums featuring Craig Duncan and others. To answer you question about brightest sound, I would say the wood sided of the last hammers used. I think it's closest to the sound I like of the music mentioned above..

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks for watching, Clinton! Yes, the wood sound is closest to the sound used in a lot of old time / traditional folk music. The decision often comes down to personal preference and the type of music you’re playing. All the best, Joshua

[@jssherrard]

I like the idea of lightly textured hammer handles to help provide a bit of subtle friction to alleviate the slippery hammer issue. My hands get sweaty when I play and my hammers can become quite slick. A little texture might offer an improved grip.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Absolutely! Anything to improve you grip is a good idea, as long as it doesn't hamper your playing agility. I've seen some folks adhere sandpaper to improve their grip. @Spineloccio pointed out that Stephen Humphries uses a type of athletic tape for his grip. Thx for commenting and watching this channel! You are appreciated.

[@janiceschultz2753]

I was just gifted a hammered dulcimer and want to learn to play it. I'm originally from east Tennessee and now live in Pueblo, Colorado. I'm going to try and get to Montrose when you're there in June 2022. I bought your hammer from the site since mine only came with picks. I like the hammer's sound better.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Hey Janice, I just saw this comment. Sorry it took a while to get back with you. Were you able to make it to the Montrose concert? Thanks for buying my hammers! Good luck with your hammered dulcimer journey -- I wish you the best.

[@paulagarrett3758]

Wow! So much information! (And you are funny! 😄) Thanks for all the tips. Sitting with my black tea, watching it snow in Oregon. ☕️I have a used Dusty Strings D10 and the hammers that came with it, as well as a slightly heavier second pair of DS hammers. I've thought about purchasing Bob Bedard and Jill Weimer hammers as well, so thanks for the confirmation with the links. Tips I found most helpful: weight of the hammers, using moleskin, dealing with wind, and using rosin/beeswax. My second pair of hammers is my favorite because they "fit" my hands best for weight/padded and wooden sides. I LOVED the sound of the moleskin best on your demo! I love the versatility that different hammers/wood/padding give me to color a song, but I had never heard of moleskin being used, and it refined the bright sound. Lovely! The tips for wind, awesome! And for slipping, rosin and beeswax are two items I always have around. 👍The whole video was great! Huge fan of Studio Ghibli films, so when I heard your dulcimer music would be featured in Mary and the Witch's Flower (Hiromasa Yonebayashi), I couldn't wait to see it. Wonderful! Great nod to the dulcimer hammer in the film. And the music was exquisite, as always! Thanks again so much for your time, Joshua.

[@JoshuaMessick]

I am nominating this for the comment of the year ;-) Thank you, for taking the time to watch and super-comment! It’s fantastic to hear the video was helpful. Studio Ghibli is the best. It’s great to hear you’re a fan. Thanks for watching! ;-)

[@paulagarrett3758]

Lol! It DID get a bit long in my enthusiasm. Great channel. Keep the videos coming!

[@JoshuaMessick]

Paula Garrett Not too long at all! If everybody took the time to comment like that, KZbin would be a much, much happier space. Thank you! ;-)

[@winkfinkerstien1957]

Thank you! 😎👍🏻🎶🔨

[@JoshuaMessick]

You bet!

[@Dragaur17]

I have no idea how to play any instrument but this is all really interesting. I like the softer padded sound

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks for watching, Dragaur! It's good to have some input from people who don't play the hammered dulcimer or musical instrument. I appreciate you! Best, Joshua

[@nvdawahyaify]

My favorite tone you demonstrated was the first. I don't like the bright ringing that one gets from harder hammers.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks for watching and commenting, Michael! I am not a huge fan of harsh dulcimer sounds. I almost always play with a pad of some type.

[@chaseboyle6515]

The Moleskin tone was beautiful. What a great idea! I'm gonna try it out.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Chase Boyle Thanks, Chase! I appreciate the view and comment. Also, thanks for subscribing. Enjoy your Hammered Dulcimer!

[@TriodesPs111]

whats the song you played in the outro?

[@DelcoWineDouche]

Just getting into the instrument and I really enjoyed the moleskin tone. I have been very interested in the different types of leathers they have out there. Any insight on that? I know I’m about four years late for this video! 😂

[@blarneysteve]

Great content. I have a ton of hammers. All of the main folks. There seems to be a trend lately with Weimer and Moritz hammers, being that they are extremely light. I find that flyweight hammers rob me of striking confidence. Have you experienced anything like this? I seem to like some weight...not too much but enough of a hammer to have a range of dynamics.

[@JoshuaMessick]

I'm not personally a fan of the ultra-fly weight hammers. I tend to lean towards light to medium weight. The ultra-fly weight hammers require a different striking technique, and I do find they are less expressive. But, every person is different ;-)

[@edriannastilwell4299]

Cool Josh. You are really letting your humor side out! Helpful info - thanks. I only play with 2 different hammers because I haven't decided solidly on one yet. I own 3 and it feels too heavy. I'm going to weigh it! I liked the first 3 padded sided hammers. It was really hard to tell the difference till you switched to mole skin and then just wood. The bare wood was most obvious to me and my least favorite. My grip issue is when my hands are cold. I'll try bees wax. Did you mention hammer length. Some are much longer than others. Once your body learns the distance between the strings - switching hammer length, I found, was an issue. Innovations? Easy to remove leather/mole skin? Or better - non-breakable. I've destroyed two pairs already. I also forgot mine once and used plastic spoons. It sounded very interesting. Thanks again.

[@edriannastilwell4299]

Just weighed my hammers. Was your suggestion 12 - 16 grams for a pair? One hammer of the pair I use most is 5g. I guess that makes 10g for the pair. My other pair is 6 g per hammer - 12 total. And the one that I thought was heavier is actually the same as the ones I use most often - 5 g. But, they are longer and the strike point is farther out by about 1/4".

[@JoshuaMessick]

Yes, it should be 12-16 grams per set. Thanks for pointing this out!!! The vlog was extemporaneous and I didn't gracefully transition between singular and plural ;-) I've added a comment in the description to correct this flub. 12-16 grams per set is what I personally use, but 10 grams is 100% right if that is what works for you. @@edriannastilwell4299​

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks for watching and commenting, Edrianna! Super glad you enjoyed it. Yes, cold hands can be a real hassle... I can't play with accuracy and precision when my hands are cold. I've been known to play with fingerless gloves when it's cold :-) I did mention the length of hammers when I shot the vlog, but I flubbed that section so much I took it out. I have updated the description to include a section about differences in length and striking surfaces.

[@edriannastilwell4299]

@@JoshuaMessick I really appreciate the info because I reevaluated my hammers and may have solved a control issue I was having. Thanks.

[@edriannastilwell4299]

@@JoshuaMessick Just can't say enough about how helpful this has been. I'm on a new path with hammers and feel confident it will make a difference in the long run. Control and slippage have been issues that I feel confident are solved. 🤗

[@dmhinkley]

I would like to experiment with hammers made from hedgeapple. It’s a very hard wood also a set of ebony

[@JoshuaMessick]

That would be fun! Hard words work great. The only down side to some hard woods is that they can be too heavy... It's always fun to hear the difference wood makes. Thx for the suggestion!

[@altopride]

I dabble in hammered dulcimer and have a lovely James Jones instrument with a redwood soundboard, but I always feel like the sound is brighter than I prefer. I only play solo and at home, so I don’t need to cut through a band, crowd, or the elements. I have hammers from Bob Bedard, Dusty Strings, and Ed Hale (my favorites so far). Always looking to try others. Which woods do you feel give the mellowest sound?

[@JoshuaMessick]

A mahogany soundboard would likely be more mellow than redwood. In my personal opinion, redwood has some attitude and punch, but lacks some warmth. The type of wood hammers are made out of dose make a difference, but the shape, weight, striking surface, etc. also influence the sound. So... it's hard to say ;-) For a mellow sound, I'd experiment with attacking a softer striking surface, such as leather, moleskin, felt, cotton, etc. Keep on experimenting until you find what you like. Good luck!

[@patrickmarquez8840]

Hey Joshua. Un petit bonjour de France. Bon je kiffe le son du hammer dulcimer mais j'ai un amour passionnel pour la vielle à roue, instrument que j'apprend depuis 2 ans. Allez fais nous rêver, avec ton instrument car c'est un plaisir simple et magique qui nous mène aux horizons du rêve et de l'imagination, et là ton instrument c'est comme une baguette magique du pays enchanteur..... À plus Joshua, bravo et merci

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thank you, Patrick! I do not speak French, but I think I understand from Google Translate. I am glad to hear you enjoy the hammered dulcimer and hurdy-gurdy. Thanks for watching and commenting!! Best, Joshua

[@taurotar]

Hi Joshua, can you please tell me the mode you are playing in the intro @0:20?

[@JoshuaMessick]

It isn't a diatonic scale or church mode. It is more of a Eastern-European / Asian scale.

[@shalomjj]

How many grams is a good weight?

[@kgrgr8970]

Is that a sider making a web in the upper right corner?

[@JoshuaMessick]

K Grgr ha! Not sure? Give me a time marker and I’ll check it out.

[@edwardanderson3506]

3D printed hammers...I was thinking of that the other day. :)

[@JoshuaMessick]

Awesome! Thx for watching :-)

[@shalomjj]

What is your favorite hammer?

[@melvaridgeway7242]

The hammer used depends on the music. A lullaby doesn’t need brightness while Joy to the world may want or need brightness.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Very true!

[@lauralamkay1246]

I had a beginners hammer dulcimer many years ago and it was my first one. Problem was I lived in an apartment and need I say more? I now live in a condo,and truly want to play it again. I've read that hd's can plug into an amplifier. I want headphones when playing so no one can hear me!! Can anyone out there help me out with this? Would absolutely love to get your thoughts on my problem!

[@JoshuaMessick]

To my knowledge, there is not a pure electric hammered dulcimer. If amplified through headphones, the hammered dulcimer will still make an audible sound. A possible solution is to play softly with a very soft striking surface. Dampers could also help decrease the volume.

[@TitofBee]

prefered: the last hammers

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks for commenting!

[@ABWEndon]

Joshua, what you need is some "James Bond 007" hammers that secretly fit into the soles of your shoes. That way, if you do a concert and forget your normal hammers you can simply open the secret compartment in your shoe soles and extract the secret hammers. Your mission now-should decide to accept it is to do a rendition on your dulcimer of the James Bond theme tune!

[@JoshuaMessick]

Haha! Thanks for the suggestion. Too funny. I've actually practiced picking up hammers with my bare feet, just in case I drop a hammer in a concert and have to keep on playing. Of course, the only problem is that would require me to have bare feet when I play. Thanks for suggestion the cover!

[@danielmiller372]

3rd time's the charm I guess

[@JoshuaMessick]

Sorry about that man, had some issues with the upload.

[@danielmiller372]

Hey no problem, I figured it was KZbin deleting it since they've been doing that to others recently

[@illusyn888]

I've only just started learning HD and despite little experience I have the impression that most hammers are too big (more precisely the head). I often catch the neighbor strings playing. So I want to ask you, are all the hammers this big? Or is it more about learning more precision? I searched the internet for smaller versions, but did not find any sizes. Only MasterWorks and Bob Bedard have slightly smaller ones, if I see that correctly on the pictures (I play with DustyStrings myself). You used bigger distances between the strings for your self-designed Dulcimer. Wouldn't even smaller hammers have been a solution? I am looking forward to your answer and would say, I can consider myself lucky to have found you and your music. Thank you very much.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Great question! I agree that many hammer-heads are too big. This makes accuracy difficult. However, they need to be big enough to make good contact for a full tone with the double or triple string courses. The Master Works hammers I play with are on the smaller side and the striking surface is also curved (not flat), improving accuracy. The "DulciForte" hammered dulcimer I helped design does have a slightly wider string spacing to further improve accuracy.

[@TarkMcCoy]

I recently have seen a interesting hammer that seems popular in Russia, but so far haven't had any luck finding a source on the internet. Here's a link to what they look like kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIbFmneubqadl8U Any ideas? I don't seem to get a response from their page...it may be a language issue.

[@JoshuaMessick]

No idea :( There are literally dozens of different style of mallets and holds. They’re typically designed to play a different style of trapezoidal chordophone than what I play.

[@TarkMcCoy]

@@JoshuaMessick No doubt they're cobbled together by Siberian elves in between sessions with Santa. 😊 Thank you for the feedback!