Yangqin Chinese hammered dulcimer

Around the world there are dozens of different versions of the hammered dulcimer. They are all designed and played in a similar fashion, but they each have their own distinct sound, of course being influenced by the home country of the instrument.

When you hear the yangin played in this video, it becomes immediately obvious that this is the Chinese version of the hammered dulcimer. After the video, Click Here to check out another kind of hammered dulcimer.

Medieval Hammered Dulcimer

With a literal meaning of “sweet song”, the dulcimer certainly lives up to its name. There are however many different types of dulcimers, depending on the country of design.

Most dulcimers are of the “hammered” variety, with the instrument set up on a stand and played with mallets, as seen in this video. Then there are fretted dulcimers, such as the mountain dulcimer, that are played by setting the instrument on the lap, and plucking or strumming the strings by hand.

After viewing this medieval jig, Click Here to check out the Tibetan hammered dulcimer, the santoor.

Santoor Tibetan hammered dulcimer

Throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle-East, the hammered dulcimer is a long-time favorite, of course each version having its own unique cultural sound.  In Thailand it is called the khim, in Hungary the cimbalom, in China the yangqin.

This video features the santoor, a Tibetan hammered dulcimer, performed by Shivkumar Sharma and Rahul Sharma.

After the video Click Here to check out this other world string instrument.