Your dulcimer may just need new strings. Some have extra frets.

It may be a chromatic dulcimer. Just means you have even more options.

Robert, glad to hear you are having a great time playing dulcimer! Remember my theory; Play loud and with confidence, everyone assumes we know what we're doing! Troy

@@cedarcreekdulcimers5054 That's a great quote!

I've just seen them at 61 years old. How are you getting on?

beautiful! hope you’re strummin up a storm

I’m 71 years. I am getting ready myself

That is mountain dulcimer. Oops:)

You CAN do this 😊❤

Hey Conger, Thank you for the super comment! As you probably found out by now we are running behind on our orders. Our main builder Chas is battling Leukemia, he is a trouper but we Are a couple of months behind. Appreciate your patience and your prayers. Look forward to building something special for you! Troy

@@cedarcreekdulcimers5054 Thanks Troy, im trying to decide on the dulcimer i want to purchase but im willing to wait if i have to, im sure it will be worth it, they are all works of art, thanks again and our prayers are with you all.......Scott 👍🏆.

as with any instrument, it is very easy and simple to learn a basic tune, you can do it within 10 minutes. But learning to play it in a far more complex way will take years of practice

Either one should be fine. Your chords will match any instrument as long as your tuned to G D D on your dulcimer! Any music that has the cords you can now use! It's great how versatile the Dulcimer can be when you use this tuning!

On notes that land on one or 0, I just omit the harmony. If you would like to play some kind of harmony though, you could try the bass string. Fret # 2 or 3 (on the bass string) would be the first to try.

You bet! Tune your bass string up one note to E, your middle string up one to B, then your first string(s) down to B. You're ready to play along! If you didn't care about playing along with the video, you could keep your bass and middle strings at D and A, then simply tune down your first string to A. The numbers work the same no matter what key you are tuned to. You just wouldn't be in tune with the video. Have fun! After you get 5 or 6 tunes under your belt, move on to lesson two and learn how to add harmony to your songs! Have fun! Troy

@@cedarcreekdulcimers5054 is there a video or book to explain how to tune the different tunings

@btipton72 The Cripple Creek book by Bud and Donna Ford talks about all the different ways you can tune a dulcimer. It starts with the traditional Ionian tuning like I'm playing in my videos and goes on to Mixaloydan, Dorian etc. (We have this book at our shop in Branson. ) As far as the different keys

@@cedarcreekdulcimers5054 we will have to stop by on our next trip to Branson

In the traditional Ionian tuning. You tune the bass string to whatever note you want; D, E, F, G. Then, hold the 4th fret on your bass string and tune the other strings to match this sound. ( they will be 5 notes higher than the bass)

Hey Deborah, if you are tuning DAA on a smaller dulcimer, I would use a .026 wound string on the bass & .014 plain for the other 3. If tuning DAD .026 bass, .014 middle & .012 for the first two. Of course before you change strings go ahead and tune to D and see how it sounds. If it sounds just fine you can go with the strings that are on your Dulcimer now. Glad you're having fun! Troy

Mindy, thank you for your comment! That model is called the Walnut classic. They all have walnut back and sides, but you get to choose from a variety of woods for the top. If you go to our website www.cedarcreekdulcimers.com you will find pictures of the different woods available.( sound hole options as well. ) The price of the Walnut Classic is $349.99. On the website you will find photos and descriptions of all the models we sell ranging from $219.99 -$399.99 Thanks again! Any questions our number here at the shop is: (417)334-1395

@@cedarcreekdulcimers5054 Thanks so much for your excellent response! Since I am getting a dulcimer for the first time, I honestly don’t want the expensive Walnut Classic. I will probably go to your website and take a look at the lower end priced one. If I love it, keep on playing, I will get the more expensive one when I feel proficient at it. I am assuming a beginner, less expensive one is still made extremely well from your company! I can’t wait to start playing! Thank you!

You are exactly right! All the dulcimers our guys build are great and they all sound good. The models like the Old Timer and Red Meadow take less time to build and the material cost is not as expensive as the walnut classic. But the workmanship is always great! Thanks again. Any other questions let us know! Troy

David, so sorry for the loss of your wife. Learning to play the Dulcimer can be very therapeutic and a good way of remembrance of her. In answer to your question, yes, very much so can a lefty play Mnt.dulcimer! Some lefty's like Matthew that works here at the shop seem to prefer to go ahead and strum with their right hand therefore the dulcimer doesn't have to be changed at all. But for those who are very dominant left handed you will want to strum with your left hand. In those cases we simply reverse the nut and the strings to the opposite direction of a righthanded dulcimer ( it only takes 10 or 15 minutes to do so). If you have other questions about playing, let me know or call the shop here in Branson 417-334-1395 And we will be happy to answer any questions. Thanks! Troy

I just called and talked with him today. I had lots of questions and even though I bought my dulcimer elsewhere, he was super friendly and helpful.

Hey Ray! Yes, that is correct, you will tune up from DAA to the GDD. If you have heavy strings on your dulcimer they very well could break. The string gauges I like are. 020 for my bass and .010 for my little strings. This allows me to tune to EBB,FCC and GDD. You can tune DAA with these strings if you have to, I just have never liked the way the strings react in that key. So that is why I don't tune to D. If you would like more info, go to our KZfaq page and watch Mountain Dulcimer basics lesson #3. Thanks! Keep on a pick-"n" Troy

Hey Thanks for the reply! If you go to our KZfaq page:(cedar creek dulcimers KZfaq) you will find all of our videos. We are adding more and more all the time! Thanks again! Troy

@@cedarcreekdulcimers5054 thanks!

Hey Aries Troy here. Sorry your having some playing issues! Believe it or not over the past 39 years of cedar creek dulcimers our fretboards are one of the features everyone has always loved about our dulcimers. Plenty of room to harmonize and chord or for setting up equal distance string spacing. But since you're having playing issues this is obviously not the case for you. Without more information I don't know what difficulties your having, but I assume it's with harmony's and chords. If you are trying to learn in the Mixaloydan DAD tuning this could be your difficulty. The chord structure in this tuning doesn't allow you to use your whole hand like the traditional tuning does. Over the years I've had a lot of players tell me when they switched to the traditional tuning (like I teach in Mnt. Dulcimer basics lesson #2 & #3) their progress excelled quickly And they were finally able to reach all the chords they were looking for! However if you are playing in the traditional tuning and you are still struggling to reach chords, the issue could be hand size. If this is the case, our string guides at the top of your dulcimer are designed to be easily changed to accommodate different string spacing. So if smaller hands are the issue we can cut you a new string spacer (nut) with the strings closer together. Just give a call to the shop in Branson and we will fix you up! (417) 334-1395

Hey Bill, thanks for your interest! All of our products are being sold by Needful Strings. Run by the young man who has been helping me for the past 6 years. You can order over the phone at 417 334-2634 or his Needful Strings website

@@cedarcreekdulcimers5054 needful strings. How cool is that. I will call today.