The Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument with three or four strings, although contemporary versions of the instrument can have as many as twelve strings and six courses. The body extends the length of the fingerboard and traditionally has an hourglass, teardrop, or elliptical shape. A courting dulcimer has two fretboards allowing two players to closely sit across from each other to perform duets, hence the name.
A traditional way to play the instrument is to lay it flat on the lap and pluck or strum the strings with one hand, while fretting with the other. In practice, a wide variety of playing styles are used.
When four strings are used, the first 2 strings are placed close together and tuned the same. This can be used to emphasize the melody, while the other two strings are used as drone strings. Some dulcimers are constructed to allow the strings to be arranged with either a "double melody string" (as described above) or with the option of four equidistant strings.
The frets of the Appalachian dulcimer are arranged in a diatonic scale.
It is widely used in the American Old-time music tradition. This instrument first appeared in the early 1800s in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and is thus also called a mountain dulcimer.
