Electronic Tuners for Hammer Dulcimer Sam Rizzetta © 2015
Hammer dulcimers are intriguing to hear and to play. But they have many strings to keep in tune, and this can present a real chore to beginners and experienced players alike. When I started playing, back in the Age of Dinosaurs, we were happy to have a tuning fork or pitch pipe, and we tuned everything by ear. In modern times tuning has been made much easier with the advent of digital electronic tuners. Pluck the string you want to tune and the tuner displays the name of the note it hears and whether it is sharp or flat. Continue to pluck the string while tightening or loosening it until the tuner indicates that the string is in tune. Voila!
Almost anyone can learn to play a dulcimer. But not everyone has the knack for tuning. Not to worry. Today we have a confusing but wonderful array of electronic tuning aids available. So, let us take a look at some options that work well for hammer dulcimer. Of course, they can be useful for other stringed instruments, too.
STROBE TUNERS