Hammered dulcimer range

The hammered dulcimer’s range in notes and hertz

The range is the size: a 12/11 spans G3 to D6, and a 15/14 adds three courses at the bottom of each bridge to reach D3. Bigger chromatic instruments go lower still.

Written and sounding pitch

The hammered dulcimer reads at concert pitch in treble and bass clef: a written note sounds as written, so the range above is both the sound and the page.

Range by size

Instruments with a similar range

The instruments whose normal range shares the most notes with the hammered dulcimer’s:

• Viola · C3–D7 37 notes shared
• Cello · C2–A6 37 notes shared
• Harp · C2–A6 37 notes shared
• Guzheng · D2–D6 37 notes shared
• Qanun · G2–D6 37 notes shared
• Mountain dulcimer · D3–D6 37 notes shared

Tune it, play it

• Hammered dulcimer tuner — tune by microphone, with the hammered dulcimer’s own target notes.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Wikipedia, Template:Vocal and instrumental pitch ranges
• Our hammered dulcimer tuner page