Two entirely different instruments, one plucked, the other struck with small hammers, bear the name "dulcimer," and the resulting confusion often makes it difficult or impossible to determine to which instrument one is being referred. Here, we are concerned with the plucked variety, although hammered dulcimers have a history as old or older and were quite common in this country during the nineteenth century. Hammered dulcimers are still encountered today among both urban and country musicians, and represent varied traditions of great interest.

The plucked "mountain" or "Appalachian" dulcimer is rather variable as to size, shape, and stringing, but all those which I have seen share common features, two of which are most important.

First, they have a series of frets which are spaced to give a diatonic scale. A string pressed against frets arranged in this manner can sound notes equivalent to those playable using only the white keys of a piano.