> I read somewhere on the net that a hammered dulcimer is not to be confused with an Appalachian dulcimer. I know mine is the latter, but how is a hammered dulcimer different? Does it have little wooden hammers like a piano? Or is it just pounded into shape with a hammer?
>

It's played by hitting the strings with little hammers, not unlike a piano 'cept you have to hold the hammers.

I think the piano evolved from the hammer dulcimer, probably because it was simpler to play, and then the piano caught on and the dulcimer faded into celtic obscurity. Kind of like how bridge was developed as a way to teach newbies to play whist.

^v^:)^v^
FB