How to Hold a Pick to Play the Dulcimer
There are many different kinds of dulcimer instruments. Dulcimers fall into two groups: Hammer dulcimers and mountain dulcimers. Hammer dulcimers are larger than mountain dulcimers and a musician plays the instrument with a hammer in a fashion similar to a xylophone. Mountain dulcimers have three or four strings and musicians play them by plucking the strings with a pick. One of the first lessons for beginning mountain dulcimer players is how to hold their pick.
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Instructions
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1
Sit with the mountain dulcimer lying across your lap. Position the end of the dulcimer with the pegs toward your left side. If there is a strap, place it around your neck to secure the dulcimer.
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2
Hold the pick in your dominant hand between either your thumb and index finger or your thumb and middle finger.
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3
Grasp the pick firmly enough to hold it in place, yet not so tightly that your hand is tense and rigid.
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Tips & Warnings
If you hold the pick between your thumb and middle finger, you can curve your index finger over the pick and use it to move the pick back into position as you play. As you play (especially at a fast tempo), the pick tends to shift slightly in your fingers. Use your index finger to straighten the pick out again as you play.
