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The musician creates tones by striking the strings with 8-inch long wooden or metal mallets. The tips of the mallets can be left bare, creating a sound similar to that of a banjo, or they can be covered with varying thicknesses of cotton, creating sounds that range from bright to very soft. Damper bars and a foot pedal moderate the vibrations.
Music from classical to gypsy and jazz to rock can be played on the cimbalom. While the instrument is used frequently in Eastern European folk music, it also can be traced to the Orient and Middle East. It resembles a dulcimer, but is substantially larger and has a full base and resonant soundboard. The instrument has a trapezoidal shape and rests on four removable legs. It weighs about 200 pounds |