Laramidian Dulcimer

• Laramidian Dulcimer Sticker

At the Kindred Gathering you’ll hear all styles of fretted‑dulcimer music, including Appalachian. But the KGs have been influential in the growth of recent energetic styles of contemporary fretted dulcimer driven by innovations in large part (not, of course, entirely) by some of its own west-coast players. These styles are distinct from the Appalachian style.

The term “Appalachian dulcimer” can refer to either the instrument or the more traditional style. Now, I call the instrument a “fretted dulcimer,” but what can I call the higher-energy, mostly west-coast styles? At early KGs, the term “Pacific Rim dulcimer” was used. It didn’t catch on.

Paleo-geologists have names for the two Cretaceous-period mini-continents which later became North America: Appalachia in the east (not many large dinosaurs) and Laramidia in the west (many large powerful dinosaurs). “No, I don’t play Appalachian dulcimer. I play Laramidian dulcimer.” A sticker for your dulcimer case. (A different dulcimer-case sticker [about chords “vs.” modes] can be found on the JimBStuff site songs page.)

Download: .PDF [print-area] .JPG [print-area] 8½"x11" [print: “Fit” option on full-sheet label stock]