A dulcimer is an excellent musical instrument that produces melodious and sweet sound. It is a fretted stringed instrument that can be played on the lap or while standing. The dulcimer is a popular instrument in the United States.
In past years, music legends like Jean Ritchie, Don Pedi, Robert Force, among others, have used dulcimer to produce inspiring music that won't be forgotten in years.
You must understand the playing techniques of the music instrument if you desire to play beautiful and melodious tunes with it. An excellent way to become a superb dulcimer playing is by going for a dulcimer songbook.
A dulcimer songbook contains different types of songs that you can learn and play on the musical instrument. The book comes with myriads of features that aid your learning so that you can start laying your favorite tunes in no time.
The songbooks are easy-to-follow; most of the books have dulcimer chord diagrams, music notations, chord symbols, and many other features that will enhance your playing skills.
What are the Best Dulcimer Songbooks to Buy?
2) Method for Beginning Mountain Dulcimer by Bing Futch
- One of the most comprehensive books
- Technique, repertoire, theory, history, and FUN!
- Great for beginner
1) Dulcimer Songbook: 70 popular songs for dulcimers
- Helpful songbook by Thomas Balinger
- Comes with seventy songs
- Arranged in standard Mixolydian tuning
3) Old-Time Hymns & Gospel Favorites for Mountain Dulcimer
- Contains an extensive and delightful collection
- Written in English
- Included chord symbols, lyrics, among others.
Dulcimer songbooks feature different types of songs like children's songs, Christmas songs, Gospel Songs, Old-time hymns, worship songs, Irish songs, Bluegrass classics, and many more. The songbooks come in different volumes, and their contents differ.
Apart from that, some songbooks are designed for beginners to intermediate players, while others are meant for advanced players. This shows that you must consider some essential factors when looking for the right dulcimer songbook to buy. Other elements that you must take note when going for this songbook are as follows:
· The reputation of the author
· The publisher as well as the date of publication
· The kind of songs that you want to learn
· Contents of the Songbook
· Comment from past users.
The above factors will guide you in making a better choice. Also, we have done extensive research, based, and we have come up with the best 20 dulcimer songbooks that will meet your expectations.
20 Best Dulcimer Songbook Reviews
1) Dulcimer Songbook: 70 popular songs for dulcimers
This is a helpful songbook by Thomas Balinger; it is designed for all dulcimer players who desire to play popular songs on their musical instruments. CreateSpace Independent publisher published the songbook on June 11, 2017.
The dimension of the book measures 8.5 x 0.3 x 11 inches, while it contains about 143 pages. The dulcimer songbook by Thomas Balinger comes with seventy songs that are arranged in standard Mixolydian tuning.
The songbook is designed with beginner players in mind; it is well structured to make learning easier. Some of the songs included in the book are Amazing Grace, Aura Lee, Banks of the Ohio, Camptown races, Careless love, Away in the Manger, Careless Love, Down by the Riverside. Others are Goodnight, Ladies, Home on the Rage, Jingle Bells, Jolly Good Fellow; Morning has Broken, The Water is Wide, Tom Dooley, among others.
2) Method for Beginning Mountain Dulcimer by Bing Futch
The Method for Beginning Mountain Dulcimer is one of the most comprehensive books on the dulcimer. It takes you down to the basics of the musical instrument and explains the playing techniques in the simplest way possible.
With this fantastic book, you are sure to start playing your favorite songs right away. The book was published on September 9, 2013, by CreateSpace Independent Publisher, and it comprises 134 pages.
The book is authored by Bing Futch, a professional player of mountain dulcimer since 1986. Apart from that, he is an excellent tutor, performer, and clinician. Once you have a full grasp of the concept presented by Bing in this book, you will be a fantastic dulcimer player, and you will have the confidence to play in any group.
If you need a practical book to hone your playing skill, you should consider the Method for Beginner Mountain Dulcimer by Bing Futch.
3) Old-Time Hymns & Gospel Favorites for Mountain Dulcimer
If you need a book that contains an extensive and delightful collection of your favorite hymns and gospel songs, then you should give this songbook a try. The book was written by Anne Lough, a music enthusiast who started singing and playing folk music at an early age. Mel Bay Publications published the Old-time Hymns and Gospel Favorites for Mountain Dulcimer on June 19, 2015.
The book is written in English, and it comprises 92 pages. The dulcimer songbook is designed for all categories of players. The tunes are written out in a clear and understandable dulcimer tablature notation. The tunes are also written in music notation for active learning. Also included are chord symbols, lyrics, among others.
4) Hits of the Beatles-Dulcimer
Are you an advanced player looking to learn a couple of tunes without any stress, then you should go for the Hits of the Beatles Dulcimer. Note that some of the songs might require you to retune your musical instrument, so it might not be the best option for beginners. The song's selection and arrangement are fantastically designed to help players hone their skills.
The Hits of the Beatles Dulcimer was published by Hal Leonard, a renowned publisher that has published numerous outstanding music books. When you buy this great songbook, you are going to come across songs like You Have Got to Hide Your Love Away, All Together Now, Golden Slumber, I Feel Fine, Nowhere Man, Tell me what you see, and so on.
5) Dulcimer songbook: Christmas Songs
This is yet another fantastic songbook from Thomas Balinger. It features about forty familiar Christmas songs. The songs are arranged in dulcimer standard tuning for quick learning. Just like other Thomas Balinger songbooks, It was published by CreateSpace independent publisher. It contains 94 pages, and it is written in English.
It features a simple picking arrangement for five famous songs. The book is designed to be of tremendous advantage to beginner and student players looking to play their favorite Christmas songs on the musical instrument. You will come across songs like Away in the Manger, O Come all ye Faithful, O Christmas Tree, Silent Night, The Friendly Beast, Up on the Housetop, We wish you a Merry Christmas and many others.
6) Traditional Mountain Dulcimer (Book/CD)
If you need a songbook that will get you playing the musical instrument immediately, then the Traditional Mountain Dulcimer is an excellent option for you. The book is easy to follow, and it comes with a CD for enhanced learning. Its dimension measures 8.5 x 0.2 x 11 inches, while it contains just 12 pages.
This excellent music book is designed for beginner players. It is structured to make them a better player in no time with or without prior experience. If you need a concise book that teaches the dulcimer in a simple and traditional way, then you should not hesitate to opt for the Traditional Mountain Dulcimer.
7) Complete Dulcimer Handbook by Mark Biggs
Do you seek an easy-to-follow book that will help you achieve your dream of becoming an excellent dulcimer player in no time? If that is the case, you should not underestimate the Complete Dulcimer Handbook by Mark Biggs.
It was written to serve as a sourcebook and an essential guide to all dulcimer players. It is an excellent book that is useful for all categories of players, from a beginner player to the most advanced picker.
This unique book by Mark Biggs is meant to be used as a lesson plan book and a songbook as it comes with 53 songs in different tunings and modes. The book is equipped with the author's online audio recording, which features about 17 tunes from the book.
Mel Bay Publication published the book on May 15, 2015, and it consists of 196 pages. If you need a great dulcimer songbook that is perfect for all levels of player, then you need to consider the Complete Dulcimer Handbook by Mark Biggs.
8) American Folk Music for Mountain Dulcimer Book/audio CD
Have you been trying to learn the dulcimer without any success? If that is the case, it is time to give this easy-to-comprehend songbook a try. The book is written in English, and it contains about 44 pages. ADG Productions published it on May 6, 2011.
The songbook features beautiful songs in an excellent arrangement that is hard to come across in other dulcimer songbooks. It comes with a CD, which is of great help to beginner players as it allows them to hear the song and get accurate timing.
The songbook comes with a good selection of old-time and folk music. Some of the songs that you will learn in the book are The House Carpenter, Streets of Laredo When I was a Young Girl, and many others.
Furthermore, the book is easy to follow. All the songs included in this unique book are set for the standard mountain dulcimer in DAD tuning. The tunes are presented in easy-to-read notation and tablature. The book comes with the lyrics as well as the story of each song.
The lyrics are printed at the end of the book. Jess Peterson recorded the CD, and it includes all the songs in order. If you need an easy-to-follow dulcimer songbook designed to improve your playing skills, then helpful songbook by Jess Peterson.
9) Mel Bay the Hammered Dulcimer Treasury of Tunes
The book contains numerous collections of hammered dulcimer tunes. It is a voluminous book of about 256 pages. It was published by Mel Bay publication on March 20, 2015.
This unique songbook is an indispensable music book for all beginner dulcimer players as it features numerous materials for sight-reading with total accuracy. The songbook contains over 225 Celtic and old-time tunes.
Furthermore, the book features favorite selections from Celtic and American traditions. It is also worth noting that the instrumental arrangements are only written in standard notation and chord symbols.
If you desire to learn some old-time songs without any hassle, then the Mel Bay Hammered Dulcimer Treasury of Tunes is one of the songbooks to consider.
10) Complete Book of Celtic Music for Appalachian Dulcimer
Do you need a songbook that performs better than other books when it comes to teaching players how to play different tunes on dulcimer? Then, you should consider this excellent book by Mark Nelson.
The book comes with everything you need as a dulcimer player. The dulcimer songbook gives an interesting history and vivid explanation of types of Celtic music. Mel Bay Publication published the Complete Book of Celtic Music for Appalachian Dulcimer on February 19, 2016.
The author's in-depth knowledge and flair for Celtic music are evident from his selection of tunes. The features fiddle tunes from Ireland, the piper's repertoire, among others. The author also provides samples of Morris Dances, Plaxties, Marches, Country Dances, Polkas, Mazurkas. Jigs, Strathspeys, among others.
11) Dulcimer Hymn Collection: Traditional Hymns and Spirituals for Mountain Dulcimer
The book features fifty songs intended to be played with the dulcimer. If you desire to learn the classic Christian songs using your musical instrument, then you should consider this unique songbook.
The book was meticulously prepared to make sure that all the selections have excellent sound and are easy to play. Furthermore, each tune comes with chord; diagrams are also included to enable you to play along with friends.
All tunes are represented using dulcimer tablature and standard music notation. It is also worth noting that all minor songs are in D-A-C tuning, while the major tunes in this excellent book are in D-A-D notation.
The book is written in English, and it is published by Createspace Independent publisher on February 23, 2017. The dimension of the songbook measures 8.5 x 0.2 x 11 inches, while it contains 87 pages.
The book is recommended for beginner and intermediate players. Some of the songs included in this book are Amazing Grace; A Mighty Fortress is our God, Be Thou My Vision, Ye Sinners, Down the River to Pray, Crown Him with Many Crowns, O Thou Great Jehovah. Others are O For the Thousand Tongues, Rock of Ages; There is a Fountain Filled with Blood, Will the Circle be Unbroken, Blessed is He that comes, and many others.
12) Dulcimer on the Backroads
An excellent way to share the joy of the traditional songs, Celtic fiddle tunes, as well as ballads on your musical instrument is by getting the dulcimer on the Backroads. The book features tune that are easy-to-play.
Furthermore, the book features a tuning diagram as well as a chord for each tune and tuning. CreateSpace Independent publisher published the Dulcimer on the Backroads on October 13, 2017. Its dimension measures 8.5 x 0.2 x 11 inches. The book is written in English.
All tunes in this book are presented in standard music notation as well as dulcimer tablature. This book is ideal for all levels of players, especially those looking to hone their dulcimer playing skills. The tunes include Be Thou My Vision, How many Biscuits Can you Eat, Hard Times Come Again No More, Red Wings, Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss, Whiskey Before Breakfast, Breaking Up Christmas, Bury Me Beneath the Willow, among others.
13) Fingerpicking Dulcimer by Janita Baker
This songbook is described as a genuine source of dulcimer enjoyment. It features a collection of twenty-one songs that are arranged in a fingerpicking style. The book comes with different musical genres, and it is designed for all levels of players. It was published on June 16, 2015, by the Mel bay publication.
The Fingerpicking Dulcimer was written in English, and it contains 88 pages. The songs are arranged based on their level of difficulty within each section. Meaning that each session starts from a simple or beginner level to an advanced level.
Each music is written in both standard music notation and dulcimer tablature. The arrangement makes use of the 6 ½ frets as well as tuning range, and it covers an expansive range of song styles, which includes classical standards, blues, and traditional ragtime.
Some of the included songs are All Through the Night, Careless Love, Kentucky home, House of the Rising Sun, and many more. The book gives an extensive explanation of embellishments, playing right and left hands, as well as reading tablatures.
Furthermore, it comes with audio that features an instrumental recording of the solo dulcimer, which is structured to serve as a reference for students, while offering a performance-quality listening experience.
14) Dulcimer Songbook: Worship Songs and Hymn
This is another great book by Thomas Balinger, a prolific author who has written numerous high-ranking dulcimer songbooks. The book comprises a compilation of famous hymns and devotion songs.
The songs are created for the dulcimer in a D-A-D standard Mixolydian tuning. The book dimension measures 8.5 x 0.2 x 11 inches, and CreateSpace Independent Publisher published it. The Hymn and Songs of Worship Dulcimer songbook contain 111 pages.
The songbook is designed for all categories of players willing to learn hymns and worship songs. The songs include A Mighty Fortress is Our God, Angels From the Realm of Glory, Be Thou My Vision, Amazing Grace, Give me That Old-time Religion, Abide With Me, It is Well with My Soul. Other songs are Nearer My God to Thee, O Come Ye Faithful, Take my Life and Let it Be, To God be the Glory, What a Friend We have in Jesus, For the Beauty of the Earth, and so on.
15) Dulcimer Songbook: Irish Songs
If you need a great songbook that will teach you how to play Irish songs without any hassle on your musical instrument, then consider this fantastic book by Thomas Balinger. Just like other Thomas Balinger books, the Irish Songs Dulcimer Songbook was published by CreateSpace Independent Publisher on October 29, 2017. The Dulcimer songbook is written in English, and it has 129 pages.
The songbook features dulcimer chord diagrams, chord symbols, along with fingerpicking arrangement of seven well-known songs. The Irish Songs Dulcimer Songbook by Thomas Balinger features songs like I never will marry, Never wed an old man, Old maid in garret, The black velvet band, The foggy dew, The last rose of summer, The mermaid, The sally Garden. Others are Three scores and ten, The rising of the moon, The mountains of Mourne, The nightingale, The Wearing of the Green, The Humor is on me now, The Jolly Beggarman, The snowy-breasted pearl, among others.
16) Dulcimer Songbook: Bluegrass Classics
This is another fantastic book by Thomas Balinger. It has about 60 popular American songs arranged in standard D-A-D Mixolydian tuning. The book comes with a plethora of exciting tunes like Boil them cabbage down.
A horse named bill, Come all ye fair and tender ladies, Beautiful brown eyes, Blood on the saddle, All the good times are past and gone. Other tunes include Down to the river to pray, Don't this road look rough and rocky, Going down this road, Drifting too far from the shores, Foggy mountain tops, House of the rising sun, among others.
CreateSpace Independent publisher published the Bluegrass Classics Dulcimer Songbook on October 16, 2017. Its dimension measures 8.5x 0.3 x 11 inches, while the songbook contains 139 pages. Other features of the songbook are guitar and dulcimer and guitar chord diagram, different strumming patterns for song accompaniment, as well as fingerpicking arrangement of ten well-known songs.
17) The Big Book of American Classics: 150 Songs plus Chord Charts
This songbook is a compendium of American Classics. It is a voluminous book containing 228 pages. It was independently published on May 8, 2019. The dimension of this songbook is 8.5 x 0.5 x 11 inches. It features about 150 songs with chord charts for Ukulele, Guitar, Banjo, Merlin, Mandolin, and Dulcimer. Irrespective of your musical taste, the book comes with tunes that you will enjoy.
It is worth noting that all songs come with extra-large notations to enable you to use the book effectively when playing in the company of other musicians. Apart from the chord diagrams for different musical instruments, the songbook comes with a collection of strumming and picking patterns.
Among the numerous songs in the songbook are Amazing grace, A beautiful life, Banks of Sacramento, Careless Love, Down in the valley, Foggy mountain on top, I was born about ten years ago, Listen to the lambs. Other tunes are Nine pounds hammer, Sailor on the deep blue sea, Steal away to Jesus, The angel rolled the stone away, when the saint go marchin' in, We wish you a Merry Christmas and many others.
18) Dulcimer Songbook: Children’s Songs
Do you want your child to learn popular children's songs with the dulcimer? If yes, you should go for this exciting songbook by Thomas Balinger. Furthermore, the songbook features seventy Christmas songs that are arranged in standard dulcimer D-A-D tuning.
Just like the previous Thomas Balinger songbooks, the Children’s Song dulcimer songbook was published by CreateSpace independent publisher on February 27, 2018. The dimension of the book measures 8.5 x 0.3 x 11 inches, while it has 121 pages.
Some of the songs included in this book are 99 bottles, Animal fair, Crawdad Song, Five little ducks, If you are happy, Jolly good fellow, Lavender’s blue. Goodnight ladies, London Bridge is falling down, Mary had a lamb, One two buckle my shoe, peter peter pumpkin eater, She will be coming round the mountain, When the saint go marching in, Three little Kittens, and many more. If you need an easy-to-follow dulcimer songbook with which you can learn children and other famous tunes, consider this fantastic songbook by Thomas Balinger.
19) Dulcimer Songbook: Campfire Songs
Are you looking for a comprehensive dulcimer songbook to learn campfire songs? If that is the case, then you should give this excellent book a try. It features about fifty Campfire Songs for dulcimer in D-A-D tuning.
Apart from that, it contains old American songs and Bluegrass masterpieces arranged for dulcimer in D-A-D Mixolydian tuning. The songbook features a dulcimer chord diagram, chord symbols, among others.
This Dulcimer songbook was published independently on January 8, 20019. Its dimension measures 8.5 x 0.2 x 11 inches, and it contains 109 pages. The tunes included in this songbook are Amazing grace, All the good times are past and gone, Bury me beneath the willow, Bound for the promised land, Drink to me only with wine eyes, I ride an old paint. You will also come across tunes like a sailor on the deep blue sea, Roll in my sweet baby's arms, The Yellow Rose of Texas, Twinkle, twinkle little star, Wreck of the old 97, Yankee doodle, and many other songs.
20) Dulcimer Chords: Easy-to-Play Voicings in Four Modern Tunings
The last book we will consider is the Easy-to-Play Voicings in Four Modern Tunings by Thomas Balinger. The songbook is designed for all categories of players. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player, the book promises to be of tremendous help when it comes to improving your playing skills. The tunings used in this songbook are A-A-D(Ionian), C-A-D (Aeolian), G-A-D (Dorian), and D-A-D (Mixolydian)
It was published on March 9, 2018, by CreateSpace Independent Publisher, and It contains 34 pages. The dimension of the book measures 8.5 x 0.1 x 11 inches. The Easy-to-Play Voicing in Four Modern Tuning is a songbook of choice for all player who desires to improve their playing skills.
Choosing the Best Dulcimer Songbooks
If you aim at buying a dulcimer songbook that will be of great value to you, then consider the critical factors listed above or pick from our lists of best dulcimer songbooks.
2) Method for Beginning Mountain Dulcimer by Bing Futch
- One of the most comprehensive books
- Technique, repertoire, theory, history, and FUN!
- Great for beginner
1) Dulcimer Songbook: 70 popular songs for dulcimers
- Helpful songbook by Thomas Balinger
- Comes with seventy songs
- Arranged in standard Mixolydian tuning
3) Old-Time Hymns & Gospel Favorites for Mountain Dulcimer
- Contains an extensive and delightful collection
- Written in English
- Included chord symbols, lyrics, among others.