Editing Hammered dulcimer (section)

==Hammers==
The instrument is referred to as "hammered" in reference to the small [[Percussion mallet|mallets]] (referred to as ''hammers'') that players use to strike the strings. Hammers are usually made of wood (most likely [[hardwood]]s such as maple, cherry, padauk, oak, walnut, or any other hardwood), but can also be made from any material, including metal and plastic. In the Western hemisphere, hammers are usually stiff, but in Asia, flexible hammers are often used. The head of the hammer can be left bare for a sharp [[attack (music)|attack]] sound, or can be covered with adhesive tape, leather, or fabric for a softer sound. Two-sided hammers are also available. The heads of two sided hammers are usually oval or round. Most of the time, one side is left as bare wood while the other side may be covered in leather or a softer material such as [[felt|piano felt]].{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

Several traditional players have used hammers that differ substantially from those in common use today. [[Paul Van Arsdale]] (1920–2018), a player from upstate [[New York (state)|New York]], used flexible hammers made from [[hacksaw]] blades, with leather-covered wooden blocks attached to the ends (these were modeled after the hammers used by his grandfather, Jesse Martin). The Irish player [[John Rea (musician)|John Rea]] (1915–1983) used hammers made of thick steel wire, which he made himself from old bicycle [[spoke]]s wrapped with wool. [[Billy Bennington]] (1900–1986), a player from [[Norfolk, England]], used [[Caning (furniture)|cane]] hammers bound with wool.

The piano, like the dulcimer, uses a hammering action to strike the strings.[[File:Th. Steinweg Nachf. Braunschweig.jpg|thumb|A piano hammering action]]