AUGUSTA, Ga.– Pat Colbert, Susan Pitts and Jane Rigot have played dulcimers with the Savannah River Hammers for ten years.
“I had never seen one before,” Pat explained , “and I went, ‘ooooh, I have to have that!’ It is a percussion instrument with a very ancient history.”
The sounds come from the way the hammer strikes the strings.
“Hard strike, because one side of the hammer is not padded, and the other is padded, so when we strike it it’s a little softer, like a harp.”
It’s an instrument that plays well with many others. You hear it in Celtic music, Bluegrass and more. You can contact the ladies of the Savannah River Hammers through the Savannah River Stringband.
