@RosinedUp:  You really only need it to press down slightly, enough to fret the string, not all the way to the board like most guitar capos do.  One of the reasons I made mine instead of buying it is I wanted it to not clamp the string too hard to the fretboard, so I can touch up or change tunings when it's on. 

I don't care for capo on guitar, but guitar is a chromatic instrument and doesn't really need one in most cases.  Using capo on dulcimer is also pretty good for exploring modes and some of the harmony relationships in them.

And yes, when using a pencil as a makeshift capo the rubberband pretty much has to go around the back of the instrument.  It isn't very optimal, but it works in a pinch and would let someone try capo on dulcimer before they go and buy or make one.

@Ferret:  Oh.  Duh.  Ok, I'll see if I can get some time today or tonight when it is quiet enough to record a little something on it.  I used dulcimer for one of my tracks for the "Bile dem cabbages" project, but it would be hard to hear in the mix.

Mountain/Appalachian dulcimer (there is the other sort of dulcimer that has more strings and is played with with little mallets) is a fun instrument.  A very easy one to start sounding good on for most people as compared to violin which is considered challenging. 

And here's a little dulcimer playing because Ferret asked.  To keep it on-topic, the first bit is played without the capo and the second bit is played with the capo on at the first fret. 

Not my best playing, it was a "one take" shot.  But as you can hear, doesn't take more than a couple seconds or make any appreciable amount of noise to put the capo on. 

Unlike capo-ing a guitar or something, putting a capo on a dulcimer changes the "mode" you are playing in, as well as the key.  Definitely much faster than retuning the instrument between songs.

Glad folks enjoyed it.  Dulcimer is a simpler instrument to play than violin in some ways, and rather quiet compared to a violin, so it is one of my instrument choices for evening when the household is quieting down.  Like any instrument, there are folks that can be just amazing on it.  I settle for trying to be reasonably competent, so there are many excellent dulcimer players that can blow me out of the water.  But I know it well enough and have played it enough over the years to be able to enjoy playing it.

@coolpinkone:  The first song is "Angels We Have Heard on High", an old trad Christmas carol. 

@Ferret: Yeah, the string setup can seem kind of odd, since traditionally the melody is mostly carried on the pair of high strings and the lower strings work as drones.  The more modern way of playing it involves chording on it, which can also sound really good.  I usually pick it up when I am in the mood for an instrument with some drone, though, so I keep my playing rather simple compared to some folks out there.

@ratvn: My harp isn't currently in playable condition.  I've been trying to decide whether to put the priority on repairing the old one or building a new one.  I ran across some really neat "nitrogen bent" wood that would make an interesting frame.  My old one is something someone put together mostly from furniture parts, probably during WWII or the Great Depression.  Some points of their design weren't as robust as one might have hoped.

@Annon:  Harmonica is one of the instruments I've never gotten good on.  I have a typical Hohner Bluesband C.  I play a bit of woodwinds, like you, though.  I have a bamboo flute, a rosewood fife, and a blown glass piccolo as well as a couple of recorders.

@Almandin: Ah, you haven't forgotten about the autoharp.  LOL  Ok, I'll see if I can manage to get a take of a bit of playing on that.