When most of us hear " dulcimer," we think of Irish peasants in the Middle Ages. Or maybe that "damsel with a dulcimer" in the poem "Kubla Khan." The actual hammered dulcimer, however, is something else entirely. It's a unique blend of percussion and stringed instruments with ancient roots across the world. And it's capable of creating gorgeous music.

Musician and composer Joshua Messick joins the table to discuss all things hammered dulcimer. He's composed ten albums of hammered dulcimer music, and played for the soundtracks of major movies and video games. He explains the hammered dulcimer's unique ability to tell a story through its music.