Forum Activity for @mary-z-cox
Hello Kathy,Have never played that particular model Blue Lion-- but do have 2 blue lions. One is the rosewood/cedar one with the single rose inlay & brass inserts. Don't think that model is offered anymore-- but it is a wonderful dulcimer. It's my lucky dulcimer :) and have the Robert Force model 6 string Blue Lion. It is also a dulcimer of great beauty and sound-- was just playing it on the front porch the other day and it's sweet voice attracted a hummingbird :)Don't think you can go wrong with a Blue Lion :)Best wishes,Mary Z Cox
My biggest 'do-over' wish in learning music
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Believe it or not--I've actually "done over" my biggest musical do over--and found it's never too late to do it over. :)
When I was younger, I mistakenly felt that you could only have one good banjo or one good dulcimer at a time.
I wish now that I had just gone ahead and bought every banjo or dulcimer that appealed to me, brought it home, played it, enjoyed it, and just laughed about all the fun it is to just buy any old instrument you want and not feel guilty.
I used to feel that I didn't deserve a bunch of beautiful instruments--but now I don't feel that way anymore. Instrument builders don't build them for folks as rewards--they build them for folks who will play them and enjoy them. :)
And yes--it's wonderful to have the instruments you really want to play.
The other thing that I have "done over" is that it is okay to just let an instrument "go" to someone else. I've sold and given away and traded perfectly good instruments because sometimes it just seems that the new person and that instrument are right for each other now. And it isn't painful and I've never felt any regret. 
That "do over" started with a man who just called me up and told me he had been wanting to buy my old bass for over 30 years and it was never for sale and he was wondering if I might finally sell it to him. I almost said no just on a reflex--but stopped--and glanced over at that bass--standing in a corner--with a light coat of dust--and it looked kind of sad--so I said "okay--why not?" I gave him a fair price--he came and got that bass the next day--took it directly to a job in a chicken wire bar--they looked so happy together and I never missed it once!
Best wishes,
Mary Z. Cox
My biggest 'do-over' wish in learning music
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Robin,
You can still sing--but you have to approach it as another instrument. I recently heard Joan Baez on NPR and she said that although she was able to "just sing" and sound wonderful when she was young--as she has got older--she has a voice coach and does voice exercises everyday just to be able to maintain some pitch, tone, and volume.
If professional singers have to do all this to keep up their voices--regular singers most definitely would also have to exercise and train to keep up their voices too. :)
Best wishes,
Mary Z. Cox
Robin Thompson said:
As a teenager I sang a lot and have sung very little as an adult. I wish I would've kept singing because it's fun and I can read music for singing. My ear for singing is no longer good. I go flat a lot, doggone it.
PS-(I can't sight read for playing dulcimer-- either mountain or bowed. Wish I could. Though I am glad I can play by ear.)
Lots of different music sounds good on the mountain dulcimer. I've found that because folks tend to tune it with drone strings--it actually sounds very nice in duets with fiddles. You can favor the bass string when the fiddle goes high, and favor the treble strings when the fiddle growls low. :)
Very fun.
Best wishes,
Mary Z. Cox
Your favorite dulcimer case!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Love my double dulcimer cases by Lee Felt the best--very handy and they will even hold two really big dulcimers.For a single case--I have a tan McSpadden that is really pretty cool--lightweight, but sturdy and practical.
Best wishes,Mary Z. Cox
***THREE CHEERS for Robin Thompson !!!***
OFF TOPIC discussions
You go girl
Enjoy your posts Best wishes,Mary Z. Cox www.maryzcox.com
My family keeps me so busy making quilts and quilted grocery bags that I have never made anything for my mountain dulcimers. I just got this brand new awesome sewing machine--maybe I'll try something--after I finish my niece's wedding quilt. :)
Best wishes,
Mary Z. Cox
ps. My family likes my music a lot--but they go really crazy over the quilts. :)
Let's start a wave for Lisa.Lisa,You are like a renaissance (spel?) woman--you go everywhere, play everything and have a lovely ski cap too.
You go girl. 
Best wishes,Mary Z. Cox www.maryzcox.com
Hello,My first love is old time banjo--but the mountain dulcimer is so relaxing and fun to play too. And I actually play Afro/Caribbean drums pretty well--but just don't have time to pursue it in any kind of public playing.Also--can only play one instrument at a time and it takes a lot of time, effort, and hauling power to lug multiple instruments on stage --so I mostly stick to banjo and dulcimer--although I have and play many different instruments for my personal enjoyment at home. :) Here's a fun little Youtube of banjo and drums.Best wishes,Mary Z. Cox www.maryzcox.com
If you could only keep ONE of your dulcimers....
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Hey--I just can't play this game--the idea of one lonely dulcimer hanging on the wall is sooooooooosurreal--it would give me the heebie jeebies to imagine it. :)
If you could only keep ONE of your dulcimers....
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Michael,This is a very awesome dulcimer--I've heard it and played it. Since you are only keeping one of your Dorogis--maybe I could have your second best? :)love,Mary Zps. See you on Saturday. :) Michael Vickey said:
If I could keep only one mountain dulcimer, I would keep my Dorogi D Model dulcimer. Built by Chautauqua County, NY luthier Dennis Dorogi. The D Model is a one-of-a-kind. Incredible sound, perfect intonation and a beautiful wood sculpture.
I have several Dorogi dulcimers - all exhibit fine craftsmanship and all are built to Mr Dorogi's exacting standards.
Michael Vickey
www.goodfornuthin.com
How many dulcimers do you own... lets see the lists..
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Terry Duggins told me on FaceBook that he has over 70 mountian dulcimers! I think he is a member of this forum too--Come On-- Terry---put your list up here--I'm dying to see what you have. :)Best wishes,Mary Z. Cox www.maryzcox.com
How many dulcimers do you own... lets see the lists..
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Got an email from Paul Conrad and these are the words:walnut, honey locust, buckeye :)
How many dulcimers do you own... lets see the lists..
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
This is the Kurt Simmerman Spanish Curly cedar front with figured mahogany on the back. :)My dulcimers do not really have names--I just call them by maker and or wood.For some unexplainable reason I think of the Blue Lion dulcimer with the rose inlay, the lady with the checkered past, and the swan dulcimer as female, and all the others as male except for the Galax dulcimer which has a name "LiL Tater" and it looks like a big sweet potato--and has the personality of a basset hound. :) Bob Lewis said:
How many dulcimers do you own... lets see the lists..
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
1. Kurt Simmerman concert goncala alves2. Kurt Simmerman concert Spanish curly cedar and figured mahogany3. Kurt Simmerman concert sassafras and walnut4. Blue Lion rosewood and red cedar5. Blue Lion 6 string Robert Force6. Ben Seymour cherry Galax7. Unidentified with carved swan head8. Bob Cox (John Huron model) sassafras and cherry9. Ron Ewing dulcimette walnut and vintage wine vat10 The lady with the checkered past (Ron Cook--walnut and maple checkerboard--carved lady's head)11. McSpadden cherry and spruceon order12. Bill Taylor courting dulcimer TBA13. Paul Conrad Timbre TBAI will probably try to keep this right at thirteen as that is a lucky and positive number of dulcimers to have in one household to maintain instrument stability in the universe. If I sell one--I would have to cut back to 8 and if I buy a new one--I'd have to add on until I had 21. I try to maintain stability and harmony in my instrument numbers as transitions tend to be chaotic. :)
dogs & songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Favorite accessories to go with MD
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
My favorite is my adjustable dulcimer stand by John Stockard. :)And I really like my double dulcimer bags made by the Felts. :)
STINKAROO advice...
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Well--this is not dulcimer related, but I just read a piece of real stinkaroo advice in today's local paper.It was a short article telling folks that instead of bringing flowers or wine to dinner as a guest--we should consider bringing a stalk of brussels sprouts instead of flowers. Evidently they are in season and can be put in a vase--then taken out and eaten the next day for dinner. (yuk!)Sure hope no one I know decides to take that advice--I'd mush rather have flowers and wine. :)
Any banjo players out there?
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
As soon as I get my fifth string gear replaced to hold a nylagut string-I will. The current gear will only take metal strings.
Best wishes,Mary Z. Cox www.maryzcox.com
Any banjo players out there?
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Usually I don't resetup my banjos--preferring to let them sound like the builder intended--but just recentlyI am doing a different set up for my 12 inch Chuck Lee Custom. It has a 12" skin head and a 25.5 scale and some really pretty woods on it and a Tony Pass ancient wood rim--so have begun to put on some classical nylagut strings--and think I am really going to like this sound for this banjo.
All my other banjos that have gut or nylagut strings are low tuned on big thick strings--so this is going to sound quite different--but very warm and interesting. 
Any banjo players out there?
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Any banjo players out there?
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Yes--a nice simple tab arrangement of it is in the Florida Banjo Tab book which is available through my website. maryzcox.com Also--here is a Youtube of it too. Foggers said:
Mary your banjo playing is a delight. I especially like The Wind that Shakes the Barley. Is there anywhere I can get the TAB for that tune?
Any banjo players out there?
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Hello,Yes--I've played banjo since I was 12 years old and my Grandad was also a professional banjoist.If you'd like to know more about me and my banjo music, please visit my website. :) maryzcox.com I do usually play at least a couple mountain dulcimer tunes in concert and evidently I play my mountain dulcimer so much in the old time string band style that folks have come up to inquire "What is the difference between a banjo and a mountain dulcimer? They sound so much alike when you play them. " :)
