Forum Activity for @skip

One other thing, the doubled melody string produces a different sound/tone than a single melody string. 

A couple of other points I forgot, a chromatic will probably be a bit more expensive to buy and much harder to sell.

I think many of the reasons will be be focus on tradition and your music interests which will include style of play [N/D or chording] and need for the extra frets.

It will boil down to what you want plus a bit of DAD [dulcimer acquisition disease].

I am NOT a traditionalist but I find I play mostly traditional [diatonic] music most of the time when I play with others even though my main MDs are chromatic. I use the chromatic side mostly when playing by myself.

I forgot to add, there are 'chromatic tunings' such as DAA#d, but they are 4 equi-distant strings. These are done on the standard diatonic MD.

There are some things to think about for fret installation; 

1. tools; fret saw with depth control, square, hammer/press, measuring device and file[s] for leveling and finishing the ends.

2. where to put the slot

3. the correct size of fret wire

The 6+ is far enough from the nut-0 fret to be rather difficult to place, the 1+ is easy.

It's probably more efficient to pay for a single installation unless you think you may do more of them.

@jost :

Keep in mind that as long as you are playing the melody on one string [the melody string for instance, the other 2 are drones], the tune can be played in any mode [tuning]. Off the top of my mind, DAC [Aolean], CGC [Mixolydian], GCC [Ionian]. This is because a key scale consists of all 7 modes, each mode beginning with one of the notes in the scale. For instance, there is an Aolean mode in each key scale, it starts with the 6th note of the scale as the lowest, or beginning note. The notes are different for each scale, since the "parent key scales" are different.

G key scale = GABCDEF#G [Ionian], EF#GABCDE [Aolean]

D key scale = DEF#GABC#D [Ionian], BC#DEF#GAB [Aolean]

Just for giggles, playing on just one string, no drones, is not a mode or is all modes, take your pick.

I also found this table somewhere in my research. Pretty much the same but there are some differences between this and my earlier chart. 

 Dulcimer mode tunings.jpg - 154KB

You will probably need a chromatic or use temporary frets [paper clips about .040 or tooth picks may work],  tmp frets 0+, 4+, no capo [DAd. Can capo at 3 [DAd] by adding a temp fret at 7+ also.

I wouldn't worry about 'audio quality' right now [you already know what it sounds like], you're just trying to archive the tune.

If you have, and can mostly use, either program you can try entering the note name and matching that with the approximate count of the length of the note played. Just enter the notes/matching count length and see what the app does. Probably use a count of 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and for normal [4/4] [each count is an 1/8th note, 1-and = a 1/4 note] or '1-and-2-and-3-and' for a waltz beat [3/4].

I have absolutely no background in writing music, but, I think your 1st step is to make 2-3 recordings. then determine the average note length, just counting 1-2-3-4  or 1-2-3, 1 and 2 and 3 and, etc., You're working backwards plan. You may be able to make a rough guess by counting as you play. Then see if you can find a timing pattern to fit 3/4, 4/4 etc., to set up the measures. I think using a metronome may be too restrictive.

'Block or street gathering [party] day' for dulcimers on an annual basis.

@dan    Or 'MD Day".

OK  for me although 'Appalachian' sounds a bit 'puffed up'.  Reason, I'm used to referring to it as a mountain dulcimer .   Baaaaaa

{No need for a poll.}

Turn them over and make new notches. If it uses a 0 fret just open the slots so he bass string fits will usually work since the nut is for lateral string positioning. Or, you could just play the bass string as the melody [DAd] like a friend did. 

@richard-streib   Any date that is usually mild in both hemispheres.

Length of day/night [equinox] is irrelevant and is assuming everyone can, or will, take time figure out the right date. It's easy to mark a consistent date, or day, on a calendar. 

I'm really the right one to talk about dates [sarcastic],  I usually remember about an event the next day or forget about them entirely.  

How about the last Saturday in March? It's not a normal work day and is early spring.

This could whole thing could result into some really interesting posts.

"I'm going to a Dulcimer Fest on ADD [Appalachian Dulcimer Day]. I'm taking a class from a instructor who wants everyone to bring a CAD [Chromatic Appalachian Dulcimer]. He says he uses a LD [Lap Dulcimer] with all the frets. I'm going to bring my  matching MD [CMD] and a friend is going take their AD and tape on some toothpicks".  

When I was introdued to the instrument, it was 'Mountain Dulcimer'. I still think of it that way [or MD]. The other names came later, in some cases, much later. Bill will always be be Bill, not William.

I kind of feel there is too much overthinking going on. Much of the time it is called an MD, or Dulcime[o]r on this site. On the old ED, MD, or Mountain Dulcimer vs HD, or Hammered Dulcimer. I think most general references in news articles, Mountain Dulcimer is most commonly used [probably wrong, but ].

If we commonly refer to it as a MD or Mountain Dulcimer internally [ FOTMD], why use a different name for a special day in it's honor?

@robin-thompson

Although it would probably be nicer to have it sometime during the late spring to early fall.

No on the tunings, yep on random, just pick any day, the 3rd friday of any month, 2nd blue moon, or any other random day. Don't bother trying to make some kind of association with the dulcimer, that's not relevant.

I feel associating  a particular date with a primary purpose of celabrating the overall appreciation of the MD is kind of restrictive. Almost all of the posts refer to subsets of the main subject, the MD. Just picking a random date  [the 164 day of the year] and calling it 'Dulcimer Appreciation Day' or something makes more overall sense. Then all of the things expressed are valid subjects for inclusion.

'Jean Ritchie Day'.

Why tie it to some specific dulcimer event which could be the name anyway? Like 'Jean Ritchie Day' or 'Kentucky Dulcimer Day', etc.

The 'why' the day was selected is irrevelant, just as long as a day is identified and observed consistently.

I suggest the same day as 'play music on the front porch day'. 

Aug 1 is 'Uncommon instrument Awarement Day'.

It could be that the MD is particularly resonant to B, which makes that note 'stand out' more. Since you are trying to play the tune in Aeolion [capo at 1] mode it may work to try tuning to DAc.

Sorry, I forgot to say to set the bridge to the same measurement as fret 1 to fret 8.

You could try tuning the bass string to C on the 7th fret, position a nut, then tune the melody open to the bass 7th. 

Fixed 'do' and movable 'do'.

Fixed,'do' always = C.

Movable, 'do' depends on scale used. 

To be clear; The notes for DAd are D3A3d4, much higher the strings break. 

http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.html

Another source of strings;

https://www.stringsbymail.com/

I've used both

Here is a short video about tempered tuning that may be of interest, especially to those of us in the learning mode. It was presented on another site [autoharp] and I'm 'borrowing' it.

A floating bridge is one that can be moved across the top of the fretboard. The other bridge style fits into a slot. Since you're asking I would think you're MD is set up for a floating bridge. Use your tuner to adjust it to the proper location. Tune the open note, check it at the 7th fret, if sharp, move the bridge away from the nut and repeat

It's not necessarily a kit. It may be a modified kit, made from scratch or with made from a variety of purchased parts.

I think I would check the tuning before doing anything. Check using the 0 fret as the starting point then using the nut as the starting point. The frets should only be correct using one or the other. There is a significant difference in string length there. It may have been set up to use a slide, as in dobro style

Lower left corner of the post is a thumbs up icon.

I always carry a pencil, and paper is usually available, and do a rough sketch [for a lot of things]. I would say to most folks that it sounds something like the more treble side of an acoustic guitar [sorry about that ] with less volume and sustain, because that's probably what most can relate to.

It's interesting to see that many folks have more instruments than just mountain dulcimers.

In addition to my dulcimers, I have a bodhran, half a dozen or so diatonic harmonicas, a chromatic harmonica, several pennywhistles, a full size keyboard, and 5 autoharps [three chromatics, two 2 key diatonics, FC and GD] and a 15/16 hammered dulcimer I made and still have. I've tried guitars and a banjo but they didn't, physically, work for me.

I guess I have IAD, but music is such a fascinating subject and has so many facets and challenges it's easy to overindulge! Especially for a non-music oriented retiree [no music instruments at all before retiring].

A piece of wire [paper clip] or wood [tooth pick] or ---- taped in place [tape parallel to the strings] in one of the wide spaces. Frets are usually approximately .040" -.045" or so high. Use your tuner to position the temp fret for the appropriate note.

Multiple dulcimers and their use as tools are really good points.

I should add that of the 2 the I use the most, one is fully chromatic, mostly for practice, and one is modern diatonic [1+, 6+, 8+, and 13 +], practice and with others. My bass is fully chromatic and the rest split between the two.

Thinking about the basic question, I suppose that the fact I have, and use, extra frets can be seen that I do feel limited with a pure diatonic setup. That even extends to the harmonicas I mess around with as I have both, chromatic and diatonic.

There are a few more things that can help; temporary frets, and 4 equidistant string/chromatic tunings [ie. DAA#D]. I choose to go full chromatic which allows me to have the accidentals when  needed without changing the MD sound. But I don't do noter/drone style playing either, the extra frets, without being extra careful with noter pressure, put a 'bump' in the music flow when N/D playing.