Removing a melody string

Trevor Boyd
Trevor Boyd
@trevor-boyd
7 years ago
4 posts

Wow! Great advice here- thank you everyone.  I can see why people need more than one dulcimer nod

Strumelia
Strumelia
@strumelia
7 years ago
2,248 posts

Great advice from everyone.  Trevor mentions he will be fingerpicking, so yes, good to have equidistant strings!  Id like to mention though that for Noter players, it can make more sense to remove the inner of the melody pair instead. That creates a bit of extra space to allow the tip of the Noter to avoid hitting the middle string as it slides up and down. In fact, when I have custom instruments made, I always ask for a bit of extra space between the melody string(s) and the middle string.  I thought this was worth mentioning even though it does not apply in Trevors instance here. dulcimer




--
Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
Sean Ruprecht-Belt
Sean Ruprecht-Belt
@sean-belt
7 years ago
31 posts

And, of course, if you try removing the outer string and don't like the feel of it, you can always put a new one back on and see how you like it with the inner string removed.

Dusty Turtle
Dusty Turtle
@dusty
7 years ago
1,720 posts

Patty's right on this, Trevor. You want to keep the three remaining three strings as equidistant as possible. On most dulcimers that will mean you remove the outer string.




--
Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator

As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie
Trevor Boyd
Trevor Boyd
@trevor-boyd
7 years ago
4 posts

Thank you, Patty.  That makes sense.
Trevor


updated by @trevor-boyd: 06/23/17 09:16:54AM
Patty from Virginia
Patty from Virginia
@patty-from-virginia
7 years ago
231 posts

The outer string is usually the one most say to remove as the inner string is about the same distance to the middle as the bass is to the middle. I was told to do that by Rob. It worked for me although at first I had a tendency to hit the board. 

Trevor Boyd
Trevor Boyd
@trevor-boyd
7 years ago
4 posts

I'm sure this has been discussed before but I can't find it so apologies for raising it again.  My dulcimer has two melody strings.  If I wish to remove one, e.g. for fingerpicking, which one should it be - the inner or outer string?

 

Many thanks

 

Trevor


updated by @trevor-boyd: 06/23/17 08:13:40AM