Group Discussions

John W. McKinstry

Learning "Double Thumbing"


Recently I came across a finger style of playing the Mountain Dulcimer called "Double Thumbing". It was shown in a book ,Mel Bay presents Moods of...
@John W. McKinstry started 5 months ago - replies: 5
Sam Edelston

Fingerpicking - Spinning Song (classical piano piece)


I recently arranged Albert Ellmenreich's "Spinning Song" (which many people played in childhood piano lessons) for 3-string chromatic dulcimer....
@Sam Edelston started 3 years ago - replies: 0
Bill Robison

String gauge for finger picking


What  string gauges do you normally start with for an instrument that is finger picked?   It will be a 26 or 27" vsl and probably be made of black...
@Bill Robison started 3 years ago - replies: 6
Guy Babusek

Sean O'Dwyer of the Glen


Hi all! It's been too long since I've been on here. Life has been packed!  It's great to read all the posts on the new FOTMD site. I finally got...
@Guy Babusek started 9 years ago - replies: 4
Garret

Different fingerpicks


Hello, All, I'm always trying to maximize the sonic potentials of my dulcimers (or just of the dulcimer in general), and have been trying out...
@Garret started 4 years ago - replies: 0
Guy Babusek

Basic Fingerpicking Techniques


I did a little video with some real basic concepts on how I fingerpick. Not "the" way to do it of course, just some ideas from my way of...
@Guy Babusek started 10 years ago - replies: 11
Rachael

Fingerpicking Melody within a Pattern


Greetings fellow fingerpickers, The following has troubled me for a long, long time!  I so hope someone will be able to provide an answer that...
@Rachael started 5 years ago - replies: 4
Rachael

Ultimate Fingerpicks-Anyone ever heard of them?


So, today I heard of these really unusual fingerpicks, and I find them to be quite intriguing!  Anyone ever tried them?...
@Rachael started 5 years ago - replies: 2
Guy Babusek

Green Stubble Fields of Autumn


Here's a a little finger picking for you.  Working on a lot of new music now that my hand is100% healthy!
@Guy Babusek started 9 years ago - replies: 6
Bill in NM

To pick, or not to pick?


I come from a classical guitar and folk banjo (clawhammer) background, and I never used a pick.  Always finger pickin'. Now that I am learning...
@Bill in NM started 6 years ago - replies: 3
sleepingangel

EBONY or MICARTA for fingerboard overlay?


Hey all,  Just curious your thoughts on Micarta vs ebony for fingerboard overlay. The Ebony is almost 3 times the cost of the micarta.  Love to...
@sleepingangel started 8 years ago - replies: 6
Mary MacGowan

Positioning the thumb...?


I'm working on my fingerpicking skills and my thumb is starting to hurt! Ow. Any advice? Where do you place your thumb - you press the strings...
@Mary MacGowan started 7 years ago - replies: 3
Kay Bolin

what fingers to use on right (picking) hand


Well, I've been finger picking for a couple of years - not enough to show off, but some. I've been using my thumb on the melody string and pointer...
@Kay Bolin started 9 years ago - replies: 7
Linda Jo brockinton

Tutorial on sustain in your music


Have had several inquiries about how to get the slower songs to have moresustain instead of being choppy. This will be applicable to all styles of...
@Linda Jo brockinton started 11 years ago - replies: 17
Linda Jo brockinton

Clean hammer ons and pull offs


I was asked by Laura about doing clean hammer ons and pull offs. I am adding a tutorial on them on the videos . Would be interested to hear any...
@Linda Jo brockinton started 11 years ago - replies: 14
Sam Edelston

Bluegrass dulcimer - Foggy Mountain Breakdown


Earl Scruggs classic, "Foggy Mountain Breakdown." To me, for something to be bluegrass, you need a banjo. So I'm playing the banjo part on...
@Sam Edelston started 9 years ago - replies: 7
Gary McNaughton

warm ups for finger picking


Hello! Are there any good methods for training your fretting hand and coordination with the picking hand as perhaps a 10-20 minute warm up prior to...
@Gary McNaughton started 10 years ago - replies: 19
Cindy Stammich

Fingerpicking the banjammer


This may seem a bit silly, but I wanted to share it with you all. I have been picking on my banjammer and trying to figure out what sounds the...
@Cindy Stammich started 10 years ago - replies: 13
Ginney Camden

To Pick or Not to Pick


This question has probably been discussed on this site before I joined. I have been teaching myself to finger pick for the last year and a half and...
@Ginney Camden started 10 years ago - replies: 31
Ronald J. Moss

melody string


Questions for the group. Just recieved book from Sue Carpenter, and she says you can't fingerpick with 2 melody strings. If you go to another...
@Ronald J. Moss started 10 years ago - replies: 37
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