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Location:

Location: Morgantown WV
Country: USA

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images: 3

events: 1

My wife, Norma plays dulcimers. I make musical instruments as a creative activity, and play ukulele and U-Bass.

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@wally-venable • 5 hours ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "String Gauge Combination Questions":

"I think any "set" on the market will be fine on any more-or-less standard dulcimer in CGG, DAA, DAD and DAC tuning. There is no reason to try to out smart..."

@wally-venable • 13 hours ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "to get chromatic or not":

""Chromatic Dulcimers are becoming more popular" Than what? Many, many more new violins are purchased each year than dulcimers. Probably many millions more. I..."

@wally-venable • 2 weeks ago • comments: 2
Posted a new Comment on 2025 Gardner Winter Music Festival -(WV):

"The GWMF is now recruiting VOLUNTEER workshop leaders at the beginner and intermediate levels. We typically offer 3 to 5 one to one and a half hour sessions..."

@wally-venable • 2 weeks ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "Tuners":

"Why are you worried about tuner precision? Electronic turners are great for many reasons, including letting folks "tune up" backstage to the same note,..."

@wally-venable • 3 weeks ago • comments: 21
Posted a new Comment on Dulcimer ergonomics?:

">>> I’m hunching over the fretboard .... Have you reviewed your music stand and glasses ? After 60 many of us are wearing bi-focal glasses. You my..."

@wally-venable • 3 weeks ago • comments: 21
Posted a new Comment on Dulcimer ergonomics?:

">>> Part of the issue is I'm a small person (5' tall) and cannot reach the floor with my feet on most chairs... I'm almost 5'6", but with short..."

@wally-venable • 3 weeks ago • comments: 21
Posted a new Comment on Dulcimer ergonomics?:

"I found one video which I won't argue with: How to sit and hold your mountain dulcimer. Really easy dulcimer lesson #1 I use a 2-inch foam block..."

@wally-venable • 3 weeks ago • comments: 21
Posted a new Comment on Dulcimer ergonomics?:

"We can't make constructive suggestions until we know how you are sitting and playing. Are you slouched on a couch with your elbows hitting cushions? Are you..."

@wally-venable • 4 weeks ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "dulcimer kit":

"Your picture of the "bridge" end doesn't show enough to make good guesses about it. Two photos, top and side, could help. A straight on side shot of the head..."

@wally-venable • 4 weeks ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "dulcimer kit":

"Hill Country Dulcimers, successor to The Dulcimer Factory (TDF), used a variation of that style head and a zero fret in 2002. Possibly TDF also made a..."

@wally-venable • one month ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "Optimum spacing for the two melody strings":

"You don't need to buy a replacement blank made of bone, or other super-hard material. Those can be a good choice, but they are hard to shape. You can use..."

@wally-venable • one month ago • comments: 2
Posted a new Comment on 2025 Gardner Winter Music Festival -(WV):

"Applications for performance slots are now open. There is a registration form accessible via..."

@wally-venable • one month ago • comments: 486
Posted a new Comment on @ken-longfield:

"Virtually any lap dulcimer can be strung with the common package sets for either DAA or DAD. Typically plain Steel .012, .012, .014, Nickel Wound .022. I'm..."

@wally-venable • one month ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "Optimum spacing for the two melody strings":

"Ken Longfield said "Back in 1974 I would guess that McSpadden recommended using a wood glue like Original Titebond or Elmer's Wood Glue." I would agree as..."

@wally-venable • 2 months ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on Lucy M. Long's brief history of the mountain dulcimer:

"The history page is a good summary. If you work upwards from that page, you get to the Sweet Music Index..."

@wally-venable • 2 months ago • comments: 2

Is attending an Event:
2025 Gardner Winter Music Festival -(WV)

@wally-venable • 2 months ago • comments: 2

Created a new Event:
2025 Gardner Winter Music Festival -(WV)

@wally-venable • 2 months ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on Gardner Winter Music Festival:

"2025 Gardner Winter Music Festival Traditional Appalachian acoustic music February 21st and 22nd South Middle School in Morgantown, West Virginia..."

@wally-venable • 3 months ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "String guages for slide dulcimer":

"The page is STRING TENSION GUIDE FOR ACOUSTIC GUITAR It includes equations and the weights and cross-sections for various GHS strings plus a number of..."

@wally-venable • 3 months ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "String guages for slide dulcimer":

"Sloppy URL citation. This gives access to a relevant document http://www.ghsrep.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/2/5/22258814/2020-ghs-acoustic-guitar-tension.pdf "

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Latest Forum Discussions

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Liquid Electrical Tape

Posted: Saturday November 25 2023, 9:30 PM
By: @John C. Knopf

Looking for a Small Dulcimer

Posted: Wednesday October 26 2022, 11:06 AM
By: @Tom McShane

Comments

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01/15/22 11:49:34AM @strumelia:

Wally, thank you SO much for your very thoughtful donation to FOTMD! It is deeply appreciated. sun -Strumelia

11/25/19 02:27:14PM @wally-venable:

The photo shows my first dulcimer project and my third.

The design of the first was based on a cardboard body instrument Norma borrowed for her first dulcimer class.

The third is an octave dulcimer tuned DAA, but an octave above the usual set of notes. It is short enough to fit in an airline carry-on bag.

Both have fingerboards made from 1x2 lumber, with most of the body constructed from 1/8" and 3/32" birch plywood.

02/19/19 08:26:15PM @richard-streib:

Welcome Wallyvenable to Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer. Glad you joined. Sounds like a great event you will be attending. Best wishes on your musical journey.

02/18/19 02:08:20PM @wally-venable:

I'll be at the Gardner Winter Music Fest this Saturday. http://www.gwmf.org

I'm playing with the DAA Strummers and OLLI Orchestra.

The GWMF has a lot of room for mountain dulcimer player or wanna be's. We enjoyed it last year. You can't beat the registration fee - FREE if you bring an instrument.

02/18/19 05:43:39AM @benjamin-w-barr-jr:

Hi Wally, and welcome to the wonderful world of the Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer. It's a good place to come, spend some time, learn about the dulcimer, and to meet some good people.

Ben

02/17/19 08:54:20PM @jim-fawcett:

Hey Wally, welcome aboard. Glad ya found us.

02/17/19 07:37:53PM @ken-longfield:

Welcome to FOTMD, Wally Venable. It is good to have you aboard. Look for West Virginia players under Groups and join that group.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."