Forum Activity for @strumelia

Strumelia
@strumelia
05/03/19 08:39:41AM
2,302 posts

Healthy Living- healthy eating, exercise, weight loss, veggie gardening, etc.


OFF TOPIC discussions

Well I know most folks here live in garden zones that ahead of me here in new york.  flower

But yesterday I was able to pick enough lettuce leaves for us to have a nice salad for dinner.  I also put on a generous handful of fresh alfalfa sprouts that I grow in jars in our kitchen all winter. Then added grated carrot and zucchini, sliced radishes, and a few little sardines on the side (yeah I know some of you would hate that, but hey it's healthy and we like it!)  We think of canned whole sardines as our own cheap version of English kippers or Norwegian or Danish herring side dishes.  bigsmile  

Anyway, it was a good fresh salad!

Strumelia
@strumelia
04/21/19 09:47:36PM
2,302 posts

Healthy Living- healthy eating, exercise, weight loss, veggie gardening, etc.


OFF TOPIC discussions

So true Sandi!   I try to make it a habit whenever I get up from my desk to do a standing stretch on each side- holding onto the chair arm with one hand while twisting at the waist and reaching the other hand up real high. So simple and quick to do that on both sides, it feels real good and I think it helps counteract the damage of sitting for long periods.
You're right that incorporating a little 'mini-action' whenever you have a moment, or in between doing routine things... it all adds up.

Strumelia
@strumelia
04/10/19 01:40:26PM
2,302 posts

Introduce Yourself!


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Love the rosy blonde color of that dulcimer, Jack!

Welcome to the site.  howdy

Strumelia
@strumelia
04/08/19 05:54:05PM
2,302 posts

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the dulcimer or music


OFF TOPIC discussions

Ah, the scene where they part after their wedding night!  heart

Juliet hates that the cursed lark is singing- because it means the break of dawn and Romeo must leave before he is discovered with her...

Strumelia
@strumelia
03/29/19 05:39:55PM
2,302 posts

What songs are familiar to today’s young kids?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Sharon that's a great question. I guess it's hard to know for sure unless you have little kids or grandkids around to ask!

It's reassuring to read Dusty's reply, that many of the same songs are still taught today in school.  sun

If that's so, then you might find some good ideas in this old forum thread:

music-discussions/what-songs-were-you-taught-in-kindergarten-grade-school

Strumelia
@strumelia
03/18/19 12:47:03PM
2,302 posts

Ruth Randle


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions


Thanks Patty.  

I met Ruth over 20 yrs ago, she let me come and look at her Keith Young dulcimers before I ordered one from Keith.  She was very gracious.

Sad to know she's passed on.


updated by @strumelia: 03/19/19 08:53:57AM
Strumelia
@strumelia
03/09/19 02:49:21PM
2,302 posts

Dad tuning


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

The shorter you go, if you want to stay tuned to DAd you'll have to put on heavier strings so it won't start feeling floppy.  Personally, if I wanted to have relatively 'normal' gauge strings for DAd tuning, I wouldn't go shorter than around a 23" scale.

Strumelia
@strumelia
03/07/19 11:00:01PM
2,302 posts

How do you Practice?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

One way to break up any boredom is to take just one or two tunes you want to work on or want to 'refresh'- then play the tune much slower than usual, while trying to keep it sounding good.  Then play it just a little faster than usual, keeping it sounding ok.  Lastly, play it as your usual speed, but try to purposely put a lot of feeling into your playing.  I think this is a good thing to try out when playing/practicing at home, and will benefit all your tunes.  Particularly helpful is putting in the conscious effort to play with emotion and feeling... something a lot of people ignore even when playing for others.

Strumelia
@strumelia
03/07/19 03:40:34PM
2,302 posts

My 40 year old box of harmonicas


Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Hey @kjb , you should talk with fotmd member @terry-wilson .... he is a big fan of playing harmonica for fun!  He plays all kinds of music on his harps, I think just about every day.  jive

Strumelia
@strumelia
03/04/19 12:33:17PM
2,302 posts

Pennywhistle


Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Hi Bill!

There's a great discussion thread here on penny whistles, you might like to post there instead:

https://fotmd.com/forums/forum/adventures-with-other-instruments/3827/tinwhistle-penny-whistles

Strumelia
@strumelia
03/02/19 10:48:28PM
2,302 posts

Playing again after losing all my dulcimers


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Wonderful to hear from you here again Jeannie, and to know that your love of music is inspiring you again in your new life journey.  love

Strumelia
@strumelia
03/01/19 11:15:14AM
2,302 posts

Introduce Yourself!


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions


Hi Barlow45, I suggest you go to our Beginners Group and read a few of the threads there that have great advice about buying a 'first dulcimer' that's within your price range.  You have to JOIN that group in order to fully read the discussions in it (you can UNjoin any time just as easily).  You'll probably find all the help you need by reading those threads, plus other great tips for your purchase!

p.s. loved your post about your cardboard dulcimer, Lisa!


updated by @strumelia: 03/01/19 11:20:15AM
Strumelia
@strumelia
02/20/19 09:54:07PM
2,302 posts

Show Us Your Pets!


OFF TOPIC discussions

Oh my, that's too funny, especially at the end!  kittyscratch

Strumelia
@strumelia
02/18/19 10:11:58AM
2,302 posts

Show Us Your Pets!


OFF TOPIC discussions

She's bloomed in to such a pretty cat!

Strumelia
@strumelia
02/14/19 03:31:28PM
2,302 posts

Buying in Europe


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions


Riksgewijs:

Why are those shops so hard to find? I am pretty good with googling? 



http://www.dulcimers.co.uk/index.html


https://revelsmusic.co.uk/


updated by @strumelia: 02/14/19 03:31:46PM
Strumelia
@strumelia
02/13/19 04:56:14PM
2,302 posts

Buying in Europe


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions


I second the recommendation for Robin Clark at Bird Rock dulcimers in UK.  He is also a dealer of McSpadden dulcimers, which are certainly long scale enough for bigger hands. with a VSL scale length of 28-29" inches.  The McSpadden fretboard is also plenty wide enough for chord playing.  yes

Sounds like you play chord style?  If so, best to avoid dulcimers that are specifically designed for noter drone style playing, as someone with big hands playing in chord style might find the fretboard too slender for comfort.


updated by @strumelia: 02/13/19 04:58:03PM
Strumelia
@strumelia
02/11/19 09:37:53PM
2,302 posts

Show Us Your Pets!


OFF TOPIC discussions

Anne, it's heartwarming to hear of a perfect fit between homeless animal and a kindly person. love
Sounds like you and Bran are very happy together and appreciate each other totally.

The newer photo of Bran shows how sleek and glossy he is... like a minky otter!  SO handsome.  kittywink

I've often wondered what it would be like to have a black cat... never actually had one of my own but who knows one day?  Right now I have a deep red tabby and a solid grey... two boys... and I never thought I'd have boy cats OR a red tabby OR a solid grey cat.  Just goes to show!  All our cats come from animal humane shelters adoptions.  Once you go there it breaks your heart and you wish you could help them all.

Strumelia
@strumelia
02/10/19 10:54:07AM
2,302 posts

Blackbird


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

You could also try contacting Butch and asking him if you could buy only his tab for Blackbird from him directly at some cost he determines. No harm in asking!

Strumelia
@strumelia
02/09/19 08:13:57PM
2,302 posts

Synthetic fretboard


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

It's not so much about the material the instrument is made from. Two things here: 

1) Under high heat, GLUE is going to fail under the string tension in high heat. No matter what material you use for the parts, if any glue is used the dulcimer parts will come apart as though you had stuck it in the oven.  Maybe you could investigate glue that does not fail under high heat.

2) The sudden and drastic temperature change might implode/explode a wooden instrument if you: Bring it from a freezing cold car into a heated house....OR... Bring it from a very hot car into an air conditioned house.  Remember a dulcimer is a long narrow box that's under high string tension.

Strumelia
@strumelia
02/09/19 05:25:07PM
2,302 posts

Blackbird


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

That's a copyrighted tune, so if you find Tab for it, it likely won't be free. Just saying.  :)

Strumelia
@strumelia
02/09/19 03:31:49PM
2,302 posts

Oddball double fretboard dulcimer


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

This dulcimer would be impossible to bow, no matter how you held it.  Even if you (ridiculously) tried to bow all 4 strings of each side at the same time (each set of 4 strings is laid out FLAT on its fret board half), if you look at the closeup, you'll see that because of the slanted fret board, an angled bow trying to bow it would be bashing into the lower body bout.  It's completely impossible to bow.

So- it's also not a courting dulcimer meant for two people- firstly, the fretboards are not in opposite directions. Secondly, even if the other player was a lefty, see how it would place the bass string nearer the lefthanded player's body and the two melody strings at far side of the player.  The odds of anyone playing this way and ALSO being lefthanded are almost non-existent.

This is simply a dulcimer someone made so that they could jump back and forth when they wanted to between a chromatic and a diatonic fretboard.  They could also have it tuned to two different keys if they liked playing in jams without having to retune or bring two instruments.  Maybe one fretboard was intended for playing old traditional ballads and the other intended for modern music/blues etc.  That would all also explain the electric pickup.
The two different slants for the fret boards enable one to angle the pick so you can play on one fret board while avoiding the other one.

Strumelia
@strumelia
02/08/19 01:38:53PM
2,302 posts

Builder Jim Trantham


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I adjusted the thread title for you Richard, in case anyone else does a search here for the builder.  :)  Glad you could find some info on him, to help that lady.  

Strumelia
@strumelia
02/07/19 05:40:57PM
2,302 posts

How Do I Attach Photos To A Post?


Site QUESTIONS ? How do I...?


Thanks Dusty for the GREAT explanations and screenshots!

Here's a bit more of a dry 'technical description' on the two ways to add pictures to your post when you are on a computer, tablet, or laptop:

There are TWO ways to add an image to your discussion post. In both cases, the image must first reside on your computer or device and you'll be pointing to it. You can't insert an image that is just sitting on the internet somewhere.

1) Attach the image or file to your post: When typing your post, use the "Attach Files" button underneath the text editor box where you are typing your post. Browse to the image on your computer that you want to attach to your post. This will insert a small thumbnail of the picture into your post.
Note: When you see the thumbnail and text link for an attached image, it's when folks have used that "Attach file" button easily seen at bottom of text editor window. Click right on the thumbnail pic itself to open it right there to SEE it full size.  OR... Clicking on the text link will simply DOWNLOAD it to your computer.

or

2) Embed the image into your post.  That will create a larger picture right within your discussion post.
To do that, when you are typing your post you click on the little icon button that looks like an arrow inside a square ("embed local media")- that icon button is to the left of the Smiley button in the text editor window. Once in that window, select the SIZE you want the image to be in the left side dropdown menu...XL or XXL usually works well. Then you click the "Select an image to upload and insert" button to the right. When you click that 'Select' button, it'll take you to where you can browse to the image on your computer that you want to embed in the post. An embedded picture will not need to be clicked on to see it, it'll already be showing in the post, at the size you've selected.

NOTE for if you are posting from a cell phone:
You will get additional options when composing a post. You'll get the initial editor view that has an "attach file" button, but you'll also see a grey box with a little 'book' icon for writing your post. Click that book and you'll be in a text editor window where you can compose your post and it has options such as bold or italic text, adding a link, and also embedding an image right into a post so it shows within the post rather than simply attaching it. Once you are done composing, you click the Back arrow and you'll get back to the grey box where you can then see your composed text, attach a file if you want, and click to publish your post.


updated by @strumelia: 02/07/21 10:45:51AM
Strumelia
@strumelia
02/02/19 11:52:59PM
2,302 posts

Music must be in my blood


OFF TOPIC discussions

Yep, I was going to say Albert Hoffman as well, without seeing the other replies.

Charles, I think this is between 1925-1935 judging from the collars and clothes and the photo itself.

There was no bluegrass yet, but maybe they were doing some country/hillbilly/fiddle style stringband stuff of the time- it was popular on 78 rpm records. Also Jimmy Rodgers was big- 'blue yodeler'/country railroad blues.

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/27/19 03:26:32PM
2,302 posts

Travels of a Plectrum Handcrafted Fyhrie Dulcimer


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions


What a nice job you did in cleaning and stringing that, Judith!  Looks like it'd be a perfect baritone dulcimer (30"vsl!)

A handsome dulcimer!

I find it interesting that no year date was put on the label.  How did you know it was made in 1980?


updated by @strumelia: 01/27/19 03:27:11PM
Strumelia
@strumelia
01/26/19 07:05:13PM
2,302 posts



My hummel is fretted similarly:

The purpose is to do normal diatonic playing, while still allowing to be able to reach over and fret an accidental note on the next string over at any time.

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/26/19 03:59:17PM
2,302 posts

Show Us Your Pets!


OFF TOPIC discussions


Brian and I generally get pushed off the edges and have to sleep on the cold hard floor.  crying1

catmap.jpg


updated by @strumelia: 01/26/19 04:21:58PM
Strumelia
@strumelia
01/26/19 01:05:09PM
2,302 posts

Show Us Your Pets!


OFF TOPIC discussions

At our house, Wintertime means... cats creating 'impact craters' on our feather bed. Or trying to turn over in the middle of the night but your legs pinned down by a ten ton cat.

Here's what I found the other morning when the sun was shining into our bedroom.
Our two big boys nestled in like Siamese twin pork roasts.  Rufus (the red) and Teddy (the grey), who grew up together and are like close brothers even though they're not actually related. When these two are not sleeping or eating, they're tearing around the house while hollering or happily doing body slam wrestling with each other. Boys!  eyeroll

0125191548as.jpg

0125191547s.jpg

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/21/19 09:44:57PM
2,302 posts

Show Us Your Pets!


OFF TOPIC discussions

Awe, what a lucky dog Hazel is!  The hat is too much!  party

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/15/19 09:56:36AM
2,302 posts

Show Us Your Pets!


OFF TOPIC discussions

Yes Callie is so pretty - her colors, and she looks like a sweetheart personality.  lovey

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/08/19 08:30:46PM
2,302 posts

Dulcimers in books & films


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

IRENE:

A day before Christmas I got a DVD of our family playing and singing Christmas songs thirty years ago in Hawaii.  I got somethings wrong in my speaking, but you'll see 8 of our 14 children.  The older ones were gone....one in the Marines, some in school and some married.  Happy new year to you all.       

&source=gmail&ust=1546298787918000&usg=AFQjCNFF3ALCH5AzPI6rFiLSv9DPO9DZPA">
   ALOHA, IRENE

Irene, that's delightful!

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/07/19 12:51:57PM
2,302 posts

What songs were you taught in kindergarten/grade school?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I love that description of the Grim Reaper 'film' Bob.  

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/06/19 07:09:15PM
2,302 posts

Inexpensive short dulcimer


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I recommended that Lisa might want to look at Feather dulcimers, which come in various smaller scale lengths and are sturdy enough to take camping etc.  Again, all this is good info that can be found in our Fotmd's Little Dulcimers Group.

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/06/19 02:53:50PM
2,302 posts

Inexpensive short dulcimer


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Lisa, you wrote me privately for advice on this, so I gave you my personal opinions on it already.  However, I'd encourage anyone interested in shorter dulcimers to join our  Little Dulcimers Group  and read some of the threads on it... lots of good info and recommendations, also @dusty-turtle posted a great list there comparing sizes and makes of short scale dulcimers!

-remember folks you need to JOIN a group in order to read all the replies to threads in the group, and see the comments.

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/06/19 01:39:11PM
2,302 posts

Newbie questions - noter size, string gauges, Berea tunings


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

We can continue discussing these current thread questions here in this thread (post on!), but I'd like to suggest that if anyone has additional NEW questions, that they create a new discussion in our Beginner Group with their new question in the title... if it's not directly related to the questions we're already discussing in this thread.  I try to encourage folks to create a new thread if they have a question with entirely new subject matter.  That way other folks can find the helpful info in the future if they do a site search for those terms.  Thanks and carry on!  dancetomato

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/06/19 01:29:08PM
2,302 posts

Newbie questions - noter size, string gauges, Berea tunings


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Ken Hulme:

If you're serious about wanting to learn to play Noter & Drone style,  the Berea Traditional Dulcimer Gathering is just what the dulcimer doctor ordered!  The Gathering focusses only on traditional dulcimers and dulcimer playing -- noter & drone or fingerdancing.  As we say --  "no chord playing allowed" -- and 99% of the people who tune DAd play chord-melody style which is not traditional.  Most traditional dulcimers were set up to play in DAA, Ddd or ddd -- or their other key equivalents.  So, we are gently "discouraging" people who habitually tune DAd because the focus is going to be completely on Traditional dulcimers and dulcimer playing.


@ken-hulme , if you want to "gently discourage" someone, I suggest you  try maybe using a slightly smaller sledgehammer.   wondering


@pondoro asks: "Saw the info for the gathering in Berea, it seems DAd is not allowed? Should I learn DAa instead? How often do you all retune? Between songs in a set?"   Pondoro, I think it's not so much that DAd is 'not allowed' at Berea.  It's more that by being in DAA for noter style you'll be starting out in synch with almost all the other players there, you'll be able to follow the same TABS if tabs are used at all, and most importantly that DAA (1-5-5) tuning in noter style will give you more of the typical needed notes on your melody string to play the majority of simple traditional tunes likely to be played at that gathering.  It'll make things way easier for you to pick up playing the tunes along with the other folks there. And since you will not be chording at Berea anyway, in switching from DAd to DAA you won't need to learn a new bunch of 'chord fingerings' anyhow.  It'll be pretty easy, especially if you learn two or three super 'easy-peazy' noter style tunes in DAA before going there... like Go Tell Aunt Rhody. Try tuning to DAA and playing the TAB for Rhody HERE .  Here's another very simple beginner DAA tab for a real fun traditional song to play and sing: " Single Girl, Married Girl ". 
Working through those two tabs alone in DAA will really get you your sea legs for Berea, Pondoro.  dulcimer
And HERE is a very simple explanation as to why DAA tuning may be actually easier than DAd when playing in noter style.


Lastly, don't worry nobody's going to want to retune after every other song at Berea.  That'd be too much work and nobody's getting any younger...hahahah! Seriously though- most likely they'll play a whole bunch of tunes in DAA before making a switch to perhaps DAC to play a bunch of lonesome sounding tunes for a while. Everyone there will help and encourage you, and it'll be easier and more fun than you might think!


DAd tuning Bonus :  Here's a traditional song with TAB and fun lyrics that is in mixolydian mode (so it uses the 6 fret and not the 6.5 fret), so if you want you can play it noter style in DAd tuning with the 'home' note on the open string. Here I tabbed it in a reverse tuning in the key of G, but my TAB numbers will work just exactly the same  and you'll have all the notes you need right on the melody string if played in DAd tuning: Oh My Little Darlin'


Hope this helps!


updated by @strumelia: 01/06/19 01:30:00PM
Strumelia
@strumelia
01/06/19 12:29:02PM
2,302 posts

Newbie questions - noter size, string gauges, Berea tunings


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Looking at dowel selections at HomeDepot, Lowe's, and my local True Value hardware stores, I see of dowels made variously from oak, maple, and poplar. All those are considered hardwoods. Lots of folks don't want softwood dowels for their fine wood projects. Sometimes there are pine dowels offered too, but those are softwood and not what you'd want for a noter.  If you're not sure you can ask the sales person to make sure the dowel is from hardwood, but most decent sized hardware stores do carry some hardwood dowels. In a pinch, people sometimes even use popsicle sticks, which are made from birch (another hardwood, but it's cut thin so may not last very long).  nod


updated by @strumelia: 01/06/19 12:32:49PM
Strumelia
@strumelia
01/05/19 11:37:50AM
2,302 posts

Introduce Yourself!


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi @dtortorich ,

Since this is a discussion called "Introduce Yourself", most members don't think to read it in order to answer questions.  If you have specific questions about music and/or dulcimers, you'll greatly improve your chances of getting helpful answers if you create a new discussion in the General forum that has a title related to your question , such as maybe "Good medleys of Christmas Carols?", "Pickling Pickled Peppers song?", etc.  When members see a new discussion like that, they'll often go read it and respond in that discussion if they know answers.
When you click the top link to "Forums", you can then click on the General dulcimer/music forum.... once there, click the "+" Plus button to create a NEW discussion with your question and your own thread title. 

Thanks and welcome to FOTMD!  byebye


updated by @strumelia: 01/05/19 11:38:20AM
Strumelia
@strumelia
01/05/19 08:17:56AM
2,302 posts

“Shinga Shing Shinga Shing Ching Chang”


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Robin Thompson:

I think mountain dulcimer can be an acquired taste.  I've forced my husband to acquire a taste.  jive



Thanks for my laugh of the day, Robin!  biglaugh


Irene....all i can say is wow. Wonderful and amazing little peek into your music playing life. flower   And.. 14? You go, girl.


 

Strumelia
@strumelia
01/05/19 07:54:08AM
2,302 posts

Randy Wilkinson tab book for Elizabethan Music


Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Does anyone know if Randy W is still around?  Even if his book is now out of print, perhaps if he knew folks were looking for them, he'd be willing to zerox a handful of copies for people, for a reasonable price of course.

  25