Forum Activity for @strumelia
Folkfan,I would never be in sessions or jams that play 75% of those tunes either- it all depends on what kind of music you like to play and the groups you play with. Nothing wrong at all with all those tunes on that list, but there is a very high percentage of Irish/celtic tunes and the genres are spread all over the map. Obviously though, there must be sessions that play that whole list a lot.Different genres of music, different geographical areas, and people's tastes all make it fairly impossible to compile a list of 'tunes every jam session player should know'. So far I've never found a list that even remotely reflects what the people around me tend to play at jam sessions. Perhaps it's better to write down or ask about the tunes your local jam or club tends to play and work on those.
I'd like to mention that fotmd member CarolLynn Langley and her wonderful husband Gene do some marvelous call and response songs- usually with mtn dulcimer and autoharp. They do some of the wonderful old-timey ballad duets where the man and woman ask/answer questions back and forth- some are romantic old fashioned courting ballads, some are just plain funny songs with what I like to think of as cacklin' old woman vs.growlin' old man themes. lol!
I remember as a child in public grade school in NYC, they taught us all kinds of folk songs, music, and dances from various cultures. What a culturally rich curriculum it was!I remember Mrs. Mintz taught us to sing Silent Night in German. Mr. Shapiro taught us how to dance the Jewish Hora and also Polish polkas and American square dances. And Mr. Brown (a stocky man) and Mr. Smith (tall and thin), both black teachers, taught us to sing spirituals. Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith had us 6 year olds all singing with great enthusiasm and waving our hands in the air and stomping our feet....singing "Rock-a my soul in the bosom of Abraham!", "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"....and also "He's got the little bitty baby, in His hand!..." I also vaguely remember a song about Noah and the Flood.Oh we had a great time belting out the old gospel songs they taught us, and it didn't seem to matter whether we kids were atheists, Chinese Buddhists, Catholics, Jews, or whatever (and we kids were all those things and more, there in the melting pot of NYC)....So I will suggest those gospel songs which I particularly remember so fondly. But to do it right, they must be accompanied by much waving of arms and clapping of hands! ;D
How many dulcimers do you own... lets see the lists..
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
John Shaw said:
but of course you can play it any way you like!We want pictures! :DYes, I'm sure it was meant for noter playing, Strumelia.
How many dulcimers do you own... lets see the lists..
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
John, that is excellent! You are lucky to get that nice dulcimer in the UK!You know, high action might mean that that dulcimer was used for noter playing- that would be typical.
How many dulcimers do you own... lets see the lists..
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
1) Keith Young curly maple teardrop2) Ben Seymour cherry GalaxWish I had lots more. :)
Party time :)
OFF TOPIC discussions
My, all this heavy food! =8-oI am going to serve some Japanese green tea to lighten things up and help give us energy for the jamming ahead... sencha, anyone?
Party time :)
OFF TOPIC discussions
Here don't forget my Jell-O mold!Robin, I'll take your 'eyeball olives' off your hands- no sense letting them go to waste!
Party time :)
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YAYYYYYY!!!!!!!! who'd a' thunk?? :DPARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!Let's eat the first course then take a break for tunes! :D
Party time :)
OFF TOPIC discussions
folkfan said:
Consider a whole cake sent, John Henry. Sorry, but I'd have to use "Cool Whip" but it will be the extra creamy variety. Whipped cream just doesn't stand up very long. And cherry it is. Coming at you, now. FF
Party time :)
OFF TOPIC discussions
Robin Thompson said:
LOL Well, ok, maybe some fries. But don't eat up Ken's gourmet shrimp before the others get here! ;DAw, Strumelia, come on! I was the 6th person to show up and I'm getting hungry waiting for the 600th! :) :) :)
Party time :)
OFF TOPIC discussions
Robin Thompson said:
Sorry, no nibbling until we reach 600.Mo, that tall burger is even more unsettling than my Jell-O mold!Would somebody pass me those fries, please? Oh, and ketchup, too! :)
Party time :)
OFF TOPIC discussions
I'm gonna make some groovy 1950's style Jello-O mold salad....mmmmm....
Party time :)
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Ok, I'll start dusting and getting my place ready for the party...
Party time :)
OFF TOPIC discussions
WHAT THE HECK??? I thought I checked just a couple days ago and it was still 560 or so!? =8-oWho has time to play the dulcimer with all these parties going on??? LOL
cats & songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
There's a fiddle tune played by esteemed fiddler Edden (or "Edn") Hammons of West Virginia, found on the Edden Hammons Collection: http://www.mustrad.org.uk/reviews/hammons2.htm it has the rather indelicate title of "Old Black Cat S**t in the Shavings"....the title always make me laugh. =8-o LOL
cats & songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
And then there's "How Much is that Kitty in the Window?"Oh, wait a minute...maybe not..... :(
cats & songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
There's an old fiddle tune that Buddy Thomas played called "Kitty Puss". You can click on it here to hear a bit of it: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010VJ1E4/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk11 My husband Brian plays it on fiddle and let me tell you it is REALLY HARD to play banjo to! It keeps modulating between different keys and uses some weird minor notes too. Yikes!I can do it, but what kills me is when Brian picks it as the very first tune we do in a gig when I haven't even warmed up yet. =8-o I always get mad when he does that. LOL
cats & songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Ok, so Robin made a thread of songs that have dogs in them.
It might not have as many, but....
I demand equal time for CAT songs and tunes!!! LOL
Anyone know some cat tunes?.... :)
updated by @strumelia: 07/31/23 09:18:10PM
Suzanne, we'd need to know the scale/VSL length of your dulcimer (distance in inches, from nut to bridge).
updated by @strumelia: 02/10/16 11:52:23AM
dogs & songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Also the fiddle tunes:Joke on the Puppy (also known as Rye Straw)Ole Coon DogPrairie DogThat's My Rabbit, My Dog Caught It (gotta love old-time fiddle tune names)Road DogCorn DogPretty Little DogLittle Lap Dogand of course,Salty Dog
dogs & songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
There are a few fiddle tunes (with no lyrics) that I enjoy the names of-Stump-tailed Dolly is said to be named after a dog, as is Old Rattler.I also like the fiddle tunes Dogs in the Dishes, and Granny Will Your Dog Bite.
Doug Berch's cool blog
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
Just had to mention the very interesting and well-crafted music-themed blog that Doug Berch has online:
http://dougberch.com/blog/
Will cure most cases of musical boredom. Lots of varied and entertaining entries. I certainly share Doug's enthusiasm for quirky archaic illustrations.
My most helpful discovery on Doug's blog so far?- his pointing me to the online version of the 1899 book titled The Natural History of the Musical Bow by Henry Balfour. Naturally this is particularly exciting to me due to my recent adventures in attempting to play the mouth bow.
Be sure to say hi to Zelda and Fifi while you're there...
updated by @strumelia: 06/11/15 07:23:08AM
Naming Dulcimers
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Beth, be sure to tell us when you decide on a name- that dulcimer is so lovely!
I like naming things. I name my bicycles, and i name my beehives and my apiary. I named my mandolins and my banjos. I named my Galax dulcimer The Merrimac after the Civil War iron-clad ship....but oddly i haven't named my beautiful curly maple Keith Young dulcimer! 
Can't figure out why.
The Party Begins With One More Rod And Lisa
OFF TOPIC discussions
John Henry said:
"Time lag", huh? Sure . ...LOL!!I'm stuffed. :DOk, who's gonna help clean up the big mess here now?Stumelia, ref the party and sleeping on the job. In my defence I must point out that it was necessary for me to check that I was guarding the right stuff (just a little sip), and I think that you are overlooking the time lag between where I live and where the party took place. Where did it take place, and was I there?.........hic, JohnH
The Party Begins With One More Rod And Lisa
OFF TOPIC discussions
I hope Randy Adams doesn't do that lampshade thing again.
The Party Begins With One More Rod And Lisa
OFF TOPIC discussions
Rod, I think those two 'hillbilly boys' must have gotten into your Mountain Dew already! What happened to your 'Dew Guardian'....sleeping on the job? LOL!Linda, teens back then acted like 80 when they were 16...at least they did in 'educational films'. ;DPass the Stilton and the crab cakes! =8-D
Lets have some fun and laughs..
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Here I am about 25 years ago, holding up two snapping turtles I caught by hand from our duck pond. 
(seriously!)
Lets have some fun and laughs..
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I'm bumping up Deputy Mo's old thread in his honor.... ok let's see some more now you guys! 
Lets have some fun and laughs..
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Scott, that's very cool. :D
updated by @strumelia: 06/17/15 08:18:28AM
Lets have some fun and laughs..
OFF TOPIC discussions
Hey Sue, I actually have a skirt in a fabric that reminds me of your dress fabric- and it's called the "Pinky Highball Go-go skirt" ...!!
updated by @strumelia: 03/24/18 04:56:07PM