My first dulcimer was a cardboard one I bought from Cedar Creek in Silver Dollar City. My second one came 45 minutes later when I discovered I could play this thing and got an all wood teardrop. Deer and Vine soundholes.
CD
What can anyone tell me about Clemmer dulcimers out of Townsend TN?
CD
you also have the Rogers family in Bellville.
Stewart, I just disovered we are not that far apart. I am in Wichita, KS. If you don't get it fixed let me know and maybe we can work it out to get together. I would be willing to try and help.
Robert it is Stewart that is having the problem. I was just going to try to help out but Ken gave excellent advice.
Is it that way all the way down the fret board or just at the head
A past Walnut Valley Champion once told me that with three strings there is a more balanced tone. I think I saw that already mentioned though. I was always having trouble with the double melody strings splitting on me. By that I mean my finger would end up in the middle between the strings for some reason. But all that said it is what works for you. That is the beauty of the dulcimer. It is versatile enough to do many things to achieve the same results or close.
I do know personally that when exposed to fire and the ensuing water to put the fire out, the wood when dry takes on a whole new sound from the soaked stage to the finally dried stage. The sustain was phenomenal on this instrument. Now as far as sounding new from natural and normal playing, I don't know as I have ever tried to distinguish that. Many variables there.
I know it isn't May yet and it definitely isn't the 8th but I have been thinking about my dear friend MO Dulcimer lately. I am sure the Angels are all strumming well by now but I wanted to remember him here once again on FOTMD. All of ya pick up your dulcimers May 8th and play Happy Birthday for MO. Gone but not forgotton.
CD
A Big Thank You to all involved with updating this page. It will take some getting used to and reestablishing your friends list and so forth will take some time but it will be worth it.
Thank You as well for keeping Mo with us. I for one would have really missed his rememberance and inspiration.
Take care all and God Bless you all.
CD
Thanks for your time and the links. Really appreciate it.
Thanks I knew it had something to do with a light touch but couldn't remember. I had a typo I just noticed to. I think it is at 3, 4, and 7 frets.
I am either getting older or forgetful. But at one point I knew how to make a bell type of sound on the dulcimer at I believe the 3rd, 5th, and/or 7th fret. I think they call it harmonics. How do you do it???????
Ilike to ask the what if questions. Seems a lot of learningcomes from some of them while others sound stupid it may open new doors.
Skip said:
Sure would have a wide fingerboard!
There is one [almost], it's called a dobro and I guess a lap steel would be along the same lines, probably a few more kinds around. You could also just play a guitar in your lap, might be a bit clumsy because of size. Maybe a small or child's guitar in the lap?
Then the question is, are you playing a MD or guitar.
A what if question. What if you had a chromatic with 6 equidistant strings tuned like a guitar?
Skip said:
The biggest problem is that guitar tab is for 6 strings vs 3 for a MD. I've taken tab for guitar, in TablEdit, and transposed it, didn't work very well. I haven't tried with a chromatic MD, all the notes would be there but not the string count. A melody line would be playable on a chromatic if you used the music notation [smn] but most likely not the tab unless you can transpose the guitar tab numbers of the MD plus locations in your head, eg., a 3 [guitar] = 1+[MD], or 12 = 7[MD] or you are using the guitar counting with your MD already.
You would probably be held to flatpicking/fingerpickinh also, even if the rest of the differences were worked out.
Then there is the added problem of what guitar tuning is the tab set up for, same as MD.
So could you play guitar tab on the chromatic dulcimer?
Timothy said:
Not really. Tabledit will import ascii tab, and can convert it to different instrument tabs, but the results are not always playable.
The problem lies in converting a score for a chromatic instrument into one for a diatonic instrument. The software algorithm would have to determine what mode the scale used in the song is in, and then transpose into that mode's key for the given dulcimer tuning. Not impossible, but not likely that someone would code that for an instrument as obscure as the dulcimer.
Best chance would be to ask Keith Saturn at Tabledit if they would be willing to code this, and explain to him as clearly as possible what would be required.
I'm going to try to convert a random guitar tab into dulcimer tab with Tabledit, and see what happens. Will report back.
I hope his page never disappears. It is a tribute to a great friend of the mountain dulcimer. I would do anything to keep his inspiration alive for our new members and young ones that have not heard of him. His compassion and love for teaching the dulcimer was as great as his love of the instrument.
Strumelia said:
Rod "Deputy Mo" Westerfield will always be missed and remembered.
Here is his FOTMD profile page, still up:
mountaindulcimer.ning.com/profile/RodWesterfield
While you are visiting his page, do have a listen to his sweet music player clips in the left hand column.
P.S. I was wondering just the other day about YOU, CD, and why we hadn't heard from you in a while. ;) Glad to see you post today.
The recent death of Oscar Taveras got me to thinking about a lot of friends I have had that are now gone. One dear one came to mind and that was Mo. I have to wonder what kind of things that Mo is performing in Heaven today. He was a great friend of the mountain dulcimer, teacher, and contributor to this instrument. So in remembering him I was wondering if any of you have any special memories of him that you would care to share so the new ones here that never knew him might learn about this great comrade of the mountain dulcimer and this site. CD
Did you play at 16? It is interesting that this is what you held dear and held onto.
Yeah had a 6 string I sold and regretted it ever since. I will have another someday.
CD
R N Lackey said:
Like that Heatherwood, do you, CD? It's a head-turner all right. I should play it more, but I think I want to have the nut and bridge notched for 4 equidistant. It hadn't been played much at all when I got it, so I don't think it really has opened up yet. Oh yeah, 3 Indian flutes... one cedar and 2 traditional Cherokee reed flutes, 1 six hole, 1 5 hole.
They all count.
John Henry said:
I'm not even going to list mine, not sure it counts if they are homemade ? My better half asked once why I kept on making 'em when the first sounded just fine, I told her I was trying to get one that made me sound like David Schaufner ??? I think that DAD may be hereditary, my son now has more than is healthy, and came home from The Launde Festival with yet another! Once cleaned up, a nearly 'as new' all walnut 1985 Folkroots teardrop, that was gifted to him !!! it plays a treat ! Should add that I have three unfinished dulcimers, started about this time last year, so maybe I am in remission ?
JohnH
I had sold off about 14 dulcimers, a couple psaltrys, and a banjo dulcimer. Thought I was getting back to manageable numbers and then it struck again. They all see to have a little different voice and some different tunings work where they don't on others. David Lynch made my Baby that Has such a loud and boisterous voice but is mellow ina funny sort of way. I have a McSpadden, Cedar Creek, Cripple Creek, Bill Thomas, Keith Young, A.W. Jeffriesmade by him, a Walnut Valley, a Prussia Valley and I have 3 yet that I have madeplus a banjo dulcimer. I had forgotten to mention the native American flute and harmonicas. But the dulcimer started it all. Seems likeI missed something but I can't remember what right now.
I had forgotten about that thread. Thanks for posting it. Brought back the warm fuzzies thinking of MO. He was such a greatpersonal friend and Great asset to FOMD.
Strumelia said:
Good thread, CD. Always nice to see the spread.
By the way, some folks migfht be interested in seeing the thread on the same subject started 3 1/2 years ago by our own dear departed Rod Westerfield. It's fascinating reading!: http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/forum/topics/how-many-dulcimers-do...
I still get by ok with my two steady playing dulcimers...my Keith Young teardrop and my Ben Seymour Galax. Not that I don't covet more...I do...I'm only human!
Your Heatherwood!!!!!!
R N Lackey said:
Well, I guess I'll join in:
1. Fred Martin all mahongany teardrop, my first (and only one) bought new from the maker.
2. William Wylie hourglass (in my avatar) my 2nd bought at the Patty Looman estate auction.
3. Paul Denk all poplar (I think) my 1st ebay purchase. The rest are in no particular order
4-6 Hughes Dulcimer Company... 2 full size, one small one.
7. Dixon, Korean, Very well made, I think, on the "Shellnut pattern."
8. Jim Good, 5 string, Walnut hourglass with pegs from 1976, pawn shop find
9. Jim Good, Butternut carved archtop, no serial number, may be the 1st one, music/antique shop find.
10. Heatherwood... 4 string, sassafras and walnut, ship on the "medallion"
11. Keith Young standard 4 string hourglass... believe it's spruce & walnut, my go-to, absolute favorite.
12. Hourglass only signed with initials, back & sides may be mahogany.
13. Folkcraft cherry teardrop
14. Capritaurus... very early has pegs not geared tuners
15. Turquoise inlayed 3 string unsigned
16. John D Tignor... Old cumberland style 3 string
17. John D Tignor... Later, larger style 4 string (doubled melody.)
18. Unknown Maker... small hourglass supposedly WV made.
19. Unknown Maker.... had partial fret for 6 1/2, so had Kevin Messenger add the partial 1/2 frets John Molineux uses.
20. Dulcimer Factory
21. Herbert Marsh - from Philippi WV
22. Keith Johnson poplar & walnut small hourglass
23. Don Gardner redwood & Cherry Teardrop
24. Bob Edson all walnut hourglass
26-30. Various unknown makers.
31. Paul Pyle, "Mockingbird" small, walnut hourglass
I also have 18 guitars, 7 steel guitars, 3 banjos (tenor, gourd, open-back with pegs,) 3 mandolins, 1 fiddle, various harmonicas, etc, a 2 row diatonic, button accordion. I think this is it.
I started out with GAS and have ended up with DAD. Anyone want to buy a dulcimer LOL
I have 12 dulcimers, 3 psaltrys, a mandolin, and just purchased a professional model Cripple Creek dulcimer kit. Man I must have a fever!!!!!!
Just curious how bad DAD has hit me over the years. How many dulcimers do you own? By the way for those who don't know what DAD is it is Dulcimer Acquisition Disease.
Ellen can you get me contact info on the Walnut Valley dulcimer? I have a tie with them and would love to find out more about the one they have.
CD
It is how God blessed this wood for this particular instrument.
Emails have been sent to the appropriate parties. The proverbial horses mouth will tell all. With that said the Cripple Creek does not have a strum hollow as you know it in say a McSpadden or most dulcimers. Can you post a picture? The Cripple Creeks I have had all were the same height as the fretboard throughout the strum hollow.
CD
Bud and Donna did work out of Branson for a while and Troy took the operation over as I was told. Bud and Donna kept the Cripple Creek name and Troy started Cedar Creek. That explains the address and all. It very well may be a Cripple Creek from Branson, MO. Troy also sells Heatherwood dulcimers made by Esther ???? in Colorado Springs, Co. Esther worked for Bud and Donna for a while as well. Now this is how I was told the story. I will email and find out for sure
CD
http://books.google.com/books?id=AKQ6k9EwD-kC&lpg=PA57&ots=...
This might help. Starts on page 57
CD
