Forum Activity for @folkfan

Tena, I'm going to suggest that you contact some of the luthiers who are members here at FOTMD and talk directly to them about the voice you are looking for. I'm going to mention one instrument maker in particular, my brother, David Lynch of Sweet Woods Instruments. Here are some photos of some of his instruments.

http://s53.photobucket.com/user/theharpmaker/library/custom%20dulcimers?sort=6&page=1

The important thing about getting any instrument built is to go through the creative process with the builder and make sure he has a good idea of the sound that you are looking for and that you know what modifications he'll have to make to his standard models to achieve that voice. /Good luck.

Mike, Am I seeing this wrong, or is it strung for a left handed player? Just curious as to the string arrangement.

Well, I won't wax philosophical here on the question of "What music has done for me?", but simply get to the practical. Music has gotten me through more medical and surgical hospital stays than I can shake a stick at. Since TV has never been something I watch with any regularity, music and books are what have gotten me through endless hours flat on my back. I never go into a hospital without my tape recorder or now iPod.

Music quite simply helps ease pain and speeds the recovery process if a patient keeps his or her feet and legs moving while bedridden. It also can add a bounce to the step as a person finally gets to walk the halls. At least, I've found it so.

Dave, That dulcimer's a hoot.

There's another variation of the flat board dulcimer, "The Plickett Dulcimer". I had one of those once. The board was cut in an hourglass shape with the cutout area in the back, and a plastic fretboard. That company fancied them up with black decals. If I remember correctly, Mike Anderson learned to play the dulcimer on a Plickett that cost him $1.00.

Looked at the Blue Lion site and they do use mahogany for the fret boards, but all of the styles seem to have some sort of overlay in walnut, rosewood, or ebony in the specifications. I'm going to guess that they use mahogany for the fret board for the weight as it is a soft wood and not as heavy as many hardwoods. The overlays due to their hardness give the the slickness, speed, and durability that a fret board make just of mahogany wouldn't have.

I have only one instrument with a solid mahogany fret board, and it's slow compared to cherry, walnut, rosewood, ebony etc.

Strange about what's happened with Cripple Creek Dulcimers, but they do have Cripple Creek Guitars

http://www.cripplecreekguitars.com/

at the same store.

That's the commercial that I was thinking about. The one with the "really handsome, clean cut" French male model. I just have a lousy memory.

Carrie Barnes said:

Can't put ANYTHING on the Internet that isn't true.....................BONJOUR!

Everyone knows that you can't put anything false on the internet, Right????????????

This was a hoot. Someone had fun coming up with it.

Hi Rich. This is probably going to sound like a dumb question, but are you wearing a long sleeve shirt when playing. Here's the reason I ask. I've at times had a problem with a dull sounding note and found that it isn't in the fretting, but that the sleeve on my right side was catching the strings as I'd strum, very briefly damping them. Sometimes it would be all the notes or at others just one.

James, Memory is a quirky thing. It works in so many different ways.

This morning I started singing "Are you going to "Blank, blank, blank"town. Tried fitting in London, but not enough syllables, Edinburgh fit but I knew that wasn't right, stuck in Nottingham, Birmingham, etc and so on, but I knew they just weren't right, I finally went on through "Are you going to ?????town, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and it's Scarboroughtown."

I tend to like TAB too because if I can remember the words to a song, generally I can sing the melody. But when my mind decides to forget the words , my music goes to "He.l in a handbasket"

Babs, I think you've come up with some good points about why there are so many dulcimer players rely on TAB rather than playing by ear. For a number of us, traditional music wasn't a part of our lives growing up, in the sense of live musicians playing real instruments in a local or neighborhood setting.

Until I was an adult and could buy concert tickets, I'd only heard the church organ or the high school band play real instruments except for brief violin and piano lessons in grade school. Having a 30 to 45 minute lesson a week and then going home and practicing alone as no one I knew really played an instrument is not a way to learn to play by ear.

In college, I had to take a music theory class so that as a primary school teacher, I could teach music if required to. The class took basic piano lessons for 1 semester included in this class. And it didn't surprise the instructor that many of us had little to no background in music other than a few childhood piano lessons and listening to music on the radio, TV, or phonographs. Again that's not a way to learn to play by ear.

With the use of tab, however, a person can quickly join in and get a sense of satisfaction from being able to play along, or play alone. I remember the feeling of happiness I had when I heard the dulcimer being played, and I was the one playing it. So what if it was only 3453, 3453, 567, 567, with an out only strum, I was playing.

Babs Greene said:

I really have no clue what a West Coast Style player is etc; I just wanted to comment on the non-tab and by-ear players, if there is a dwindling of people that play by-ear and use tab, it may well be, in part, because music is not being passed on as traditionally as it once was, in addition to people from all over the world learning to play the dulcimer who are unable to attend either workshops or be part of the communities that are rich in the traditional intergenerational transmission of their musical history and roots.

New players that live a distance away from the centre of the dulcimer world who are neither able to discern by ear nor able to play along with others must resort to other means in order to learn to play; if they were left floundering and not really getting anywhere, after months of play, they'd probably just give up completely, since there's nothing more satisfying than being able to play a piece of music even though they may feel they have no musical skill at all.

I recall, being able to play straight from tab, as soon as I got my dulcimer, and it felt great, had I needed to restrict myself to either by-ear or by SMN, I wouldn't have stood a chance, at least for a number of months.

Dulcimerville seems to have a new way of presenting a class this year. One of the 13-14 hour classes is going to have a CD sent out before with the tunes that will be taught so the students can have a chance to hear them before coming. It's going to be a "playing by ear" class as I understand. So I guess they won't be handing out tab.

I use a possum board when sitting down to play and a keyboard X stand if I'm standing.

You might try googling an image for an idea. Do you have any skill at simple outline drawing. For example, I drew a horse's head for my unicorn and transferred it over to my soundboard wood with basic carbon type paper. Cut out the excess center wood with a drill and then filed the rest of the head out. The horn, beard, and mane were wood burned.

There are all sorts of shapes that make good sound holes. What might interest you?

Raul, It sounds like you've been to a fairly rigid Bluegrass jam. You might want to try a find a more inclusive group of players if you enjoy Bluegrass. I was welcomed into a group of bluegrass players jamming at a local community center. I stood outside the circle and held up my spoons and my shaker egg. The leader gave me a smile and a nod so I joined in. And spoons and shaker eggs aren't traditionally used for bluegrass.

I found this an interesting set of rules and regs. for a bluegrass jam.

http://www.s-w-b-a.com/pickerscorner_docs/etiquette.htm

This has been an interesting discussion and I have to say that it has gotten me thinking. As I've said in the past, I'm a hobbyist when it comes to playing the dulcimer and I don't jam, so I can't add much to the discussion as to why fiddle tunes are so important in the general music that is played on the dulcimer. Having been to a number of festivals, and heard many a jam, I can agree that they do seem to be a large part of the the jam repertorie along with hymns such as I'll Fly Away, and Will the Circle Be Unbroken.

I'm sort of interested in questioning as to how many people came to be playing this music before or after getting a dulcimer? Do they play it because they truly love it as Robin does, or play it because it seems to be the only way to participate in clubs and jams, or are there others (like me) who simply don't bother trying to learn the music since there are so many other songs and so little time to learn????? Recently, these are the sort of questions that have been popping into my head as I've been reading this thread and others.

I'd go with making a scroll or flat peg head an option. Another option would be to have some sort of geared tuner available.

Personally I prefer a flat peg head with guitar type tuners (2 to a side) over a closed bottom scroll with any type of tuner. Since my hands haven't aged well, I just can't handle the wooden pegs at all. Even the zither pin type tuners I have on a couple of instruments are almost impossible to accurately tune any more.

Leaving your options open gives you a wider customer base.

Patty, I really think you've hit the nail on the head. Having an accurate and detailed description of what a workshop entails is infinitely more valuable to deciding on whether to take a class than a simple general labeling of classes as beginner, intermediate or advanced students. Especially since it's difficult to really decide what those labels should encompass.
My preference for a workshop description is one that gives details as to playing style that the class will use as to both left and right hand, the tuning that the class will start out in, if a capo will be needed, what tunes will be used and if tab will be available or is the class a strictly "play by ear". Having such information gives the individual enough knowledge to decide whether the workshop will be at his or her level of performance, an interesting challenge, or way over head (as in sinking from the moment the instructor starts speaking.) Personally, I've been in the way over my head type of situation and spent sometime figuring out how to apologize to the instructor and get out of the room with as much dignity as I could.

Thanks, Robin, but if you noticed Dusty said we were both nuts.

And thanks, Dusty, for your assessment of my real level. I do think though that I would rank as a beginner when it comes to playing ability. Realistically, on a good day, I can only manage to play in the most basic manner with either right or left hand. On bad days, now, I don't play at all.

Lisa, Have you ever heard the Oysterband's version of the False Knight On The Road? The knight was a nut for thinking he could get around the child. That little boy knew to stand fast and face evil.

Sooooooo sad. I'm always a beginner. But I enjoy playing the dang thing my way and for me, myself and I so I guess it doesn't really matter. heheheheee

In agreement with Mary. Faster, Smoother, and resists wear.

How about doing a courting dulcimer with both fretboards put on in the same direction? I know that my brother, Dave Lynch of Sweet Woods Instruments made a courting box type of dulcimer with double fretboards for a customer who wanted to play different tunings without switching instruments. One of those fretboards could just as easily been a chromatic one.

Another way to keep a grip on a standard size pick is to use the colored rubbery plastic car key covers. You can get all sorts of fancy ones now a days like MS Piggy, or Oreo Cookies, but I've used the old fashion standard color code key caps/covers for years. The rubbery texture is sort of sticky without leaving a gummy film on the fingers.

The brighter the color also makes it easier to find the pick if you do drop it. Another advantage is the cover will add thickness to the top of the pick which makes it easier to hold without clutching.

Pat, If you are playing a tab that has 6+ or 6 1/2 fret and is in a DAd tuning, you can easily switch to a DAA tuning. This is done by adding 3 to each of the fret numbers. Zero in DAd would be 3 in DAA, 1 to 4, 2 to 5 etc. on up. A 6+ becomes 9.

For any zero, 1, or 2 played on the middle string , simply bring them straight down to the melody string at the same fret.

And DAd and DAA tabs can be played together. So you can play the popular DAd tabs in DAA with a group playing in DAd. Just add 3. Hope this helps.

Thanks, John. Since I've never come across a strictly Christmas type of verse for it, I wondered if I'd missed something. I've been collecting verses for this lovely song for years. The verse you mentioned is the one that I have as the third verse of the 5 verses I use.

Is "All Through The Night" originally a Welsh Carol? I thought it was just a lullaby.

http://jewishroots.net/sound-files/sheet-music/maoz-tzur-sheet-music.htm

Here's "Maoz Tzur" which is a very simple song and can be played slowly. Maybe your daughter would like to try it.

Happy Chanukah

Dusty, Do you really want 30 verses to "The Carnal and the Crane" ????? heheheheee

Mostly, I stick to Jewish Holiday music and much of that is in Hebrew. For Chanukah my husband and I sing "Maoz Tzur" after lighting the candles, though I caught him mumbling "The Dreydl Song" last night.

Dusty Turtle said:

Thanks, Stephanie, for the recommendations. The only one on the list that I already have is the Odetta album. I can't believe John McCutcheon has a Christmas album and I didn't even know it!

And thank you too, Folkfan. I am so glad to see you posting again. I also kind of expected you to mention a song or two and then immediately rattle off the twenty variations of the lyrics that can be found as the song migrated from the British isles or wherever to our shores. I will definitely check out Custer LaRue's singing.

Dusty, Just came across 3 songs on a CD that I got for a Chanukah present (for myself). Custer LaRue and the Baltimore Consort called the album "The Daemon Lover" It starts with the "House Carpenter" But the last 3 cuts are "Jesus Born In Beth'ny", "The Carnal and the Crane", and "Lulle Lullay" You might want to listen to Custer sing them. Her soprano voice is so clear and sweet. Turns out that "The Carnal and the Crane" is a Child Ballad #55 and has a very interesting tune to it. Lulle Lullay is a version of the Coventry Carol, I believe.

Dusty, I love the CD "Songs of Our Fathers". Thanks for mentioning it. Though I don't really have a CD to recommend, I do have a question. Does anyone know why the "Furry Day Carol" ends up on so many Christmas recordings? Maddie MacNiel does it on her "A Place Apart" CD which isn't a Christmas CD. Went looking for other versions of the song on iTunes and it showed up on 8 Christmas albums??????????

I refer to them as its. What is it? It's a dulcimer. Though some of mine are given feminine names, others are neutral as to sex. Der, Die or Das? DAS

Skip, Ionian is a mode that can be played in C, D, E, A, B, G, or whatever pitch your dulcimer strings can hold. It is the note relationship to get the tuning that is important. 1-5-5 is the note relationship for Ionian. 1 shows the position on the scale and is tuned on the bass. I tune C so C will be my 1. Next is middle at the 5th pitch of the scale which in the key of C is G. and so with the melody string. My 1-5-5 is C-G-G. My tab for Brother John is 3453, 3453, 567,567, 787653,787653,303, 303. If I use the same 1-5-5 tuning pattern but start with D, then I'll tune DAA, but the tab for Brother John stays the same and the fretting doesn't change. The dulcimer does the transposing and gives you the correct sharps or flats needed for the key.

Since the key that the song or tune is being played in is strictly up to the player, I mark my tab with either just Ionian, or 1-5-5. CGG, DAA, GDD, AEE, In fact you don't even have to be on a key as we think of it simply a good pitch for your instrument to play. This is known as "tuning the instrument to itself".

Looks like someone tried to fix an intonation problem. I wouldn't think that would happen with a Sweet Song Kit.

Most of the songs I play in a minor are in the Aeolian Mode or 1-5-7 so since I'm in C mostly I use CGBflat.

I don't know many "Old Time Tunes" like Cluck Old Hen, but here's a list of the songs I do in Aeolian

Donna, Donna

The Foggy Dew

Nonesuch

The Parting Glass

The Peat Bog Soldiers

The Star of the County Down

I do several songs in Hebrew that are also in the minor such as HaTikvah, Erev Shel Shoshanim, Dodi Li, Shalom Chaverim, Yerushaliyim Shel Zahav, and Artsa Alinu. It's interesting that though many of these tunes are minor they don't evoke a sad feeling. Positively joyful for Artsa Alinu and romantic for Erev Shel Shoshanim and Dodi Li.

Enjoy your experience with Aeolian. It is a lovely mode.

http://www.acousticguitar.com/gear/advice/vibration.shtml

This will give you some information on the change. I've use a "put it on a boom box" approach for years. I turn my stereo on with a new instrument resting across it, turn it up, and leave the house. Fortunately I have no really close neighbors who have ever complained.

For a double layer of protection, I used to insert one leg of the jogging pants into the other then carry the
"case" by the upper part. Never did get around to adding a draw string. heheheeee

Kevin Messenger said:

Hey everybody has an old pair of sweat pants. I use the when carring my dulcimers to differnt venues . Just sew the leg bottoms up and use the drawstring to close em up.

Well I have seen dulcimers built as canes or walking sticks. Perhaps this is someone's version of a dulcimer cane??? Just a guess.

Here's another odd fret pattern. Same maker as the other.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOUNTIAN-DULCIMER-KENTUCKEY-STYLE-/17089617...

John P. Your right about the first one being an Ionian tuning from the open position. So long "Old Joe Clark".

I wonder if anyone will ever tell this seller/maker that he has a very strange fret pattern.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/APPLICIAN-MOUNTIAN-DULCIMER-HAND-MADE-IN-THE-USA-/170895966191?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ca317fef

As near as I can tell he goes 0,1,2,3,4,5,6+,7,8,9,10,11,12,13+,14. How would you tune it?

Especially if you're playing on a possum board. hehehehee