Forum Activity for @terry-wilson

Hello,

I am hoping someone can offer me some help on this subject, a tinny sound or perhaps a ringing sound, on the middle and melody string on my McSpadden dulcimer.   I've tried different tunings, strumming and picking up and down the fret board, and not stroking the strings (or string) as hard.  

I just made a video this morning that I am waiting to finish posting on You Tube, then I plan to post it on the forum under videos.  The song is Shenandoah.  The chords are so pretty, but the tinny or ringing sound of the strings mentioned ruins the whole process.  It's kind of funny, when I play this song I don't hear the bad sounds, and my wife says the same thing.  But when I record, it's very obvious.  

Perhaps I should change strings?  Strings are about a year old, with lots of playing.  If it makes a difference, the strings are the same kind that McSpadden installed when new.  

I would appreciate any suggestions.  Maybe when the video posts this will help.

Merry Christmas,

Terry

Maria, it's obvious you've performed more than once.  I enjoyed your video.

I've often wondered about the Rooseback

 dulcimers.  Please post a video after you've had it awhile.  Never held or seen one in person,  but always thought they looked really nice .  But reviews are not positive for the most part.  Of course, because of our nature, folks would rather post bad than good.

I know you will enjoy your journey. 

Terry 

That's worth a lot Strumelia.  I've been practicing Christmas songs on harmonica.  Thinking perhaps I can learn a couple on Ocarina within a couple of weeks.  We'll see.

Peace, good will, and sound logic.

Gonna have to wait a spell on me.  I won't have my first ever Ocarina until sometime next week.

Strumelia, please give us a demonstration of you playing your Ocarina.   

After much research, I am so excited and can hardly wait for my C & G Mountain Ocarinas to come to my home.   My wife is even excited.  The sounds of the Ocarinas are beautiful.   Like a Pan Flute 

Good stuff Jan.  I am hoping to participate in some group sessions 2016.   

I didn't start playing any instrument until 3 years ago.   When I first started,  my song list grew rapidly, maybe a hundred songs.  Now though,  I concentrate on being proficient on a short list of songs.

You are pretty amazing.  Hopefully what you have written, will be valuable to the originator of this thread.

Hi Jan

That's a very impressive list of songs you listed.  If I may ask, when you play these songs in a jam, etc., do you use tab or do you have all the songs to memory?

I've played with a group of people, usually around 15, two times.  My only experience with jams.

Most everyone were using tab.  I could only play maybe one third of the songs,  having no tab book and playing by memory.  

I was okay with this, as I love to watch and listen to others play.  But both times I wished I had tab.  

I counted 22 of your songs that I have to memory, so I would have to set out more than half.  

Just ordered a Mountain Ocarina today.  Couldn't help myself.  G tuned,  cost $24.00 plus shipping.

My thinking is that at 69, I'll never be really good  at  any instrument,  because I dabble in too many, and started to late.  But it's just too much darn fun to change.

Hopeless and satisfied.

Charles,

Just to clarify, my Seydel is the Orchestra model, Session Steel.  It's also  solo tuned, which I love.  Most harps are Richter-tuned, which give me fits.

Seydel also sells another solo tuned harp, the Seydel Mountain Harp.  It's an 80 hole double sided, C & G, tremolo harmonica.  Forget playing the blues, its made for stuffing it in your mouth and blowing away.  I love it.  I had a reed to blow on the C side within 3 weeks of buying it.  Contacted Seydel, sent it back, and within two weeks had a brand new harp as a replacement.  No problems since.  

But what makes the Mountain Harp so special is  the solo tuning.

McSpadden Spruce

Kala and Ohana ukuleles, tenor, baritone, and concert

A drawer full if harmonicas. 

Piano

Acordian. 

Kazoos (Infatuated.  One kazoo plays every key.)  Cheap too. 

Foot tamborines.

It's all fun.

That's the great thing about a harmonica.  It's a play by ear instrument. .

While I love the 10 hole diatonic, and I also own a Sessions Steel, I favor the 64 hole Hering Vencedora tremolo harmonica.  Sweet sweet sweet.

However, blow a reed, you're on your own.  Made in Brazil, which is the nearest repair facility.  One can buy a new harmonica for the price of shipping.

I don't play blues.  Maybe one day.  My harp career is 1 year old today.  

Charles, after messing around with the Sessions Steel for awhile, and have decided it sure has a nice sound.  But be careful with the edges, pretty shape.  For sheer playing for fun, I prefer my Hohner Special 20s, C & D & G.

Strumelia, thanks for posting on this.  I am forming a new uke group, and hopefully dulcimer, and the advice you have offered is very valuable.  Answers a ton of questions.  I almost feel like I have highjacked the thread, since this was for Kimberly. 

Thanks for posting Kimberly.  Great question.  For me personally, you couldn't have timed it any better.

And Rob, I appreciate what you had to say too.  Good stuff. 

About a year ago I tried to start a dulcimer club here in Albany, Ga.  I advertised in the paper (free section) and hung up flyers the two local music stores.  Two wanna be dulcimer players responded, but found it impossible to ever get together.

Fast forward a year later:  I am forming a ukulele club in this area, the first one of its kind, and our first meeting is Nov. 10th.  Two hours on a Tues. night from 06:00pm until 07:45pm.  The library closes at 08:00 pm.  

I began advertising in the community section of our paper (free) back in late August., and again put up posters in the two stores.  

As of today, I am expecting 6 to attend, including me.  As I am, all are pretty new to ukulele, and they all own a ukulele.  I emailed them a list of 6 beginner songs, no more than 3 chord songs, in the key of C.  I encouraged all to please at least be acquainted with these songs, which should prove to move us along and have some fun.  I've also stressed that I am not in charge, just the one forming the group.  We will work as a group.

After the first meeting, I plan to suggest that the first 30 min. of future meetings be dedicated to instruction and discussion, and then the jam.

Also, I have since discovered that three (3) of are are dulcimer players.  So I have discussed with them how neat it would be to work in dulcimer into our jam sessions, as time goes on.  

So, with fingers spread apart, I feel that this time around things will be much different.  And I am excited about the prospects of it all.  

Terry

My first dulcimer:  Built by Walnut Valley Dulcimer Company,  Burns, Kansas, by a lady named Darlene.  Ser#  91  020.   I am thinking that meant it was built 1991, and the 20 dulcimer of that year.    It's all walnut, and much thicker  wood than my McSpadden all walnut.  It has a 23" VSL.  Three strings, with the old steel tuning pegs.  You have to tune it with a wrench (or wench). 

Story:  While sitting at Wendy's, in fellowship with a few couples after a night church service, late March 2012,  someone asked:  "Terry, you still trying to play guitar?"   I said yes, but I don't believe I have what it takes to learn, too difficult.  I wish I had bought a dulcimer instead.  I heard one while camping in the mountains a few years back and enjoyed it.  

Out of the blue, this other lady says, "I have one of those dulcimers.  Bought it at Blue Ridge, Ga., and brought it back all the way home on Jessie's (husband) Harley Davidson motorcycle.  Held it all the way home in the bag it came in."  

Anyways, I ended up buying it for $70.00 the following Sunday, she brought it church.  She brought the instruction book that night.  It truly was barely playable, but the good thing was "I didn't know it".  Within minutes I was able to, real slowly, pick out Twinkle Twinkle, and I have not stopped playing since.  

I still own it, and wouldn't part with it for twice as much as I paid.  It truly has special meaning.  It hardly ever gets played anymore, but it cast a long shadow over our music room.  I might add, the built quality of this dulcimer is as superb as any dulcimer I have ever held in my hands.

Good thread Strumelia.  Now, what about your first dulcimer?

Hourglass for me too Linda. I'll always be one of "your beginners", and you are absolutely right. I've purchased several tear drop dulcimers and ended up selling them all on this forum or ebay. Now, if I could just get rid of my little pot belly.......I could...........hmm.

Hello,

I was just wondering if there are any tremolo harmonica players out there. The tremolo is a lovely instrument to play along with a dulcimer. Basic good quality tremolos can be bought for as little as $20.00 to your door in all keys. Keys of D & A sound the best with dulcimers. Just my two cents.

If you're interested, there is a new web site dedicated to the tremolo:

http://thetremolo.ponderworthy.com/forum

I have been very pleased with this pickup that attaches to the sound holes or on the end: Cherub guitar pickup WCP-60G. You can find it on the internet for approx $8.00. There are lots of great reviews. I have tried a couple of others, but this one stays attached wonderfully.

If you are considering having a built in pickup built into your present dulcimer, then be prepared to spend a lot more money. You could contact McSpadden Dulcimers about installing one at a cost of from $125.00 to $150.00, plus shipping there and back.

Good luck.

Sorry Cindy Stambach!! It's Cindy Stammich. Or shall we say "The great Cindy Stammich". Yes we shall, at least for this moment.

Thanks Lexie! Have fun......and more fun.

I don't know about being better than you or anybody Lexie. Who's counting anyway? Sometimes I hate my dulcimer playing, while other times I say "Hey, that sounds pretty dog gone good Terry". It's all relative to how serious you take yourself, and how much fun you want to have. When I listen to someone like say, Cindy Stambach, on this forum, it kind of forces me to be put in my place.

Yep, learning new songs is wonderful and fun, but there are very seldom 2 days that go by that I still play some of that "Boil Them Cabbage Down", "Aunt Rhodie", "Wild Wood Flower". Oh my goodness, gotta have some of that "June Apple" every day.

Lexie, you had better get on that Jessie James, you gonna love it.

Thanks for your kind comments.

Kind regards,

Terry

Lexie,

I hope you have tried Jessie James like you said you might do. It's a great song, a very fun song. You gotta try it.

I have the tab to memory now, and can play it without peeking, and the words also to memory. Now I gotta get to the point where it sounds good to someone else's ear.

Good Luck!

Lexie R Oakley said:

http://http://sniff.numachi.com/lookup.cgi?ds1=D&ds2=A&ds3=...

Terry, here I was looking for the tab and found it at this tab site, thought I shall try it also.

Hi Cindy,

I'll just have to check the Crawdad Song out. Thanks as always.

Terry

Cindy Stammich said:

Hey Terry,

How about the Crawdad Song? We have a lot of fun with that one.

In fact, tomorrow I will share a pretty funny version (recorded last night when we were all way too tired) and my son-in-law madeup a special verseof his own justfor my mom. (Oh and yes there is a story behind it).

Stay tuned

I don't know the tune to Jessie James, and I don't have TAB. So without TAB, I'll have to hunt the tune up on You Tube, and learn to play it by ear on harmonica, then I can play it on the dulcimer without TAB.

Thank you

Great suggestion Jan. I've never tried the boatman song, but I will. Perhaps noter-drone.

Jan Potts said:

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/boatman-noter-drone?commentI...

I like to play Boatmen (or Boatman) because it has 3 sections with lots of variety. On this video Cheryl plays it quite fast--it is a fiddle tune, after all--but a lot of dulcimer players play it at a more moderate tempo, which works better for me, especially if I'm chording AND fingerpicking AND trying to sing the words!

Thank you Pam for the songs, I will check them out.

Great suggestions folks! Thanks.

John,
I played with a lady yesterday who sung and played "Pretty Saro". Thanks for suggesting this song to me, it's a beautiful song.

Terry

john p said:

A couple of tunes I like to play round and around :

Pretty Saro

Suzy McGuire

Elk River Blues

Hi Cheryl,

I took your suggestion of "June Apple" and it was love at first play. Great song. I'm gonna check out some of that "Spotted Cow", maybe magic will happen again.

Thank!

Cheryl James said:

I can think of a couple of similar tunes, I know several dulcimer players really love to play June Apple and Spotted Cow is another one than can go on forever because it's just so much fun!

Folkfan,

Better late than never I guess. Do I play it fast or slow? Never slow. I would say medium to kind of fast. I can play it really fast, but I am not a big fan of playing Wildwood Flower really fast. I was playing with a lady yesterday who could not play it "kind of fast", so we played medium speed. Very enjoyable. It's nice to play it on the melody string, then on the bass string, or mix it up, and then an octive higher. I also love to play it with a popcicle stick noter.

In the mean time, someone here suggested the song "June Apple" to play over and over again like Wildwood Flower. Hey, I am here to tell you now that I love this June Apple song. Picked it up in no time flat, love it love it love it. Finger dancing is great, but sounds best with the ole popcicle stick. Actually it's not a popcicle stick, it's a wooden drink or coffee stirrer I found at Chic-Fil-A.Much more slimmer than a popcicle stick.Now everytime I go to Chic-Fil-A I politely place several of these jewels in my wife's purse to add to my bounty.

Mandy, thanks for the song. I've printed it out and ready to give it a go.

Mandy said:

I'm addicted to John Stinsons #2 on dulcimer. Not sure why, just am.

John, thanks for the song suggestions. I am not familar with any of the three songs, but that's why I asked the question, to learn a couple of new songs with the gait of Wildwood Flower.

john p said:

A couple of tunes I like to play round and around :

Pretty Saro

Suzy McGuire

Elk River Blues

Cheryl, I do enjoy playing "June Apple", but not familar with Spotted Cow. Sounds like a fun song. Thanks!

Cheryl James said:

I can think of a couple of similar tunes, I know several dulcimer players really love to play June Apple and Spotted Cow is another one than can go on forever because it's just so much fun!

Dusty, I consider myself a chord player, one-two- three finger chords on 3 stirngs. I do enjoy playing melody/drone also. While I do pick individual strings, I do a lot of strumming across all the strings. I have pondered over Going to Boston, now I'll take a good look and give it a try.

As always, thanks.

Dusty Turtle said:

Terry, can you tell us what style of dulcimer you play? Do you play melody/drone, do you chord, do you play across all the strings?

If you you play melody/drone, I would suggest Going to Boston. It lets you slide up and down the fretboard just like you do in Wildwood Flower.

Hey folks,

I am hankering for a new song to learn, a new song to love to play as much as I love playing "Wildwood Flower". I mean I can set and play that "Wildwood Flower" for 10 to 15 min. a shot and still want more. I love to play it up and down the fretboard in two octaves, sometimes mixing it up, sometimes with the melody string as lead and sometimes the bass.

While I am very familar with obtaining tab from "Everything Dulcimer", "Dogwood Dulcimer Association, etc., I am seeking a song from someone who loves that Wildwood Flower as much as I do, and has another song similar to WF that they love just as much, and enjoys playing it on and on and on.

Please tell me what that song is so I can get in on some of that fun.

Thank you.

Wow Kevin, what a fantastic photo. I know ya'll had a blast talking dulcimer. You know Kevin, if you were to get a tan and trim the ole beard just a tad, and I were to wear a ball hat, standing beside each other, people would swear we were brothers. Great photo.

Well I ask myself "why not join in?" After reading some of these posts I realize I am not so sick after all. There are many others way way worse than I. Can't wait to show my wife so she will forget about taking me to a MD to check me out:

In 19 months I have accumulated at present:

10 dulcimers. My favorites a 6 string walnut McSpadden, and a 4 string Spruce McSpadden, and a recently acquired Mike Clemmer 3 string Sweetie. (Over time I have sold 6 other dulcimers on ebay & craigslist.

Auto Harp, tin whistle, 2 harmonicas, ukulele.

2 pianos reside in our home. I claim one and my wife the other.

Yep, it's assuring to my psychic to know I'm not alone.

I echo Strumelia's words of wisdom. Buy the best your budget will allow right from the get go. If I had taken this advice my music room wouldn't be filled with so many not very playable dulcimers. But I did start with a $75.00 dulcimer that was not very playable and learned the basics on it and got jump started. I still have that old little dulcimer and its made a beautiful wall hanger.

I will Kenneth. I've been messing around with the piano for 15 to 20 min. just about every morning since my discovery. We have a regular piano and an electric piano. I really like playing the electric experimenting with the different sounds. Lots of fun.

But right now I am spending a horrible amount of time preparing for a family reunion the end of this month and a Christmas presentation in Dec. I've fallen in love with a new song I am learning to play, "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem". Love the words and music. I've heard this song for years, but never appreciated it until now.

Ken,I figured that was what the black keys are for, but thanks for the confirmation. I have already began using some of the black keys. I don't really know when to, but by ear I find the right sound.

Lois, I certainly don't play by ear, but more and more I am finding it easier to pick out a song without TAB. I am also getting the hang of playing songs in DAA or DGD, while tuned to DAD or CGC or even BF#B. I just move up the fret board.

In fact, I have dedicated my Don Gardner built dulcimer to playing in noter/drone, always tuned to DAA or DGD. Playing all the songs I play in CGC in DGD, without TAB. Playing by ear? I don't think so, but I believe I'm making progress. I sincerely believe that learning to play in noter/drone has opened up another "ah ha" moment. I think the learning key has been not being stuck in DAd playing with the noter, using the noter or pointer finger to press the middle string. DGD or DAA forces one to use the melody string in its entirety (if that makes sense). The high ringing sound is just beautiful, so old timey sounding.

Good luck Lois.

Terry