I build dulcimers and Uke's. Wood plays a huge role in sound.
The harder the wood, the more crisp the notes are.. the softer the wood, the "softer" the sound.
I like to use hardwood bodies and sides with a soft top.. I just like the way it sounds..
I made a couple of ukes out of Paduak and loved the way they sounded.. But I love the soft sweet melody of a spruce, cedar or redwood top.
Just my 2 cents!
Hey you old dusty turtle...hehehee
Thanks.. yeah.. I can pick. (need to get some ideas and forms down).. my fingers are bent and locked up a bit, so I can not stretch and curve to form chords..(Hence why I am diggin' the dulcimer).. So if I can pick up a few pickin' techniques then your right.. I can probably make the song come alive.
Some one did start a ren fair thread I thought.. I will search it and see. They just recommended books.
I will zip over the help me with this song and see what happens.
Thanks again.
Thank you... that was very helpful.
The other thing I need a little help on is strumming technique. Any good videos or material giving ideas or how-to's.
Hi all,
I am getting close to the next renaissance faire and want to take my stick dulcimer with me to play as I walk around. There was a good discussion on Ren music on another link so I got the books that where brought up. I found this one song that I really like:
The Road To Lisdoonvarna
I don't read sheet music that well, but it is a 6/8 beat. The notes are for guitar and it has the chords listed as well.
I found it on you tube and listened to multiple ways to play it. (sounded great on a lap dulcimer). but no real instructional videos. I can play it "okay" with the dulci on my lap.
Here is my issue: I have damaged fingers from arthritis, so I can not form chords while holding the dulci stick like a guitar.. in order to play this while walking around, I need it to be in the guitar position.
So any of you really talented music folks out there that might be able to look at this song and come up with a way to play it by droning? Or at list a simple finger pluck of some sort..
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much
