Forum Activity for @dusty

I have been asked to host a jam room at the Berkeley Dulcimer Gathering on May 17. It was suggested that I provide a list of common dulcimer jam tunes that people might expect to play there. I plan on keeping things open and letting folks "call the tune," but I still thought it would be helpful to create a list.

The problem? I've been to only one true dulcimer jam. Most of the jams I've attended included other instruments and involved people singing from Rise up Singing as much as playing standard old timey fare. So I need help creating the list. Below is what I wrote down off the top of my head. Since I am the host, I probably need to know each song listed, and so far I either know the song or have a close enough idea that I can prepare adequately in the couple of weeks before the event.

My question to you: am I missing any obvious tunes that one would expect to hear at a dulcimer jam? I am not interested at this point in an exhaustive list (I would just copy the contents of Stephen Seifert's Join the Jam if I were) but the most common tunes played.

Amazing Grace
Angelina Baker
Arkansas Traveler
Ashokan Farewell
Bile Dem Cabbage Down
Black Mountain Rag
Bonaparte's Retreat
Cripple Creek
Elk River Blues
Going to Boston
Golden Slippers
Gray Cat on a Tennessee Farm
Hangman's Reel
Liberty
Liza Jane
Mississippi Sawyer
Old Joe Clark
Redwing
Rosin the Beau
Saint Anne's Reel
Shall We Gather at the River
Si Beag Si Mor
Simple Gifts
Soldier's Joy
Southwind
Westphalia Waltz
Whiskey Before Breakfast
Wildwood Flower

Well that's just great, Greg! It's great to see homemade music and craftsmanship getting some publicity. You represent the folk traditions well!

I would put money down that the song is in the key of C. The only chord that doesn't quite fit is C#. Regardless of the key you play the song in, that C# chord is likely to cause some difficulty on a diatonic instrument. If you tune CGc or CGG you will be able to get the other chords with little difficulty. But that C# might be something you have to fake by just playing a note or two rather than a full chord.

Glenda, if you are really a beginner, I would suggest beginningwith easier songs that only have three or four chords. You might want to put this one on the "to learn" list for next month or whenever you get more comfortable playing a variety of chords. But if you already have experience chording on the dulcimer or other instruments, then by all means, forge ahead!

You are right, Jean. The only difference between the two is the way the string connects to the instrument. There is no difference in tone or functionality. In general ball end strings are easier to find because they fit guitars that use end pins. If ball end strings fit over the little brad nails on your dulcimer, or if you have a dulcimer with end pins, then go ahead and use them. If not, loop end strings are the only option.

Richard, I have no experience with competitions personally, so I can't give you the specific advice you seem to be after. I can tell you that there are no age limits, but the dulcimer national champions of the last several years seem to all be pretty young. I think that is probably due to a couple of factors. One might be that some young folks out there are playing pretty darn good dulcimer. Another might be that once you win you lose the drive to do so again, so many of the best dulcimer players simply aren't interested in competing or no longer feel the need for such accolades. Another might be that judges like to pretend the demographic data for dulcimer players does not skew pretty old, so they are consciously or unconsciously biased towards young folks.

If you are serious about the competitions, you should look into the specific rules and prepare yourself to work for a year or so gearing up for one. Some might mandate that you play a traditional song, for example, or there might be specific categories in which you can compete. I personally enjoy your playing a lot, but you have a very unique style of play. I seem to remember what feels like a lot of original material (and a lot of bending on the middle string!) in your playing. That might work for some competitions and not others.

But if your reason for seeking a competition is only to give your playing a little kick in the pants, I might ask why it has to be a competition. Do you ever play open mics? It might be that preparing for a performance is all you need to get back in the proverbial saddle. Additionally, although initially developing material for a competition might involve some creative playing, you will also spend a lot of time just playing over and over the same arrangements. Even if those arrangements are really good, you are likely to feel bored by them after the second or third month of playing them ad infinitum.

Lots of FOTMD members have been national dulcimer champions: Linda Brockinton, Sarah Morgan, Aaron O'Rourke, Erin Rogers, Nina Zanetti, Larry Conger, and some others whom I am forgetting right now. You might consider contacting them directly and asking for advice.

Q: How many dulcimer players does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A: We'll never know; they keep arguing about modes even in the dark.

- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -

When tyrants tremble thick with fear

And hear their death knells ringing

When friends rejoice both far and near

How can I keep from singing?

-- traditional American hymn

- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -

"And when one person taps out a beat, while another leads into the melody, or when three people discover a harmony they never knew existed, or a crowd joins in on a chorus as though to raise the ceiling a few feet higher, then they also know there is hope for the world.

-- Pete Seeger

- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - -

And I have this one on my home page:

New arts shall bloom of loftier mould,

And mightier music thrill the skies,

And every life shall be a song,

When all the earth is paradise.

-- John Addington Symonds from "These Things Shall Be"

If you wipe down your strings before and after playing, you will get a lot of the grime and finger grease off and they'll last longer, as Cindy suggests. I find that as soon as strings start to feel at all hard or brittle I change them. New strings are much softer on the fingers. They also sound better, but since the sound deterioration is so slow, I never notice that my strings don't sound so hot until I change them and I realize how much better the new strings sound.

Since I like the feel, sound, and look of new strings, I think of it as a treat rather than a chore to change strings.

Ellen, if you wait until the cues that your strings need changing, you've probably waited too long. If you've waited a year, I bet you'll find new strings just feel much softer on your fingers and you'll want to start changing them more frequently. Professional musicians change strings at least every 2-3 months, as Guy does. I have a friend who plays gypsy jazz guitar in the SF Bay Area and has several regular gigs. One is the first Thursday of every month, and he changes strings before that gig, so he changes strings religiously once a month. I have more instruments than I play regularly, but on the dulcimers that I play regularly and on my six string guitar, I try to change strings every three months. The others I leave until I'm going to be playing one of them for a spell.

If you get the right tools, changing strings is easier. Make sure you have a string winder, a tuner, and a wire cutter handy.

Dean, I change strings regularly, too, but not quite as often as Ken. I probably do it about every three months on the instruments I play regularly. Not only do dirt and oil from your hands accumulate on the strings, but the metal begins to oxidize too, and they become more rigid over time. I think if you change strings you will notice that they sound, look, and feel much better.

I even changed the strings on my autoharp once. Once!

Larry, you've received good advice so far. As you can see, one way of playing in G is to tune DGD.

I don't do that, but I don't have as much experience with different tunings as Robin and Rob do. I mostly tune to DAd for 90 percent of what I play. But that does allow me--with the aid of a capo--to play in most common keys.

I play semi-regularly in a multi-instrument jam. At most bluegrass, folk, and old-timey jams, the most common keys are C, D, G, and A.

To get the key of C, I just tune to CGc.

To get D, I tune DAd. And then in that tuning I use a capo at the 3rd fret for the key of G and a capo at the 4th fret for the key of A.

You can play in G and A out of a DAd tuning, but it takes a better understanding of the fretboard than I have. But using a capo enables me to play everything I know and forget about what key we're in.

Very nice playing, Phil.

I have a Seiko SAT 501 that indicates octave. It is not a clip-on, though, so you have to either use it in a quiet room or plug into it directly.

I know of four different methods to playing that barre chord. Two involve an individual finger and two involve three fingers.

Stephen Seifert uses his ring finger to lay across all strings. Aaron O'Rourke uses his pinky in the same way. Either of those methods require some practice as you have to build up muscles and callouses in your finger. They have the advantage of leaving your other fingers free to fret strings above the barre. People who play like that a lot sometimes get dulcimers with a radiused fretboard, meaning a fretboard that is slightly curved, making it easier to use a single finger to depress all strings.

The other methods involve either your index, middle and ring fingers on the bass, middle and melody strings, or your middle, ring, and pinky. I learned the first from Linda Brockinton and the second from Mark Gilston. Both have their advantages depending on the other chords and notes that follow and precede the barre. Most of the time I try to use my middle, ring, and pinky fingers on the bass, middle, and melody strings, as that leaves both the index finger and the thumb to play strings above the barre.

Any of these methods require some practice (the first two a lot more), so don't get discouraged if they feel awkward at first and if you can't get a clear sound right away. Keep practicing and you'll get it.

Nice looking instrument, Phil. Congrats.

There are two versions of tab for "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" in DAd at the Everything Dulcimer Tab Archive .

But you can also do it in DAA. I just found it plucking around. Start 0-1-3-3 for "will the circle" and 5-4-3-5 for "be unbroken." The entire melody is found between the open A string and the 7th fret.

Marg and others, forgive me for adding a little music theory, but there are different types of notes:

I would suggest forgetting about sixteenth notes for a while. You will be playing awfully fast to get those in dulcimer music, and most of us aren't ready for them yet.

There are two ways of indicating eighth notes. If you just have one by itself, it has a little flag as in the picture I posted. If you have two together, they are joined by a bar across the top as in the examples from the pictures Carrie posted and Marg quoted.

We all completed elementary school and learned our fractions, so this shouldn't be too hard. A whole note gets four beats, a half note gets two beats, a quarter note gets one beat, and an eighth note gets 1/2 a beat. Another way of saying that last part is that you play two eighth notes in the space of one quarter note.

That is why it helps to learn to strum in both directions. If you are strumming out once a beat, as Julie is in her rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle," then strumming in as well will let you play eighth notes. Maybe a short demo is in order.

Remember that this stuff takes time. Be patient. First goal: develop a steady strum in one direction. Second goal: develop a steady strum in both directions. Third goal: start to "swing." Fourth goal: have fun skipping strums and creating cool rhythms.

Julie, you're doing great! Stop beating yourself up. Your rhythm is steady, even when there are rests or half notes. Just keep doing what you're doing.

It seems like you are only strumming in one direction, and for now that's great. Twinkle Twinkle should only be strummed in one direction. When you feel more comfortable, try to strum in the other direction as well. So if you are going out now, you will want to add in strums.

To start out, try playing the Alphabet Song, which is basically the same tune as Twinkle Twinkle. But when you get to "L-M-N-O" you have to play eighth notes. Keep your hand moving just as steady as it is now, but on the M and O you will want to strum in rather than out (your hand has to move that way anyway!). There is no rush here, so if you don't feel ready for it, just put it off for a while. But that will be the next hurdle for you to cross. And given how you are playing now, I think you are about ready for it. And the main point is that your hand does not have to move any faster than you are playing now. But instead of only strumming in one direction you will, when the music calls for it, strum in the other direction, too.

Julie Semones said:

Alrighty all, I've been trying everything you all have posted, I think I'm finally catching on....here I am (YIKES, can't believe I'm sharing this!!LOL)

There are a couple of different issues being addressed here. Julie commented that she has trouble strumming while playing a song. Most of us have given advice on how to develop a better strumming technique. One specific piece of advice was to practice with a metronome.

Ken's advice is how to arrange a song. And indeed playing a song by replicating on the dulcimer exactly how you would sing it is one way to arrange a song. It probably is the most obvious for people who are used to singing, and for those folks it might be a good way to start. But there are others. You might develop a rhythm that you think characterizes that song, strum that rhythm, and fit the melody notes into that rhythm. Another is to play a harmony part on the dulcimer. Or a counter-melody on the dulcimer. Those latter two take a bit of practice, but not perhaps as much as you think. Strumelia has a wonderful video on how to play a harmony part to Go Tell Aunt Rhody.

But none of those ways of arranging a tune are incompatible with the use of a metronome. When you practice with a metronome you do not strum every time the metronome sounds. Rather, the metronome keeps time for you, and you fit what you are playing into that steady rhythm. A metronome is usually set to a quarter note or half note, meaning it sounds two or four times a measure. But you might play one note per measure, eight notes per measure, or whatever, depending on the tune. Practicing with a metronome helps you develop a steady strumming pattern that sounds smooth rather than choppy and is consistent throughout. If you want to start with Ken's suggestion of strumming the melody the way it would be sung, that's fine, and using a metronome will help you do that steadily and consistently.

In my post above I did not mention using a metronome, but I think it a good idea. And in the video lesson to which I linked I don't address how to arrange a tune; that comes in the subsequent videos. The first thing is to develop a steady strum that feels comfortable, stays on beat, and moves smoothly across the strings.

Most beginning players concentrate on the left hand. They think that finding the right notes to play is the key to being a good musician. But most of our playing is done with the right hand. How smoothly we play, how loudly we play, how fast we play, whether we play one string or all three, all those decisions and more are determined by the right hand. The fact that you are aware of the need to work on your right hand is a good sign. Just being aware of it and working on it will make you a better player, better able to express whatever it is you want to express through music.

Julie, I would suggest putting your left hand entirely over the strings of the dulcimer so they are muted. Don't think about playing notes at all. With your right hand, hold the pick so that most of the pick is securely between your thumb and index finger, but hold it loosely, not tightly. Think of strumming as brushing across the top of the strings rather than actually plucking them. As you strum out, angle the top of the pick away from you and just barely touch the top of the strings. Do that as you count 1-2-3-4. Just take it slow. Once you have a nice, slow, even stroke going out on the beats, count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & and strum out on the numbers and in on the &s. As you strum in, you want to angle the top of the pick toward you.

Reminders: 1) keep lots of the pick in contact with your fingers; you don't want to just hold the end while most of the pick sticks out; 2) hold the pick loosely, not tight; 3) brush across the tops of the strings softly; 4) keep a steady beat even if you have to go very slowly to do so.

Carrie has already pointed you toward John Keane's excellent video on strumming . I also put together a three-part instructional video on using a flatpick . The first video covers strumming. You might find it helpful.

You might also keep a pick with you at all times. I sometimes practice rhythmic strumming on my leg, my stomach, the steering wheel, the arm rest of my chair, etc.

Just take it slow and don't get impatient. Good technique takes time.

But Robin, you could bet, and you'd come out even since you'd be right half the time!

Robin Thompson said:

If I were a betting person, I'd bet against my ability to do so.

All these questions about VSL, wood type, instrument design, kind of noter, etc., get to the central point: given the vast number of variables that affect the sound a dulcimer makes, it is impossible in practice to identify the shape of the box as the sole reason for differences in tone.

The first is hourglass, the second teardrop. Or the other way around. I'm sure of it.

Those who took part in this forum discussion might be interested in a live radio tribute to Pete Seeger to benefit the Woodstock Day School and the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. The event is hosted by Jay Ungar and Molly Mason.

Hear the broadcast online at WAMC.ORG .

Such a sage comment from a sage woman.

Robin Thompson said:

Life can be just plain hard sometimes and making music or sharing music can help along the way.

Here's another story from the New York Times thatcompiles excerpts from interviews with other musicians (Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Rait, Steve Earle, etc.) talking about Pete Seeger. Perhaps the most moving to me is the story of Pete watching television footage of the cleanup after 9-11, and the soundtrack they used was Bruce Springsteen singing Pete'ssong "We Shall Overcome." Pete commented that if all he had done was provide that song for that moment to help people heal, he would have lived a full life.

I heard a funny story in an interview Pete did onFresh Air with Terry Gross that was re-broadcast today. He was describing when he first met Woody Guthrie, who taught him how to hop trains and play in taverns. Woody basically told him which songs would get him a nickel or two when he played. And Woody explained how to wait on the outskirts of town where the trains would just start to pick up speed and then jump on. But he never explained at first how to get off. So the first time Petetried to get off, he fell, rolled down a hill, skinned both knees and both elbows and, more importantly, broke his banjo. He was traveling with a camera at the time, which he hocked to get enough money to buy a cheap guitar. He only knew a few chords at first, but played well enough to earn some nickels in the taverns until he could afford another banjo.

You can hear Pete tell the story yourself here .

We know most of those riding the rails were not doing it for fun, but it must have been quite an experience, just jumping railroad cars and traveling to wherever the trains went. What else would you expect from a guy who dropped out of Harvard to ride a bicycle across the country?

Here is the NPR Obituary . It includes links to stories on Pete and some of his music.

Here is the album I refer to in the introductory comments above.

I had forgotten, but it was a 10" LP. Does anyone remember those?

A personal musical tribute:

If you listen carefully, you can hear my voice breaking up.

Pete on music and participation:

"I've never sung anywhere without giving the people listening a change to join in . . . I guess it's kind of a religion with me. Participation. That's what's going to save the human race."

Once upon a time, wasnt singing a part of everyday life as much as talking, physical exercise, and religion? Our distant ancestors, wherever they were in this world, sang while pounding grain, paddling canoes, or walking long journeys. Can we begin to make our lives once more all of a piece? Finding the right songs and singing them over and over is a way to start. And when one person taps out a beat, while another leads into the melody, or when three people discover a harmony they never knew existed, or a crowd joins in on a chorus as though to raise the ceiling a few feet higher, then they also know there is hope for the world.

Pete's banjo:

Pete Seeger just died. He was 94. Maybe when my emotions are easier to put aside I'll post some comments about his place in American folk music history, but how can you sum up the importance of someone who sang with the Weavers, led protest marches, and sang children's songs? He lived the assertion that music was a joyful tool intended tobring people together. (And it was on his TV show that Jean Ritchie and her dulcimer were introduced to the television audience.)

You can read the New York Times obituary here .

There is no way to choose a representative song to post here, but perhaps this one will do. He is playing with others and singingfor peace.

Thefirst record albumsI remember, from when I was just a few years' old, were Woody Guthrie's Songs for a Mother and Child to GrowOn andPete Seeger's Birds, Beasts, Bugs, and Little Fishes . I am sure I know every one of those songs by heart, and I have since I was able to talk. When I get depressed, I put on a Beatles album. But if that doesn't work, I go right to Pete Seeger. His voice is as comforting to me as my own mother's, and is indistinguishable in some ways since my earliest memories in life are sitting on my mother's lap listening to that album.

I used to wonder why I am drawn to acoustic music. I grew up in suburbia in the northeast, after all. And I spent many years listening to rock, blues, and jazz. But I've always felt at home with someone singing a simple song while plucking some strings, and I'm sure that is because of the early influence of Pete Seegerin my life.

I only met Pete Seeger once--at an anti-nuke rally in New York about 30 years ago--so I never really knew him. But I feel as though I've lost an uncle, a best friend, a mentor, and a security blanket all rolled into one. I honestly can't imagine who I would be today had Pete Seeger's music not been a part of my life.

Thank you, Mr. Seeger, for sharing the joys of music and modeling a life devoted to the improvement of one's community. Rest in peace.

So I guess I won't be wearing my red stilettos at Thursday's open mic! Too bad. They go so well with that new cocktail dress I just got for Christmas.

Rob N Lackey said:

Just be yourself and wear comfortable shoes.

So I guess I'll have to put aside my ripped jeans, old tennis shoes, and t-shirt with the dulcimer logo on it. Instead I'll dress like my godfather at the Grammys last night:

Do you think I can get the hat with the braids attached? My hair production ain't what it used to be.

John's reference to Wayne's blue earring concerns a photo Wayne posted with a blue Snark tuner attached to his ear. He titled it "Tuning by Ear."

I probably shouldn't post here. I honestly don't care how people dress. I don't think anyone should feel they have to dress up to perform, so jeans and a t-shirt works for me, if that's what makes you comfortable. Years ago I saw Gilligan Welch at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. At intermission, the woman I was with (a young lawyer from San Francisco) commented that Gillian's outfit was just "so frumpy" and someone needed to teach her how to dress. I had not even noticed how she was dressed, but I probably could have recited the playlist in order. It was funny, though, when Gillian added in her between-song repartee that she had started a database to list what outfit she wore at each show because she was giving a concert and someone pointed out that she had worn that same outfit the previous time she played that venue. Everyone laughed, of course. My date was horrified to learn that Gillian was thinking about her outfit and still dressed "so frumpy." I was sad that someone with so much musical talent had to waste her time thinking about her outfit. You know what I mean, like supposedly Einstein wore the same outfit everyday because he didn't want to waste time thinking about the mundane, insignificant details of daily life.

Dress in whatever way makes you most comfortable. If part of that comfort is your perception of how you look, then wear an outfit that you think makes you look good.

As a middle-aged man, I can confess that I am less worried about the clothes I'm wearing than the fact that the dulcimer does not hide my beer belly the way a guitar does. No one needs to see the jiggle in my middle.

Guys, I think part of the confusion here is that in dulcimer circles, modes are often conflated with drone playing. The assumption is that traditional music involves modes to be played over drones whereas modern music involves chords.

I think we all understand that a mode is nothing but a scale, and as long as a melody is restricted to the notes of a mode, it is modal music, whether or not drones or chords accompany the melody. After all, there is a lot of other modal music that incorporates chord structures (Miles Davis's Kind of Blue album is often celebrated as a study in modal jazz, for example, and Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" is famous for a long improvisation in the dorian mode).

Let me point out that the original question here had nothing to do with modes but asked about keys and how to use a capo. The only reason modes were mentioned was because the first person to respond, Rob, accurately pointed out that on a diatonic fretboard, the use of a capo changes the mode as well as the key. I fear all this discussion about modes is just overwhelming to beginners, especially those who are not playing drone style and don't really need to understand modes for any practical purposes.

Larry, what's nice about using the capo is that you can use the same fingerings and play the same songs you are used to. The only difference is that you are in a different key (and you have to navigate around the 6+ fret). So the same fingerings you used for D in DAD will be a G when the capo is at the third fret. The fingerings for your G and A chords will be C and D with the capo at the third fret. Does that make sense?

I seem to post this video whenever anyone asks about how to use capos, but check out this Bing Futch video. He teaches Hangman's Reel in DAD and then shows you how to play it in G with the capo at the 3rd fret and and in A with the capo at the 4th fret. Then, if you listen as the closing credits roll by, you'll hear a "spooky" version in Em, which he gets by putting the capo at the first fret and playing the same song.

Larry,

As Rob explains capos do not work on dulcimers the way they work on guitars or banjos because the dulcimer is fretted diatonically, so some notes are not available to you. As the posts above indicate, using a capo will change not only the key, but the mode. I can't talk modes, but I am comfortable with capos.

If you tune CGC you can play in F with the capo at the 3rd fret or G with the capo at the 4th fret.

If you put your capo on the first fret you will be in the key of D, but the notes available to you will be D minor.

What I suggest is tuning to DAD and using the capo at 3 for the key of G and 4 for the key of A. Then you can quickly tune down one note to CGC for the key of C. Those four keys -- C, D, G, and A -- are the most common keys in bluegrass and old timey jams.

Larry Ross said:

Thnaks for all the input and the total confusion. I guess the answer is...... tuning to the Key of C and putting a Capo on Fret one does not result in the Key of D

You deserved some good news for a change, Phil. And yes, there are some wonderful people here at FOTMD.

Phil, I know you've had a string of bad luck, but at least pneumonia is something they can deal with. Take it easy until you're better.

Sad news, Phil. Good luck and check in when you can.

Another way of envisioning the relationships among strings is by scale positions.

Ionian tuning (DAA or CGG, for example) is also referred to as 1-5-5, meaning the middle and melody strings are tuned to the fifth scale position starting with the bass string. Then all you need to know to tune your dulcimer is how to count to 5.

open = 1

1st fret = 2

2nd fret = 3

3rd fret = 4

4th fret = 5

Since the middle and melody strings are tuned to the fifth, you tune them to the bass string at the 4th fret.

Mixolydian tuning (DAd or CGc, for example) can also be referred to as 1-5-8, meaning the middle string is tuned to the fifth and the melody string is tuned to the octave (the 8th). Again, all you have to do is count.

open = 1

1st fret = 2

2nd fret = 3

3rd fret = 4

4th fret = 5

5th fret = 6

6th fret = 7

7th fret = 8

So for a 1-5-8 tuning, tune your middle string to the bass string at the 4th fret and your melody string to bass string at the 7th fret.

[You can also tune the melody string to middle string. Since the open string is the 5th, the first fret is the 6th, the second fret is the 7th, and the third fret is the 8th or octave. So once you tune the middle string to the fifth tone of the bass string (the bass string at the fourth fret), you can tune the melody string to the middle string on the third fret. Now you can double check it all, since the bass string at the 7th fret, the middle string at the 3rd fret, and the open melody string should all be the same note in any 1-5-8 tuning.]

I won't bother going through this for other tunings such as the 1-5-7 tuning, but hopefully you can see the advantage to thinking in terms of scale positions. The scale positions themselves tell you how to tune your dulcimer. The counting you learned from Sesame Street is all you need to know.