Forum Activity for @dusty

Ken, it would indeed be nice if everyone could adopt a common set of definitions of these terms. If this discussion begins the process whereby such an agreement could be made, you have done the dulcimer world a great service.

Let me complicate things a bit.

There are at least two other terms commonly used in this context: novice and advanced. In fact, I think "advanced" is much more commonly used than "expert." One might still be a student and be "advanced," but your definition of "expert" is what most of us would call a professional. I doubt you will see a workshop advertised for the "expert" level,but you might see it for the "advanced" level.

One reason this issue is complicated and confusing is that although some people come to the dulcimer with no prior experience on any musical instrument, others come as advanced players on other instruments. I was able to tune and change strings before ever holding a dulcimer because I had beenplaying guitars, mandolins,ukuleles and the like for decades. And I could probably play six tunes from memory within a couple of hours of getting my first dulcimer. That ability was not due to some natural gift I have, for believe me, I am not naturally gifted, but simply that I had been playing so many other stringed instruments that I was already familiar with how to play. And the fact that I had read (perhaps a dozen times) your essay"I Just got a Mountain Dulcimer, Now What?" over on ED meant that I was familiar with MD terminology even though I had never held one before. About a month after getting my first dulcimer I attended a festival thinking I was a beginner but was told by people at my first workshop that I was at least intermediate and perhaps even advanced. They were wrong, of course. My knowledge of the fretboard was still in its infancy, for example. But they based that opinion on my comfort fretting, strumming and picking notes and chords. I guess my only point is that any serious definition of these terms for "levels" of playing has to account for those whose technique might be advanced but whose understanding of the instrument is still at a beginner level. In fact, after almost four years I probablystill fit that description. (Maybe the term "novice" could be defined in such a way as to include those new to the dulcimer but familiar with other fretted instruments.)

My only real quarrel with your definition of terms, though, is the insistence that one must be equally familiar with all styles of dulcimer play. Is it not possible for someone to be an expert noter/drone player who knows nothing about chords? Is it not possible to be an expert modern chord player who knows nothing about noter technique? One would not demand that an expert blues guitarist also know how to play classical guitar or that the double bass player in an orchestra also know how to play bluegrass bass.

Dana was also the one who found the episode of the Waltons in which John Boy plays the dulcimer and sings:

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/forum/topics/john-boy-walton-s-dulcimer-song

Dan, you've been given good advice so far. Make sure your legs are spread pretty wide and that the head of the dulcimer sits on your knee. Some people use that shelf liner/carpet pad stuff on their laps, but others claim that the material can mark the finish of your dulcimer.

Although some traditionalists frown upon using straps, I had a horrible problem with my dulcimer moving around until I installed strap buttons and began using a strap around my lower back. The dulcimer immediately became "mine." You can make your own strap, of course, and Strumelia has a nice video about how to do that at her noter/drone blog (scroll down to the very lower bottom of this page). Carrie is right that any adjustable guitar strap will also work, but my preference is the quick release dulcimer strap that Sue Carpenter designs and sells. I have one on each of my dulcimers now.

Dave, I love the button you're sportin' there! Oh, and the playings nice, too.

Robin, although I hardly ever play it anymore, I, too,picked up a Kentucky A-style mandolin a few years ago (I also splurged for the one with the solid top, but there is a model without it, so it is not quite the cheapest model) and played it regularly for a while when I shared a house with a guitarist far better than I. That instrument has a very balanced sound, though not as much punch perhaps as the real expensive mandolins.

But I think you are underestimating your abilities when you say there are no crossover skills. That fast and steady right hand you have developed is what's enabling you to jump right in and play some bluegrass chops as part of a rhythm section. Someone without your experience would have to play for a long time to be able to do that. And your general understanding of the music will eventually encourage you to add filler or small solos here and there. You will very soon start translating musical ideas from the dulcimer to the mandolin and eventually vice versa.

You seem to haveconcrete goals with the mandolin and I have no doubt that you will achieve them, but even if you don't take up the mandolin with the same enthusiasm and mastery that characterizes your dulcimer playing, I would bet in the long run, playing the mandolin will make you a better dulcimer player.

And your description of serious practice is a heartening one.

Thanks Santa, er, uh, I mean Phil. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

I would agree that ebony makes iteasier to slide fingersaround and therefore encourages faster fingering. But the hardness of the wood also makes it much more resistant to pick marks. If, like me,you often strum over the fretboard rather than in the strum hollow, and if, like me, you occasionally do so with a little too much exuberance, then you sometimes leave pick marks on the corners of the fretboard. Ebony resists those marks due to the hardness of the wood.

I had a dulcimer with a padauk overlay that was fast, but not as fast as ebony.

I do not believe having a fretboard overlay would affect sound in any way.

We had pop tarts for breakfast, hot pockets for lunch

Tonight we'll be scrounging a crumb or a scrap

It's Christmas, you know, but I have a hunch

Mama's still strumming the dulcimer on her lap

Mandy, I think the Folkcraft deserves that you write an originalsong. So get out your writing pad. Here are some suggested titles:

"My Dulcimer Kicks your iPad's Butt!"

"Two Dulcimers, One Husband" [Or "Mandy's Trinity"]

"Cut Down the Christmas Tree, I Need Wood for a Dulcimer" [Or "Cedar ain't just for smellin'"]

"No Christmas Dinner, Mama's Still Playin' Her Dulcimer" [Also known by the refrain: "Pop tarts for Christmas"]

"The Second Best Husband in the World" [Hey, what do you want? I'm married, too!]

Congrats on the new addition to your instrument family.

I have acouple of Sue Carpenter's nylon quick release adjustable straps. Scroll to the bottom of this link: http://www.suecarpenter.net/catalog.htm . Although you can leave the straps on and just undo the quick release, there is no reason you can't just pull the loop off the ends. Since I have more dulcimers than I do straps, I put them on and take them off all the time.

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I am glad this discussion finally got some momentum.

Rick, you can't be a scrooge and listen to the Hawaiian slack key guitar Christmas album I mention above. It is so soothing and pretty, not syrupy and sentimental at all.

Ha! You know I'll come to you first if I do want 30 verses to anything.

My daughter has learned the Dreidel Song on the piano and insists on playing it after lighting the candles each night. I wish I knew better Chanukah music to teach her.

folkfan said:

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.

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.

Thanks for posting, Lois. Part of the reason I started this discussion was to get ideas for a CD to buy myself, since as I mentioned, Iallow myself one holiday CD each year. That CD does indeed look interesting, although as you mention,they seem to have not only put out several Christmas CDs, but also movedto other forms of music. Do you know the Turtle Island String Quartet? They are virtuoso classical musicians who play classical arrangments of pop tunes, including Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, and so forth. They might be right up your alley.

Let me start with three of my favorites.

Although I do have a copy of Leon Redbon's Christmas Island album, my favorite island Christmas music is A Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas .

There are a variety of artists on this album, but any fan of stringed instruments will have to love it. The first tune is a really mellow but happy version of Jingle Bell Rock, and some of the picking is just outstanding on all the tunes. With only one exception, it is all instrumental. It all has the gentle island feel and the serenity of silent night, but if ever a hot lick can be called soothing, it is found on this album. I listen tothis almost everyday during the month of December. And the last tune is Auld Lang Syne, so you can justify playing the music until the New Year.

Another favorite of mine is the virtuoso mandolin playing on David Grisman and Andy Statman's Songs of Our Fathers .

Although this album is not technically a holiday album, I tend to listen to it during Hanukkah, Passover, and the high holidays. It is filed with traditional Jewish music from Eastern Europe played in a modern style tinged with Klezmer and jazz sensibilities. The picking is top notch. These guys shred no matter what kind of music they play.

And more traditional is Chanticleer's Psallite! A Renaissance Christmas . Chanticleer is a male choir whose voices just meld together. Although their attempt to do gospel music on other albums falls short, they are in their element here singing the harmonies of classical compositions. Most of the lyrics are in Latin, so you'll need to invite a monk over to translate, but you can enjoy the precise solemn harmonies without understanding the words. I know I do.

Whatever you listen to or play, whether "Daddy's drinking up our Christmas" or "all is calm, all is bright," I hope music complements the joy of the season for all of you.

As we approach the holiday season this year, I want to admit that every year I treat myself to one album of holiday music. Over the years I've accumulated a decent collection, from Renaissance choral music by the Cambridge Choir to James Brown's Funky Christmas (Santa Claus goes straight to the ghetto, in case you didn't know!), from Charlie Brown's jazzy Christmas standards to El Vez (the Mexican Elvis impersonator) asking, "Mamacita, donde esta Santa Claus?"

I thought it might be nice if we shared with one another our holiday music recommendations.  I'll start us off with a couple, but if no one else joins in "I'll have a Blue Christmas without you."

Hi folks.

I just want to remind everyone that many common Christmas songs which we think are traditional and therefore are in the Public Domain are in fact under copyright. For a quick reference of some of the more common Christmas songs, take a look at this webpage: http://diymusician.cdbaby.com/2010/10/dont-let-a-lawsuit-drain-your-christmas-cheer-holiday-music-and-the-public-domain/

Delores, the placement of the strap buttons matters, but not as much as you think. Dulcimers are much lighter than guitars, and even those of us who use straps do not actually suspend the full weight of the dulcimer by the strap the way you do when you play the guitar or banjo.

There are two places where you might want buttons. One is on the very end of the dulcimer. You can see here where McSpadden puts those strap buttons: http://www.mcspaddendulcimers.com/searchresults.asp?cat=49 . The top three pictures there show where the stap buttons would normally go on the bottom of the dulcimer.

The bottom two pictures on that page show strap buttons underneath the head of the dulcimer. Both pictures show dulcimers with flat heads. I don't know if you can still access that spot with a scroll head. But you can probably avoid installing a strap button there anyway. Get a leather shoelace and run it around your dulcimer underneath the strings just to the left of the nut. Loop that leather shoelace through the hole in your strap and tie it tight. If you are nervous, run it around the dulcimer twice.

Delores, the only question is whether your dulcimer already has strap buttons. If it does, then attach the strap to the buttons. If it doesn't you need to add strap buttons.

That is a task you should be able to do yourself, although every now and then you hear of someone botching the job. You will want to pre-drill a tiny hole for the screw that comes with the button. And it can't hurt to put some soap on the screw itself so that it glides more easily into the wood.

If you are nervous about doing this yourself, any guitar shop can do it. Just don't let them charge you more than a nominal fee since it will take them no more than 5 minutes.

My favorites are Sue Carpenter's quick release, adjustable mountain dulcimer straps. Others have copied her design, but I think she was the original. Here is the link tothe catalog page of her website: http://www.suecarpenter.net/catalog.htm . Scroll all the way to the bottom and you will see one of her straps in red. They come in a wide variety of colors.

Nigel, others have provided some good information here, and I hesitate to add to the mix. You know what they say about too many cooks . . .

The most common keys in old timey and bluegrass jams are C, D, G, and A.

With your dulcimer tuned DAd or DAA, you are obviously in the key of D. You can put your capo at the third fret and you will be in G. You can put the capo at the fourth fret and play in A. In both those cases, the fingering youhave already learned will work fine, but you will simply be in a different key.

For C, tune your dulcimer one note down to CGc of CGG. Once again, everything you already learned for DAd or DAA will work except that you will now be playing in C.

Paul is correct that you can tune DGD to play in the key of G, and many people do that for certain songs. But the fingering will be different from what you are used to.

As Carey and Strumelia have explained, since the dulcimer is diatonic, the capo is more compicated than it is on chromatic instruments such as the guitar. You cannot simply put it on the first or second frets to change keys as you will also be changing modes. There are uses for the capo at those keys, but the fingering you already know will not work.

However, if you want to play your diatonic dulcimer in multi-instrument jams, you should get used to tuning to CGc or CGG and using the capo at the third and fourth frets. Here is a Bing Futch video where he teaches the fiddle tune Hangman's Reel in D and then demonstrates how to play it in G and A using the capo. (And if you listen during the closing credits you will hear a "minor" version of the song which is the same fingering but the capo at the first fret.)

As a Red Sox fan since before I can remember, I am indeed routing for a team this year: whoever is playing the Yankees.

I know there are Yankees fans out there. But I guess some people wanted Goliath to beat David, too.

Actually, a lot of the games have been really exciting this year. And here in Northern Cal we had two teams in the run, with the As a genuine cinderella team with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball. My wife is a Giants fan, so our house is black and orange and not because of Halloween.

Excellent research, BRAshley!

B. Ross Ashley said:

That would be dulse , Benjamin, with an s, not a c. [Scottish Gaelic duileasg , from Old Irish duilesc .] at The Free Dictionary , it's not got anything to do with sweetness.

Check out this story about why B.B. King named his guitar "Lucille":

Funny, when I was writing my comment about one of my dulcimers being a tomboy, I had a weird feeling of dja-vue. Now I know why; check out this discussion that I started one late night and subsequently forgot about: http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/forum/topics/dulcimer-gender-studies .

Ihave adigital copy of this picture -- or at leasta similar one --buthesitate to post itboth because it shows a woman's bear bottom and also because I just copied if off the web somewhere and have no ideaif it is copyrighted or what. If anyone is interested in seeing the picture, send me a personal message and I'll point you to it.

Dana R. McCall said:

There is a neat picture of a dulcimer compared to a womans body, if I can find it again I will post it.

Paul, you are certainly correct in a factual sense that the words for material objects in English have no gender. But cultural significance is different. Why do we give boats female names? Until about two years ago all hurricanes had female names. Why? When Chuck Berry sholds his guitar between his legs with the neck sticking out and dances toward the audience, he is celebrating it as a phallic object. And in scholarly circles, people who study semiotics (the study of signs) usually see round as feminine and straight as masculine. So objects can have certain cultural meanings even if grammatically those meanings make no sense. I think that is the case with dulcimers. Most people who name their dulcimers choose female names. That is not the same as the grammatical question about whether the word for dulcimer in German should be male or female, but it is fun to think about.

Just look at those curves! That's got to be a full-figured woman!

It is true that most people refer to their dulcimers as female. Interestingly, guitars are more ambivalent. The body is usually seen as representing the female body, but the neck is a phallic symbol.

In all seriousness, since dulcimer is not a German word, I don't think the "er" ending is relevant. What about " scheitholt" ? Is that word masculine or feminine? According to my German pocket dictionarythe word " Zither " is feminine. That seems as good a reason as any to consider the dulcimer feminine as well.

On a personal note, I name all my dulcimers. They all have female names except for a couple whose names are not sex-specific. One has dolphin soundholes and my daughter named it Splash. One has dragonfly insets in the soundholes and we call it Dragonfly. But the others have female names: Rosa, Lucinda, Liza, Queenie. Lucinda's a tomboy ( Wildfang ), though. And I have yet to name my baritone dulcimer, though the lower range might indicate a male voicing. I'm thinking Otis.

I have three suggestions, two of which have already been offered.

1) Get a baritone dulcimer, or at least string a dulcimer for a baritone. Baritones are usually tuned to G or A, as Paul explains. (Smaller dulcimers might be tuned an octave above a normal baritone, in the manner of the baritone dulcimette that Ron Ewing makes. Dulcimers with VSLs around 22 or so work well with this tuning.)

2) Capo on the third fret so you'll be in G. I do this all the time when jamming with people. You can also cap at the fourth fret to play in A.

3) Tune DGD. This is sometimes called a reverse Ionian tuning. If you are playing in a drone style, it would probably take little adjustment. But if you play chords, you may have to adapt to different fingering.

Good luck.

Gayle, I know a pretty accomplished mandolin player who echos folkfan's advice. He told me to put my instruments near the speakers of my stereo and let the wood vibrate to the music. That way they would be "improving with age" not only when I play, but during all the down time, too. I can't say I've actually done that, though.

Oh, and I am a big believer in changing strings. New strings sound better and are much easier on your fingertips.

In Search of the Wild Dulcimer is both an historical artifact and still a useful guide to the instrumnet. It's nice that its available in digital form, but you can also find hard copies for sale at reasonable prices on Ebay and elsewhere.

Gayle, Robin is certainly right that different websites have different personalities, and Strumelia and the early members here certainly set a friendly and encouraging tone that is what has drawn so many of us to this little corner of the internet.

But I also think that something of the dulcimer's personality comes out in those who play the instrument. It is a humble folk instrument with no pretense at all. It can make very sophisticated music (not in my hands, of course) but is more at home on the porch being played by familiy and friends who care more about having fun than impressing anyone.

And no one can play something called a hogfiddle and take themselves too seriously.

How 'bout "Groundhog?"

Here comes Sally with a snigger and a grin

Groundhog gravy all over her chin

Ken, a discussion on songs about food might be a nice idea!

Ken Hulme said:

Boiled cabbage, squirrel heads in gravy, five pounds of possum, Peas pease eatin' goober peas, how many other food related songs are there of similar nature???

Helen, Rob Gibson was one of the people I first considered when I was buying my first dulcimer. In the end I went with someone more local because the idea of buying an instrument over the phone made me nervous. But since then I've heard a lot of great things about his dulcimers, and just a few weeks ago I found a used one at a local music store. I tuned it up and played it for a while. The sound box is a little bigger than most dulcimers, and that gave it a bit of extra volume. My guess is that it was the Jenny Lind model. The action was really nice and intonation exellent. As you say, it also looks really pretty. I was awfully tempted to buy it, but I just depleted my discretionary fund on a baritone dulcimer, so I had to leave this beauty behind.

His prices are reasonable and his instruments are of high quality. He also posts audio files of each dulcimer he makes, so you can tell what they sound like. I don't think you can go wrong with Ron Gibson.

Hi Cathy,

You may already have found that you are getting more information than you expected. Embrace that fact and learn as much as you can.

To your specific questions, I have personally never heard anything bad about the Black Mountain dulcimers, but I have often heard people sing the praises of TK O'Brien and McSpadden as well as other builders.

As you probably know, astandard dulcimer usually has avibrating string length (VSL)of 25-29 inches. Dulcimers that are shorter than that are usually tuned higher, either to a fourth or fifth above in the keys of G or A or a full octave above to a high D. Dulcimers such as the McSpadden Ginger or Ron Ewing's baritone dulcimette, for example, are usually tuned to G or A. If you want to play with your husband or other at a dulcimer jam or workshop, you won't really be able to do so. You may want to visit the group here I started a while back called Little Dulcimers, and in particular right now you may want to look at the list of little dulcimer makers that I am compiling there. That list indicates the VSL and the intended key of the dulcimers. You will notice that only two makers (Mike Clemmer and Folkroots) listed thereregularly makedulcimers with VSLs less than 25" that are intended to be played in the same key as standard dulcimers.

I point this out because a couple of other people have recommended little dulcimers to you and you should be aware that most of them are intended to be played in a different key or a different octave than a standard dulcimer. However, your initial question is about standard dulcimers with a 26" VSL and you seem to be wondering whether your less-than-professional playing deserves a dulcimer nicer than the cheaper ones out there.

To that question I say yes. You do not need to spend a thousand dollars, but if you can afford $300 or a bit more you can get a really nice dulcimer. And some makers such as David "Harpmaker" Lynch (also a member here) offer really nice student models even less expensive than that. LIke all good luthiers, David will work with you and make sure you get a dulcimer sized and priced just for you. Get a dulcimer that encourages you to play and facilitates your improvement. If you get a dulcimer with inaccurate intonation or buzzing strings or whatever, you will not want to play it and will either give up or have to buy another dulcimer soon. Get a dulcimer worthy of the player you hope to become rather than the one who is just beginning now.

Here is a picture of an autoharp my uncle (of Pawprint Autoharps) made for me a few years back. Notice that the main tuners for each string are zither pins. But down below are fine tuners which are adjustable with a tiny allen wrench.

As Ken has explained, it can be hard to tune a string with great precision using those zither pins; the fine tuners allow more nuanced adjustment. And incidentally, this autoharp was a prototype. My uncle now covers up those fine tuners with a nice piece of wood. We all agreed that this version reminds us of a teenager's braces.

Thanks for sharing this. My favorite is the Parlor stove bass fiddle.

Laura Elder said:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150878062047267.406304.7...

Here are a few more pics from the Facebook link

Wow, I had these pictures up while playing my own dulcimer, which jumped off my lap with a tear in her eye and cried "gramdma!"

A lot of folks use Just Strings . A string is a string, after all, whether one calls it a dulcimer string or a guitar string. Just pay attention to whether you want loop end or ball end.

I actually have a deal with a local acoustic music shop. Whenever they place their order for single strings I add to the order. I get a good price and they get a small but reliable profit.

The hard part for me now is that in addition to a few regular-sized dulcimers, I have two octave dulcimers, a baritone dulcimette, and on its way is a full-sized baritone.Even if you don't include a couple of guitars, a mandolin, a couple of ukuleles, and more, I need a certified accountant to keep track of my string needs. It's enough to drive you loonie.

Cheryl, the gauges you ended up with (12, 14, 24) are what I have come around to using on all my regular-sized dulcimers. Now that you are getting experienced enough to know what your preferences are, I suggest not buying strings in pre-packaged sets and buying them in bulk. You'll save in the long run, especially if you play more than one dulcimer on a regular basis.

Someday, Randy, when family, work, and money allow it, I hope to be one of those new friends you meet at Dulcimerville. Everyone seems to returnwith such wonderful stories of music and friendship.