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And if you practice moderation in all things, aren't you being excessive in your moderation? If you are excessive in your moderation, then you are not practicing moderation in all things, so you are not excessive in your moderation.
Oh, my head is spinning. Good thing my wife just popped the bottle of California bubbly that we never had a chance to share on Valentine's Day.
This is a good question. Don't be surprised if I try to answer it on more than one occasion.
I came to fiddle tunes as a guitar player before I ever knew what a dulcimer was. Part of the attraction is the same as for any folk music. It amazes me that music dating from the seventeenth century or earlier can still resonate today. And somehow I feel a connection with people from the past by understanding the music they played, even if I hear it through modern ears. But whereas some folk tunes require the lyrics to be interesting, fiddle tunes obviously don't, so those of us unhappy with our singing voices might be drawn to fiddle tunes specifically because they are instrumental.
When I first began studying fiddle tunes,I found, as did Strumelia, that they all sounded the same. The only ones I couldeasily recognizewere those that had become standard songs, such as "Arkansas Traveler" (which, like all kids, I learned as "I'm sweeping up a baby bumble bee"), "Eight of January," (the tune for which was used in the pop/rock song "Battle of New Orleans" in the late 1950s), or even "Sailer's Hornpipe," (which my animated buddy Popeye taught me).
But the more I listened and studied, the more I learned the nuances and beauty of each song. "St. Anne's Reel" is really pretty. "Whiskey Before Breakfast" really bounces. "Red-Haired Boy" and "Salt Creek" really surprise with that VII chord.
So for those of us without good singing voices but who want to play traditional folk music, fiddle tunes offer a large repository of material.
There is also a technical reason for playing fiddle tunes. As I learned when trying to be a bluegrass guitar player, you can't fake it with fiddle tunes. Your technique has to be up to par to play these songs at a"danceable" speed. Just practicing them, in other words, helps develop your technique. In fact, a guitarist friend of mine now living in Birmingham who was the reason I took up mandolin (he was just way better on the guitar than Iand also had a killerSanta Cruz dreadnought) has since abandoned bluegrass, but still warms up by playing a large repertoire of fiddle tunes. He claims he gets the same workout as playing scales but has a lot more fun.
One final reason to play fiddle tunes: lots of people know them. I got together with a neighbor recently and while our kids played in the yard she grabbed her banjo and I grabbed my guitar. We hadn't played together inmany a moon, but we still both knew "Old Joe Clark," "The Road to Lisdoonvarna," "Jerusalem Ridge," "Red-haired Boy," "Blackberry Blossom" and so forth. Fiddle tunes serve a social role, since they represent a common repertoire that you can learn on your own and then play with others. And they are far less repetitive than the 12-bar blues!
I've written this before, but my original introduction to the dulcimer came about 18 months ago when I was surfing YouTube for variations on fiddle tunes to improve my guitar playing and found Stephen Seifert playing "Whiskey Before Breakfast." My jaw dropped and I became obsessed with the dulcimer. That something so pretty and so danceable could be played in such an inventive way on such a simple instrument is still astounding to me. When I develop a version of that song on my own dulcimer, I will indeed have reached a milestone.
Robin, I'vesometimes regretted having dabbled with so many instruments as well. You know what they say: "Jack of all trades, master of none." But then I think about what a gift it is to be comfortable enough with music to trynew instruments . I "discovered" the dulcimer in my mid-40s but did not hesitate for a moment to buy one andlearn it on my own. That I felt comfortable doing so was a product of many years playing guitarand also "dabbling" with ukes andautoharps, mandolins and pennywhistles.
My daughter's piano teacher (whom we love and respectdearly)is a professional cellist.I consider her a "real" musician
and myself but a folk enthusiast. I do indeed envy her mastery of her instrument. However, if you had to pick one of us to help you form a jug band, I would assert without modesty that I'd be the better choice. And if you were having a barbeque and wanted some musical entertainment, I dare say our jug band would fare quite well even if we lack the virtuosity of a professional string quartet.
Paul's point is dead-on. Playing music can be a vocation even if it is not an occupation. "Dabbling" for personal enjoyment and growth is indeed avaluable venture. It saddens me that our society only values those activities that make money. Practicing an instrument is considered worthwhile if it leads to a paycheck but a waste of time if done purely for leisure. A story should be something we tell, not just something we read. Drama or comedy should be something we perform, not just something we watch on television. And music should be something we do, not something we purchase.
So dabble away, friend, and I'll be a-dabbling right next to you.
Robin Thompson said:
I wish people would stop tempting me with getting new instruments!!!
I'm sick and tired of being a mediocre player because I dabble too much.
Making music at home is waaaay too much fun! Ought to be illegal!
The mountain dulcimer is a late comer to my musical arsenal. I currently have two dulcimers: a four-string made by Johnie of Unicorn Woodworks out of mahogany and spruce, and a 6-string baritone dulcimette made by Ron Ewing out of walnut and western red cedar. I've also ordered an octave dulcimer from David Beede, ostensibly for my daughter to play.
I've played guitar for decades and currently have a Guild 6-string and a Seagull 12-string. I also have a mandolin, aviolin (which I don't play), several ukuleles (including two banjo-ukes), and two autoharps (a chromatic Oscar Schmidt and a diatonic Pawprint made by my uncle). There is a wide a variety of pennywhistles, recorders, and harmonicas lying around the house. I also have a limberjack and hope to get or make several more.
Hanging on our living roomwall is a rababa which I do not play but which was given to me by my daughter's pre-school teacher in appreciation for my many visits to the school with many of the instruments listed above. On the other side of the chimney hangs a dulci-gurdy, a hybrid dulcimer and hurdy-gurdy made by some luthier in Austin and given to me recently by an uncle. The dulci-gurdy is not really in playing condition, but maybe if I get some free time . . .
Finally, over the holidays I purchased an electric pianoso that my daughter can take piano lessons.
"That's enough!" my wife says. I smile andignore her.
Oh, and sometimes I sing, which causes the dogs in the neighborhood to howl in pain and my wife to scratch the blackboard to drown out my voice, which sounds like a combination of Bob Dylan and Mr. Magoo.
John Henry..thought I'd share
OFF TOPIC discussions
Welcome home, John. I don't mean to your house, I mean to FOTMD!
John Henry..thought I'd share
OFF TOPIC discussions
Thanks, Rod and Strumelia, for informing us of John Henry's situation. We are all wishing him a speedy recovery, I am sure. Please keep us updated if you receive any news.
Giving Thanks
OFF TOPIC discussions
A copy of this post is also found on Everything Dulcimer. Please excuse the repetition.
On the eve of Thanksgiving and the coldest day of the year so far in Northern California, while chopping vegetables in preparation for tomorrow's feast, I watched my daughter sitting on our couch in between my parents as the three of them wrote the fifth or sixth chapter of what has become an on-going story about two families of grasshoppers who learned to put aside their differences and get along together. The joy they all obviously felt in their collaboration, though, pales in comparison with the joy I felt observing it. Indeed, my family is healthy and we have many relatives and friends to be thankful for.
But I am also thankful for all of you.
With the exception of one day in July 2009 when I attended the Redwood Dulcimer Day, my entire dulcimer experience has been digital. I first discovered the instrument in a YouTube video by Stephen Seifert, I located a luthier online and contacted him via email, and I learned my first half-dozen songs by copying YouTube videos. Other than that one day in Santa Cruz, the only dulcimer I've ever heard live has been my own, and I know no one in my "real" life who plays.
But here I am, over 18 months after obtaining my first dulcimer. I still play as often as work and family allow, and I am still enthusiastic about the instrument.
The fact that I am still so excited about playing this instrument is certainly due in large part to the support and camaraderie I've discovered at ED and FOTMD. These two websites have remained an important part of my dulcimer life for the last year and without all of your friendly and supportive enthusiasm, I don't know whether I would still be playing the dulcimer. I would like to think my love for the instrument is genuine and would have lasted anyway, but I don't know whether I would have continued to study the instrument if I had no one to share that interest with.
So I say to you all, thank you. You have helped sustain a joy in my life that I hold precious.
I do indeed hope one day to meet many of you in person, but even if that day never happens, I will always be thankful for the interactions we've had online.
And no, I'm not crying; I've just been chopping onions.
updated by @dusty: 10/27/19 12:02:25PM
Show us your sound holes!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Phil is so happy with his dulcimer in honor of Ellie that I had to plug my uncle, the sole luthier at Pawprint Autoharps:
Your favorite dulcimer case!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I will be traveling this week and want to take a dulcimer with me. The problem? I don't want to risk any of my dulcimers by checking them as baggage, so I have to take something small enough to bring on the plane. No problem, right? I have a baritone dulcimette made by Ron Ewing, perfect! Well, no, for I only have a padded case for it and even if I place it in the overhead bin I would be worried sick.
Solution? It took about 5 minutes of modification (butchering) to get this viola case to fit nice and snug. I am so excited to finally have a hardshell case for my little baby.
FUNNY songs you sing & play on your dulcimer
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I guess my dulcimer hasn't found its sense of humor yet.I play "O'Brien is Tryin' to Learn to Talk Hawaiian" on a pink ukulele.When I play guitar for my daughter's kindergarten class I play Pete Seeger's story/song "The Frog" ("Oh way down south in the yankety yank, a bullfrog jumped from bank to bank") which involves singing like cows, chickens, a barnyard gate, grass, a babbling brook, etc.And another kids guitar favorite which could easily be adapted to dulcimer: "There Ain't No Bugs on Me."For the adult crowd I will sometimes play Loudon Wainwright's "I Wish I Was a Lesbian" but the mood has to be just right.Most of the funny songs I know I learned from Jim Kweskin albums. Where else do you get, "Washington at Valley Forge/Freezing cold but up spoke George/He said, vo do dee do, vo do deeo do do"?What a great topic for a discussion, Strumelia!
FOTMD one year anniversary on July 29th, 2010 !
OFF TOPIC discussions
I was taught back in my vaudeville days never to follow an animal act.Thanks to everyone for making FOTMD such a friendly, engaging, and supportive community.D.T.
FOTMD one year anniversary on July 29th, 2010 !
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What a cutie! It looks like your right hand is already getting ready for that frailing banjo! Strumelia said:
John Henry said:
Strumelia, that is not really you is it? Tho' I suppose the hunk of pie might just be a link!! And party time is nearly with us......
Strumelia said: No, that's not me, it looks to be from around 1920's to me. That would make me pretty long in the tooth! But it does represent how I feel.
Seems like every other week is a party around here. I can't get any work done! lol
This is me:
FOTMD one year anniversary on July 29th, 2010 !
OFF TOPIC discussions
I know many of you can't believe FOTMD is already one-year-old, but I can't believe it is only one year old! I just assumed when I joined that you folks had been discussing dulcimer-related issues for years and I was crashing a long-standing party. It is amazing how quickly a sharing and considerate online community has been formed. There is so much anger and venom on discussion boards all over the Internet that it is a joy to come to FOTMD to find kind-hearted, friendly, and encouraging people with whom to share a musical passion.I assume we have simply taken on the personality of our beloved founder, Strumelia, who continues to nurture us with her knowledge and love of traditional music and those who like playing it.
BEGINNERS' OLD TIME JAM – DOWN THE PUB
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Good point, John, especially in the context of a discussion specifically about a "beginner" jam. I, too, have attended a couple of those hardcore Irish jams where everyone knew every song and what order they would be played in. Those jams are indeed not welcoming to beginners or even intermediate players.But jams sometimes evolve. I used to frequent a bluegrass jam in the Bay Area (with a guitar and mandolin, for I had no idea what a dulcimer was back then) that was held weekly in a small fish taco joint. There was a small group of hardcore folks who played really tight music, with precise harmonies and stellar solos. It was hard to join in. I was just happy to play chords to back 'em up and never dared take a solo. But then that core group started their own band (and still play around SF, I believe) and left the jam behind. That opened it up for those of us who were not quite up to their speed.We couldn't get Guiness on tap (my favorite, too, Robin) at that fish taco joint, but we had plenty of Bohemia and tequila, and the Mexican seafood was spicy enough to light the wicks on our picks and get some happy music going. Some customers seemed surprised to find bluegrass and old timey music in a taqueria, but everyone seemed to have a good time. The jam was good for business, so the owner loved having us around.Of course, that was years ago. For all I know that space is a Starbucks now. John Henry said:
Hi Dusty, a nice thought, but a better statement might be "many British pubs.............." I live in a fairly big city, and would be hard pressed to find a folk based music session every night, and even when one does, they are not always welcoming. Ever tried joining a hard core Irish session? You need to know every note and play em in exactly the right way to suit that group. So most of us know that special pub where the session accepts just about anyone ( in my case, a hammered dulcimer) Having said all that, some of the happiest most memorable times of by later life were sitting in with others and playing whatever as it arrives!
my regards,
JohnH
Dusty Turtle said:OK, I have to confess that I have a large, flat-screen TV in my house and indeed watch sports and grill food, sometimes at the same time. But chez moi you can also find several guitars, a mandolin, a fiddle, two ukuleles, two banjo ukes, a dulcimer, two autoharps, numerous pennywhistles, a limberjack . . . and no amplifiers!
A sports bar is obviously not the best place to gather for an acoustic jam. But any British pub is (unless a World Cup match is in session)! In general, the more Bud Light served the less likely acoustic folk music will be welcome, but the more Guiness or IPA around, the more the patrons might enjoy Billy in the Lowground or Blackberry Blossom or Flowers of Edinburgh or . . .
BEGINNERS' OLD TIME JAM – DOWN THE PUB
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
OK, I have to confess that I have a large, flat-screen TV in my house and indeed watch sports and grill food, sometimes at the same time. But chez moi you can also find several guitars, a mandolin, a fiddle, two ukuleles, two banjo ukes, a dulcimer, two autoharps, numerous pennywhistles, a limberjack . . . and no amplifiers!A sports bar is obviously not the best place to gather for an acoustic jam. But any British pub is (unbless a World Cup match is in session)! In general, the more Bud Light served the less likely acoustic folk music will be welcome, but the more Guiness or IPA around, the more the patrons might enjoy Billy in the Lowground or Blackberry Blossom or Flowers of Edinburgh or . . .
BEGINNERS' OLD TIME JAM – DOWN THE PUB
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Wow, for a beginners group you all sound really great. I wish I had a similar gathering nearby to join. You write, "Playing collectively with good musicians is such an excellent way to develop your skills" but I would be happy to play collectively with poor (well, let's say mediocre) musicians. Instead, most of the time I play unaccompanied (I was going to say I play by myself, but that sounds weird) so the music doesn't sound as good and the beer is not quite so tasty.I am able to identify nearly every song you played and could probably play a version of each one, so if I the day should ever come when I find myself near the George III, I'll invoke a version of the Quartering Act, commandeer a place to stay for the night, and come join you.Anyway, I hope you appreciate the fine jam you have found. The fact that it is in a fine pub is merely evidence that you have found truly sacred ground. Enjoy.
I like the traditional look of the traditional soundholes as well, but I also think they can be reserved for the traditional instruments.If you are building a new dulcimer yourself, or if someone else is building one for you, then by all means, be creative and personalize the soundholes. I like the look of leaves and vines a lot, but sometime soon I'll have to have a dulcimer made with turtle-shaped soundholes.For you, though, I think you already gave us the answer: aspen leaves. If you play fast enough they might look like they are really quaking! The only problem is that a single aspen leaf is not too shapely and not nearly as recognizable as a maple leaf for example, so you might have to go with a small group, as in the attached photo (though certainly you could rearrange the leaves for aesthetic purposes). Other Colorado-themed possibilities would be the outline of mountain peaks, the shape of a blue spruce, or simply some climbing vines.Whatever you decide, you will have to post some pictures so we see how your new baby looks.
I'm sorry that I can't offer any cool stories or photos to this discussion board. I felt brave enough putting on my own (store-bought) strap buttons. (Sorry, Ken, I know you are theoretically opposed to straps, but I couldn't play without one.)My mandolin strap is a simple shoestring. And I've made capos for my guitar with nothing but a pencil and some rubber bands.I look forward to hearing about what others have done.
Love
OFF TOPIC discussions
Aw shucks .It's nice to have an online family, and you, Dear Strumelia, are our matriarch.We all share your affection for this place and the wonderful folks who inhabit it.
Hi Katie and welcome. I, too, came to the dulcimer having played other stringed instruments (guitar, mandolin, and the like) and found I could pick things up pretty quickly. I learned my first half dozen songs or so just from watching YouTube videos.I would suggest you simply scour YouTube as well as the videos posted here. People at this website are especially friendly, so if you ask questions you will be sure to get eager advice.And if we don't know the answer, we'll make something up!
800!?!!
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I would be much more likely to enjoy your "faux haggis" than anything resembling the "vrai haggis." In general I've inherited the American distaste for internal organs, but using ground lamb or veal would be tasty. The nutmeg surprises me, though. That would not have been one of the spices I would have thought of. Ken Hulme said:
DT - My "faux Haggis" is pretty darn tasty. Haggis is basically a sausage or stuffing made from minced organ meats, oatmeal and onion that are cooked in a sheep's stomach. It's more or less illegal to buy/sell sheep stomach in American where the FDA rules.
The faux version I make is basically a poached meatloaf. I combine say 2 lbs of ground lamb, or mix of lamb/veal with a large diced onion, and a cup of uncooked steel cut oatmeal. Season with white pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, and add an egg for binding. I form that into a log about 3-4" in diameter and 8 or 9" long, and roll it up in a piece of cheesecloth like a giant sausage. Put the log in a metal bread loaf pan on your stove top, and add a cup or more of chicken broth to come half way up the side. Bring to a boil and simmer about an hour until you get an internal temp of 150F. Turn off the heat and let it least at least 10 minutes before unwrapping and slicing.
800!?!!
OFF TOPIC discussions
Yes, folkfan, once (only once, unfortunately) my mother-in-law made the dessert tamales. They were indeed really good. More regularly she makes two versions of fried plantains, one sweet and one savory. folkfan said:
DT, Does your mother-in-law ever make Tamales Dulce (Sweet Tamales) . I had a co-worker whose mom made the most mouth watering dessert type of Tamales at Christmas time. TO DIE FOR
800!?!!
OFF TOPIC discussions
No offense to my Scottish brethren, but gopher might be an improvement upon traditional goat haggis, though I should admit that I've never tasted the stuff.A new family tradition for us is to make Honduran tamales every New Year. We all gather around the dining room table and begin assembling the tamales. My mother-in-law (yes, the one from Honduras) makes the masa, and we make our tamales with any combination of seasoned chicken, seasoned pork, carrots, potatoes, olives, onions, beans, even dates and peanuts. Although considered a heretic, I began making some vegetarian versions and some with crab meat, cheese, and green onions.And we wrap the tamales not in corn husks but in banana leaves, which are much easier to manipulate and allow for much larger tamales.Somehow I became the salsa maker, and I usually makes three or four types each year. The best versions, in my opinion, are the tomatillo salsa and the chipotle/corn salsa, in which the heat of the peppers is balanced by the sweetness of the corn. Still, my wife always prefers a standard fresh salsa with tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, the latter of which is a key ingrendient in all the salsas.The wonderful thing about this tamale tradition is that eating them is only half the fun. The other half is gathering everyone around the table while we assemble them, each one of us bragging that ours will be the best and finding subtle ways to add a signature to the way the tamale is wrapped so we can tell the difference. And tying the wrapped tamales up is the only stage that wee little hands can't do, so even the kids can make tamales that taste just as delicioso as the rest of 'em.All this writing has got me hungry. We may not wait for New Years. Maybe we'll do some tamale making this weekend in honor of our 800th member.D.T. Ken Hulme said:
Yeah Mennonite tamales would be like the rest of their food - filling but bland! Actually in Alabama/Mississippi, the tamale was introduced over 70 years ago by migrant works and adopted into the local comfort food canon. Not quite Mexican, but very good.
DT - you've never had Santa Ynez Gopher & Goat Haggis???
800!?!!
OFF TOPIC discussions
I would never have associated the followers of Menno Simons with tamales. Baked goods? Yes. Tamales? No. Next thing you know we'll have Chumash Indians here in California selling haggis and shortbread. Travis Rodgers said:
There are some Menonite? women here who have a stand out most Saturdays selling home-made baked goods and delicious home-made Tamales. My Mom goes by almost every week for her lunch.
800!?!!
OFF TOPIC discussions
Wow! 800 members is impressive, especially since the site is not even a year old. I had no idea. When I found you all I thought I was joining a group of folks who had been interacting for years.Thanks to Strumelia, of course, for making all this possible, but also to everyone here who makes FOTMD such a warm and welcoming place to learn about dulcimers, turkey poblano, and a range of oddities of all sorts. Strumelia said:
Travis Rodgers said:Man it's hard to believe how this group has grown. I remember when Strumelia announced that she was starting it. It seems like just a couple months ago.
In fact, FOTMD's first year anniversary is coming up soon....on July 29th!! That's the day it was launched and the day it got its very first member...Pristine2/Richard. The following day it got 7 more members, the day after that 8 more..... It does seem like just yesterday though!
Robin, I have no idea if your speculation is plausible, but I just want to applaud your last line: "you could drink, dance and drone with the devil in D . . . and then chime in church with the choir in C.!"That's a great line!D.T. Robin Clark said:
This is a very interesting thread!
I have no evidence for what I'm about to suggest, just drawing from your posts above.
I wonder if both the keys of C and D were actually regularly used in "Olden Days" (which arn't really that old - my house is the same age as the earliest dated MD). Different regions would have had different primary uses for the instrument and therefore taken tunes from differing sources.
Tunes in the key of C, the "church" key would have been more likely to be written down. Hymns would have been primarily composed on the pump organ/piano by musically literate folk and passed from community to community in written form. The first written books for MD would have come from musically literate folk, much of their material (hymns) would have been in the key of C and it would make sense to transpose folk songs for the MD into the same key for instruction.
Mountain music was more likely to be learned by ear. If you were listening to your uncle play a tune on the fiddle then you are most likely to copy it in the same key. The key of D makes sense as a base. These tunes would be passed from community to community by ear in an aural tradition and would not have been written down until outsider schollars became interested.
In some communities it is quite plausable that you could drink, dance and drone with the devil in D on a Saturday night and then chime in church with the choir in C on the Sunday morning!
Robin
There are actually three migrations (I won't say transformations, for many people, as Ken H attests, still alter tunings often and play a true diatonic instrument) that have led to DAd tuning become the most common.One was the increase in playing chords on the dulcimer. Fingering chords in Mixolydian tuning is apparently easier than doing so in Ionian. That would explain the prevalence of 1-5-8 tunings.As others have pointed out, the vast majority of fiddle tunes, which form the basis of old timey and bluegrass music, are in the keys of D, G, or A. That may indeed have been a factor in favoring tunings in D rather than C.And finally, the additional frets that modern players often put on their dulcimers (the 6+ but also the 1+ and those crazy chromatic things) make a single tuning more versatile than it was in the days of a true diatonic fretboard and noter/drone style playing.To answer Dana's question, yes, the more you change the tuning of your strings the more likely they are to break, but that should not dissuade you from experimenting with different tunings. Keep in mind, though, that when you switch from DAd to CGG you are not only switching from D to C but from Mixolydian to Ionian.Having said all this, I'll confess that I am now at the end of the my first year of dulcimer playing and I have played exclusively DAdd tuning. I play chord/melody style and simply felt the need to get to know the fingerboard in that tuning before moving on. As my comfort level has increased dramatically, I am (almost) ready to start experimenting a bit with "alternate" tunings. I think we each have to approach the instrument at our own pace.Cheers,D.T.
Sorry, Ken. I guess I misunderstood you. I had thought your point was that a lot of beginners are wrongly convinced to remove the double string believing it would be easier to learn that way. I took you to be emphasizing "beginners" and "believe," meaning you thought they were wrong. My point was simply that many players who are not beginners and who learned on 4-string instruments have switched to playing 3-string because it is easier to bend strings. Maybe you can bend double strings, but there is no doubt it is a lot harder. There may indeed be other reasons for playing 3 single strings. It seems to me that Stephen Seifert chimed in on this on ED not long ago and listed advantages and disadvantages to both single and double strings.I play a four-string dulcimer and hope to soon play a six-string dulcimer, but I think there are legitimate reasons for preferring single strings. Not everyone who plays that way was a misguided beginner.Again, if I misinterpreted your post, I'm sorry.D.T. Ken Hulme said:
Dusty'
I did say said that many folks remove the fourth string believing it is easier to play that way.
You said: That may be accurate, but a lot of accomplished players remove the double string to make it easier to bend strings.
Ummm... Hello? Isn't bending strings a method of playing them? I certainly don't go around maliciously putting bends in strings otherwise...
Personally I don't have trouble bending double strings... but then I eat my Wheaties!!
As far as I've observed, all your observations are accurate with the sole exception, as noted by Ken H., of the 13+ fret, which is standard on most dulcimers with the 6+ fret.I just want to offer one additional comment on the double melody string. Ken H states that many folks remove the fourth string believing it is easier to play that way. That may be accurate, but a lot of accomplished players remove the double string to make it easier to bend strings. I am not one of them, for I am not accomplished, and I like the double string. In fact, my next dulcimer will be a 6-string dulcimer. But as a guitarist I can attest to the ease of bending strings when only playing a single string. I play lots of 12-string guitar, but whenever I want to play blues or even fast-paced bluegrass, I grab the six-string.And the whole justification for doubling the melody string only makes sense if you play noter/drone style, where the melody string has to compete with the volume of the bass and middle string. If you are playing cross string or chord/melody, you want all the strings to have about the same volume.I know there are many out there who lament the standardization of the DAdd tuning and the 6+ fret. I must admit that I rarely play in other tunings and will probably add a 1+ fret on my next dulcimer. Sorry, dear traditionalists, but I'll let you down again.D.T.
purpose of design features on a MD
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Great job, Robin! The only possom board I've held in my hands was a large and awkward piece of rectangular wood. I couldn't imagine playing with that on my lap. But yours is clearly tailored specifically for your dulcimer. You've inspired me. Perhaps the next free weekend I get I'll have to fashion one of my own.Thanks for the pictures.D.T. Robin Clark said:
Hi D.T.
Here are some photos of the board. I simply cut it from a piece of ply. It really only took me an hour or so to build. I didn't put much time into it as I wasn't sure if it would work - but I've been using it every day for the last 9 months!
I use a strap on my MD and the board and MD sit together snuggly because of those little flanges at each end.
Robin
Dusty Turtle said:Robin, might I ask what the dimensions of your possom board are? I had never really thought about using one, largely because I mainly play alone so volume isn't an issue. But your description makes me wonder how my dulcimer would sound with a possom board. I play with a strap and can only imagine putting a small board underneath.
D.T.
Robin Clark said:I built a simple possum board for my MD and was very surprised at the difference it made. It has given the instrument more volume and a rounder tone. I have a strap on my MD and it holds the MD and the possum board that the MD rests on just fine - I have found no need to attach the two together. Having heard what a possum board can do, I am having a Galax style false back built onto the MD I have presently on order as I want the possum board built-in for ease of use.
Robin
purpose of design features on a MD
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Robin, might I ask what the dimensions of your possom board are? I had never really thought about using one, largely because I mainly play alone so volume isn't an issue. But your description makes me wonder how my dulcimer would sound with a possom board. I play with a strap and can only imagine putting a small board underneath.D.T. Robin Clark said:
I built a simple possum board for my MD and was very surprised at the difference it made. It has given the instrument more volume and a rounder tone. I have a strap on my MD and it holds the MD and the possum board that the MD rests on just fine - I have found no need to attach the two together. Having heard what a possum board can do, I am having a Galax style false back built onto the MD I have presently on order as I want the possum board built-in for ease of use.
Robin
purpose of design features on a MD
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Ken, you are probably right that when I first began playing and had problems with the end of the instrument lifting up it was due to faulty positioning. But our attitudes toward the strap are completely different. Once I attached a strap to my dulcimer and could position it exactly how I wanted to, it really became mine and my playing began to advance. I find it not restricting but liberating since it secures the instrument against your body and allows you to play without having to worry about the instrument moving at all. I think I read on some post at this site Dan Daniels discussing how he holds the instrument by bracing both hands against it while playing so that he can adjust the dulcimer on his lap as he plays. I find playing alone demands all my attention and don't want to worry about my dulcimer develop a sense of wanderlust.Best,D.T. Ken Hulme said:
No reason you can't put a strap on a possum board! Either gravity or a low pressure bungee or rubber band holds the dulcimer on the possum board (sometimes a wooden toggle).
Tail-end lifting when you fret near the head is caused by not having your knees far enough apart and the dulcimer placed incorrectly on your lap. The nut or first fret should be over your left knee, the other end tucked into you right hip. The dulcimer does not naturally sit at right angles to your lap.
Personally I find straps very encumbering and restricting.
purpose of design features on a MD
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Hi Folkfan,I was introduced to a possomboard about two weeks after installing strap buttons on my dulcimer, and the strap was such a revelation, I didn't even consider the possom board. You are right that it would allow you to increase the volume on all your instruments, rather than just the one with a double-back, but at this point I'm pretty wedded to my strap. Until I installed the strap, I had enormous problems not only with the dulcimer sliding around my lap, but also with the back end lifting up when I played on the first few frets. Maybe my legs are just to short and small to fully hold the instrument. But getting a strap on there improved my playing immediately and really made the instrument "mine." There might be a way to play with a possom boad and a strap, but something tells me it would be difficult.Anyway, I was initially just looking for clarification that the purpose of a double back was just for volume and not something else.Thanks again,D.T. folkfan said:
D.T. One thing you might want to think about when it comes to a double back is substituting a possum board. You mentioned not playing flat in your lap, so I tried my possum board resting in a more up right angled position. It held my dulcimer securely, and did increase the sound in that position. Usually I play flat across my lap, but with it more at an upright angle it also gave me a place to rest my right arm. And a strap can be attached to the board rather than the dulcimer.
The advantage I see in the possum board over a double back is that with one possum board all my dulcimers can have a freed up bottom for an increase in volume, or not if I don't want or need the extra sound. Just a thought.
purpose of design features on a MD
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thanks, Strumelia. Your comments about the zero fret echo those of Paul, that a good luthier shouldn't need a zero fret. As for the sound preferences, I'll leave that up to you noter/drone players to figure out.D.T. Strumelia said:
And myself on the other hand- I don't care for zero frets. They give my drones a slightly metallic sound as compared to how they sound with a bone type nut. Regardless of the fretted melody string tone, I still like the drones to sound 'non-fretted', just my own preference.
And I think a well made instrument shouldn't need a zero fret to improve intonation.
purpose of design features on a MD
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thanks, Carson. Your comments about the material of the zero fret make sense. That would imply that it is not so much the existence of a zero fret but the fact that the zero fret and the other frets are the same material. One might conceivably make a nut out of that material to achieve the same purpose. And yes, it would seem reasonable that the difference in tone quality would be much more noticeable in noter/drone style than chord/melody.Most of the dulcimers with the double back also have larger bodies, like the Galax instruments, which would make it hard to isolate the effect of the double back alone on volume.Thanks for your comments.D.T. Carson Turner said:
I've found that having a 0 fret improves/unifies the timbre of the open string compared to fretted strings. That is, the open string has the same sound quality as the fretted strings because the string stop is the same material in both cases compared to fret vs nut material.
I play noter and drone on unison strings though so having a different timbre on two of my strings is a noticeable problem. I suspect if I was a chord style player then I might not notice it as much because the members of the chord would be fretted more often.
I do play Galax style (but don't own a Galax instrument, yet) and the double bottom is traditional in that style. As I understand, the only real purpose is to remove the dampening effect our lap has on the back just as playing atop a resonator box (or table) would. What I wonder though is why, if we're interested in transferring vibration to the back, that we don't use a soundpost in conjunction with that false bottom.
purpose of design features on a MD
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
It makes sense, David, that the binding would serve a protective purpose. I had never thought of that. As for the zero fret, I am still confused. I've heard some folks say it creates superior intonation and action, but Paul's comments above imply that a careful and patient luthier shouldn't need to use one. I don't think that will be a major determining factor in my next dulcimer. The scalloped freboard does look nice, I agree, but I'd rather put whatever money I can justify spending on another instrument (I have guitars, mandolins, autoharps, and a few assorted banjo ukes and other oddities as well as my dulcimer) into a better sounding instrument and not just a better looking one. And you are right that even small dulcimer gatherings with no vendors still have dulcimers. I'll just have to be a bit more outgoing and ask to try a few.Thanks for your advice,D.T. David Swanson said:
I won't rehash the good advice others have given you, just add what I have been told:
Binding is said to protect the corner/joint from damage coming from minor impacts, besides its cosmetic function. It is the one "option" that the guy who built my dulcimer really pushed, for that reason.
Scalloped fretboards look really cool when done correctly. That is almost enough to justify them by itself.
I wouldn't rule out a builder just because they do or don't use a zero fret, it is just a differnt way of doing the same thing. I certainly wouldn't ask a luthier to add one if they don't usually use it, or delete one if they do. There are fine instruments around built both ways.
Even if there ae no luthiers at a festival, there are usually people there with a number of different dulcimers that you can see, hear, and often play if you ask nice.
Good luck!