Clive, I have to add some info to my answer. Technical the pizo receives the vibrations of the bridge, but... the feedback coming from the body will alter those vibrations. Imagine experimenting with a magnetic pick up on a normal (classic) guitar, on a semi-acoustic guitar and on a solid body guitar. The sound will have each time a different character. The same goes for a solid body dulcimer.
Wout
It picks up the movements of the bridge (with feedback), so it will work. It even works with no body at all, as long as it makes contact with the bridge.
Wout
Guy, as you point out the other five modes sound somewhat exotic to many ears indicates they are not realy in use anymore. For centuries music is made in major and minor, or majeur et mineur, or Dur und Mol. Surely somebody can proofMozart composed a Fantasy in C minor in which a reverse scale delivers a descending Lydian scale, rather eclected.
Of course are major and minor part of the modes system, all be it under different names. Even Mixolydian and Dorian are related to major and minor: the first is a scale starting in major, but ends in minor, where the second is a scale staring in minor and ending major. In a way pulling one's leg 
Wout
Exactly!
Modes represent a complete different music practise compared with what we use today, with exceptions, like 'Old black Crow', Scarborough Fair' and the 'Drunken Sailor'. Modesis making music listening to the intervals after each other, where harmony is listening to the intervals which are produced at the same time. Drone music is a mixture.
So isn't there a real reason why modes were introduced to the dulcimer? Yep, to get ride of the inflexibility of the diatonic set up. What do other diatonic instruments players do, like the mouth organ and the thin wisthle? Just bying another instrument which is in the right key.Well, that mouth organ iseven crazierthan the dulcimer... Using a C harmonica when playing in G (or is it reversed?)
Wout
BTW it wasn't me who introduced the modes in this thread...
Just use a DAD chart and leave out open, first and second position.
It is the same as on the guitar... The C grip played with a capo on the second position will sound as D. You are thinking C, but it is a D. Anyway, onmost dulcimers there are only three strings (Okay, the melodycan be doubled), which makes chord grips easy.When playing chords one doesn't need a capo. Playing noter&drone style, a capo can be handy.
On the guitar you have only four fingers toperform a grip on six strings. Because you don't have to use the thumb to make pressure at the back of the neck playing dulcimer, you have five fingers for three strings. So one loosing while cooking isn't that bad...
Wout
Hi Strumelia,
'Being sure' is a relative idea
In the above example starting at the open melody string playing Ionian means using the 6+ fret, right? (Rob writes about 'a nice major sounding mode') Using the 6+ and shifting the keyboard one fret to the right delivers, still using the 6+ fret, a Dorian mode...
Playing the open string and using the 6 fret (not 6+) delivers first a Mixolydian mode and shifted one position delivers an Aeolian mode. That is what we do by tuning the melody string to C (one down) and start at the first position instead of the open string.
Using a capoon the first fret delivers E Aeolian, a minor scale (not mode), as Aeolian being next to Mixolydian in the circle. Next to Ionian is Dorian.
Ionian > Dorian > Phrygian > Lydian > Mixolydian > Aeolian > Locrian
My opinion isthat talking about modes is confusing and also frustrating, special when learning the dulcimer. Let's only talk about major and minor,and sometimes about Mixolydian and Dorian;almost rarities becausethat is just a few compared with the other two in music. (With exception of the Medieval Church music)
Strumelia said:
Wout are you sure about that?
Wout Blommers said:Hi Rob,
Tuning in 1-5-8 and starting 1 fret higher will be Dorian.
Wout
By using more force pressing the string down it will buzz less than you will expect. The vibrating of the string will be much shorter, so there is only little sustain. To overcome this effect feeding more energy into the string is used, mostly by a bow (violin). Also the differences of which material string and board are made off is of great importance (Ebony is very popular).
Fretless instruments can play all tones possible within its range. The difference of a F# and a Gb can be made and is important, special when playing a double bass. Fretted instruments are always slightly out of tune, but it takes a trained ear to hear this. Sometimes perfect tuned instruments are used, but some people will find it strange sounding, because they are used to hear only equal tuned melodies.
About Randy's frettles playing, he uses a noter and not his fingers. A noter can deliver much more force on the string and stop it down almost like a fret. He is able to play all tones possible (not that he does) and can make perfect glides. Surely he needs a good muscle memory to play it. I believe not the entire frettboard is frettles, only the lower part?
This is a noter&drone version, somewhat more simplier and in DAA
Well, wouldn't the easiest way be a talk with Steve Eulberg about a chromatic dulcimer?
The HipShot products are nice products, but I think not very useful on a dulcimer. They are designed being a bender (like pedal steel guitar effect) or extender, special on the bass dropping the E string to D without retuning. The dulcimer requires a larger range of detuning or uptuning, sometimes a 4th! And to add to more than one tuner one needs a large tuner head
Easy to tune from DAd to DAc and maybe to DGd, even DGc (when?), but DAA to DAc is not possible.
Riding a bike hands-free has to do with the gyroscopic effect of a running wheel and the bending of the fork of the front wheel combined with the center of gravity:a bottom in the saddle. That's plain physics and not being afraid... Hands-free standing in front of a traffic light with both feet on the pedals (sur place) or riding uphill standing on the pedals is almost impossible!
No need to look at the fret board is a psycho-motoric matter, createdin our brain and spine.
So, the challenge: riding a bike solo while playing the dulcimer on your lap! And watching the traffic at the same time :D
I think muscle memory isnt that important due to the diatonic fret board, special in the lower octave. There is enough space to get the right tone. The same goes to the VSL, I think. More troublesome is the retuning of the strings, which enables to play the tune right, also due to the diatonic structure.Sometimes a song needs the 5/6/6+/7 frets and a capo. Better look at the frets then
Wout
Goshi,
I think you could ask Ulricus. I think he is a member of this forum too. He is German, well, at least Ost-Frisian, and somebody who wrote about the dulcimer and more specific about the Hummle.
I know in English the gender of a word isn't important, but in written German, specific the more serious writings, it is. I think Ulricus has been through this too...
See http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/main/search/search?q=ulricus
Wout
I sometimes frown when I see such sales and the prize asked for it. $ 100 is okay when it is not wanted by the seller, but under the $ 25 I always wonder if the seller is the rightful owner... Sure, I didn't saw the face
At the other hand, I sometimes get instruments cheap because the owner is pleased I can play it... Also for nothing at all! Those lucky moments
Wout
