Forum Activity for @salt-springs

Did you remember.."Going in Circles" and "Grazin' in the Grass" by the Friends of Distinction?

Well Nate that was long ago, (like 50 years ago)........things were different back then.............just keep on and it will quit sooner or later.

Well Nate there's plenty of cracked folk out there and their not just on the internet, though that internet thing does give them a forum to remove all doubt if anyone seems to be questioning their ability to think.  Over the years, folk have hexed me, the Klan vandalized my stuff, tried to through a log through a picture window when I settled some refugee's from Vietnam, slashed my tires. Some witchy types put a couple of spells on me and scratched all sorts of nutty stuff on the church walls, and once tried to fill my driveway with nails.  Point is, don't give up doing what your doing 'cause sooner later they'll find someone else to try to drive crazy.

Frankly, I think what you do is amazing and often times makes my day.......besides your giving that other Nate a break.

I was an invited to  a Baptist Church in my younger day in NC.  One Sunday evening a big controversy broke when a visiting Seminary student played a guitar and a delegation of Deacons had a pure fit, yelling about no Stringed instruments and all that sort of thing.  Well,being a Methodist at the time and finishing up at the Seminary at Wake Forest I got dragged into that hoopla. 

Since they had a Piano up and the platform near a couple of double doors I told those characters they might be right and told them to follow me and waltzed them over to those double doors and told them to hold 'em open and proceeded to push that Piano towards those doors.  Since that would entail Grandma's piano having to survive a 4 ft drop they commenced to yelling stop, what was I doing etc.  I told them Piano's had strings and if they were right it had to go since their point was that stringed instruments were of the Devil  a Piano sure had a bunch of them.  The mess simmered down after that...........on the way out I couldn't help but sort of innocently asked what David's harp used to make music since I was a bit perplexed by the whole situation.  

The Piano stayed and I never did get an answer..........

https://issuu.com/dulcimerplayersnewsinc/docs/120823165315-a345f3453f974f1190310a94462246b7

Go to page 25 or run a search on the issue that comes up, enter Magic Mountain

https://fotmd.com/forums/forum/general-mountain-dulcimer-or-music-discussions/20342/does-anyone-know-when-my-mountain-dulcimer-was-built

I heard from JC years ago when checking one out......if I remember there might be a number stamped in the wood somewhere that could give you an idea as to when it was made.  I just don't remember.  People that have owned them, some on this site swear by them.

Good question......I think I would experiment with eye screws painted to match the color of the wall and plastic clear zip ties or stainless steel zips painted or stained.  Another thought is use some loop end strings, run them through the bottom hitch pins and put the one your going to attach to the wall under one of the strings running through to the bridge, pull it tight and twist it to secure making another loop or wind it around the eye screw or whatever your using. You might be able to make a sort of L bracket out of plastic or vinyl to run your wire through. If your are placing them on dry wall use some plastic or metal anchors with the eye screws..........there is a way but it might be trial and error until you find on that works for the bottom attachment.

 Or If you used a flat rectangular piece of plastic, attached to the wall, behind the instrument you could run that wire from  the hitch pins under the body and tighten it up enough so that the instrument will lay fairly firm against the wall.......wrap your wire under that plastic, through a hole in it and/or around a screw holding the plastic.  If your worried about the screws that you attach the plastic with stick some felt over them.  That way, if the head is secure you could angle them any way you wanted depending on where and how you placed the plastic piece.

Just a thought or two..........

Simple........on the youtube video.......start it.........go to the settings on the video (that gear thing).........hit playback speed and speed it up or slow it down.

I finally  (OK, I'm slow and not the brightest light on a Christmas Tree),  figured out how to avoid the aggravation.   Since I have some issues with my right hand, (think lousy Rugby player 50+ years ago) being used to strum so I used to always string up for left handed play.  A bit frustrating and all that goes with it, such as chord charts etc.    So............I learned to play Galax style.......4 d strings and a noter........makes no difference how you hold that critter, works just fine.   So I recommend you give that a whirl and if it doesn't suit 'ya you can return to that "bac'ards ciphering."  You can also finger pick a unison Galax stringed instrument and finger dance too. Listen to Phyllis Gaskins and you'll be amazed what that style of play can do.  

Nate,  I found a catalog that has pic's of a variety of Native flutes by tribe.......you and others might be interested in those pics, especially if you want to make your own.

https://flutopedia.com/fcat_old.htm

Pretty much.........I think the last paragraph of the Smithsonian article link sums it up..............I always found that the Drumhop site with the songs that each tribe used and the stories behind them were fascinating to hear.  Granted it can be a pick tricky to use but well worth the effort.

A great site too:

https://drumhop.com/music.php?page=97

Here is another link for your consideration...........

https://drumhop.com/music.php?page=135

Note the warble......characteristic of indigenous music of long ago.

The is a good read.......I've played these flutes for many a year and own a number of them made by Michael Graham Allen with whom I've been in contact many times over those years. MGA is a super musician, true gentleman and superb craftsman.   The issue is not the design of the flute so much as it is people appropriating another peoples culture and claiming it is something that it is not.  If you research native flute music that was recorded by real indigenous players from long ago you would immediately see the difference.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-center-folklife-cultural-heritage/2021/11/09/north-american-indigenous-flute-kevin-locke/

https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/49186/do-we-have-any-authentic-native-american-flute-music-from-the-18th-century-or-ea

John Calkin, former President of the American Guild of Luthiers.........100's of articles by him available online.  He is on facebook too.

https://www.facebook.com/john.calkin.92

That is going to be an outstanding for you....since JC's retirement from H&D (Huss and Dalton guitars  in Staunton, Va.) John tells of  building 4,000 instruments.  BTW, H&D Guitars are mucho bucks and top of the line.........like 4-5 grand used and way upwards of that new. 

That is sad news................I appreciate you posting that and I will surely remember his family and all those grieving his loss. 

Welcome..........I think you would be good with 12's-14-22 since some Darcyhorses had an action that was a bit high if I remember some other comments.

Generally,

I use  12, 12, 14, 22 or if I use DAA tuning I like a firmer string so I use 14's and a 22 or 24 depending on what I can find that is handy.

You going to tune it to DAA or DAD?

I don't know how to contact him these days, however Terry Pattison I fairly sure lived in Union Township, Pa. on Wager Road.

You can test if it is sulfur based oxidation by doing this, (it works primarily on sterling but you can give it a try...........)

You need.......

a ceramic bowl lined with aluminum foil, shiny side up

a tablespoon of baking soda

a tablespoon of salt and some hot water.

Put just enough water in the bowl to dissolve the baking soda and salt and cover the item you want to clean up.

stick the silver thing in it and see if the sulfur flakes off  after a few minutes and moves to the aluminum foil.  Dry whatever you stuck in there with a towel and see what you have.  I know some jewelry folk put the soda and salt on the item and then pour the water on it.......my sister used to add tiny bit of dish soap on her sterling Native American Jewelry at the shop she had years ago, then buffed it up. She said it takes a bit of practice to get the consistency correct but it works after about 5-15 minutes of soaking as I recall.

This is a form of oxidation since your silver plate is not sterling silver. Silver plate that is not sterling will show a rainbow effect in varying degree as it ages.  Ken is correct when he speaks of a chemical reaction.  Are the strings that were plated made of nickel?

True enough Randy......................

Well, they might be dated and ravaged by time, but then again so am I.  There is amazing stuff on those sites, especially for folk who like the music from the era of good old Alphonso X.  Jessica Comeau has a few Cantigua's on youtube that are great.

Wow Curtis..........I just read most of your website postings.........who knew?  There's enough material in there to keep anyone with an interest in music and all sorts of other things occupied for days.  I dare say anyone who reads your work would agree that your one of the hidden treasures on this site.  I going to post a link to it so that other people can read your material and not take my word for it.

https://curt.bouterse.com/

I'd take a look at McSpadden's Bass dulcimer fret pattern and make a comparison to what you have on those dulcimers.  As the info there says they can be played DAD and while their's are three strings, I really think your OK.  Before I'd can that dulcimer I check the pics on McSpadden's site, especially since the odds of using those high frets are not very frequent.  Then again, I'm just a hack and I'll bow to the experts on here.  Here's a link........

https://www.mcspaddendulcimers.com/category/all

This might help you a bit figure out what you've got going on.  BTW, if you ever come to Salt Springs, drop me a note and we'll try to figure it out if it's possible.   Folkcraft has a chart that has fret measurements on it as do lots of others.........check it out on the link you can see some of it on page 2.  The only dulcimer builder around you that I know of is David Beede in Melrose and a few in Jacksonville that might be able to give you some help.

http://www.davidbeede.com/Fret_patterns.htm

https://www.folkcraft.com/products/fret-position-reference-guide-mountain-dulcimer-1340001

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/newsobserver/name/robert-bryan-obituary?id=12749920

This fellow was quite well known around Raleigh and Garner NC.  His obit mentions him as a dulcimer builder among other things.  Here's the link if anyone wants to read it.

Yes, the pup can be adorable, she's a Lab and Bulldog I think.  Really high energy 24/7.  There were 8 of them at the shelter the day we got her. I think she's 4 mos. old today, ........old Fritz was one of the best.....when a big old Black Bear pinned my old Beagle against the backyard fence and was going to do her in, Fritz covered the 300 ft in a split second and wailed that Bear and rescued the Beagle....never got a scratch, when our 16 year old cat was lost in the forest after a hurricane tore the joint up.......I turned him loose in the forest and told him to find that old cat.........an hour later he brought her back...........125 lbs of spit and vinegar with a penchant for Boar's Head roast beef and fried chicken from Popeye's on Sunday. Bears at the kitchen door....he would run 'em off.  Coyote's no sweat....'nuff said.

New Pup after Fritz was lost due to long term complications from a Rattlesnake bite......

https://www.knightconferfuneralhome.com/obituary/CBruce-Henry

On August 23, 2006 David Schnaufer, probably one of the greatest Dulcimer player ever, left us.  I was thinking this morning that many new players may not realize the influence he had in making the dulcimer well known to both professional and amateur musicians.   So many great players have gone on..........and by the way, Linda Paulus' book, PLUCK is a great read..........you should get a copy and reflect upon the musicians mentioned, some of whom are still around and members of FOTMD.  (Thanks for doing what you continue to do!)

There have been so many...................

Good, I'm glad that worked for you..........so far as being computer smarter....I just wish I was smarter in general.

It might work if you try it this way...........go down about a page and a half to the July 30th post.

https://www.facebook.com/AACHindman

Try the youtube link if the first one jams at 4.20

https://www.facebook.com/AACHindman/videos/3247264138892023

So true Ron...........if you have never seen that sort of thing you can't imagine the speed and power of those things.  Tragic situation all the way around.