Forum Activity for @5kwkdw3

Ken, thank you so much.  Go figure it was easy as Googling it!  That and all had Amazon links to boot.  There were two Lois Hornbostel's books via Amazon.  One listing her as author and  the other the same but following a "Mel Bay Presents".  Different covers as well.  I'm getting all three found on Amazon and I hope I don't get too many duplication's.  Although that's almost impossible to do in the music book arena.  Thanks again and I'm off to the races!  Kevin.

Howdy all again!  I hope it's correct to place this here for open discussion?  If you caught my previous recent posts, I'm trying for some tab to join my newest baritone dulcimer with other instruments and dulcimers in particular.  What I didn't realize was that since both my regular dulcimer and my baritone are 1-5-8 and in G (Dusty reminded me I could use the same music on the baritone), I don't really need a Dulcimer/Baritone duet book, but rather just a Dulcimer Duet book.  The main melody would be taken by the dulcimer while the background or harmony parts played with the baritone, just that it's an octave lower.  This would be ideal.  A simple dulcimer duet book.  I've noticed some tablature that does include a "second" part.  Sometimes on it's own staff, and others written on the same staff.  An example would be like tunes that have an echo part like the song "I'll Fly Away".  I'd sure be nice if that could be found in one book.  Any ideas?  Kevin.

Thanks Susie.  Tracking number has it coming this next Tuesday.  I can't wait!

Dusty, you came through again for me!  I hadn't even looked into the "groups" section of the forum and as you suggested, I joined the Baritone Group and boy that has everything I've been bugging you all about.  Thanks again and I'm going to try to post a pic that Ron Ewing sent me just before he put my instrument in the mail.......  I thought that the picture would come up in the text, but the link attachment should do the trick?  Maybe I did that wrong, but have a look as it's beautiful as are all of Ron's builds.  Look close and you'll see the Galax back as well as the six strings.  I asked for all to be unison, but Ron said that on the bass course, two of those rather thick string would be buzzing if placed together so on the bass course it has an octave pairing.  I may decide to do the same with the middle course after I get it, but???  Time and sound will tell.  Kevin.

 walnut, cherry and cedar 6 string baritone 006.JPG - 147KB

Thanks Dusty!  That was very informative.  I've had some "previous" bad luck with capos.  Specifically on the dulcimer I refer too, it had a relative short fretboard height off the sound board.  The capo I was using had to really hug the top of the dulcimer in order to "fret" the strings enough.  Long story short, somewhere along the line I ended up pushing in dimples (rather unsightly ones at that) in the side of the fretboard.  But I do see where you're going and appreciate the information.  I do sort of want a dulcimer/baritone dulcimer book of tab since my wife has expressed renewed interest in learning the instrument.  That would be ideal for me if my wife and I could play some tunes.  I was thinking that if there were written "duet" music for the two, then the parts for the baritone might be slower for one and easy as well?  Maybe I'll have to dust of my staff book and write my own parts as I did way back when for my church?  My newer (already 3 years old) computer and an early copy of Finale music notation software didn't like each other and the Finale folks couldn't offer a compatible upgrade.  They did offer to sell me a new version though, hah.  With it I could scan in standard notation music and change keys and then convert it to dulcimer tab.  Boy how I miss that program.  Thanks again.  Kevin.

Thanks Susie for your comments.  That's also pretty much the case with me (playing solo), but from time to time I do come across a guitar, violin, etc. that I'd like to play with.  It was playing for my church that I think was my first reason to tune everything in G.  Not so much for the other instruments, but for me.  (I didn't have to think that much).  I did a fair amount of the "arranging" for the instrumentalists who'd play together so I appreciated making it simple for myself.  The most difficult was when a young college student wanted to join in but had a trombone.  I forget now what it was keyed in, but remember it was a "head scratcher" for me to pen his part.  Kevin.

Howdy All:  First, my apologies for not being around for quite some time.  A move, health issues, hobby cancellations, etc. have finally lead me back to the dulcimer and a couple new instruments.  YEAH!  My latest is again from Ron Ewing and is a Baritone.  It's a six string in his "Aorell" body shape.  It along with my other Ewing are both in the 1-5-8 tuning, but both are in G.  So that I guess, puts my baritone a full step lower than normal and my dulcimer a 5th? lower than normal.  I'm weird I guess?  Other instruments are a banjo and mandolin so the key of G made sense to me.

I was wondering though, what folk normally did (excuse my above tunings) with your baritone to play with others?  Also is there any known tablature out there written specifically for a baritone dulcimer?  When I learned my first musical instrument in grade school (clarinet), my brother and I had several duet books written specifically for the clarinet.  I thought that would be perfect if such a book existed for a standard dulcimer and for the baritone.  Any thoughts?  Kevin.

On the other hand, don't make the mistake of thinking the reason I don't need the tab is that I have taken the time and energy to memorize how to play hundreds of tunes!  I have trouble memorizing anything, so don't anyone give me props for something I haven't done--and probably couldn't do  

I didn't mean to say that I'd memorized a bunch either.  It's just I can see the melodies on the fretboard when I hear the name of the tune.  It might take a couple of plucks to find my spot, but then I whip out a dulcimer tune much the same one would indeed, whistle a tune.  I forced myself to memorize specific Handel and Bach organ pieces, but can also count the number on one hand.  If I learn a new one, then sure as anything one of the previous ones will go out my other ear.   Some dulcimer pieces are in fact memorized, but still in just barely the double digits like Greensleeves.  I memorized a particular take on that song in tab.  I memorized not the tune per se, as all probably can whistle that one, I have the frets in mind.  Where the fingers go and what fret to go to next type of memory.

I knew that standard music notation was out for me even though originally musically trained to read it.  I thought that Tab was all I would ever use for the dulcimer, but I've found a peculiar thing when it gets right down to it.  I cannot read tab and play at the same time.  I'm familiar with this dilemma since there is one other instrument that this situation comes into play.  Self taught on the organ, but never taught to read bass clef.  I just knew that a note of bass clef and what it looked like (in an all treble clef world) was actually two notes lower than what I really should be playing.  In other words if I was to see what looked like an "A", then that meant I should be playing a C instead.  And so on and so on.  So for me to "sight read" a two part piece of music (say a hymn) I'd have to move up all the bass clef notes by two and play the treble as it reads.  This is cumbersome at best and darn confusing at worst.  Especially the three staff music of the music greats that some if not all specifically wrote for the organ.  There is one staff of treble and then two of bass clef.  That really is nasty.  What I'd do is my counting exercise for a line of bass and memorize it.  I'd go over and over that stretch of music until I had it down.  Then I'd play that while sight reading the treble clef.  I'd get pretty good at that part with my left and right hands and then I'd spend time learning the bass clef line for the pedals.  Of course that involves (you hear of "finger dancing") well this was feet dancing as they old birds wanted to put more notes in there that'd take three pair of feet to do it correctly (not sure how those authors did it?).  Once that was committed to memory I'd play back, still sight reading the treble all three stafs.  Wow, what a work out.   Well the dulcimer was no different with the tab.  I'd go through the motions learning a song and its chords and when I was actually playing with the tab, the tab was only there for reference.  I'd be playing the song from memory or later to be found, by ear.  In fact it became so obvious that I was not reading the tab, but playing from sight and sound memory that I took to asking my wife to name a tune.  She would and I'd plunk around a couple of notes and soon enough I was playing out the melody and after just a run through or two, I was adding harmonies and chords.  Not knowing what the chords were or the notes for that matter, just what they looked like on the fretboard and sounded like to my ear.  I still use tab now, but only to learn a tune or direct the start of said tune, then the rest is solely be ear.  Not sure why that is for me, but that's surely what I caught myself doing and continue to do so.  It does make it much easier to not have paper music falling all over the place and needing to turn a page and such.  Kevin.

It may just be me, but I tell you I've gone through a number of strings over the years, not from overreaching to another tuning, but simply from going up and down a full step on a string a number of times.  So the string easily reaches either a D or a C, but if I were to go back and forth a number of times, that string is going to pop!  I think the extra strings is a terrific idea, Kevin.

Thank you so much Robin for such a thorough and complete answer to the question.  I think I now have sort of an idea if not fully understand the individual practice totally.  I know I'll get some hate mail here, but wouldn't all of this be illiminated with the use of a fully chromatic dulcimer?  I mean with a fully chromatic instrument, then any and all sound, keys, modes, etc could theroretically be achieved, right?  Then you'd have the equivilant of a piano on dulcimer and anything could be played?  I guess then the only concern would be the "playability" you mentioned concerning the open strings or what key's are more easily achieved from the instruments current tuning?  I know that it's not, but a four string equidistant fully chromatic dulcimer would seem to fit in perfectly here?  A flat backed mandolin as it were?  Just my thoughts I guess?

So for a thread with a life of it's own and to keep up with the OP, I have a question to those who are more familiar with the different tunings:  On an tuning where there might just be one string changed (I've seen some that I thought looked familiar, but the last string was changed to a C for instance in an otherwise key of D or G, or maybe A?),  What exactly does that do for a player?  Is it that one additional song can be played or chords achieved (I saw mention of greensleves being played courtesy of a alternate tuning) by tuning down or up that one string?  Or did I miss something and players are playing off of the very same tab, but now with a detuned string or sharpened one and the differing sounds that are produced?  Much like playing a song in G major but with the strings tuned in such a way as to allow a Bb to show up and make it sound in a minor key?  Is the later one a viable reason?

I might also suggest that this thread has run it's usefull life?  Don't you think?  The original OP's question has been answered fully and Ken (among others) has clearly defiend the different number of modes and tunings.  (Yes I'm a big offender and am doing it again right here in keeping the thread alive).  It's just it has taken a life of it's own and I'm sorry for being a part.  Back to the OP, does the questioner have any remaining issues?  That would be the only salient point?  Sorry again, Kevin.

So Don and Linda, that's three of us.  I gave additional frets a try when my builder suggested the addition.  Bad mistake indeed.  It no longer was that quaint diatonic instrument that I'd learned to love.  No it now was a complicated hodgepodge and not as good as a chromatic "guitar" as it were.  I ended up selling the instrument to another that wanted such a thing.  I couldn't bear to have an off colored plug in place of the missing fret I guess?

Don, another interesting thing about keyboards, pianos, organs and the like.  I've had rebuilding experience with a number of turn of the century and prior Pump and pipe organs (the home parlor type).  The actual largest pump organ must have been for a funeral parlor (due to the plant stands made by the maker of the instrumen) and the fact it was a two manual, full concave radiating peddleboard and although it had foot tredles, it also had a choir boy lever on the back so a second person could pump the bellows allowing the organist use of his feet on the peddleboard.  Interesting stuff when you get into it.  But to the point.  Most and then again only some, of these instruments shot for A440 in their tunings.  Shot for is being generous as most all were in need of tuning across the board where age and oxidation and various other reasons had taken the entire instrument out of tune.  After cleaning and repair and tuning the instrument to itself (just catching the flyers be it flat or sharp) you could establish an overal pitch by use of a quality electronic tuner (not the instrument case ten dollar types).  I found that a lot of these period instruments were as much as 50 cents off if not completely a couple of whole steps out of tune.  The best that could be hoped for was to tune it to itself as trying to acheive true A440 would end up breaking something especially in a piano with old strings.  For years a musical instrument was what could be cobbled together in the home or workshop (thus the reason for early Americans and the Tenessee Music boxes)  A town would be lucky to have a larger instrument in the school or church and usually an upright piano or pump organ served that purpose well.  I emagine that if one were versed with the local town instrument then that would carry forward to home built instruments as well?  Maybe that would give rise to a number of "C" based instruments?  Just speculating here, but even in just notation, a song in the key of C just plain looks neater whether or not it's easier to play or not.  Kevin.

Although self taught on the organ and piano, instructional books and lesson planners for same are most always done in the key of C as well.  It makes for tiier notation and easier explanations of the musical chords and the like.  No sharps or flats until absolutely necessary.  I found in playing organ for my church that there was a reason that the old timers wrote in Ab or Eb and the like.  It's far easier to play such a key on a keyboard.  Sure the notation would make a beginner cringe, it actually is quite a bit easier since you hand moves forward into the keys and index and middle fingers hit the flats easily whereas the pinkey and thumb are left to hit the few naturals of those keys.  If you know piano (or at least a very little), try forming a chord in the key of C and then a song of chords where C, F, and G7 are asked for, then do the same for the key of Ab.  You'll see what I mean.  Different though on the dulcimer as it's just as easy to play on an instrument tuned in any of the keys, it's just that C's notation looks a bunch cleaner to the biginner.  Kevin.

With my brother and I's "Instrument acquisition and play wars" that one was easy for me (sort of?).  The big 120 bass accordion for me taught me just that as the 120 buttons opposing the keyboard are arranged in the circle of fifths.  Only one button is marked for identification and is usually the root bass for the key of C or a bass C note is sounded when that button is pushed.  All of the chords are aligned diagonally and in the keys of the circle of fifths.  From the middle C, C chord row, going up took you through the sharp keys and going down took you through the flat keys.  That alone is when I discovered that there was indeed a key of G#, which of course sounds identical to the key of Ab.  Written differently, yet the very same exact notes and chords.  The ones that make you scratch your head are keys such as Cb or the key of B#.  Legit in every fashion on paper and notation, but nonexistant when it comes to actual music that is played.  Fun stuff (at least for a music nerd like me?)  Kevin.

That's a very good idea and I think I'll stick with that one.  I remember early on that just the difference in DAd and DAA was enough for that one string change as to not really be good for either.  If the string was bought as appropriate for the lower A, then it very nearly came to breaking and poking my eye out in the process (I always flinch when I hear a string about to break and yes "you can tell" after you break enough of them).  Or if you start the other way and get a string appropriate for the higher d, then when detuned to the lower A, the string is very sloppy and the sound not the best in the world up to and including basically unplayable.  One last attempt, because by golly the darn books say you can swap tunings all over the place and I bought a string more appropriate for a middle of the range note of B and or C territory.  Now I asked for assistance back then and found that for the string length I was utilizing and the notes desired, the B or the C pitch ended up being the same gauge so I was indeed in the middle.  I first tuned to the lower A and gave that a try.  Still way to loose and sloppy.  Sounded more like a rubber band and cigar box type of thing.  Then I cranked it up to the higher d and found that I was not flinching as much, but the string was different in feel and hard to finger the higher fretted notes because of the increased tension.  Yep that's another thing to consider.  The tighter the string tension, the thicker the calluses you'll end up with if you can even fret the higher notes.  So the string tuning change was out the window as far as I was concerned and I began thinking of another answer to the problem of playing in two different modes without the hassle of tuning up to or down to the desired pitches.

Now folks with a current outbreak of DAD will appreciate this (there are equivilant diseases in the gun shop and are contagious let me tell you)  That is, buy one dulcimer for each and every mode you'll ever think you might play in.  If you feel that getting different dulcimers a disservice to your learning to play, then buy similar models of dulcimer, but get different looking woods to shake things up a bit.  Mama's or spouses if the other way around don't apparently like this disease at all.  Nonetheless I had what I needed to explore the "other modes" and found that putting all of my effort into one mode had a direct result in producing a better player in that given mode.  The more I spread myself around the less I actually learned.  OK at many but good on none it seemed to be.  So now with over 46 years of musical experience from that very first day on the clarinet to now and many many instruments inbetween I can safely say that I want to concentrate my efforts solely on DAd (actually GDg, but still Mixalydian and the 158 ratios) and just watch my skills increase.  I found the very same thing to be true when my brother and I were in the middle of our "Instrument Wars".  Once I got hooked on the Mandolin and it's family, I stuck with instruments that shared the same "fifths" relationship between strings.  My brother on the other hand chose to not only go beyond the imediate family of instruments, he went out of the box so to speak bringing in the like of bag pipes, bassoon, melophone, accordion, tenor sax, guitar, and the like with not one instrument having any such similarity between themselves.  Needles to say he had a massive slow down and finally had to deep six some of the instruments and just concentrate on a few that he had some aparent skills with.  Yep you change the dulcimer mode if even only the one melody string and you've changed the overall makeup of the instrument and therefore made another instrument that you have to teach yourself how to play.  The exception to this is if any or all strings tunings are changed yet the player is a noter drone player or owns a Tennesee Music Box with traditional fence staples just under the melody string(s).  Then you are only required to play that one string and the others just come along for the ride so it doesn't really matter (other than sound) what they are tuned to or the relationship between them and the melody string   Kevin.

The above is why I so appreciate tab found on ED and the like: Earlier on I bought a few books and even bought a couple based solely upon a particular song or two that the book contained.  Only later to find out that instead of the much more common DAdd (double dd for Marg), they were in some backwoods passed down for generations family mode and tuning.  That did me absolutely no good whatsoever.  There for awhile I had some success with a computer program called Finale of which I had for other music interests.  When a group was playing at the church I'd arrange the hymn to the instruments that were available.  This was all in standard music notation as that's what most if not all played in for their respective instruments.  The dulcimer was of course the odd bird of the bunch (I couldn't even play standard notation on the dulcimer and had to have tab).  After I'd arrange the score I'd separate the parts and print them out and when I had my part indicidualized I'd convert it to tab. (on that version of Finale it was a simple "Select All" and then click the "Convert to Tab" button.  Boy was I spoiled for awhile.

Another thing I'd often notice was that if a fellow hated fretting on the first or second fret all the time (in say DAdd "double dd for Marg") rather than use a capo, they'd just tighten up the strings a bit and call it the "Johnson Ol Tyme Mode" and be done with it.  I swear I didn't think that there were that many modes for the dulcimer at all?  Quite often a book will have you tighten or loosen a string (or all the strings) a number of pitches (just asking for a broken string) and back again just to play yet another song.  One book I had there were only two songs that were in the same mode.  Every song had it's own unique mode to play it in.  Now maybe that book was an introduction to those varioous modes, but as a book, it stunk big time.  That's what I don't understand.  If you look at the available instruments and how they are strung as sold and then the music books that follow, a majority are in teh DAdd.  So why is there an insistance on producing all of the other tab that is more problematic than helpful to the rest of the folks?   DAaa is the very next most popular and found tuning and I've seen a number of books mainly written in that mode, but you can't single out just one mode it seems.  Every book I've bought even a Mel Bay book on the DAdd tuning had a load of other tunings in it.  That made no sense at all.  It would be like buying an english book that was written in spanish?  Go figure?  Kevin.

Marg, you're idea is exactly what I use to do.  In printing out available DAd tab off of ED, I had a really tought heavy duty binder (D ring about 2" thick) and a three hole punch.  Alphabetized, punched, and filed for later use.  After awhile I got quite the collection of tab in my very own tab book.  Kevin.

You bet Jan.  What a great hobbie to be able to entertain one's self.  From my original music training (the clarinet) I soon realized that it by itself was rather boring and depended upon a whole band or orchestra to enjoy  (I know there are exceptions, but I'm talking about my enjoyment) So that is why I learned and favored instruments that in essence were a complete group as it were.  Organ first, accordion, piano, and last but certainly not least the wonderful dulcimer.  Loads of fun indeed.  Kevin.

Speaking of different modes and the like:  Just because of my first dulcimer mode and tuning I've backed that up with tablature and the like and then after a few years I then realized exactly which modes I played in.  Up till that point I just thought that folk changed tuning of individual strings to suit a particular song they wanted to play?  At it's heart that may well be true, but I never wanted to flatten the instrument since it would change everything about the string and it's notes as well as overall, the instruments chords and intervals.  At the time I also played the banjo and found that some were doing much the same with bangos.  Even to the extent that they sell and market a tuning peg that allows detuning to a specific note.  Yep you adjust it to pitch and then tighten a set screw.  Detune the string to the lower desired pitch and tighten yet another set screw.  Then during play you can imediately "detune" the string to the desired lower note and back.  Often there were two strings that detuners were utilized on.  No sure that was clever to bounce down and back up to pitch, but more the detuned tuning was in itself a tuning for the banjo and songs were and can be played in that "detuned" state.

So with the dulcimer as well as the banjo, I was having enough fun/difficulty in learning the one setting let alone confuse it with yet another tuning.  Might as well be learning a completely different instrument as to learn a completely different tuning.  The only thing the dulcimer had going for it was that no matter the detuned state (or simply different mode) it was still a diatonic instrument and for one string or more, for the noter drone folks, it was identical in play.  It's just those darn chords and intervals that get buggered up.  So after looking at what I had and was playing, it seemed as though I had two modes to my belt.

The two moded were 158 Mixilydian and 155 Ionian.  Now that I knew what it was I started collecting instruments in both versions so as to allow play in each.  That was before when I was single to newly married and an eternity ago.  Now as I'm getting back into play and dulcimer ownership, I decided upon the 158 or Mixilydian for my Probst baritone (even though it will be strung in the key of G).  The 158 solely referrs to ratios of the strings against themselves and not the instrument's key.  I then found opportunity after speaking with Ron Ewing of picking up a baritone dulcimette of his in his Aorell shape.  (hourglass towards the player and teardrop on the farthest side.  Oversimplification for sure, but basically correct).  I at first asked it to be tuning to G in the Ionian mode or 155 so that I could play those additional songs.  Well nothing requires a song to have one versus the other to be able to play, but some are just easier on one versus the other.  I then realized that time was short and I didn't really have the time nor energy to learn and continue to work on two seperate tunings and instruments to go along with those tunings.

So last night I decided to change my Ewing order and request it also to be in the Mixalydian mode or 158, still tuned in the key of G.  That way each instrument was the exact same as far as fingering and play.  I can concentrate on that mode and tuning as get, well, better at it.  I will learn those songs (Amazing Grace as an example) that are simple and easy on the 155, to be played in an instrument in the 158 mode.  It is possible after all.  Then my skill will increase far faster than splitting it between two different modes.  And the most important of reasons:  I'd often take a baritone dulcimette on trips and play while my wife drove to doctors appointments in San Francisco.  While I played (when they were different modes) I'd always wish I had the other mode.  When at home playing a larger instrument in 158, I'd wish I had the 155?  I kept swapping instruments and never could just grab the one and play and be happy.  Now with both the same, if at home I'll play the Probst large dulcimer and if when going to bed, I want to play a quick couple of tunes I can still grab the Ewing baritone dulcimette and play in the same mode and be happy.  Also on trips the travel instrument will be the same as the home one and visa versa.  I look forward to receiving each of the two instruments I now have on order and remember that when I had over 25 dulcimers that the Probst and Ewing instruments were the last to go since I enjoyed them the most.  Kevin.

Exactly what I myself did.  I found that for a home key as it were, I most often found myself in the key of G (wife's singing voice and easy to group with violin and viola and such)    gDG has proven to be so great for me to merg with singers and other instruments that that is what I have on my only one dulcimer right now.  Ealier, single and loads of dulcimers I too had a few keys represented.  The Baptist Hymnal loves flat keys so I would have an Eb, Bb, F, Ab, and C to name a few.  It's so much easier to just remember one set of fingerings and don't even think of the relative key being played.  Let your "key specific" dulcimer do the transpositions for you.  Kevin.

This is where "self taught" might not be the best way to learn.  Bad habbits and getting stuck in one area (tuning) vs others.  I would always read in the first book on dulcimers I bought with my first ever dulcimer (I had buggered a cheap kit previous to this and had plunked out a tune or two, but all that did was wet my interest in getting a "Real" dulcimer)  Book and instrument in hand I was off to dAD and was stuck there forever.  I finally forced myself to learn DAA, bur that was about it.  I'd read about detuning strings and moving things around and if you could stomach tab only, then that would be fine as you wouldn't need to know the notes, just the numbers and follow the tab map.  I knew that standard notation was out of the question due to the diatonic nature of the instrument.  So here I am and several dulcimers later and still play just in dAD, but am content with that (actually a fifth lower, but the same relationship with the strings in G  gDG.  No longer having two dulcimers or a courting or double neck dulcimer, I really am a one mode player and that's just fine with me.  Kevin

Ken I play some of the same instruments (not guitar however) and I do have a problem with fret spacings and different instruments.  I guess it's what you are most use to?  When I started wanting to teach myself bowed instruments I started with the violin and had nothing but trouble.  I then found that my fingers were wider than the spacings between frets if the violin had any.  In other words I had to move my finger before placing my adjacent finger on the fingerboard.  This made it very inconvenient to say the least.  Then after a measure or two, I found that my mandolin VSL if you will was 13 3/4", which happened to be identical to a viola I'd been looking at.  Sure enough I picked it up and immediately started whipping out tune after tune.  I didn't have to look at the fingerboard any longer, just place my fingers and play.  Made it so much easier.  Kevin.

"In having a collection of dulcimers if they are not all the same size, how much of a problem is it for your fingers to land on the desire fret?"

Try going from a 29" baritone to playing a 17" octave dulcimer and you'll be landing all over the place.

Thanks Jan, I couldn't have put it any better myself and yes I too have experienced this very thing myslef.  To quote you:.....

"Now, with dulcimers--after a bumpy start-- I finally have a better focus on what I want (and why)--and that focus is narrowing all the time!"

My collection of 25 did nothing but tell me what it is I'm happy with and what it'd take to produce a viable instrument for self entertainment and for accompanyment with my wife or other instruments.  Woods again not so important, but durability and play is most important to me.  I've entrenched myself to the desire to own and play six string instruments (dulcimer that is) and have them tuned to the key of G or baritone in the dulcimer family even though I'll be as apt to play the melody line with harmonies along with it.  This is what made it so easy to select the features of my next Probst instrument and know what would be important to me in the purchase.  It's still hard to shake some of the interests of that collection namely the beautiful woods and laminations of woods found in a Nic Hambas dulcimer or the haunting sounds produced by His bowed dulcimer as well.  It just happens to be a truth that I do not exceptionally play a bowed instrument and that of a bowed dulcimer so I know to stay away from them as they are only an expense to an otherwise overburdened budjet of dulcimer collecting.

I'm still a fan of the unique and different and that produced many of the dulcimer examples in my former collection and is something I have to constantly guard against lest it happen all over again.  That and there are entirely too many dulcimers out there to collect (I'm talking types of dulcimers here) and if you only had one of each (doable unlike every mineral in the world) it would still be way to many different instruments to try and master.  A slide dulcimer, walking dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, bowed dulcimer, may all have the name dulcimer in common and may also have a diatonic scale in common, but that is where the similarities end and then you realize that you have several entirely different instruments each of which have a learning curve that will not transfer to any of the other instruments listed here.  It would be like picking an instrument from each of every division in a modern orchastra and thinking that you'd be albe to play and excell at each and every one of thim.  As I've posted prior to this, my brother and I have had the oportunity to learn a number of different instruments, but that doesn't mean that we were good at any one of them.  No rather it meant that we were lackluster on every one of them and it distracted us from excelling on any specific one of them.  Now that I know this, I will keep my collection to one type "The Mountain Dulcimer" and one mode and tuning G of mixilydian mode and stick there for the next forseeable future until I get to where I actually can play a few tunes and play by ear songs that I've never attempted before.  Kevin.

Thank you so much for the kind words Marg.  I too am hoping for a similar blessing in my play as was evedent with my organ abilities.  I had a rather short upsweep in abilities during my church organist time due primarily I feel to the fact that I was using that talent in God's service.  It's amazing what God can do with an otherwise unusable week talent (I thought?).  So it is with my new Probst, as I look forward to getting involved with a few other church instrumentallists to again do service to God.  That brings me to a heading of looking for all things Hymnal in dulcimer tabliature and parts of a larger group of instruments in music written for church play.  I really loved how my earlier dulcimer worked so well with a harp, viola, violin and one time we also had a cello to add to the group.   Great fun and thanks again, marg.  Kevin.

Well I've growned numerous times of this and other sites about the fall of my great dulcimer collection.  25 at one time down to zip, nada, nothing at all, not even a jaw harp in the larger instrument collection as a whole.  This of all things because my family needed to eat.  Well I'm on the mend from that horrible time in my life and now I can say it's only a matter of a little wait.  Thanks to folks on this site and to Rick Probst looking about on this site (ED as well) Rick saw my desire to obtain one of my two most favored dulcimers.  I knew that the other I could no longer obtain (a Ron Ewing double) since he told me in no uncertain terms that the one double he main for me was his first and very last double that he'd ever make.  Too much work he said.  I favored that double and my Probst about equal so my choice was easy to make.  When once again getting back into playing a dulcimer it would have to be a Probst.

After a few emails between Rick and I it was determined to make the instrument much like my former Probst dulcimer was.  Rick even kept all the information on that instrument including pictures so it was very easy to note the various aspects of that instrument in order to incorporate them into the newest Probst dulcimer made for me.  Fiddle back curly maple back and sides, 1/4" deeper to facilitate baritone use.  Ebony fingerboard, bridge and binding.  Six string with octave strings on the bass drone pairs.  Ebony peghead overlay.  Mahogany for under the fredboard, heel, and peghead. Standard Probst F hole sound holes on the upper bout and sound hole on the lower bout.  Chrome Gotoh 18 to 1 tuning machines and chrome strap buttons.  A strip of ebony inbetween the two pieces of the back wood.  And finally I think?  A very nice Bag Lady fully padded case for the instrument that fits it to a tee and has backpack straps for easy toting of the instrument.  That and it makes packing and shipping the finished instrument much, much easier.  Put the dulcimer in the bag, wrap the bag, address the box the bag is in and off it goes via UPS, FedEx, etc.  I know that there is a way to post pictures directly on the posting or at least a photobucket link to look at it at photobucket's site, but each and every time I try to insert that information I get a window telling me that my browser doesn't allow that and I should use the ctrl/X/C/V shorcut keys to get it here.  I tried and ...... Nothing at all.  Maybe I'll teach myself just how to do that in the future,  Trust me it is an absolute georgous instrument to be seen.  The contrast of the ebony against the fiddleback maple is just right in my book.

Yep the deposit is in and contruction is commencing on this build.  I can't wait already for this to be finished.  Already I've caught myself on what might be my next instrument and I have to catch myself otherwise I'll get the fam back in the poor house and have 50 dulcimers.  I've heard and experienced the same thing with dulcimers as with guns.  You never can have enough and can always accept just one more.  Well I've first curtailed my investment in firearms and am happy with the ones I have, I will also make peace with my single Probst dulcimer.  This understanding that there may be just one more dulcimer purchased to include the DAA end of things (or in my case GDD) a fifth lower tuning of the same.  Now what will accomplish this possible second dulcimer may be anything I remember liking when I was on a full roll collecting wise.  I do indeed like the all cherry McSpadden mentioned a few posts earlier, but I'll probably purchase a Ron Ewing baritone dulcimette which is more likely named a 3/4 dulcimer.  Ron extends and baritonizes his dulcimette or octave dulcimer.  This gets you into the half way department allowing a tuning of standard A baritone tuning or in my case as in the probst I'll be in G or gDD.

That way I'll have no good excuse to get any others as I will own a dulcimer in the two modes that I know how to play in and they both will be tuned in the same key.  I've found that the need and or the difference between use of a Mixalydian tuned instrument vs the ionian version is a matter of where does the song start and end.  If on the root then the dAD is preferred by me and if it starts a fifth lower (as in Amazing Grace) it is preferred to be in DAA.  Pictures will be learned and posted when I get my hands on the instrument.  YEAH!!!   Kevin.

Boy if you had worded my post, I could have been a lot shorter.  You've got it my friend.  The two modes I made mention of even though I played in them both a bunch, now with the prospects of only one dulcimer I know immediately which mode will be chosen.  I also have an offer to build a full size double and of course I'd be back at having both modes.  Time and finances will tell.  The one comes with a six month wait and I'm back to testing my patience on that decision so.......  Kevin. (P.S. it really is a desease so you might as well catch it and enjoy the ride)

Well I've been the full gammut on dulcimer collecting.  At first all I knew was the hourglass vs. the more traditional teardrop.  Oh and of course there are different Modes that are played so I soon after starting acquired an hourglass in DAd and a teardrop in DAA.  Those were the two modes I ended up playing in.  Not because of those modes particularly (wait I just said tunings and not the Mixalodian and Ionian modes respectively), but because that's the tunings/modes that all of the tab books were written in.  Now far as that goes I knew standard notation backwards and forewards, but early on I decided upon tab and to not care about what notes I was playing.  By not caring I didn't have to count from the open string to what the note actually was. So another mode was not going to tempt me, but how about a different dulcimer?

Yep, that did it.  I saw a book that had a courting dulcimer and I had to have one.  I commisioned one to be built in solid cherry.  Great large instrument and was rarely played as built, but for me solo, I now could play in the two modes I knew just by flipping the instrument around and having a go at the other side.  Great!  Then I messed around with a slide guitar and loved the sound only to find out that a dulcimer was made with "high strings" to be played with a slide.  Yep one of those too please.  Then I saw a "walking dulcimer".  Strung backwards and nifty as all get out, that was the next insturment in my house.  All this with three courses or four strings, Melody course was a pair of course.  That was until I found out about a church or six string dulcimer (after which I only buy six string dulcimers).  Then I heard about an octave sized one and then a baritone octave sized one (Ron Ewing here) as well as a true baritone.  With Ron Ewing I found that the hourglass and teardrop was not the only two shapes.  He lists a few of his own including the Aorell, which has an hourglass double bout side next to the player and a modified teardrop (higher bout in the center rather than lower on the instrument) opposite the player.  With this instrument you get a larger sound body for deeper tones but maintain a close to the body hourglass for easy play. 

There are reasons for each of the above mentioned variations on a similar theme and some you realize are really important (at least to you they are), both from a sound or looks department.  The last variation I obtained was a double dulcimer.  Like the courting dulcimer with two fretboards, but these are aligned so that both can be played by one person.  No flipping or having to get your neighbor to play a tune.  Did I mention electronic pickups?  Our predecessors in this venture called DD dulcimer desease, didn't really have a problem as they (if they were fortunate) had one instrument and that's it. Changing modes meant changing tunings which meant occasionally breaking a few strings.  And although with my courting and with the double I tried to do it with one instrument, it would not cover all of the reasons that my collection rose to 25 pieces.  Each one of those instruments was different in some manner, be it modes, pitch (most were pitched in G a fifth lower than normal and the rest in D), and then the last problem for me was woods and finishes.  Yep color made me buy it (I'd tell my wife), well that never went over at all with her.  Now do to expensive problems I had and that of my family I was forced into a big instrument sell off, now trying to recapture the best of the best in my (what will probably now be) last instrument of dulcimer persuation.  I don't know if I'll be able to talk the builder into it, but I'm sure going to give it a try since I know if I can get it, I'll not be tempted as before into a house full of dulcimers.  Most of my fellow dulcimer players have around three to half a dozen.  I was most happy with that same number as I had the two modes I play in covered and an octave one to be able to play on trips I had to do to see doctors.  That worked out the best.

Second to that as I was liquidating my collection was to have the double in the two different modes.  Again so I could play any tab that I had in a familiar mode.  Lastly and what I will be content with after all those dollars went by by, will be to get a really special dulcimer that will most likely be converted and strung in G a fifth lower than the standard D and to have six strings, but not in unison as I'd done before.  Rather this six string dulcimer with have octave strings on the lower two drones while the melody string pair will indeed be in unison.  I will take pictures and show all once I have what will be my very last dulcimer that I'll be perfectly content with.  Unless you can see ahead and ilimenate all the fluff in the dulcimer world and settle into what you know will make you happy, you'll be destined as was I to buy a bunch of dulcimers and keep them, or as you asked in the OP, to sell one in order to buy the next.  That by the way is exactly was I was doing, but only when I happened to have 25 of them sitting in the house.  Best of luck to you my friend and please be sure to post whatever you decide and end up with.  Kevin.