I only know how to play mountain dulcimer with a noter, which is all about the slide. :) Hammer-ons and pull-offs with a noter can also be used to give slightly different flavors to tunes.
Giving this thread a bump. Saturday 28 March 2026 is International Appalachian Dulcimer Day-- always the last Saturday in March!
We celebrate the Appalachian dulcimer and its spread around the world-- the more countries represented in the celebration the merrier! 
There will be no burning of mountain dulcimers here at my house! 
Thanks, Ken L & Ken H for the research and your article! One thing I realize is the story of the Appalachian dulcimer and its origins is still being written-- a good thing!
@casserole Here in Ohio, the air is quite dry in Winter and I assume the same for your climate. Be sure to never store a wooden instrument near a heat source. It is a good idea to use a humidifier of some sort in the case. I hope your used Folkcraft arrives without incident to your doorstep!
Ken L has given you wonderful advice, casserole. I wish you a joyous mountain dulcimer journey!
Thank you, @cindy-stammich-- wishing you and all at FOTMD lots of happy strumming in this new year!
The next celebration of International Appalachian Dulcimer Day will be Saturday 28 March 2026!
I look forward to seeing videos, audio recording, photos, poetry, etc., of how y'all choose to mark the day!
An amazing collection-- such treasures, Kendra!
Sandi, I have no advice on how to work on the instrument yet hope some knowledgable person chimes in!
I use the Peterson tuner and have one upstairs and one downstairs. :)
Sending all good wishes for light, love, and lots of music-making in this season and in the coming year!
Strumelia, so, he really could say he plays the banjo. 
Dusty, the fan has perfect pitch. 
I had a funny thing happen. The attic fan was left running while recording a tune-- the attic fan created a drone in tune with the mountain dulcimer. 
I've liked this video for some years and am glad you shared it, Alex!
I love my Blue Lions! (Two of mine were bought used and Bob and Janita Baker made modifications to the instruments for me.) Wishing you the best in selling yours!
Noni was a beautiful little girl and my heart is with you, Lilley Pad. At our house, dogs are family. <3
All our dogs who have died still live in our hearts and I imagine all dog lovers feel the same way.
Take care. I hope making some music can bring you comfort.
Oh, I am so very sorry you had a house fire!
My concern is repair would be very expensive. Thus, you may be better-off looking for another instrument.
Take care. Sending best wishes!
Such an insightful review, Alex! The musically curious folks who listen to the recording will be rewarded for doing so.
I posted mine & Mark's contribution for PMOTPD on the main video feed. I'll just include a link here in this thread, too.
@randy-adams I'm glad you were able to work in drones-- love it!
@david-bennett I enjoyed your Amazing Grace!
Happy strumming to all!
Friends, Saturday 30 August, is the date for worldwide Play Music on the Porch Day. Please, feel free to post here about your PMOTPD adventures! Happy strumming!
@dan I hadn't thought that far ahead. :) I can start a thread.
@ken-longfield I hope you both have a delightful 56th anniversary and happy strumming!
@dulcinina It's one of the best holidays-- a day for all to celebrate the joy music can bring to our lives!
This coming Saturday, 30 August, 2025 is worldwide PMOTPD!
I have this album and like it ever-so-much! If you are musically curious about mountain dulcimer as a primary instrument in the world of classical music composition, this is a recording you'll not want to miss!
@salt-springs Such a lovely way to honor the life and legacy of David Schnaufer!
I've read Pluck a couple times-- so much to learn about modern mountain dulcimer history! Linda Paulus's work combined with Robert Force's autobiographical writings have taught me so much about how the mountain dulcimer traveled here in the U.S. and abroad.
Worldwide Play Music On The Porch day 2025 edition is two weeks away-- 30 August 2025!
If it's in your heart to go outdoors and make some music, I hope you'll have a lovely time!
Alex, we were out in the car today and listened again.
My knowledge of classical music is next-to-nothing and the poet & novelist Amy Levy was completely unfamiliar to me. So, I am not equipped to give a proper review. I know enough, though, to know I like your recording lots! Your work on mountain dulcimer offers surprises and suits so well paired with Victoria Vargas. Ms. Vargas's voice-- Brava!-- has a lovely timbre.
Y'all have made a wonderfully unique contribution to classical music!
Alex, truly, you have a groundbreaking work here! I listen to cds in the car and, today, listened to this impeccable work.
If memory serves, many songs in the Ritchie family came from "Uncle Jason" and Jean wrote of this in Singing Family of the Cumberlands .
https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2015/06/jean-ritchie-1922-2015/
Here is a link for the Jean Ritchie group here at FOTMD:
https://fotmd.com/strumelia/group/24/fans-of-jean-ritchie
I'm glad I asked and appreciate your response lots! A fan of drones here!
Though Jean learned on a 3-string dulcimer, for her second instructional recording (Homespun), she played 4 equidistant strings and noted one string. For accompanying her vocals, she often strummed with her thumb instead of a turkey quill or plectrum fashioned from a plastic coffee can lid.
Very nice of you to listen to my music!
Ah, it's curious noter-drone style has been an influence on what you do! I'm wondering whether a particular style(s) of play in the noter tradition influenced you to some greater degree (for example, was Jean Ritchie a big influence or field recordings of players in the Galax tradition, etc.)?
Oh, so uncommonly good, Alex! I've ordered a couple of your cds and look forward to hearing them!
I only knew of Carol (I believe she was connected to the Smithsonian some way) so it is good to know about the work she and Mark did together. His instruments are beauties!
@ken-longfield Elements of the instrument remind me of a Mize-- what do you think? I'm wondering whether a highly skilled woodworker built it based on Bob Mize's piece in Foxfire and/or patterned this one off an actual Mize instrument. The tuning pegs look to be nicely hand-carved (and Bob Mize's carved pegs were lovely). I could be way off track with this line of thinking, though.
@peter-harklau Hey, Re-Pete! Good to see you. I still have one of the t-shirts you designed.
@strumelia We were happy she learned the little tune and made it a little cello tune. 
(a very little cello emoji haha)
