Forum Activity for @robin-thompson

I like your idea, Marg!  I looked through recordings to see if I have one to post here and I don't. I believe I jammed on Whiskey Before Breakfast with John.  He was a very fine player! 

Way cool, Dusty!  

I first became a fan of the play of fiddlesticks through the play of the band the Black Twig Pickers. 

Mark & I have experimented with my playing md while he's beating with chopsticks. . . We need to practice lots more before we'll sound any good. :)

I am saddened to learn of John's passing. (I've missed him here at FOTMD.) It was both privilege and pleasure to meet John in '12 at the gathering from which Tom posted links.  He was a great musician and an even greater gentleman.  

Thank you for letting us know, Jan. 

Y'all had quite a KY tour!  And that May dulcimer sure is a beauty! 

CD, thanks for the reminder!  Though I'm often overwhelmed with caregiving, I hope to get to strum a tune in Rod's memory on the 8th. 

How cool, Kevin-- I enjoyed the piece a lot!   And have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing the wonderful instrument you built for my old friend Kathy.  :)

John Henry's tribute to John P is altogether fitting and proper.  And so lovely. 

Though my favorite place to play is still at home, I've got a new favorite room.  Upstairs by the front windows.  (They are low front windows.) I'm away from home for much of each week so my time playing dulcimer at home is very dear. 

PS- My Sweetheart keeps the home fires burning.  And he's my favorite playing partner. <3

Jan's posting reminded me to caution against picking up/handling a dulcimer with any pressure in the area of soundholes.  Though soundholes may be braced from below, it's a vulnerable area on the top of the instrument. 

A friend's husband was carrying her bowed dulcimer by the strap. . . The fall broke the headstock.  A painful lesson it was.  I felt badly for the wife and her poor husband. 

@iiilovemd I'm glad it was just a scratch!  Nearly all of us have similar stories and we learned a lesson; a few had more disastrous consequences.  Your posting may just save a few others from a similar fate.  Thanks! 

It looks cool, George!  I'm glad to see pictures from yet another Ohio maker.  

Though I never met Mr. Wright, Margaret's 12 Tunes series helped get me started on mountain dulcimer.  

I offer my sympathy to the Wright family. 

I've done a bit of looking because I love finding quills to use for plectrum.  

http://blogs.findlaw.com/law_and_life/2015/05/if-i-find-an-eagle-feather-can-i-keep-it.html

It is sure I could not pick up the feather of a bald eagle.  It seems much less clear about a golden eagle. 

@ravenmadd-garcia A quill does make a wonderful plectrum!  I, too, find feathers on the ground.  And I know nothing of Golden Eagle feathers being off-limits. 

EDIT on 3/18/16-- Important information, including info regarding eagle feathers here:

http://www.gpnc.org/raptors1.htm

Mike, I need a repair made to a tuning peg on one of my dulcimers-- due to life circumstances, I haven't yet gotten to it.  Your dad posted step-by-step instructions for how to proceed with the fix.  Whether I attempt the repair myself or take it to a luthier, your dad's instructions will be with me.  

Sure is pretty!  Mr. Mize made nice instruments, beautiful workmanship. 

Oooh, doggies, how cool is that! 

Oh, I am shocked and saddened by the news of John's death.  I treasured both his friendship and the wonderful music he made.  I'm reminded how through sites such as FOTMD and Soundcloud (where I am one of John's followers), John's music lives today. 

I offer my deepest sympathy to John's family.  He will be sorely missed.  

Rest in peace, John. 

I want to keep having fun making music at home-- it enriches a home to have music in it.  :) To that end, I aspire to become a better, more careful listener.  The better I get at listening, the more I'll enjoy, appreciate music and things musical. 

Steven, you've got a treasure!  I look forward to seeing and hearing Favor again; what you describe about the sound is just what I heard when John K played Favor in Hindman KY.  

I also neglected to mention what you mentioned, Randy.  F'real.  

I tell a friend of mine who is learning dulcimer that I mess-up and it's good she hears me mess-up!  I also tell her the difference between her and me is I have more experience.  

I neglected to mention I always mess-up on WBB at some point.  :)

Whiskey Before Breakfast has been the tune in my hip pocket for some years now.  Due to life circumstances, I don't practice it nor play it regularly.  It's always been a good jam tune when I've been in multi-instrument jams. :)

Ah, that instrument has a lovely voice, John! 

I heard John play one of his Uncle Will Singleton dulcimers-- we were outdoors in Hindman KY-- and it sounded wonderful! 

Ken, I bought the book several months ago yet haven't gotten to it yet.  Looking forward to when life allows the chance to really enjoy it!  

It's so cool you got to see Norris Bennett in-person, Ken! 

Glad I could be of help, though unwittingly. Rob.  Hope you're feeling better! 

http://ebonyhillbillies.com

For those who have never heard of The Ebony Hillbillies, a band with a mountain dulcimer, have a look.  Enjoy! 

Strumelia has special glasses to look through when inspecting instrument photos.  And I suspect they give her x-ray vision, too! 

When I had younger, healthier hands I enjoyed my wooden-pegged beauties. 

Kimberly, that's outstanding!  How neat you've got a mix of instruments to get a stringband sound.  :)

Brian, that instrument sounds fantastic!  (Everything you play sounds fantastic, truth be told.)

Thank you, dear Strumelia!  I hope those same wishes are met for you throughout the coming year. 

JJNiles is an acquired taste, I think. ;) 

The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles only contains a single mention of both dulcimers and the Ritchie family, according to a quick check of the index.  

Wow, Brian, I've never before seen a harp dulcimer-- way cool!  Your Gallier's a beauty, too! 

Thank you, Skip, George, and John P for responding!  I have not yet had opportunity to go further in exploring the problem with the tuner-- I now have guidance to help.  Thanks again, friends! 

Skip, the tuner didn't seem to be slipping in the wood.  It's late so I'll not fiddle with the thing tonight. . . Thanks for your advice!  

I've tightened the end screw-- the screw on the outside end of the wooden button-- and the tuner still slips/turns free.  If you have experience working with Grover Star planetary tuners, please advise. 

There are a few tunes I'd thought I'd never play. . . Black Mountain Rag was one of them.  Surprisingly, when Mark and I were just jamming over the weekend, BMR just started to fall into place.  

St. Ann's Reel is a tune I've never gotten worked out to my satisfaction.  Maybe someday!