Robin, your noter technique is definitely advanced. And hey, no beginner could use a false nut so effectively.
Folkfan, no beginner could talk modes and tunings as clearly and confidently as you do.
I love you both, but y'all are nuts.
Thank you, Phil! I hope you and your loved ones are having a nice Christmas!
Hi, Angela! I have dulcimers with 4 tuning pegs yet I only have 3 strings on them. The number of strings is really just a matter of personal preference (based on different factors, the type/style of music you wish to play being one of those factors).
There is a "For Sale" area that can be found by by clicking on FORUMS/discussions in the green strip above and scrolling down the page a bit. Oftentimes these are used instruments for sale. Here is a link you may wish to spend some time checking out:
http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/group/beginnerplayers/forum/topics/what-should-a-beginner-look?commentId=3745489%3AComment%3A83151&groupId=3745489%3AGroup%3A36
Hope this helps!
Cool, Leighann! I love this sort of "found" picks!
Leighann Batemon said:
I found a great pick solution! I use an elongated bread bag tie that I've rounded out the corners. The hole in the top makes it super easy to hold onto, and the elongation of it makes me feel more comfortable strumming. Thank you, everyone, for the nice (andingenious) posts-- I'm really grateful you took the time to respond. I learned a lot!
Oops! In my earlier posting, I neglected to say that I cut my picks so they're more or less the shape of a big ol' kidney bean. With all due respect to my friend KenH, I don't think it's the least bit silly to search Google for how to make a milk jug pick! Some plastics work better than others and some pick shapes suit some folks while still other shapes suit other folks. 
Leighann, I often play with a big homemade pick cut from the lid of a plastic food tub. If you wish to take a look at my playing using a big ol' homemade pick-- and it's pretty visible in my hand before I actually begin to play a tune-- in this video:
http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/ridin-the-zigzag-wobble-railroad-on-lap-dulcimer-played-in-noter
If I had to play using a little pick, I'm not sure how I'd do it. So, hope this helps!
And my bowed dulcimer friend Roseanne Denchy is also a FOTMD!
It really is something of a surprise to me how many music friends I've met over the past several years, especially because I've never attended any of the big dulcimer fests. (When I joined Everything Dulcimer in '05, I'd not yet met any of the dulcimer friends I have now.) I feel rich, indeed.
Oh my goodness, Dana, how did I do that? 
Seems like I've known you forever, my friend. 
I probably should've made a paper-and-pencil list 
and not responded to this thread
for about a month.
Am I losing my mind
or what
? 
Now, let's see. . . a few other bowed dulcimer friends who are also FOTMD friends are Ken Bloom, Ruth Randle, Marsha Harris. . . Oh, I'm coming to realize that I'm not sure who-all I've met in person in the dulcimer world who is also on FOTMD and am realizing I've actually met quite a few FOTMD folks in-person. There's Heidi Mueller, Jerry Rockwell and Mary Lautzenheiser to mention a few more wonderful folks. I met some of the friends before there was an FOTMD and since I confuse easily
. . . Love my music friends!
Oh, Kim, I was so focused on mountain dulcimer events. . . ! What a pleasure it was to meet you in Pilot Mountain and to see you take to the bowed dulcimer so quickly. (I wasn't surprised to see you catch-on so quickly!
)
I also have met Don Pedi, Paul Tantillo, Maurice Solis, ReVonda Crow, Teri Sato, Marge Diamond and Randall McKinnon. There are some FOTMD members I've listed that I met before there was an FOTMD; I knew of them from Everything Dulcimer and then we met in-person.
My goodness, how could I have neglected to mention meeting Paul Tantillo, Maurice (Mo) Soulis, and Don Pedi at Don's wonderful Tao of Dulcimer Retreat back in May? What a pleasure it was to become acquainted with these fellows!
Like Rob, I've not met a FOTMD member I didn't like! I'm trying to think of them all. . . and they kind of come in the 'order' in which I met them. Gary Sager, Laura Elder, Butch Ross, Julie Elman, Ken Longfield, Hunter Walker, Kendra Ward, Tish Westman, Bing Futch, Doug Berch, Ken Bloom, Jim Fawcett, Rob Lackey, Sam (Oh, gee, I just think of Sam as Sam and can't recall his last name! )Tom McDonald, John Wood, Barbara (nice lady who sold a dulcimer to Jim F). . . I'm likely missing someone. My world has been made richer for having made the acquaintance of each of the friends of the mountain dulcimer!
PS-Oh, I must be forgetting someone! 
I offer $77 and John Henry will do the refurb for free!
John Henry said:
$76, and I'll do the refurb for free?
an onlooker
Hey, Dana, I'll give you $75 sight unseen! Hope to see pictures of your new treasure!
I know what you're talking about, Robin. I don't, as a rule, play Stinson's #2 by myself-- usually play it with someone who adds those changes in part B and the two styles blend nicely.
Robin Clark said:
I was looking at the music for thistune last week as a potential one for playing in noter drone. I thought it was a little 'plain' without the modern Celtic chord changes in Part B, which seem to be the#2 tunes signature. I think I may have a go at adding back some ornamentation to Part B to make it a little more of a 'tune' for noter drone- If it works out perhaps I'll record it and post it here as John Stinson #3
Dave, there might be a lead or two in the following link in which some history could be tracked down:
Hey, Ken, I went to the Ollie's in Newark OH and got a copy. Wow, it's some big book and I look forward to spending time with it. Many thanks for the heads-up!
Kenneth W. Longfield said:
No problem Robin. The offer is open as long as the supply lasts. Ollies buys damaged tractor trailer loads, remainders, etc. I do not know where these books came from, but they are new and shrink wrapped. Folk music and crafts are only a small part of the Encyclopedia.
Ken,
If I can't get to the Ollies up in Licking County to see if they have any copies, I may just take you up on your generous offer. Would it be all right if I let you know in the next few days?
Kenneth W. Longfield said:
I think there are seven more copies at the Ollies here. I am not sure how much it would cost to send them at the media mail rate, but it would still be cheaper than the list price. I am willing to purchase a few and send them out just for the cost of the book and mailing.
Wow, I wish I could get to an Ollie's and buy a copy! (I've never heard of this outlet store.)
PS-I just searched and found there's an Ollie's in the county north of where I live! I just may need to take a little trip. . . Thanks for the information, Ken!
Very cool, Ken! And, yes, make it cooler by taking along a dulcimer next time.
Randy, you're also hitting on how a person can join in to play on tunes you don't know when in a music jam. At least I think you might be hitting on this: where there's both by ear play and drawing on past experience as far as understanding the structure of folk or fiddle tunes and playing along with others on tunes you either haven't heard before or don't know well.
Randy Adams said:
These types of threads about memorizing tunes, or the similar topics 'how do you learn a new tune', or 'ear vs tab' come up occasionally here.I don't mean to be condescending, or to disrespect the way that works the best for others to learn how to play the dulcimer but there is a higher level to aspire to that never gets mentioned. Well sir, I'm going to take a deep breath and say it out loud.Most folk tunes, or fiddle tunes, are simple in structure and melody. Many musicians with some experience and competence can hear these tunes once, understand how it goes, and play it. In fact many tunes are simple enough and move in such a predictable manner, they have queues that indicate where they are going, that they can be played adequately the first time through, like as the tune is being played.How a person gets to this level is dependent on several things. How much are you willing to practice? What are your musical goals? How much innate musical talent are you blessed with?Assuredly this is a learnable skill. Nobody just picks up an instrument and does it. But it is not only the domain of the musical genius either. Many amateur musicians I know and play with can do it.
Gayle, I'm a 'by ear' player 99.9% of the time-- since I am a noter/drone player, all I have to worry about is being in the right key, getting the melody down, and most importantly, getting the rhythm right. The .1% comes in if I happen to be with a group of people and we all are trying to learn/play a specific piece of music a specific way so I struggle to read from paper; this rarely happens, though.
I'd like to learn to read SMN for playing an instrument, bowed dulcimer particularly.
Take the ox off your Sox and you're a fan of the Reds.
Hey, I want the Yankees to lose, too.
Dusty Turtle said:
As a Red Sox fan since before I can remember, I am indeed routing for a team this year: whoever is playing the Yankees.
I know there are Yankees fans out there. But I guess some people wanted Goliath to beat David, too.
Actually, a lot of the games have been really exciting this year. And here in Northern Cal we had two teams in the run, with the As a genuine cinderella team with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball. My wife is a Giants fan, so our house is black and orange and not because of Halloween.
You know I wanted the Reds to win the division and the Pirates to win the wild card.
Jim Fawcett said:
Well, all I can say after 20 years of having a losing season with the Pirates, Let's go Nats!
Patty, as a Reds' fan I've been pulling for the Nats to defeat the Cards!
Patty from Virginia said:
Robin, If the Washington Nationals win Friday night, I don't know what I'll do. I'll either get excited that our area finally has a winning team (been a long dry spell; although, hockey team has been okay) or I'll faint from the shock of it all
A most appropriate post, Carrie!
Carrie Barnes said:
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,
But there is no joy in Mudville: Mighty Casey has struck out.Leonard, this pretty much sums it up for me.................
Robin, smog?
For your dear wife's sake, Leonard, it is good to not watch games sometimes.
I watch no Reds' games-- we don't get cable tv and live in the boondocks where few channels can be got.
Leonard Griffin said:
Robin, if we could figure that out it would not hurt so bad. Like Carrie says we Texas Rangers fans have been disappointed again for the third time. I sometimes have had to not watch games for awhile, my wife says I get to hard to live with , and my blood pressure I am sure goes up!!
Oh, Carrie!
How in the world did the Reds win the first two games of the series in SF then lose 3 at home?
Anybody cheering 
for a team in baseball's post-season?
Robin "Go, Reds!" Thompson
My hat's off to you, David!
My husband and I also have played 'out' to help in overcoming stage fright. It helps.
Thanks, Dana!