Lisa, I'll wait-- got nothin' but time.
Glad Randy started the thread because I was wonderin', too. You probably haven't had it long enough to tell much about the horsehair strings. . . Are the hairs twisted? Do they have to be replaced often? Can you buy hanks of horsehair and make your own strings?
This has been enlightening to me, too. I didn't even own a mountain dulcimer when I got my biggest introduction to fiddle tunes at Old-Time Week at Augusta (at Davis & Elkins College in WV)-- I was there to take an autoharp class. (My husband Mark took a guitar class.) Before going to Augusta, Mark had been playing a few fiddle tunes and I'd been chording/playing rhythm behind him on the autoharp and this is how we were playing when I began to think about getting a mountain dulcimer.
Now, my autoharps are much-neglected because dulcimers (mountain & bowed) have exerted some sort of magical power over me. :)
Hi, David!
I like the sound of lots of the fiddle tunes-- they just grab me. Trying to describe why I like them would be sort of like trying to describe why I like chocolate cake. :) I'm a big fan of old-timey Appalachian music and am a 'by ear' player who doesn't play out of a fiddle songbook (although I did pick up a used one at Half Price Books last year).
PS-It's not universal, I think, that dulcimer players as a whole have a preference for fiddle tunes. ;)
Kyle,
A point I neglected to include in my earlier posting:
Lily McGee Ward Swick's (Kendra Ward's grandmother) dulcimer had been made for her about 1895. To quote from the Grimes Collection work: "So John Wright may have been the earliest known maker in this tradition." (61)
Here's a link to a 1955 photo of Mrs. Swick holding her dulcimer (posted by Kendra on EverythingDulcimer) that's included in the Grimes book:
http://everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=14334&p=183850&hilit=Kenneth+Ward#p183850
Welcome, Kyle!
Although I am not not particularly knowledgeable about dulcimer history, the best source of information I know of on WV dulcimer history (and one with which you're likely familiar) is Gerry Milnes's Play of a Fiddle.
FOTMD member Kendra Ward's family has lived in Gallia County OH, an Ohio county bordering the river near Huntington, and she may be able to point you to some helpful source(s). On a related note, in Stories from the Anne Grimes Collection of American Folk Music, two southern Ohio makers are mentioned in a chapter that includes information on Kendra's father and grandmother-- the makers are a man named George Butcher who modeled his dulcimers after those of an earlier maker from Eno OH named John Wright.
Good luck and it's good to have you here, Kyle!
Sam,
When I got to the part about Foo Foo being, uh, born breach, I laughed so loudly it caught my husband's attention. And it's still funny! And don't be making too much fun of Aunt Holly's moustache-- I'm working on growing a fine one. ;)
Like Paul said, a yarn can go on. . . :)
Have a good one, fellas!
"Foo Foo was a breach!!!" LOL
Sam, I enjoyed the tale-- thanks for the posting. An entertaining Christmas dinner is a treat!
Is it good to see you, John Henry! I confess to being jealous that you've been made good as new. :)
Take care and heal well, friend.
Thanks for letting us know, John S! Our friend will be in my thoughts.
Good to have the address-- thank you, Rod.
John Shaw said:
I've just been to see John Henry in hospital this afternoon. He's very cheerful - but rather bored! His operation which was due last week was delayed because of equipment failure, and has been rescheduled for tomorrow. He was tickled pink by the interest and concern of his friends on this site, and would love to hear from them.
Yes, a swift recovery for John Henry! (I've missed him!)
Thanks, friends, for passing this along.
Oh, Sam, thanks for sharing this! Yes, a laugh at poor Turnup's expense. Pet kitty for me, please. :)
Here are my sound holes....
Sam, I must give a tip of the hat to the luthiers-- MD made by Paul Conrad of Timbre Hill Dulcimers and BD is by Ken Bloom. Paul knew my taste was for a simple sound hole design (this design can be seen in the beautiful, fancier intarsia back on the instrument) and the sound holes on the bowed dulcimer is Ken's standard sound hole.
It's pretty cool that the poplar top on the MD was once exterior siding (that had gotten covered over at some point) on Paul's house that was built in the 1840's.
Sam said:
Striking;
The Mountain Dulcimer is exquisitely understated. Both instruments are just beautiful.
And I'll keep my eyes open for Mountain Lullaby. (Little Dulcimer Darlin' is wonderful!)John Henry-- 57 for you & Mrs. John Henry-- a belated congratulations! It'll be awhile before I even turn 57 so I know that's a good long time to be married.
John H, one of Dana's originals would be a treasure.Though Strumelia and I may no longer be kids, we're tough dulcimer players-- slappin' and poundin' away. Again, thank you!
Robin Thompson said:PS-Strumelia, your percussive slaps inspired my fat felt pick pounding.
And where else but on FOTMD would one ever read a sentence like that, I ask you?
PS-Strumelia, your percussive slaps inspired my fat felt pick pounding.
Whatever playing style you choose, listen to as much music as you can. Dulcimer music,yes, but not exclusively. The type of music you want to play on your dulcimer is important, whether others play it on dulcimer or not. Listening is one of the most important things you can do to learn music. It let's your ears help teach your hands. No matter how many tabs, or books you use, your ears will tell you when you hit a wrong note. After you have trained them what the song is supposed to sound like. The mistakes you make in reading, your eyes may not catch,but if you've listened to the song repeatedly, your ears will catch those mistakes. Your ears have been in training since your Ma first sang to you as an infant. Every radio you ever heard, every commercial jingle, all have asserted themselves into your mind. And when someone whistles one of these pieces, you recognize it. So help your ears by listening to what you want to play. Then let your ears help your hands.
Paul
)
On second thought, it's toooo pretty to eat. 
(I think this is my first posting using the peace sign smiley.)
Thank you, Bill, for all you've done here at FOTMD!
I'm sick and tired of being a mediocre player because I dabble too much. 