Forum Activity for @robin-thompson

Wow, thanks for sharing the video from Liliya, Dwain!  I enjoyed that lots. 

Yes, in the realm of art.  And Dwain posts photos of his processes in building Bear Meadow instruments.  It's neat to see them!   

Sunhearth instruments are fantastic!  I had one and passed it along to a young person-- I was the caretaker for awhile and it was a privilege to have the instrument.  Enjoy your Sunhearth!  

I've heard many old hymns (my mom was a church pianist for many years) yet this one is unfamiliar to me-- I look forward to hearing you play and sing it, John.  

Yes, the 'official' International Appalachian Dulcimer Day in 2023 is Saturday 25 March.  In a thread here at FOTMD, we landed on choosing the last Saturday in March as the day.   

@ken-longfield & @leo-kretzner I just checked my calendar and the last Saturday in March in 2023 is the 25th.  

@ken-longfield I'm happy you gave this thread a bump!  I need to plan a tune to celebrate.

So nice of you to pay tribute to Gwen, Lisa.  

@ariane I am hoping the coming new year holds better things for you, my friend!  Hugs! 

@homer-ross We've enjoyed the Advent Calendars which @ariane has organized in past years!  This year, though, there is no Advent Calendar.  

Wishing all a meaningful holiday season!    

I'm happy y'all enjoyed the video!   It's curious to me that Dave Garroway says and repeats the Ritchie family was in South Carolina.  Perhaps they all did gather there at a relative's home yet I can't help but mentally think they must be in Viper KY.   

It seems George Pickow's channel at YouTube has been taken down.  There were some wonderful videos-- Wintergrace , Black Waters , Blue Diamond Mines and others) done by George and Jean and I am very sorry to see them gone.

Celebrating Jean's birth and the gifts she gave the world!  

This morning, I searched YouTube for Jean's Wintergrace (which I believe was on George Pickow's channel) and was unable to find George's channel.  

I'm grateful for all Jean Ritchie shared with the world!  She was born 8 December 1922 in Viper, Perry County KY.  

https://youtu.be/piV-BGDHLF4 

The mountain dulcimer makes an appearance about 1-hour 15-minutes and the album which featured mountain dulcimer, Rehab Reunion, about 1-hour 22-minutes. 

Lisa, I have owned a Mize and own two Blue Lions.  (I only sold the Mize because the tuning pegs were wooden and my aging hands couldn't manage them very well.)  To my knowledge, a Mize and a Blue Lion can be strung with 3 equidistant strings and it is a good way to begin learning to play mountain dulcimer.  

P.S.- Though it is rare to find an inexpensive Blue Lion, my first Blue Lion was bought used (yet in new condition) for far less than a new one cost.    

I love Hazel Dickens; she was more of a hollering type singer.  So, this version doesn't seem like a pale imitation but, rather, a fresh new version from two young people.  

Friends, Sarah Kate Morgan is joined by Megan Gregory on fiddle to play and sing a Hazel Dickens song.  I first saw it last evening and enjoyed it so.  So, I'm sharing it here: 

I enjoy seeing the critters!  

@salt-springs I'm sorry about Fritz.  

@dulcimerjones , how nice!  

I second the idea of contacting Elderly for guidance.  

Thanks, Ken.  I appreciate your sharing this information.  

@don-grundy I'd be interested in learning what has become of the program there, too.  

@ken-hulme Your trip sounds incredible!  I'm especially happy you survived hurricane Ian! 

I'm glad Ken is fine and am sorry for the many who have fared badly.  Thank you for posting here, @richard-streib ! 

Ken H, when you get a chance, please let us know how you are doing since hurricane Ian.  

@ken-hulme I'm glad to learn you have arrived home all in one piece!  Y'all batten down the hatches and stay safe!  

Safe travels, Ken!  I hope you have a delight-filled visit to what sound like magical places.  

@salt-springs I read Pluck and will re-read it sometime.  I learned lots about David Schnaufer and other players, too! 

RoyB, one of the things I love about mountain dulcimer is what you've observed-- how different they each can sound.  

One week from today, friends.  :)  

RoyB, I really can't use round noters due to soft tissue problems with my hands.  The pad on my thumb (I hold the noter with my thumb on top) needs a larger point of contact than round noters offer so I use flat noters.  I don't know what makes a bamboo noter hard on your fingers but round noters don't work for me.  Just a thought.  

I've used beeswax on noters to get them to slide real slick-- I have a small slab of it and it can just be rubbed onto the noter.  Just keep your string wiped mostly clean when using it. 

Two weeks from today, friends.  :)

My friend Matt did a delightful interview with Aubrey Atwater earlier this year.  It can be viewed here: 

https://mattsmusic.net/interviews/aubrey-atwater/?fbclid=IwAR2IH_hvIwrxgUvEZCC6wcEKKUxumjPsJt93qEq2RE2tWUYQ_SfO-WRoYb8

Ken, thanks for the information.  Even after clicking around a bit on Facebook, I couldn't find a way to adjust settings as you did.  I appreciate your efforts to help me, though!  

Thanks, @salt-springs yet Facebook is where I've tried to watch it originally and can't proceed beyond about 4:20.  Though please know I appreciate your efforts to help, though. 

@ron-gibson, I've thought of Mike Slone, too.    

I live here in old coal country in southern Perry County OH and since the hills aren't nearly as big as those in SE KY, we do not get walls of water as you describe.  We do, though, see flooding due to many areas not having much/any top soil for good rain in-soak due to mining (some done many decades ago and some done more recently).  My heart is with all touched by the awful flooding. 

Roy B, I have this book, put out by Homespun, and it came with a recording:

https://folkways.si.edu/jean-ritchie/traditional-mountain-dulcimer-taught/book/smithsonian

I am a straight by-ear player and have listened to Jean's instruction (which accompanies the Homespun book) many many times.  There is also an older instructional recording Jean did and it is offered by Smithsonian/Folkways.  If I were only going to have one of them, I'd go with the Homespun.  I only include the link so you can see what it looks like-- I'm thinking I purchased my copy straight from Homespun.      

@lisa-golladay Beethoven and Jean Ritchie (from her Homespun instruction tuning description-- not the early Folkways version)!  

@royb I'm not a great player yet have been at it since '05.  Though modes haven't sunk in all the way for me, it hasn't stopped me from making music one bit.  Still enjoying the journey!  Happy strumming to you!  

Thank you for sharing the video, @salt-springs.  For some reason, I have been unable to watch past the 4:20 (or so) mark in the film yet am sure the damage is as awful as I can imagine from other images I have seen.  

I've made donation and am guessing donations will be needed for a very long time.  Just a bit ago, I saw where more heavy rain is forecast for the area already hit by floods.  :(

https://www.artisancenter.net/post/picking-up-the-pieces?fbclid=IwAR0sPkeTsARcnI1ACASSdfLHHDRexfOvwd-VY-0wvfFnQJmnyCg6CH2Rnck