Forum Activity for @brian-g

What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I wouldn't call You are My Sunshine a bright and cheery song at all, especially when you consider the verses. This verse, for example, has a more melancholy feel:

"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamt I held you in my arms
When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
So I hung my head, and I cried"

This one seems vaguely menacing:

"I'll always love you and make you happy
If you will only say the same
But if you leave me to love another,
You'll regret it all one day"

And this one is definitely sad:

"You told me once, dear
You really loved me
That no one else could come between.
But now you've left me
And love another,
You have shattered all my dreams."

Aura Waters said:

Just for fun, come see this guy's minor key YouTube version of "You Are My Sunshine " entitled "Not My Sunshine"

It really demonstrates what a minor key can do to an otherwise bright and cheery song!

What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I love to play many tunes that fit the description or mournful, spooky or lonesome (well, maybe not "spooky"), but one of my favorites is Neil Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife. I just think it's an incredibly beautiful tune. So simple, and yet so moving when played well.

One buzz - 2nd fret, bass string. Driving me crazy. :) Any ideas to fix?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Hi all,

I just wanted to post back with the resolution and thank you all - I just restrung the dulcimer going "up one" with each string. No more buzz and dulcimer sounds a little fuller also. So thank you again. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

Kind regards,

Brian

One buzz - 2nd fret, bass string. Driving me crazy. :) Any ideas to fix?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Thank you Bobby. That makes a lot of sense.

One buzz - 2nd fret, bass string. Driving me crazy. :) Any ideas to fix?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Hello all. Thank you for your replies, I definitely appreciate you taking the time.

Tom - I will definitely search also. (Apologies for not thinking to do it first.)

John - "technical" might have been the word wrong choice. I am a scientist by training, and I like detailed technical things. My real issue is I don't have the *practical* skills to work with wood or build an instrument, so I have much respect for you guys who can actually create a beautiful musical instrument from scratch. I imagine it must be an incredibly satisfying thing to do.

One thing right off the bat that seems counterintuitive is why going to a heavier string would help. It would seem to me that by going with a thicker string, you'd *increase* the likelihood of buzzing because there is simply more string available to hit a fret and as a result. (And wouldn't a thicker string need more room to vibrate also, compounding the problem?) Obviously, I'm wrong about this, and I don't doubt you all for one minute; I just don't understand *why* I'm wrong, exactly. I definitely have some research to do. :)

Thank you all again. I will try what you've suggested. If I still can't get rid of this buzz, I'll follow Ken's suggestion.

One buzz - 2nd fret, bass string. Driving me crazy. :) Any ideas to fix?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Hello all. I am appealing to the collective wisdom of the talented and friendly dulcimer makers in the group. One of my dulcimers has an annoying buzz at the 2nd fret, but only when fretting the bass string. I know it's not my fretting technique that is causing the buzz. I would very much like to get rid of it (the buzz, not the dulcimer). Are there any things I can do to try to fix this (and is there a logical order of things to try), or must I send it off somewhere for repair?

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to reply or try to help.

Kind regards,

Brian

updated by @brian-g: 06/08/16 09:24:05PM