Forum Activity for @lancashire-lass

Painful thumb

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

That’s a great idea, having something warm to wrap my hand in will help a lot I’m sure. So,while I was out shopping today I looked for a warm pack. It’s usually filled with dried lavender or wheat husks that you warm in the microwave. Managed to find one in the British version of a dollar store, and tartan too ( I have Scottish ancestry and I married a Scot). 
I have a friend who now he has seen and had a little go on my dulcimer has fallen in love (is this typical when people hear a dulcimer?), now he’s going to get his own but he asked me if there are plenty of tunes that can be played with just a noter. He asks because he has a friend who has very limited grip strength due to a medical condition. I had to admit I didn’t know but I would ask the dulcimer community. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Painful thumb

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi, thanks to everyone who has offered advice on this topic. Lowering the action has certainly been the clincher so, up to now I think it’s fine where it is. As for the thumb it’s very happy now so I can practice a bit longer. I’m also trying to pay more attention to my posture as that really does help, allowing the weight of my arm to depress the strings. One thing that I have been doing is exercises with a softish rubber ball. I start with a minute or so of gentle squeezing gradually getting harder, then pressing my fingers, in pairs, vertically into the rubber. The whole thing takes about four minutes or until my hand feels comfortably warm. I first started doing this because I was learning the ukulele (I still am). Think it keeps the old fingers agile.

Painful thumb

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi Dusty, thanks for your advice. I have been considering changing the strings because when I look at them closely there appears to be rust spots on them. Who knows how long my instrument was lying around in a warehouse in Romania.. I have lowered the strings, courtesy of Ken’s very clear instructions. The strings are better and my thumb is thankful 👍 for the relief, and, I have the beginnings of a cute little callous. Buzzy Strings? yes I’d go to see them too!

Painful thumb

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi Ken. So I took your advice and lowered the action of my dulcimer. It’s not perfect, but it is a LOT better. I think I can remove a little more off the nut but, for now I think I’ll let the strings settle into their new position. I admit that I was nervous to do it so I’m glad to say it wasn’t as scary as I thought. If I need to do it again I won’t be so fearful 😊.

 Thank you so much.

Painful thumb

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi Ken, thanks for the information. I tried it last night and the action does seem a bit high. I might just have to ‘bite the bullet’ and try to adjust it myself.

Painful thumb

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thanks for that. I have wondered about the action but I’m reluctant to adjust it myself in case I end up with buzzy strings. I have tried slightly over tightening the melody strings, then re-tuning then, but it didn’t seem to make a lot of difference. I have a friend who knows a local luthier, someone who he takes all his guitars to. So if things don’t improve, say in a month or so, I’ll see if he will alter it for me.

Painful thumb

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thank you for all your advice, I’ll probably try them all in combination. And yes, it is my fretting hand. I’ve seen some players use a noter so I think that will help so, when my poor thumb gets too sore I can still practice the beginner tunes. Thanks again.

Painful thumb

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi, I’m very new to forums so if I don’t thank you for help please understand that I haven’t got the hang of it yet.

my problem is my thumb. I’m doing what I’ve been advised to do, which is use it to get to notes on the melody string 

but I soon get a fair bit of pain. Is there anything I can do to speed up the development of a callous (?) or do I just have to be patient?

 Thanks for any help or advice.