Forum Activity for @jan-potts

Info on Dulcimer U is now up--I've decided to go (I'll be in Nina Zanetti's morning class) and my husband, Craig, has surprised me by saying he wants to go, too.  He'll be in the dulcimer building class all day, but will attend some of the jams and all the concerts at night.

http://www.wcu.edu/engage/community-resources/conferences-and-community-classes/dulcimer-u/dulcimer-u-summer-week/index.asp

I've been several times, so if anyone has a question, just ask!  I'm looking forward to meeting some FOTMD members there!

Jan

John's contributions here on FOTMD were always friendly and civil as well as knowledgeable and he was considered a good friend by many.  I hope that his charts--The Dulcimer Compass, (showing organization of the modes) and "Lengths of Intervals (In Semitones)"--will remain on the site.............because one day I may actually understand them!

My condolences to John's family at this sad time.  I hope they find some comfort in knowing his love of music was shared worldwide.

By now you know that on FOTMD there are lots of opinions on any given topic ...

For me, the day I picked up a 23" VSL McSpadden "Ginger" was a total game changer.  It was January, 2011, and I found it for sale in the vendor area at Kentucky Music Winter Weekend. Maureen Sellers was selling it and there was a box placed next to it for the buyer's check.  I wasn't feeling very well, having gone through 2 grueling operations in the previous 2 months and was sitting out one of my classes that Saturday afternoon.  I had never seen a dulcimer this size, much less held one, and I was instantly enthralled with it.  Everything that I had struggled to do on larger instruments (with longer VSL's) now came easily with the Ginger.  My confidence grew as my fingers easily found the notes for song after song. I played almost  non-stop for 2 1/2 hours, wrote out my check, dropped it in the box and took my new Ginger to my final class of the day. 

The Ginger remained my favorite instrument for several years.  It was set up to be tuned DAd, so I used it in both my private playing and in classes and jams.  Eventually, other instruments caught my interest and as my collection grew I had a variety of sizes and VSL's to choose from. I found that I was now comfortable with VSL's up to, but not exceeding, 28 inches....but I still prefer a VSL around 25-26 inches.

This has been my experience.  As always in the dulcimer world, see what works for you!

Best wishes in your journey!

Mc Spadden Ginger , 23" VSL  

McSpadden, Schnaufer model with 29" VSL

Outside my comfort zone, I'd like to become better at teaching others, and to occasionally perform in front of others without feeling like I'm going to throw up or pass out.

And loftier, still....to learn tabledit or something like that so I can tab out my own arrangements and compositions..........and one day get to hear a "dulcimer orchestra" play one of my pieces.

Ok....that's so lofty, I'm starting to feel light-headed....

For some reason, if I pick up a dulcimer to just "noodle around", I seem to fall right into "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".  That morphs into "Smiling", "Acres of Clams" (aka "Rosin the Beau") and always has some variations of "Cabbage" thrown into the mix. To change it up, "Spotted Pony" and/or "John Stinson #2"!

I always encourage dulcimer players to keep a list of every song they can play "on the spot" without looking it up, rehearsing, or asking someone, "How does that start?"  There might be only one or two songs on the list at the beginning, but it will grow with some effort.  And it's great to have some songs to pull out at any time.

Kusani, you're totally on the right track here....I also have a John Maxwell dulcimer that I wouldn't change--the tuning pegs are just that distinctive!  As you say, you may one day purchase another dulcimer that suits your current needs better.  Just don't get frustrated and quit before you've bought that 2nd dulcimer!

'

Charles, the second photo looks to be from the mid 1920's to the 30's and the third photo looks like it was taken in the 1860's.  Don't know if that helps, any!

Glad it arrived safely!

Well, if you have a free weekend, come on!  You can sleep on my couch!

And no matter what time of year you visit Ron, it will be like meeting Santa Claus wearing flip flops!

Never pass up an opportunity to jam with him--it's quite an experience!

Jan

Since I wrote my post earlier this year, I made another couple trips across country.  On one of those smaller airplanes, even my very small soft-sided carryon wouldn't fit in the overhead bin, so on the next trip, I selected a 14 x 14 "under the seat" soft-sided bag for my medications, electronics, etc.....all those things they say should NOT be checked.  Well.....I ended up on a new airplane, and unbelievably to me, this brand new plane had downsized everything, and that tiny case (with no spinning wheels) would NOT fit in the overhead bin, nor would it fit under the seat in front of me.  The attendant finally took it up to First Class and stowed it somewhere.  I'm usually one of the first to board, so I have my pick of where to put it--but I was certainly surprised that my small bag didn't seem to fit anywhere!  Actually, even I didn't seem to fit...not only were the seats narrower, but my seat belt wouldn't fasten!  I had never encountered that problem before!  The little old lady next to the window offered to change seats with me--which I thought would accomplish nothing, but we did and --lo and behold-- her seatbelt was at least 8 inches longer than mine, so I had no problem fastening it.  I guess there must have been a "child's belt" or something in that first seat!

To date, I've only brought aboard a Ginger and a Ewing Dulcimette in their soft cases.  The Ginger was my only allowable carry on other than my coat and purse.  The Dulcimette  I was able to mostly contain within the large tote I was using for a purse and was able to sneak it on that way, without it being counted as a separate carryon item.  I've wondered if a bakery bag for long loaves might be helpful in certain cases!  I have been on only one flight over the years where nothing was allowed to be under the seat in front of you--except for your feet.  Luckily there was enough bin space on that trip (from Indy to Dallas).  That was a case where the flight attendant was just making and enforcing her own rules...and I think she'd had a bad day or something.  All I had was a very small purse, which I'd taken to a funeral service, but even that had to go in the overhead bin.  You just never know what you're going to encounter when you fly......

Oh, come on, Kandee and David!  You're suppose to add a few of your own!

How about:

You once again rearrange the cement block steps up to the door of your trailer into a bar-b-que pit for the monthly jam.

I have one of Bob Schepis's standard dulcimers--it sings very sweetly!  I have to say, though, that it's hard to beat the tone and ease of play of Gary Gallier's A-Frame.  I have #4, built in 2006 and absolutely love it--and I feel very fortunate to have located a used one to buy, since most folks won't part with them for any reason!

Enjoy!

Hey, Unclekb!  Welcome to FOTMD!  Here are some of my thoughts on "used dulcimers":

• Sometimes new players aren't sure just how serious they are about committing a lot of money to an instrument which they may end up not liking after awhile.  Because of that, starting with an instrument that will work fine as a beginning learning instrument, but with a lower cost, makes a lot of sense to many people.  So does renting or borrowing a good dulcimer, if those are options for you.
• Before you invest a lot of money into a dulcimer, it's helpful to know if you want to play notre/drone style or chord/melody style, etc.  I would advise watching a lot of videos on here and note which type of playing you especially like and any information about the dulcimer you may be given by the person posting.  Or go on YouTube and watch folks like Don Pedi (notre/drone) or Sarah Morgan, Larry Conger, Nina Zanetti, or Linda Brockinton, who use a lot of chording.  Check out the noter/drone and chord groups on this site, too.
• Many of us started on either cardboard dulcimers or high quality student dulcimers.  Don't let the tern "cardboard dulcimer" fool you, they have a regular fretboard with geared tuners...it's just the soundbox itself that is made of cardboard.
• If you can find a used student dulcimer made by David Lynch or Bill Berg, you would be a great find.  They're not that expensive new (under $200) and  both of these luthiers put their excellent skills into their student models.  I found a used Berg student model on eBay for around $100 and am VERY impressed with both the sound and how well it plays.  The thing is, these used student models are not easy to find--they are so good that people tend to keep them or give them to family members when they "move up" to a more expensive dulcimer--even though David Lynch will let you trade his in for a reduced price on an "upgrade".
• You can find some gems on eBay, but there are real duds, as well  I've been pleased with at least 90% of the ones I've bought on eBay.  A better source may be Craigslist for a local purchase or the Classified forums on here or on Everything Dulcimer.  As was pointed out, dulcimer folks are usually good people who will conduct business ethically. 
• One of the ways to get some of the best used instruments is to find someone who is thinning their collection.  If you can state in general what you're looking for and an approximatel price range, they can let you know what they have available.
• If you have a particular model you're looking for, post that in our classified section and you're bound to get some responses.

Hope some of these suggestions are helpful!

Jan (who is thinking about starting to reduce her collection!)

I think it's GREAT!  I'd pay for one!

Helen--what a clever idea!  I read what you wrote to my husband and he added, "And the wool is probably good for the wood", since he knows you have to be careful about what is touching the dulcimer when you are storing it or displaying it.

The Folkcraft factory and shop is also the venue for the Indiana Dulcimer Festival in mid-September--put it on your calendar!

Sounds like a nice dulcimer, Maria!  And the main thing is that it pleases you!  Happy strumming!

Great write up, Rob--I could picture it all, you described it so well!

Now I'll have to see Ken's photos....

Ewing capos are great. 

http://www.ronewingdulcimers.com/Capos.htm

Very nice job from Paul--but not the one I know, for sure!  So I guess the one I know is called Angeline the Baker.

Thanks, Strumelia!

Well, shoot, Strumelia!  Now I'm going to have to get the tab for both and figure out which one it is that I play!

I think Angeline the Baker and Angelina Baker is a single song with 2 names.

My first dulcimer was made in Berea, KY, too--by me!  I was serving as a chaperone at a national gathering of Girl Scouts who had come to explore Kentucky in 1991.  We stayed in Berea for several days, living in one of the older dorms and soaking up that great vibe that pervades the historic town of Berea.  The Cincinnati Dulcimer club came down and spent a day with us, helping us put together our cardboard dulcimers and teaching us a few songs.  It would be another 6 years before I bought a "real dulcimer"--an all cherry hourglass dulcimer with hummingbird soundholes from talented Warren May.

Actually, Terry, I just finished making a list on Excel (so I can re-alphabetize after new additions) and there are 225 songs on the list.  Most of these I know how to play, some are ones that still need some work, and a dozen or so I've heard before but they're still pretty new to me.

I never take tab to a jam, but then I play mostly by ear.  Even with a song I've never heard before, I "watch hands", figure out the major chords and strum those--or, at the least, if they're playing in D, just strum a D chord every time it seems to fit.  That's how I started in jams when almost every song was new to me.  Or you can mute the strings and strum the rhythm.  I rarely sit out a tune, unless my hands are tired or I just want to listen and enjoy the others play for a bit.  Very rarely do I end up in a jam where there are unfamiliar (to me!) complicated fiddle tunes being played at breakneck speed, changing keys with every other tune, so that it's hard to do more than tap my foot and nod my head. 

Sometimes a song will be played that is unfamiliar to me and the person next to me has the tab and I look on theirs...but I'm not a very good sight reader of tab and find it difficult to keep up, unless I just play the first note in each measure (which is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, by the way).  Also, if the tab is pretty complicated, you can just play the notes on the melody string. 

I've been singing and learning new songs with my family, school, choirs, education classes, church, scouts, and dulcimer events for nearly 65 years, so it's not really surprising that there's such a long list that I know.  I encourage everyone to start a list of songs they know, and to try to find them on their dulcimer.  Even if all you can do is say: "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"....I think it begins on the 2nd fret", then that's a great start.

I don't think any of us, as children, set out to "memorize" Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or Happy Birthday or Mary Had a Little Lamb, but we learned them and our mouths know how to move in such a way as to produce the vocal renditions of them...or we can hum them or whistle them, or pick them out on a piano or other instrument.  The more tunes you can hum or whistle, the better you'll be at jams, I think!

I'll second John's endorsement of the Homer Ledford festival in Winchester, KY on Labor Day weekend.  It's a small event but always has great instructors and the jams are a lot of fun.  It draws people from many states. 

Other weekend workshops/events/gatherings I've attended include:

• Kentucky Music Winter Weekend, held in Louisville, KY at a large hotel right off the expressway. In 2016 the dates are Jan. 8-10
• Ohio Valley Gathering (aka OVG) held in my hometown of Lexington, KY.  It will be Feb. 26-28 in 2016.
• Indiana Dulcimer Festival in Woodburn, IN at the Folkcraft factory  in Sept.
• Great American Dulcimer Convention at Pine Mtn. State Resort Park in Pineville, KY near Cumberland Gap National Park. This is always the last weekend in September and will be celebrating its 40th year Sept. 2016.
• The Raintree Music Heritage Weekend in Spiceland, IN in the late spring
• Bluegrass Creek Dulcimer Festival near Evansville, IN

Of course, there are many more wonderful events held on weekends that I have NOT attended. Hopefully, we will all be informed about these on FOTMD.

Lisa said,

 "...what you actually have is a group of players who know each other and have played these songs before.  Or they're playing within a genre that has a core set of tunes that everybody knows.  Or they're improvising within a narrow set of boundaries, like with 12-bar blues.  Or... they all go to the same dulcimer festivals and they all learned the same songs from the same books because it's a small world."

My dulcimer group is 2000+ miles from my home and I only get to visit and jam with them a couple times a year, so I can relate, Lisa!  Most of the time I am going to jams at festivals/events/workshops, etc., where I know few people...and the attendees come from a wide range of states and even other countries.    It helps everyone if the jam is defined or described in some way, for example,

• "We won't be passing out tab, but if you want to bring yours, that's fine."
• "We'll be using 'Jan's Jammin' Book', but bring any tab that will help you."
• "This will be a fast jam featuring fiddle tunes, reels and jigs"
• "Our Snail Jam will be specifically for beginners.  We will teach several common jam tunes and tab will be passed out."
• "All tunes will be played in the key of D unless specified otherwise."
• "Expect the tune to be repeated until you see a foot raised or the leader gives a whoop, indicating the end."
• "We'll play all tunes AABB unless we announce an exception"

Since the jams I've been to always have the attendees taking turns choosing songs to play, if someone suggests a song nobody knows, they have the option of playing a solo for the group or choosing another song.  If several people know the tune, they will play it through several times and others will join in as they feel able, with chords, single notes, percussion, etc.

Some events publish jam tune titles in advance....Dulcimerville used to do that, and many found that helpful.  If nothing else, you can write suggestions on a board, make posters, or write titles on a cheap vinyl window shade with a permanent marker to help people remember tunes that they really do know.  The tune list may even lead to some requests! (Would somebody puh-leeze play 'Sally Slapped Me With a Flounder???!!!')

Here's my list'

Rosin the Beau/Bow  

Boatmen

Going to Boston        

Edelweiss 

Rock the Cradle Joe   

Sugar Hill

Old Yeller Dog            

Red Wing

Old Joe Clark            

Hard Times

Soldiers’ Joy           

I’ll Fly Away        

Ashokan Farewell  

Rattlin’ Bog 

Wildwood Flower      

Ash Grove

Columbus Stockade Blues

My Old Kentucky Home

Whiskey Before Breakfast

Sweet Hour of Prayer      

Will the Circle be Unbroken?

This Land is Your Land

Angeline the Baker 

She’ll be comin’ round the Mtn

Goober Peas         

Greensleeves

Scarborough Fair     

Southwind

The Water is Wide   

Rocky Top

Wabash Cannonball         

River

City of New Orleans    

Liza Jane

Reuben’s Train      

Ground Hog

Amazing Grace      

Simple Gifts       

Golden Slippers  

John Stinson2

Cripple Creek          

Angel Band 

O Susannah    

Short’nin’ Bread

Skip to My Lou     

Sloop John B

Spotted Pony           

June Apple

White Coral Bells  

Mes Parents

Go Tell Aunt Rhody          

Cindy

Boil ‘em Cabbage Down

Be Thou My Vision   

Scotland the Brave 

You Are My Sunshine

Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night

Leaning on…Everlasting Arms

Blowin’ in the Wind

Puff the Magic Dragon

Dona Nobis Pacem

Oh, How Lovely is the Evening

Star of the County Down

Shove That Pig’s Foot a Little Further in the Fire

Glendy Burke

Pretty Saro

Hope this helps!

As demonstrated by the responses, a "jam" has many different meanings.  For me, it's a time to gather informally with other musicians to play music with no pre-rehearsed arrangement, taking turns suggesting and leading tunes, and feeling free to add harmonies or to use percussion or vocals or whatever else contributes positively to the experience.  I would expect some to be slow and some fast and some easy and some difficult.  I would expect that some tunes played would be ones I've never heard before, but I would still find ways to participate.  I think flexibility is key.

Other people like to gather and play tunes from a particular book or folder of music.  While I wouldn't call that a "jam", others do and that's OK--it's a fun activity and can be very helpful in learning and practicing tunes with a group.

Jams can be times when new tunes are shared and taught to a group on the spur of the moment, if the desire to learn it is there.  Sometimes, when only one person knows a particular tune, others listen in appreciation to the impromptu solo performance.

However you define a "jam", it's all about sharing music and having fun!

Piano, Banjammer, ukulele, penny whistle, recorder; a beginner on steel drum, djembe and hammered dulcimer; and a former player of the clarinet, guitar, and flutofone.

I have also had many classes with Dave and enjoy him in concert and as a lively participant in jams.  The "young boy" (now a teenager, I believe) is his nephew--and he's already debuted his first CD!  It's a real joy to see them perform in person--hope you get the chance someday!

In past years I've been to these week-long events:

Kentucky Music Week, in Bardstown, KY     6 times

Dulcimerville, in Black Mtn., North Carolina  2 times

DulcimerU, at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC    2 times

Swannanoah Gathering, Swannanoah, NC   1 time

Dulcimer Rendezvous (Road Scholar/Elderhostel Program) near Somerset, KY  2 times

John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC (learning the tunes of Jean Ritchie from Aubrey Atwater; a week with Janita Baker; Dulcimer Celebration '15)

• If I could only do one thing, I'd go to Kentucky Music Week. Sharing lodging brings the cost down considerably--as does camping.

• If I were by myself and cost was of prime importance and I could drive to southern KY, I'd go to Dulcimer Rendezvous for $599 for tuition, lodging and food.  The Road Scholar website makes Dulcimer Rendezvous sound like it's for beginners, but it's for all levels--Susan Trump has been teaching the advanced class the last few years.  This is a small event with less than 60 participants.

• Everything else considered, though, it is my desire to get back to John C. Campbell the next time I can work it out!  There is just nothing like a week spent at John C. Campbell Folk School!

I have also done "do-it-yourself workshops" at Wild Acres Retreat Center in the mtn. of NC. and at a bed n breakfast in the mtns. of NC.

John Keane, that dredges up quite a few memories from almost 50 years ago: 30+ teenagers on a 3-week bus trip through 2 countries, stopping at a World's Fair, 2 capitals, seeing the ocean, getting lost on the NYC subway, visiting the major cities of the northeast coast and every historic site we could cram in--with multiple verses to this tune added every day, including verses about every person on the bus.  I remember my verse was about me and a particular boy on the trip with whom I had fallen madly in love...I married him 5 years later!

If you decide you want one, order now, as there is a waiting list of several months, minimum.

I'm sure that if you like the sound of a banjo, then you'd like to play the Banjammer!

What an interesting video, with all its scene changes, etc.  I really liked the piano playing of the invisible pianist at the beginning (whose touch was so light you couldn't even see the keys moving up and down!), but then was really surprised as the scene changed.

I also have a similar instrument, but haven't hung it on the wall.

yet.

I'm surprised more people haven't posted on here, although, as I look around my house, I only have pictures and mirrors hanging on the walls.  Very boring!

In my college days, everything we would find on the floor we would tape to our wall near the door--now THAT was kind of interesting!

Yep--In my toddler years I learned to sing "Frosty the Snowman" from a cracked 45rpm--and would sing it all over the house, crack and all!

Well, for goodness sakes--what did y'all DO with your rotary phones???  Throw them away?

Lovely to have at least one older phone in the house that will still work when the electricity goes out and the cell phones die and can't be recharged!

I don't follow football, but I am a big UK basketball fan!

I'm also, as you know, a fan of Mike Clemmer's Ban-jammer!

Do you play with the Louisville Dulcimer Society?

Go CATS!

Marg, I think you misunderstood what I was saying, since I wasn't saying that playing by ear should come naturally to a person....

My point was that aging and certain medical conditions can affect whatever it is that we may do without really thinking about it, whether that means whistling songs we've heard on the radio, singing snippets of camp songs  from childhood, or picking out a tune we know on an instrument.  This is different for everyone...for instance, I play music by ear, but can't dance.  The only kind of dancing I can do is where you have a set of steps that you follow, like in folk dancing, line dancing, etc.  But to just hear music and dance?  That's when MY body has no clue what to do.......it wants a set of directions....I can't just do what "feels natural" to other people.  I think that's a lot like people who need tab-the "set of directions"--in order to produce the music.  So don't feel like you're being dissed if you need the tab.

On the other hand, don't make the mistake of thinking the reason I don't need the tab is that I have taken the time and energy to memorize howto play hundreds of tunes!  I have trouble memorizing anything, so don't anyone give me props for something I haven't done--and probably couldn't do  

Interesting comments--especially since I just re-read yesterday what I had written 2 months ago and realized I hadn't taken into account circumstances where you lose the ability to easily do what used to just come naturally.  Mostly, I just wanted to make the point that people who do not understand "playing by ear" (which KenH described so well) ARE able to hum or whistle while they're working or otherwise engaged, without giving much thought to what the song is and how it goes....it just sort of "comes out".   Not always with the right words or notes, sometimes, though, I might add!

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