Forum Activity for @jan-potts

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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Hey, Wayne!  I like Mike Clemmer's Ban-Jammer so much that I own 2: a standard-size one with a 1.5 fret and a Clemmer "Cutie" (discontinued) with a shorter scale and no 1.5 fret that I use to introduce other players to the Ban-jammer.  I have heard others made by other luthiers and I prefer the sound of the Ban-jammer....it's as simple as that.

The 3rd annual Ban-Jammer gathering is in Townsend, TN this coming weekend (first weekend in October) and I really wish I could be there, but it doesn't look like it's going to work out for me to do that.  I went the first two years and really enjoyed it, so I'm sure everyone who goes will have a good time!

My personal opinion is that there are many ways to play the Ban-jammer and have it sound good.  Aaron O'Rourke and Stephen Seifert have expert flat-picking and claw-hammer skills and can bring out the very best in a Ban-jammer.  But someone with average dulcimer playing skills can strum "Camptown Races" or fingerpick "Streets of Laredo" and that will sound good, too.  And that banjo "twang" is superb!

I always wanted to play the banjo, but discovered that it wasn't physically possible due to arthritis and other issues.  But I CAN lay the Ban-jammer on my lap and play it--so I get the ease of the dulcimer and the sound of a banjo--the best of both worlds!

Me three!

I have heard that if you develop calluses on your fingers, you're pressing down with more force than necessary.  So, if that's true, then I guess that's what I'm doing, because I have a lot of calluses on my fretting hand and none on my fingerpicking hand.

Clear fingernail polish applied in several layers with drying time in between each layer, makes a great temporary callus if you suddenly lose one (after spending a lot of time in pools or doing dishes, I guess!).  As some here have reported, when you change instruments, sometimes you start developing calluses in new places!

I, too, have found a fingertip callus good for pull-offs!

I saw a video of Jean Ritchie yesterday in which she was using a REALLY huge pick--larger than I've ever seen a professional use.  I think that just underlines the point, "Do what works; use what works."

Whether your answers are long or short, I hope everyone is realizing as they read these responses that playing the dulcimer is a very personal experience.  Each individual brings to it their love of music and looks to find a way to have the dulcimer express this in the way that pleases them most.  And, as several have said, sometimes the journey changes for one reason or another--but it's still all good!

Great responses on this discussion!  One of the things I wanted to add was that these changes aren't necessarily permanent ones--they may just be what you needed at that time to make a difference. 

For instance, I changed from a 28" to a 23" VSL and found it much easier to get my left hand to do the chords and fingering I wanted it to do. But as I got more proficient with those skills, I began using dulcimers with longer VSLs.  I now usually play dulcimers with a VSL in the 25-27 " range.

The super thin picks helped me with strumming tempo when I was struggling with that.  For awhile, I too, used only thin picks. Later, however, I started experimenting with picks of different thicknesses and now use a variety, for different purposes.  But the thin pick--at that time--was a real game-changer, for sure.

Imagine you're on a car trip, heading east across the USA, and about midway across the continental 48 you decide you'd like to experience the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.  So you head south.  That doesn't mean you continue heading south, no matter what! You may decide to alter your route to take a better highway through the mountains.  Or you may detour around a swamp.  You may even decide partway there that maybe you'd prefer the Jersey shore or the sands of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  That's OK!  You can change your mind, try something different.  You might even decide to spend your time in a cabin with great mountain views, instead of heading toward an ocean.  

It's OK!  Do your thing! 

Sheryl, I do have picks that I put my name on--they cost several dollars, so losing one of those is a bigger deal.  I've gotten at least 3 returned to me because of that, so it does pay, if you can figure out a way to do it.  Those picks have foam on the part you grip with your thumb and finger(s)...they're called "Grippy Picks", or something like that.  Mike Clemmer sells them (as do others) in a variety of thicknesses.

For the most part, these responses have shown a wide range of changes which have turned you in a new direction--sometimes one that brought on a whole new set of challenges, but, obviously one that has also brought you great pleasure.

Some of my friends switched from playing melody almost all the time to now playing backup most of the time.  I play harmony and counter-melody when it works out--and when I have others to play with, obviously!

I've played some on a baritone and on a chromatic (and on a chromatic baritone!) but need a lot more practice in that direction.

JohnP, I had a similar experience with the dulcimer--a "light bulb moment" when something clicked and I could suddenly play the dulcimer by ear, just as I did the piano and other instruments.  Learning chords has helped me progress in that area, which is really where my heart is.  If the song is in my head, I want it to show up at my fingertips!

Lisa, as you point out with that great story and the link to S. Smith's Blues for Mtn. Dulcimer, there are a lot of different genres that work very well on the mountain dulcimer.  I've seen folks in nursing homes sleep through every genre played until you get to the one that resonates with them--suddenly they're awake, clapping their hands and singing.  Some of us would feel tortured if we had to play classical music on the dulcimer--and others would be delighted!  To each his own!  My group in Tucson taught me to play the blues and they often perform St. Louis Blues, which is a real crowd-pleaser.

Experimenting with different strumming and fingering techniques can lead to something that really "clicks" for you, as with the bum-ditties, thumb-strumming, fingerpicking, etc.  You just might find something that becomes a great new technique for you.

And, yes, finding a group--even a small one--to play with, helps immensely, as does having someone teach you how to play....or how to play better!  I, too, enjoy going to workshops and festivals, not just for the fellowship and great jamming, but also for those workshops that cause you to stretch, bring you new insights, or take you into a whole new direction.

I'm enjoying the discussion and sharing of positive "game-changers" that you, personally have experienced.

"Game Changer: a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way" [Merriam-Webster]

We're so aware of the negative game-changers--our injuries, the damage or loss of instruments, etc.--but what have been the positive ones that have made a significant difference in our playing? 

For me, changing to a dulcimer with a shorter VSL was the first.  Using a thin pick to learn fast strumming was another.  Learning to fingerpick and locating chords--and scales of chords--on the fretboard were huge game changers for me.

What have been your positive game-changers?

d-chitwood, I have one of those thick felt picks, too.  Haven't found anything I like using it on, though.  Now, if you want to practice without fear of waking those who are sleeping/studying, etc, then try using a pack of paper "post-it" flags--if you can find some.  The ones I use are about the size of address labels and they are gummed into a "pack" at one end.  When you use this as a "pick", you can strum those strings with all the vigor you want--and at performance tempo--and only YOU will hear what you are playing.  I refer to these as "silent picks"  because they're almost silent. 

Sheryl--to test the flexibility of a pick to use for fast strumming, I make a fist with my left hand and strum the pick across the fingers on that closed hand.  There's a certain "feel" I'm going for--I don't want any "drag".   You have to balance that, of course, against the percussive "flapping" noise the pick might make.  I couldn't do a fast strum until I tried that super-thin .38 Dunlop!  (My first one was "acquired" at a workshop I went to...it was on the floor and none of the people there claimed it as theirs.)

I have dozens and dozens of picks of all shapes, sizes, styles, materials, thicknesses, and colors.  Some were purchased by the dozen, some I've acquired in trades with other players, some I've made from various materials.   I like very thin flexible picks for fast strumming (paper-thin Dunlop .38).  One of my favorites was cut out of the cover of a spiral notebook!  It's good for about 90% of the playing I do--but I often can't find it!  So even when I have favorite picks, I find I have to "make do" with whatever is handy!

No, not mistakes (like when half the group starts playing "Soldiers' Joy" and the other half start on "Whiskey Before Breakfast")............I'm referring to mix-ups that are done on purpose.  Here are a few examples:

• Take a hymn or Christmas carol that everyone knows and pair the words with a folk tune.  People will listen more closely to the words and may get a new appreciation for the message.
• Take a poem or nursery rhyme and pair it will a well-known tune.  For instance, "Jack and Jill Went Up the Hill"  with "Pop Goes the Weasel"
• Take a simple well-known tune and write some new words for it.  These words might have special meaning for your club, family, church, etc.  I've done this with the "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" song.
• Take a short 4-line hymn or other song and write a new tune for it, following the AABA song structure where the third line is substantially different from lines 1,2, and 4.
• Many are familiar with a hymn like "Amazing Grace" being sung to a tune like "House of the Rising Sun" or "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle".  Some people, however, feel this is irreverent.  So mix things up a little more and take the words to "House of the Rising Sun" and sing them to the tune of "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" or some other silly song.

Have fun!

I think this is under copyright still.

Marg--you thanked us "for answering what must seem to you as very simple silly questions ", but I think your questions are very helpful--not just to you, but to others who are struggling with the same issues, as well those of us attempting to give helpful answers.  I keep checking back to see if others chiming in are agreeing or disagreeing with what I've said--and if they're disagreeing, then I need to find out why and decide if we're both right, but just explaining it from a different angle.  So, by all means keep asking questions like these!

Cynthia, love this new instrument of yours!  Thanks for showing it to us and playing and singing, too!  And, yes, if I ever got up to your neck of the woods (I'm currently in AZ), I'd watch out for the chainsaw in the doorway!

Robin--and not just what sounds best, but you can also consider what fits your vocal range!

Marg asked, "If I am playing with a group, do I need to be tune in DAd or can I be in any of the keys as long as I am playing the same DAd tab?"

I know you asked this question at the end of a long day...if you thought about it, you'd realize that if they're playing a song that starts on D, then you'd better be on a D, too, or it will sound pretty bad.  You mentioned wanting to practice songs with changing the tunings to hear the difference in the sounds (and it would be "like a new song" every time)...well just imagine that your friend was practicing with you...but they never changed their tuning when you did.  Even though the 2 of you might be sharing the same sheet of tab and playing the same numbers, your notes won't be the same and it will "clash".

Some players who don't often play with others just tune their instrument to accommodate the range of their singing voice (which might mean getting strings that are heavier or lighter....it all depends on what works with your instrument).  But as long as they are in a "1-5-8" tuning, with the 2 outer strings being an octave apart and the middle string up a "fifth" (the distance from the first "Twinkle" to the second "Twinkle" in the "...Little Star" song), then they can use the numbers on a sheet of music tabbed out for DAd and it will work just fine.  They just need to get back in tune with everyone else if they end up in a group situation.  Most folks are tuned DAd in dulcimer jams that I've been in, and in a class situation the instructor will tell everyone what tuning to be in...sometimes it stays the same for the whole class and sometimes it changes depending on what the song is.  It's usually on the music, too--so you're not just left in the dark to wonder what everyone's doing!

Interesting take on music theory, Kevin--different from what we usually read on this site.  It reminds me of a story a hammered dulcimer teacher tells of a music theory class he was taking where he was the only student who understood all the modes and how they worked.  He said the reason he understood it was because he played the hammered dulcimer and all the modes are laid out there in plain view, so it's easy-peasy. (well, I don't think he said that last part!)  So you have an understanding of one part of music theory because of a particular instrument you played.  My piano teachers were always writing the circle of fifths on the front covers of my books...and even though I have a basic understanding of it as a dulcimer player, I still don't know why it was an important thing for me to learn on the piano (but I'm sure someone here will explain that to me!)  By the way, when I was in elementary school, happily playing the piano by ear (long before lessons started in high school) I first played mainly on the black keys; I played in the key of F#.  After a couple years, I suddenly switched to Ab--I have no idea why.  I only played in the key of Ab for several years.  Peculiar, I know.  I'm picking up music theory in small, easy to digest chunks, for the most part.  I took a Coursera class from Berkley School of Music that was good and I had Josh Goforth at Swannanoa for a week of music theory and that was great--he's amazing!  Things are starting to click, bit by bit.

Now, Marg, if you want to get your brain REALLY tied up in knots, I suggest you study and memorize the circle of fifths, cycle of fourths, and Star of Modes!

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Hmm....I never thought about those being "Egyptian heads" (plus I'd been told the other story by a reliable source).  I could swear I've seen some with the hair parted down the middle and drawn into a knot at the nape of the neck.  Maybe that's something I dreamed....(a "nightmare", Patty would say!!! lol)

Kristi said, "Whoops, guess I should have mentioned treatment presupposes a cased dulcimer. "

I was thinking "cased", too.  I would wrap the instrument in cloth and then fill in packing materials in all the empty spaces.  Close the case.  Then I would wrap the case in bubblewrap because I've never had a problem with it, if it's not right next to the wood inside the case. Now comes the more difficult decisions.  How valuable is this instrument?  Is it irreplaceable?  How far is it traveling?  Who's shipping it?  If you followed the advice to put it in a "corregated cardboard cement form tube" then you'd just shove it in there, fill in the spaces, fill in both end, tape, and you're pretty much done.  But I've never done it that way, so my experiences is only with cardboard boxes.

You will pay a whole lot of money to ship UPS, esp. if they pack it.  I've personally had experiences where shipping the dulcimer was more than the price I paid for it--that just doesn't make sense!!!!  If I have the time to pack it well and send it USPS, then that's what I do.  It saves a lot of money, but you do need to pack it well!  If you can double box it, that's best. But if you can't, then PLEASE get a VERY STURDY corregated board shipping box, add extra pieces of cardboard front, back, wrap cardboard around the ends of the case, and make sure ALL the spaces are filled. Shake it. Add more. 

Just please do NOT use a box that a vacuum cleaner came in from the department store, etc.  They have no STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY--"the ability of an item to hold together under a load, including its own weight, resisting breakage or bending.'  You have to assume rough treatment by shippers.  When you get done packing this instrument, you should at least be confident that IF you stood on it--but don't!!!--then the package would not bend, collapse, etc.  If that's too hard to wrap your mind around, then think about it being at the bottom of a stack of boxes--and each of those boxes on top of it are holding a case of copy paper or two....

I once had an irreplaceable instrument sent to me in a practically indestructable instrument case--that I was not able to buy--and then paid to have the case shipped back across the country...and that was the right solution for that item.  The case was then packed, as I described above, in a sturdy outer box. 

I had someone send me an instrument that was rattling around in a box with a few sheets of newspaper crushed into balls at the bottom of the box.  That it survived the trip of 100 miles without even being in a case is, in fact, a miracle. 

Hope these tips help.  Just don't put yourself in a position where if something goes wrong, you say "I should've".......

This was the point I made in a note to the seller:  ...so if the dulcimer said Martin with no first name, how could one be sure which brother had made it?

The seller was claiming Edsel had made it, but when I asked why he thought that, he didn't give me a straight answer--and then blocked me from bidding on it. He was saying the carving on the instrument said G erwin Martin, Swannanoa, NC, but said "That's how Edsel signed many of his" and said he got this information "from the web".

What it actually said, however--and I told him this--was "Genuine Martin", not "G erwin Martin". I wasn't questioning that it was made by one of the brothers, I just wanted to know why he was convinced that Edsel had made it.

I really don't think think there's anything out there on the web to support a signature of G erwin Martin, as he is claiming. I think he knew he had a Martin dulcimer and it would sell for the most money if it were touted as being made by Edsel. The outcome is that someone got a fine example of a dulcimer made--maybe--by one of the Martin brothers of Swannanoa, NC....

Oh--and those heads Fred carved on his? My understanding is that they were likenesses of relatives and other women in the community that he personally knew.

Rob, do you recall ever hearing that they were signed "Genuine Martin" without the name Edsel, Fred, or Wade? 

Is Fred still living?  This "Fred told me" comment sounded like a recent conversation....

"Edsel Martin" dulcimer just sold on eBay today and I was interested in whether or not it was purchased by someone on this site and, if so, they might want to share photos, comments, etc. about this interesting dulcimer.  I think 3 of the Martin brothers made dulcimers and put interesting carvings on some of the peg heads.  The pegs were hand carved wood, as well.

One of my current solutions for storing cased instruments upright is to put them in one of those folding hampers with no lid.  This is the one I have...it's 14 x 14 and 22in. high, so depending on the size of your instruments and the type of cases, you should be able to get about 4 in here.  This is perfect for tucking away in a corner and for leaving the instruments accessible for you, but not in jeopardy of damage from a dog or child running through the room.  This one is 14.99 from Target, online, and you can pick it up at your local store and save on shipping....but they are not stocked IN the store. 

I finally located a name for what I'm doing (using one tuning--DAd--but playing in different keys).  Gary Gallier refers to this as "Cross Key Tuning". If anyone wants to know more about that they can contact me or Google Gary Gallier and look up the topic on his website (it's one of the main tabs).  He even has 2 pages of all the scales for the different keys that work with the DAd tuning.  Note: many of the scales require a 1.5 fret.  'Nother Note: You will NOT, therefore, be playing in the traditional way.  But you will live and it will be OK.

Good suggestions, Kristi!  I like to receive my instruments wrapped in cotton cloth (part of an old sheet or several old T-shirts will do).  Then, whatever packing material is used doesn't come in direct contact with the instrument.

Marg, I'm glad you can appreciate the variety of ways people make music with their dulcimers--the "many differences that can be achieved by eaçh person" as you kindly put it.  I have a friend who can not only not sing or play an instrument, but is also unable to recognize what tune is being played--even something as simple as Happy Birthday to You or Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.  He can hear the music just fine, but his brain does not process it--does not assign any meaning to the different tones.  If I were playing Carnegie Hall and had a ticket for him, he'd tell me to give it to somebody else, because it would just be a long boring evening for him. 

Another friend has always loved music, but nothing about learning it made any sense to her.  She figured she would, therefore, never be able to play a musical instrument.  Then she encountered the dulcimer, which provides a variety of learning choices.  She discovered numbered tab and quickly realized that because the numbers made sense, she could play this instrument --and now, after just a few years, she is a VERY good player. 

Now, I carry music around in my being and in my soul--I expect to be able to pick up an instrument and with a little experimentation play whatever pops into my head--not proficiently, of course, but I can get the music from my head to the instrument (most instruments I've tried, at least) in a recognizable fashion without tab, numbers, standard music notation, etc.  For me, a lot of my learning involves finding out what it is that I'm doing, so that I can make sense out of things like chord charts, etc. Playing from tab is actually quite difficult for me.   I had someone hand me a sheet of tabbed out music the other day and in the midst of struggling to read the tab and get my fingers on exactly the right frets and move cleanly from chord to chord (with all the notes in between) I suddenly realized that I had written out that tab, years ago!  That sure made me laugh!

Yep, we're all different--and some of us are "differenter" than others!     and that's OK!

Mike Anderson tried to teach me to play the bones once--whew!  Maybe if I'd had a set of my own, I would have practiced and caught on eventually, but at that time (with Mike) I just wasn't getting it!

I liked that sculpture, too, Wout!

Nothing pitiful about your playing at all, Rob!  I think I saw the Chocolate Drops when they were on Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour. (No, I don't have special "powers" to "see" radio.....the shows are taped in a theater in my hometown of Lexington, KY, and the tapings are then shown on TV.  The website also has an archive of all its shows....you can watch Sarah Morgan performing on the same show as the Two Cellos(Show #710, watch Jean Ritchie at a taping, as well as many other greats in the music world...many that are no longer with us.)  http://www.woodsongs.com/show-archives/

Great account of your journey with the dulcimer, the decisions you've made along the way and the reasons behind them, Kevin!  I can tell that playing the dulcimer brings you a lot of joy and contentment. 

Somebody sells a pick tethered to a ring you wear.  Same concept as the baby's pacifier on a ribbon pinned to their onesy....You might drop it, but it won't go far!

In the Sale Forum, there are very durable tamarind noters for sale.  People use all different kinds of materials for noters...different woods, glass, metal, etc.  In a pinch, a clothespin, fat pencil (like the kindergarteners use) or anything with that sort of shape will work.  Some people just buy a dowel and cut it into 4 or 5 inch sections--whatever's the most comfortable size for their hand.

I just read through this entire discussion and found it interesting to see what everyone is doing.  I really don't think there is any one "right way" to play the dulcimer.  I think it's good to see what's out there, see what you like, experiment a bit, and try to be open-minded as far as what tuning(s) you use and how you choose to play your instrument.  Maybe you like the sound of the drones; maybe you don't.  Maybe you want to play with a quill; maybe you want to fingerpick.  Maybe you want to use tab; maybe you want to play by ear or use standard music notation.  Maybe you want to learn one tuning and stay with that one because that's where you're comfortable; maybe you want to retune between every song.  Maybe what is "boring" to one person brings much joy and excitement to somebody else.  Maybe you're content to keep things simple because that's why you started playing this instrument in the first place--and that should be OK with everyone, too.

To each his own, and all that. I don't think someone should be viewed as a heretic because what seems to be right and good for them is not what others choose to do. 

My first instrument was a piano, so my thinking tends to be more chromatic.  So I tune DAd most of the time, don't usually use drones, and if I want to make a change  because I'm going to be singing with my dulcimer and need an adjustment to accommodate my fairly narrow vocal range, then I just usually play the song in a different key, like G or C or A instead of D--without changing the DAd tuning.  And if I don't NEED to retune to play songs like Pretty Saro, Scarborough Fair, Cluck Old Hen, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, Shady Grove, City of New Orleans, etc., then I DON'T. 

Yes, most of my instruments have both a 1.5 fret and a 6.5 fret.  Personally, I like the freedom of going from song to song without retuning or trading instruments.  Every now and then I put on a capo for Reuben's Train or a few other songs, but those are the few exceptions. 

This is what works for me.  It's what I like and what I choose to do to express my love of music.  Arthritis has made it too painful to play instruments like the guitar where you have to wrap your left hand around the neck.  The piano is too heavy and cumbersome to lug around.  I really LIKE playing the dulcimer--but I want to do it in a way that works best for me.

So, whatever tunings you're using and however you're choosing to play this wonderful instrument, ENJOY it!  Have fun!  Let it be the voice for your soul, your "howl" at the moon, the comforting lullaby for your loved ones.....

Gale, this is one of the most creative uses for an old chest of drawers that I have ever seen!  Love it!

A great trio of instructors!  I'm sure it was a lot of fun with those three!

There are lots of folks that I've known from here as well as other events I've attended....it gets hard to keep it all straight after awhile.  But several great friends I definitly knew first as FOTMD people and then sought them out in the "real" world: Dana McCall (love ya, Dana!) who, it turns out, lives only 15 miles away!; Gail Webber who I first welcomed on this site and has since been my roommate at several workshops, retreats, and events; Rob Lackey, an interesting poster here and a really fun guy to jam with (met him at Dana's "Just Ain't Right" Jam a few years ago); and Mark Runge whose progress as a luthier I really admire and who, with his lovely wife Val, I have had fun exchanging visits with as we travel or attend events.  I had also read posts by Kristi Keller on here long before I met her and she became my "big sister" in Tucson, Arizona. 

There are many more who I know I am going to meet someday!  Marg, bless her heart, offered me a place to stay when my brother was dying in a hospital near her home.  Although it didn't work out for me to do that, I'll never forget the offered gift of a room to a sad visitor to Texas!  Dulcimer friends are really the best!

I think the bones make a good accompaniment for many fiddle tunes, like "Whiskey Before Breakfast", added to a verse or two to make it more interesting. I took a class on playing the bones and other rhythm instruments years ago, and found it a whole lot more complex than I thought it would be.  I don't have a set of bones to practice on, so I've never been able to get good at it.  (But then I have a set of spoons (wood, joined, from Canada) as well as castinets, and I've never become very good at either of those, too. !)  Takes a lot of practice!

I can see how the plastic, foldable cube with retractable handle would work for small gatherings, performances, etc.  As you say, it will hold 2 instruments in form fit cases, plus a few more items.  What I'm looking for, however, are suggestions for something 2 or 3 times that size for hauling the large, unweildy instruments (hammered dulcimers, folk harps, steel drums, etc.) and/or multiple dulcimers.  I'm thinking here of events/workshops where you would need to transport over a long distance--and possibly in inclement weather--more instruments than what you can haul in a small crate with wheels.  Hopefully, as well, it would be something you could push though crowded hallways and wouldn't stick out too far in front of you (which can creat traffic problems).