Forum Activity for @james-phillips

lol John Henry

Dang me James, I have only just managed to find time toput the Christmas 'stuff' back up in the loft, do I have to get it all down again !!!

John

I had an idea, and I wanted to get this out early, so we could all maybe work up something to do. I had this idea that maybe we could do a Christmas in July group of videos to post. Christmas in July is something I remember doing years ago at the church I used to go to, as it was to remind us of the Holiday spirit year round, and I thought it could be something we as a site could do video wise. Anyone else game for this idea?

I'm a Blue Lion fan.

I'm coming in to this discussion a little late, but if you want to buy a great quality instrument you can't go wrong with a Folkcraft or Folkroots (made the same people). They are consistently good instrument. Blue Lion is top of the line and worth every dollar you pay for it. After that Robert's list above is pretty good. I'd add David Lynch's Sweet Woods Dulcimers.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Some eBay transactions work out; some don't...you have to know that going in. But when it does work out, you can meet some great people and get a really special instrument. The best folks, of course, are honest to a fault and will allow a return if the instrument is a disappointment when it arrives. I'm very thankful for eBay and Craigslist and other sites like them for making it possible for us to connect with sellers across the miles. I do agree, though, that it's probably best to work with folks on this site and Everything Dulcimer as much as possible. It's not a guarantee that nothing will go wrong, but it's a great place to start!

If you want to hear a dulcimer made by the fine luthier, David Lynch, check out my video. This is an all-cherry teardrop with an extra deep soundbox and a VSL of about 26", which means my fingers can stretch and find the chords better than one witha 28" VSL.

Just put "Jan Potts Oh Susannah" in the search box and at least one of the videos that come up should be mine! I'll post the link here in a second, if I can get it.

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/oh-susannah

one other note. I started with Cripple Creek...decade ago which was wonderful. Had another made for me 3 yrs ago which was terrible in craftspersonship, had to be sent back, and still has problems. Hopefully they have found another luthier to replace the temporary one who was there. Bud at the time wasn't building much due to health. I'd stick with McSpadden, Folkcraft, Modern Mountain or IF you can afford....Blue Lion.

Wow....everyone has an opinion on this one, McSpadden is great for consistency and affordability in the mid price range.

Personally....I LOVE Blue Lion. They are expensive but worth saving up for.

Good point, Jan! David is a remarkably innovative luthier. Check out this video where he demonstrates the warm, mellow sound he gets with a "decoupled" tailpiece and how sticking something as simple as a credit card underneath the tailpiece results in a more traditional dulcimer sound.

I would also add David Beede to that list. Has a great reputation with performers.

For dulcimers with a rich full tone, I'd also add Gary Gallier to Ken's list above. I recently received mine, and it is fantastic.

Also David McKinney (Modern Mountain Dulcimers). Wonderful instruments.

And MMD has humor:

At Modern Mountain Dulcimer, we understand that the mountain dulcimer is the center of the Folk Music Universe and that all other folk instruments were created to enhance and accompany the mountain dulcimer.

Armsmere, a few years ago I tried to get people at Everything Dulcimer to start rating luthiers. I wanted to buy a really nice dulcimer and needed some guidance. But there was great resistance. The dulcimer community is very close-knit, and no one wanted to hurt anyone's feelings by stating formally in a discussion somewhere that one person's dulcimers were better than another.

It was suggested to me that I simply watch videos by people whose playing I enjoyed and whose dulcimers sounded good and ask them what they were playing and why. Eventually, I ordered a dulcimer from Ron Ewing and bought used dulcimers by Blue Lion and Modern Mountain Dulcimer. I also acquired but had to part with a Laurel Mountain dulcimer and a John Stockard dulcimer. All--though especially the Blue Lion and MMD--fall into the modern loud, mellow guitar sound category rather than the traditional high silvery sound, but all are great instruments. There are others, too. My suggestion is just to pay attention to what is being played in videos and if you are lucky enough to attend a dulcimer festival, just ask people if you can play their dulcimers for a moment. There are lots of great instruments out there and I'm sure you'll fin more than several that will please you.

By the way, I would add Laurel Mountain to Ken's list. Mary used to work for Folkcraft when they were in Connecticut but decided to stay behind when the company relocated to Indiana. Her standard models resemble Folkcraft in size and basic design with only minor differences. But she does really nice work. I miss the beautiful Laurel Mountain I was obliged to sell in order to partially pay for my Modern Mountain Dulcimer.

If you want that "rich mellow" guitar sound, rather than the traditional "high silvery" sound, then you want an instrument that is both wide and deep -- the greatest internal volume. Larger internal volumes give more bass/baritone response. Look for a depth of at least 2.5" (6cm) and a body length (not just VSL length) of say 32" (80cm) without the tuning head. You'll probably find the ultimate sound in a Tennessee Music Box or other box shaped dulcimer rather than a teardrop, hourglass or other shape. Type of wood has not been proven to effect the sound of dulcimers to any major degree. Any builder who has made more than a handful of dulcimers will know how much area of soundhole each of his/her designs requires for optimum sound production.

Rather than searching Ebay and similar sites, I would advise you to search the "For Sale" both here and the www.everythingdulcimer.com . You will be dealing with knowledgeable dulcimer players, not someone's great aunt who can't spell dulcimer let alone play one. Prices won't be any higher here or at ED, and the seller won't try to rip you off over the cost of postage.

After nearly 40 years of messing about with dulcimers, here's my partial list of some of the best dulcimer builders in the USA whose instruments show up periodically on Ebay and elsewhere. Most of these builders are still alive.

Bear Mountain (Dwayne Wilder)

Modern Mountain Dulcimers

Bonnie Carol

Blue Lion

Capritaurus

Warren May

Homer Ledford

Gary Sager

Ben Seymore

Mike Clemmer

Jerry Rockwell

Ron Gibson

Jean Ritchie & George Pickow

Cripple Creek (Bud & Donna Ford)

MacSpadden

Folkcraft

Dave "Harpmaker" Lynch

Kevin Messenger

John Knopf

Bobbie Ratliff

Dan C and a couple other here that I've forgotten (sorry guys....)

Blue Lion I think is a good choice.

http://www.bluelioninstruments.com/index.html

Wout

Sorry Cindy Stambach!! It's Cindy Stammich. Or shall we say "The great Cindy Stammich". Yes we shall, at least for this moment.

Thanks Lexie! Have fun......and more fun.

You are right Terry, thanks it is fun learning and mind you when I say I am slow, it means I am new to music/playing the dulcimer. It is wonderful how versatile the instrument is and how we all learn our way and support each other in our chosen playing style. I don't mean to compare me to you or anybody. Some days I just feel slow, but I can tell you I do play every day and truly love it.

I too go back to the songs I learned first, just to give myself a lift on playing a song all the way and having so much fun with the process of knowing that I improved or played well that time. It is like training a dog, always ending with a sweet note..."Well Done! I will play it today and get to learning it....Thanks Terry, you are terrific!

Terry Wilson said:

I don't know about being better than you or anybody Lexie. Who's counting anyway? Sometimes I hate my dulcimer playing, while other times I say "Hey, that sounds pretty dog gone good Terry". It's all relative to how serious you take yourself, and how much fun you want to have. When I listen to someone like say, Cindy Stambach, on this forum, it kind of forces me to be put in my place.

Yep, learning new songs is wonderful and fun, but there are very seldom 2 days that go by that I still play some of that "Boil Them Cabbage Down", "Aunt Rhodie", "Wild Wood Flower". Oh my goodness, gotta have some of that "June Apple" every day.

Lexie, you had better get on that Jessie James, you gonna love it.

Thanks for your kind comments.

Kind regards,

Terry

I don't know about being better than you or anybody Lexie. Who's counting anyway? Sometimes I hate my dulcimer playing, while other times I say "Hey, that sounds pretty dog gone good Terry". It's all relative to how serious you take yourself, and how much fun you want to have. When I listen to someone like say, Cindy Stambach, on this forum, it kind of forces me to be put in my place.

Yep, learning new songs is wonderful and fun, but there are very seldom 2 days that go by that I still play some of that "Boil Them Cabbage Down", "Aunt Rhodie", "Wild Wood Flower". Oh my goodness, gotta have some of that "June Apple" every day.

Lexie, you had better get on that Jessie James, you gonna love it.

Thanks for your kind comments.

Kind regards,

Terry

Thanks Terry; I think you are a much better player than I. I am a little slow at learning songs and have a big list, but I will learn it. I am happy that you started this thread, it is fun searching out songs and giving them a go, not to mention helping and encouraging each other. You are doing great and we can smile and keep on a' Strummin'

Terry Wilson said:

Lexie,

I hope you have tried Jessie James like you said you might do. It's a great song, a very fun song. You gotta try it.

I have the tab to memory now, and can play it without peeking, and the words also to memory. Now I gotta get to the point where it sounds good to someone else's ear.

Good Luck!

Lexie R Oakley said:

http://http://sniff.numachi.com/lookup.cgi?ds1=D&ds2=A&ds3=...

Terry, here I was looking for the tab and found it at this tab site, thought I shall try it also.

Lexie,

I hope you have tried Jessie James like you said you might do. It's a great song, a very fun song. You gotta try it.

I have the tab to memory now, and can play it without peeking, and the words also to memory. Now I gotta get to the point where it sounds good to someone else's ear.

Good Luck!

Lexie R Oakley said:

http://http://sniff.numachi.com/lookup.cgi?ds1=D&ds2=A&ds3=...

Terry, here I was looking for the tab and found it at this tab site, thought I shall try it also.

I will have to take a look at the crawdad song also Terry. Cindy, it will be fun to hear what you and your family did with this song, it will be fun to hear.

Terry Wilson said:

Hi Cindy,

I'll just have to check the Crawdad Song out. Thanks as always.

Terry

Cindy Stammich said:

Hey Terry,

How about the Crawdad Song? We have a lot of fun with that one.

In fact, tomorrow I will share a pretty funny version (recorded last night when we were all way too tired) and my son-in-law madeup a special verseof his own justfor my mom. (Oh and yes there is a story behind it).

Stay tuned

Hi Cindy,

I'll just have to check the Crawdad Song out. Thanks as always.

Terry

Cindy Stammich said:

Hey Terry,

How about the Crawdad Song? We have a lot of fun with that one.

In fact, tomorrow I will share a pretty funny version (recorded last night when we were all way too tired) and my son-in-law madeup a special verseof his own justfor my mom. (Oh and yes there is a story behind it).

Stay tuned

Hey Terry,

How about the Crawdad Song? We have a lot of fun with that one.

In fact, tomorrow I will share a pretty funny version (recorded last night when we were all way too tired) and my son-in-law madeup a special verseof his own justfor my mom. (Oh and yes there is a story behind it).

Stay tuned

http://http://sniff.numachi.com/lookup.cgi?ds1=D&ds2=A&ds3=A&ti=JESSJAME&tt=JESSJAME&tab=d

Terry, here I was looking for the tab and found it at this tab site, thought I shall try it also.

I don't know the tune to Jessie James, and I don't have TAB. So without TAB, I'll have to hunt the tune up on You Tube, and learn to play it by ear on harmonica, then I can play it on the dulcimer without TAB.

Thank you

Great suggestion Jan. I've never tried the boatman song, but I will. Perhaps noter-drone.

Jan Potts said:

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/boatman-noter-drone?commentI...

I like to play Boatmen (or Boatman) because it has 3 sections with lots of variety. On this video Cheryl plays it quite fast--it is a fiddle tune, after all--but a lot of dulcimer players play it at a more moderate tempo, which works better for me, especially if I'm chording AND fingerpicking AND trying to sing the words!

Thank you Pam for the songs, I will check them out.

Great suggestions folks! Thanks.

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/boatman-noter-drone?commentId=3745489%3AComment%3A347114

I like to play Boatmen (or Boatman) because it has 3 sections with lots of variety. On this video Cheryl plays it quite fast--it is a fiddle tune, after all--but a lot of dulcimer players play it at a more moderate tempo, which works better for me, especially if I'm chording AND fingerpicking AND trying to sing the words!

John,
I played with a lady yesterday who sung and played "Pretty Saro". Thanks for suggesting this song to me, it's a beautiful song.

Terry

john p said:

A couple of tunes I like to play round and around :

Pretty Saro

Suzy McGuire

Elk River Blues

Hi Cheryl,

I took your suggestion of "June Apple" and it was love at first play. Great song. I'm gonna check out some of that "Spotted Cow", maybe magic will happen again.

Thank!

Cheryl James said:

I can think of a couple of similar tunes, I know several dulcimer players really love to play June Apple and Spotted Cow is another one than can go on forever because it's just so much fun!

Folkfan,

Better late than never I guess. Do I play it fast or slow? Never slow. I would say medium to kind of fast. I can play it really fast, but I am not a big fan of playing Wildwood Flower really fast. I was playing with a lady yesterday who could not play it "kind of fast", so we played medium speed. Very enjoyable. It's nice to play it on the melody string, then on the bass string, or mix it up, and then an octive higher. I also love to play it with a popcicle stick noter.

In the mean time, someone here suggested the song "June Apple" to play over and over again like Wildwood Flower. Hey, I am here to tell you now that I love this June Apple song. Picked it up in no time flat, love it love it love it. Finger dancing is great, but sounds best with the ole popcicle stick. Actually it's not a popcicle stick, it's a wooden drink or coffee stirrer I found at Chic-Fil-A.Much more slimmer than a popcicle stick.Now everytime I go to Chic-Fil-A I politely place several of these jewels in my wife's purse to add to my bounty.

Good to read a post from you ff, missed you !

John

Jan, That's a good question. I don't think I've ever heard Wildwood Flower played as anything but a faster dance tune. All the recordings I have of it are at a toe tapping pace. Even those that are sung. So I've just never managed to play it. I've got slow hands. Since I think of it as a fast tune, I would only have thought to give faster tunes to match that pace.

So Terry, are you playing it fast or slow?????

Hmmm...do you play WF fast or slow? As a dance tune or a lament? If you're playing it fast, then Whiskey before Breakfast or Spotted Pony might be similar in "gait"....if you play it slow, you might want to learn Hard Times, which can be played all over the fretboard and handle key changes and anything else you throw at it. Can easily sit and fingerpick that for quite awhile!

I don't normally play anything as fast a pace as Wildwood Flower, but I have heard it played with Redwing which makes a nice combination.

As a warming up I always play the national anthem of The Netherlands, "Wilhelmus", in three styles: the version dated around 1580 in noter&drone style; the 1740 version in finger dancing and the 1938 slow version in chord/melody.

I play the double bass in a folk dance group (dancers and musicians) and also the dulcimer/hummle and the bones/clackers is a special set. Playing "Wilhelmus" is part of the show to demonstrate the dulcimer to the audience, special the bennifits of the diatonic fret board when playing chord/melody.

Mandy, thanks for the song. I've printed it out and ready to give it a go.

Mandy said:

I'm addicted to John Stinsons #2 on dulcimer. Not sure why, just am.

John, thanks for the song suggestions. I am not familar with any of the three songs, but that's why I asked the question, to learn a couple of new songs with the gait of Wildwood Flower.

john p said:

A couple of tunes I like to play round and around :

Pretty Saro

Suzy McGuire

Elk River Blues

Cheryl, I do enjoy playing "June Apple", but not familar with Spotted Cow. Sounds like a fun song. Thanks!

Cheryl James said:

I can think of a couple of similar tunes, I know several dulcimer players really love to play June Apple and Spotted Cow is another one than can go on forever because it's just so much fun!