Forum Activity for @ken-longfield

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Good luck Teddy on your dulcimer journey. Playing a mountain dulcimer is very therapeutic. There are serveral styles of playing, but as a piper you may like the noter/drone as a starting point. In that style you play the melody on one string (the one closest to you as you hold the dulcimer on you lap) and the other two or three strings act as drones. I'm sure you are familiar with it. Once you receive your new dulcimer and start playing don't hesitate to ask in the forums if you have any questions. As you know by now, we are happy to offer any help we can. Best wishes.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Teddy, Welcome to FOTMD.  It sounds like you have successfully navigated your way through a serious illness.  Playing the mountain dulcimer is very therapeutic.  I have dealt with colon cancer on an ongoing basis since 2010.  The mountain dulcimer has helped me maintain a positive attitude.  

Similar to you I once played the bagpipes, although, in my case, my instrument was the Irish uilleann pipes.  Multiple surgeries have left me unable to wear the belt holding the bellows in place, so I returned to the mountain dulcimer, and it didn't disappoint.  My mountain dulcimers have provided me with many years of enjoyment.  I'm sure your dulcimer will do the same for you.

A bonus is the type of people drawn to the mountain dulcimer.  You will not meet a friendlier bunch of people.  Enjoy your instrument and don't hesitate to ask for help if and when it's needed.  FOTMD is a warm welcoming group, we are pleased you have chosen to join us.

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I have belonged to this group for about two months, all the while never even once, the whole of my lifetime, having so much as touched a mountain dulcimer.  I have seen them, and heard them (while visiting family in the mountains of western North Carolina) - and that pretty much sums up my entire life experience with the mountain dulcimer; other than what I am able to see and hear on YouTube.

Yesterday was a milestone for me, in what is shaping up to be my burgeoning (solo) career with the mountain dulcimer;  I placed my order with Wood-N-Strings dulcimers for a walnut (sides,back and soundboard) dulcimer.  For the next few months, I will be anticipating its arrival, which is enjoyable in its own right, since I will only every anticipate the arrival of this dulcimer this one time.  (So I am bloody well going to savor it!)

I have literally no idea what I am doing, I have no idea where to start, and other than a few things that I was able to glean through reading posts here and on YouTube videos, I didn't really have much of a clue insofar as what my preferences in a dulcimer even were (are).

I suspect that somebody, somewhere is thinking (if they are reading this..) 'cardboard starter dulcimer' - but, nothing is foolproof, my friend;  we fools are much too ingenious for that sort've thing!!  

I live by the unwritten code;  "Anything worth doing, is worth Over-doing!!"

Although I have no idea how to even begin, in truth, I have never let that stop me in the past, and I am much, much too set in my ways to start allowing it to inform my choices today.  So, whenever my new instrument arrives, I will spend some time being utterly perplexed, and then I will decide upon a course of action, and begin.... 

Wish me luck!!  I am really looking forward to this new journey.  I am (or have been for quite some time) a piper.  A couple of years ago, however, I was afflicted by a sudden life-threatening medical emergency (my intestines spontaneously tore open... creating a 4"-6" tear... and spilling all of that nasty stuff into my abdominal cavity. 

This happened on a Monday evening...  I actually felt it occur, but, having never experienced anything of that ilk in my life, I literally had no idea what had happened.  By 10AM the next day, at work, I began having difficulty keeping my eyes in focus, and I was not able to walk down a rather wide hallway in the office without ricocheting off of both walls...   and from about 11AM(ish) I have no conscious memory to this day, until I snapped back to full awareness... sitting on my sofa.. literally pouring sweat as though someone was dumping a bowl of warm water over my head....  I crawled up the stairs..  (literally crawled.. on the floor) and was violently ill for the next hour or so.. then I dragged my sorry self to my bed where I remained (this was Tuesday night) until Thursday morning, without ever getting up at all... until my wife called Bullsh*t, and relentlessly kept at me until I very, very, *very* painfully got up, put some clothes on, and walked the longest, most excrutiating 40 feet or so to get into the vehicle, and had an exceedingly unpleasant 5 or 6 minute drive to our primary physician's office, then staggered inside.  

They put me on a table, the doctor palpated my lower left abdominal quadrant.. and I came off the table from the pain...  and was pretty much back to full awareness from that point...  the doc advised us to drive straight to the ER (she didn't feel comfortable waiting for an ambulance to come get me) they called ahead... and a few hours later I underwent emergency open abdominal surgery.  I pressed the surgeon for my chances of survival, and after me being adamant (this is my specialty), he told me that he thought I had a 15% chance of surviving the surgery, but perhaps a 1% chance of surviving the night, due to several extremely virulent and advanced bacterial infections leading to sepsis.

Several months later I returned for a scheduled second surgery, which had some severe complications.  I ended up unable to eat or drink anything for seven months ( I lived on infusions ), and then the pandemic hit, and I live in what was, at the time, the epicenter of COVID in the United States.. so it wasn't looking good.

By the grace of God, I am alive, I am relatively well, but I will probably not be able to play bagpipes again due to the internal pressure that the blowing causes.   This was not good news to me, and I will perhaps look into playing bellows blown pipes at some point... but, this new instrument is a direct result of all of this.   My hope is to be able to sit quietly, and simply play some music.  I have no interest in playing for audiences... I just want to be able to play something lovely.

So... now the wait begins.   Approximately four months was the anticipated waiting period.  I generally add some time to these estimates, because life happens.  

I am excited!!  Wish me luck!!  Perhaps I might even be able to actually learn to play this thing!!  :)

Stanley Hicks / David Love dulcimer

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

Most of the dulcimer makers in Watauga County, NC can be tied together in some manner.  The interconnections through a common practice of the late 19th and early 20 centuries (marriage of first cousins) makes family ties a complex web of who's related to who.  I'd estimate that 90-95% of Watauga County's dulcimer makers can be traced back to the common ancestors James Andrew Presnell and Susan Hartzel Benfield.  They had at least nine known children.  The descendants of those nine children make up the bulk of Watauga County's known dulcimer makers, including all the Hicks, Presnells, Wards, Glenns, Harmons, Testers, Proffitts, etc.  The dulcimer traditions of Watauga County, NC are truly a family tradition.

updated by @greg-gunner: 04/29/22 10:08:45AM

Stanley Hicks / David Love dulcimer

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

Greg- that terrific information to read on this beautiful dulcimer's makers!

The eagle peghead and two makers' labels puts me in mind of something else, having to do with dulcimer maker Keith Young-

Some of you may have seen some really gorgeous Young dulcimers that had an expertly carved clinging tree frog carved into the wooden peghead . When I was ordering my beautiful curly maple from Keith, I asked him about the possibility of getting it with the tree frog peghead. He told me that he himself had carved the first few frog pegheads, but that it became too much and that he had a woodcarver carve the frogs for him for a while. Eventually the carver no longer did the frogs and that's when Keith stopped offering the option altogether. So, my dulcimer has simply the elegant scroll peghead that Keith himself would carve.

This makes me wonder if the dulcimer in this thread was basically made by Hicks but perhaps David Love (as you said known for his woodworking and also making of wooden toys) carved the eagle peghead... thus resulting in the two makers' labels inside, giving them both credit for their hand in the instrument's creation?

updated by @strumelia: 04/29/22 08:12:29AM

Stanley Hicks / David Love dulcimer

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

Greg, thanks for the information on the Hicks/Love connection. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge of the Watauga County dulcimer community.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

updated by @ken-longfield: 04/28/22 05:52:00PM

Stanley Hicks / David Love dulcimer

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

David Love's full name was Joe "David" Love.  Like many mountaineers he used his middle name as his given name.  He learned dulcimer and banjo making from Tom "Stanley" Hicks, more commonly known as just Stanley Hicks.  The dulcimer containing maker labels for both was very likely a collaboration between the two men.  David Love was a skilled woodworker, one who made dulcimers, banjos, and guitars, as well as wooden toys.  He sold his handmade crafts through a small shop at his home.

David Love's father, Edward Miles Love, was the son of General Miles Love, who was the half brother of Millard Colfax Oliver and Smith Talbert Oliver, two names frequently mentioned when discussing the origins of the Beech Mountain dulcimer traditions.

General Miles Love was known as an abusive husband and father.  He was shot and killed by his father-in-law and brother-in-law in 1932.  The two Presnell men were defending the wife of General Miles Love, Matilda Mae Presnell, and her children from a drunk and angry General Miles Love.

There is no evidence to suggest a dulcimer connection between David Love and his grandfather's half brothers, Millard and Smith Oliver.  The available evidence suggests collaboration and possible mentorship between Stanley Hicks and David Love.

baritone guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Jost, in theory you could tune any guitar like this, but I am using a guitar specifically made to be a baritone.  It has extra heavy strings and extra bracing and a strong truss rod to be able to handle the extra tension.  I would be wary of just stringing any old guitar like this.  Without that extra bracing, you might do some damage.  I am certainly no expert on instrument design, however.  The strings mine came with range from .016 to .070.  They are pretty big and give my fingers a workout.  

baritone guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Thanks for the explanation Dusty, so any guitar could be retuned like this? The Sound is lovely

updated by @jost: 04/28/22 09:09:02AM

baritone guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Very useful if you sing in a lower key. My long neck banjos are baritone. 30" scale dulcimers make great baritones. .. Robert

baritone guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Yes, a baritone is tuned a 4th or 5th lower than a standard guitar.  So the low 6th string of a standard guitar is the same note as the 5th string of a baritone.  A standard guitar is tuned (from low to high) E-A-D-G-B-E whereas a baritone is tuned B-E-A-D-F#-B.

It's basically the same difference as that between a standard and baritone dulcimer.

updated by @dusty: 04/27/22 12:52:27PM

baritone guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

What's the difference to a normal guitar? The tuning?

updated by @jost: 04/27/22 11:55:14AM

baritone guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Just got a baritone guitar!  Does anyone else play a baritone guitar?  What styles of music or specific songs seem to work well?

What happened to the dulcimer clubs in the Pineville/Alexandria area? A small group meets in Lafayette on 1st and 3rd Saturday at 10AM at Jean Lafitte National Park and at the visitor's center on I-49 in Opelousas on Wednesdays at 10AM. Y'all come. 

Joe Besse

Fret addition?

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

Wow!  Every forum submissison I enter becomes a gigantic learning experience for me.  I'm trying my best to follow your strumming discussion.  Thanks for expanding the topic... I need the instruction!   But, back to the original question about adding a fret:  I think I have the answer:  I'll just get another dulcimer that was built with the extra fret(s).  After all, aren't two dulcimers better than one?  Now, if I can just figure out a way to convince my wife that the banjo equation also applies to dulcimers...

Fret addition?

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

Thank you both, Ken & Greg/Banjimer.  I, too, find dulcimer ideally suited to syllable playing unlike guitar which tend to be closer to "incessantly repeating a pattern."  I was fairly sure this 1/4 vs. 1/8 notes was what was happening, but thought it deserves clarification.  Our Ditties are never Bum!

Fret addition?

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

Think of the "Bum" strum as a quarter note.  The "Ditty" strum is two eighth notes.  So when Ken says he's a syllable strummer, he is using the "Bum" strum for a single syllable of a quarter note duration and the "Ditty" strum for two syllables of an eighth note duration each.  

To play two eighth notes (double syllable) in the same amount of time as one quarter note the strings are strummed on both the outward and inward movement of the pick.  For the quarter note (single syllable), the strings need only be strummed on the outward motion of the pick.

Like Ken has stated, strumming well is not a matter of incessantly repeating a pattern, but rather matching a tool box of strums to the melody as reflected in the way the syllables fall in relation to each other.  Further complicating the matter are "fill notes", which can be used to extend the duration of notes longer than quarter notes.

Fret addition?

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

Lois, I'm not really a bum ditty player. I'm more like Don Pedi describes as syllable player fitting the strums to the words of songs. As I understand bum ditty it is a single strum followed by a double strum. You can also do ditty bum which is the opposite; a double strum followed by a single strum. Hope that helps you.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Teaching Advice

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

If she can count to five, then this tune might be very helpful to start with:

https://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-player.html

It's absolutely the easiest tune to play for a beginner, and can be played noter style (or fretted with one finger) on the melody string only, with the other strings brushed unfretted, as pretty harmony notes that go with the tune naturally.

Fret addition?

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

This discussion is split between "Fret Addition" & talking about strums.  I noticed Banjimmer (@greg-gunner"> @greg-gunner ) gave the common strum using "Bum - Ditty."  I suddenly realized I've had a problem with this common strum that maybe can be clarified here. 

My question is "Does 'Ditty' imply 2 strums just as the word 'ditty' is 2 syllables with probable emphasis on the first half?"  On guitar the strums were highly clarified, but it looks less obvious for dulcimer.  I do strum in both directions unless the song seems to require repeated strokes in one direction to stress the gravity of the melody.  If I'm doing Bum-Ditty is it something like "In - Out" (or vice-versa) or is it "In - Out - In" or even "In - Out - Out" with the part after "In" occurring in the same amount of time as a "Bum"?  To put it another way: Whole - Half/Half?  Because of the time signature I'm presuming the latter as opposed to Whole Note in one direction, then Whole Note in the opposite.

Hope this makes sense and all you Bum-Ditty-ers don't mind clarifying this.

Fret addition?

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

Not much to add that hasn't already been said. Like, Dan, I hope you are not planning to add a fret to a hundred year old dulcimer or one from on of the historic traditional builders. Keep in in mind that adding the 6 1/2 fret is not just putting a fret midway between the sixth and seventh frets. You need to calculate the proper placement for the 6 1/2 fret either by doing the math yourself or using a fret calculator. If you already have the equipment to do the job yourself, go ahead. If not you may find it less expensive to have it done by a professional.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Teaching Advice

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Lorilee, my oldest grandson is also on the autism spectrum. He is 13 and in junior high school (8th grade). Early on I tried to interest him in dulcimer, but was unsuccessful. He is in the middle school band and plays percussion. His father helps him. His father is not a percussionist, but plays guitar, trumpet, and piano and has picked up some percussion from being in bands. Our grandson seems to identify with the various patterns of drumming as well as different intensities (soft to loud). I don't know if one of his stims (watching things spin) is related to his drumming or not. He is not particularly proficient in math but is very good a remembering numbers.

You could approach your granddaughter by doing some simple counting. Count the scale 0 - 7 (if in DAd) or 3 -10 (DAA). Start with one strum per note, then add a strum to each note, and so forth. You can then introduce different rhythms 3/4, 4/4, etc. I suggest she use her index finger to do the noting even if you have to lower the strings in pitch a little bit. Holding a noter can be frustrating until you master the technique. Slipping in to the middle string causing an extra rattling noise can be disturbing. Of course, you can show her how to hold the noter properly and she how she does. Take it slowly in small increments at first. Don't force it. If she shows an interest, help her to be successful at it.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Here's a song I wrote using a Ron Gibson dulcimer

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

It's a beauty-- I love seeing Ohio-built dulcimers.  :)

Teaching Advice

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Lorilee,

I'm no expert on autism, but if you think math might be the key to getting your granddaughter interested in music, there are lots of places to find it.

Right hand strumming is all a matter of fractions.  Does your daughter already know about note duration?  If we start with a tune in 4/4 time, then a whole note gets one strum to last the whole measure, but we can cut that in half and get half notes, so you strum twice in that measure, we can cut each half note in half and get quarter notes and strum four times in a measure, we can cut those quarter notes in half and get eighth notes, in which case we strum eight times in a measure, and so forth.  And we can mix and match those strums, with the understanding that all those fractions have to add up to 1 for each measure.

The left hand is all about math, too, but at least on the dulcimer we don't work with fractions but integers.  If your granddaughter is going to be playing other instruments--likely if her elective is band--then I would stress not the numbers of the frets but the intervals between notes.  So the root or tonic is the 1st, the next note of the scale is the 2nd, the next note is the 3rd, and so forth until you get to the octave, the 8th note.

I would have her start by playing in a drone style (she can use her fingers rather than a noter, I would think) and show her a simple melody, noting the intervals involved.  You might even make a game of it, playing the first notes of a song and asking her to figure out what the interval is.  Twinkle Twinkle begins with a 5th.  Here Comes the Bride begins with a fourth.  My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean begins with a 6th.  Show her those intervals on the fretboard and see if that piques her interest.

Having said all that, you might also just put the dulcimer on her lap, show her a simple melody, and see what she does on her own.  Some children with autism have the ability to very quickly learn pretty complicated pieces of music, and it might be that the mathematical patterns of music are more easily understood by people with autism than they are by the rest of us supposedly "normal" people.  I think if you are attentive to your granddaughter, you might find she takes quickly to music without you having to point out the math behind it.

Teaching Advice

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hello All,

I am looking for a little advice. Here's the situation. My only grandchild is 10 going on 7. She's autistic and very ADHD. She is also very intelligent, but it is hard to get her to focus on any one thing for very long. She is verbal (loudly!), but can't really carry on a 2-way conversation very well. Also, math is her favorite subject in school.

I know there is definite connection between math and music, so you can probably see where I am going with this. I'd like to TRY to sit her down with a dulcimer and teach her some basic things. My logic tells me that noter style is probably the best way to start with her. Yes? She maybe can pick out some tunes that way and have some easy and early success.. Any suggestions for this? Also, are there any materials out there for teaching kids to play? I'm a retired HS Science teacher, but younger kids are a whole different challenge. Is it a good thing to teach her tab or just go by ear?

This kid is going to middle school next year(which scares me to death). Her one elective will be band. As it stands, I just don't see that as feasible. Maybe the dulcimer might get the love of music alive in her before then.

Here's a song I wrote using a Ron Gibson dulcimer

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thanks Robin. I'm very happy with my Ron Gibson dulcimer, I bought it about 2 years ago. Here's an original photo of it, but I string it differently these days.

updated by @jimmy: 04/26/22 08:54:38PM

Fret addition?

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

There are some things to think about for fret installation; 

1. tools; fret saw with depth control, square, hammer/press, measuring device and file[s] for leveling and finishing the ends.

2. where to put the slot

3. the correct size of fret wire

The 6+ is far enough from the nut-0 fret to be rather difficult to place, the 1+ is easy.

It's probably more efficient to pay for a single installation unless you think you may do more of them.

Fret addition?

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

As KenH has already told you, strumming in both directions is not mandatory.  However, being able to strum in either direction is a great skill to have in your toolbox.  Your strumming hand creates the rhythm, and strumming is a combination of out and in strums.  Begin slowly strumming in one direction only (Bum Strum).  When you can do this without difficulty, strum out and in and strike the strings on both the out and in strum (Ditty Strum).  Then alternate the two strums (Bum-Ditty Strum).  Finally, try different combinations of the Bum and Ditty strums to match the rhythm of the time signature.

4/4 Time

Bum - Ditty - Bum - Ditty etc.

Bum - Bum - Ditty - Ditty etc.

Bum - Ditty - Ditty - Bum etc.

and so forth

3/4 Time

Bum - Bum - Bum etc.

Bum - Ditty - Ditty etc.

Bum - Ditty - Bum etc.

and so forth

The key is to not keep repeating the same pattern over and over, but rather to freely change the pattern within the song to create variety and interest.

Fret addition?

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

The key to playing in both directions is to practice very slowly and often. You'll get it! Sit yourself down and practice slowly and stick with it. In the end you'll be glad to have the skill. Your hand has to go in both directions anyway, so why not make good use of it?

Once you get comfortable with it you'll find your playing gets more fluid and pleasant sounding. When I hear an audio clip of someone playing and if right off the bat sounds unpleasantly choppy to me and with awkward timing, it usually turns out they are strumming or picking only in one direction.
Think of it like walking with both legs as opposed to hopping along on one leg. One leg will get you from point A to point B, but it'll won't feel very smooth and pleasant.

Fret addition?

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

If you play in chording style (fretting across all strings) then yes a 6+ fret is going to make things waaaaay easier for you. (And you won't have to learn all the different chord fingerings for each tuning.)
If you are only going to be fretting melodies on the melody string then learning to retune to different modes will be all you need to do. (and in most cases you'll be only retuning one string.)
If it were me I would get a pro to install that fret since you don't want to mess up the fretboard and you'll want it to not come out later and to look matched. I once went to a music store/guitar store and they did a nice job for a small fee.

Here's a song I wrote using a Ron Gibson dulcimer

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I enjoyed your song, @jimmy!  And your Ron Gibson instrument sounds great!  

Fret addition?

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

First of all, you do not need to "strum in both directions".  I spent some 25 or 30 years being an 'outie only' strummer before one day accidentally strumming both ways and making it work.  I still strum 90% out-only.   You're just starting -- give it time.

Secondly, you do not need a 6+ fret, because you can retune (usually only 1 string) in just a few seconds, to change between the most common tunings to get notes you don't have in your base tuning.

I  think you should first spent some time (a week or two) daily practicing and learning how to re-tune quickly between DAd, DAA, DAC and DAG (the 4 most common Modal tunings).  Play a song in one Mode, retune the melody string, play a song in another Mode, re-tune the melody string... rinse and repeat.  After a couple of days you'll become a wizz at changing that one melody string in just a few seconds.

I think if you're dead set on having a 6+ fret you should, if possible, first borrow a 6+ fretted dulcimer for a few weeks to see if it really is your cuppa tea before possibly irrevocably changing a dulcimer which was intentionally built without the modern non-diatonic 6+ fret. If you can't borrow a ^+ dulcimer, make a temporary 6+ fret with some tape and a piece of paperclip.

Here's a song I wrote using a Ron Gibson dulcimer

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

www.soundcloud.com/user-553662963-535000276/i-love-folk-music-1

It's tuned dAd with equidistant stringing. The A string is tuned normally, and the 2 d strings on both sides are tuned to the same d note. All strings are unwound strings. I really love this type of tuning/stringing.

updated by @jimmy: 05/13/22 11:17:27AM

Fret addition?

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

To fret or not to fret, that is the question...yes it will make contemporary play much easier. I am a traditionalist and simply retune, but I realize retuning aint' for most folks and the 6+ is the way to go. IMHO

P.S. Please tell me it aint' a hundred year old piece you're fittin' to add a fret to?

Fret addition?

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

I got my 3 string dulcimer and am enjoying the learning process.  (However, I'm finding that strumming in BOTH directions while fretting is like rubbing my stomach and patting my head at the same time.)  Anyway, I got an instrument that does not have a 6+ fret.  I'm starting to think that a 6+ fret would give me more playing options.  So, my question...  What do you think of me installing a 6+ fret?  I've never actually installed frets before but I have replaced some missing frets during a banjo restoration.  Any input greatly appreciated.

Various Tunings

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thanks again to everyone for their input. I have been ordering a few new books, so I'll add Neal Hellmanns Dulcimer Chord book to the list.

I really appreciate the information you've all been sharing!!

Various Tunings

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

@Jost, you may be right about Pretty Saro. I have seen folks play it on dulcimer by tuning mixolydian and then basing the home note on the middle string.
Saro is probably not a good example for me to use. There are many versions of that ballad, and some sound major and some sound more minor... so I guess you could play it in various ways.

Complicating matters is that you can sometimes be in a tuning that is associated with a certain mode, but be playing a tune that is in a different mode... especially if you play melody notes across strings- on more than just the melody string.

updated by @strumelia: 04/20/22 09:02:48AM

Various Tunings

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

@jost :

Keep in mind that as long as you are playing the melody on one string [the melody string for instance, the other 2 are drones], the tune can be played in any mode [tuning]. Off the top of my mind, DAC [Aolean], CGC [Mixolydian], GCC [Ionian]. This is because a key scale consists of all 7 modes, each mode beginning with one of the notes in the scale. For instance, there is an Aolean mode in each key scale, it starts with the 6th note of the scale as the lowest, or beginning note. The notes are different for each scale, since the "parent key scales" are different.

G key scale = GABCDEF#G [Ionian], EF#GABCDE [Aolean]

D key scale = DEF#GABC#D [Ionian], BC#DEF#GAB [Aolean]

Just for giggles, playing on just one string, no drones, is not a mode or is all modes, take your pick.

updated by @skip: 04/19/22 09:43:31PM

Various Tunings

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Isn't Pretty Saro a tune in ionian mode? I know you are a lot better and more experienced player than me I'm just bewildered since Jean Ritchies Dulcimer book claim it's ionian. On the other hand the table of contents claimed that Bachelor's Hall is a mixolydian tune while it's in fact a Dorian one. I'm puzzled since in the actual text and tabs the mode of Bachelor's Hall is dorian (which is the correct one). Thus I accepted that the table of contents might have errors but the tabs and actual text not. The tab says that Pretty Saro is in ionian mode . And it works pretty well for me in DAA or CGG ioinian tunings (imho it sounds better in C but this is just a matter of taste and personal preference).

As I said I don't want to be a smart ass I'm just curious whether there is another way to play the tune in a different mode I'm not aware of.

Various Tunings

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Many good answers already. I will just add something to confuse you even more

You asked for the GDG tuning. This is (in theory) the same tuning like DAD (mixoyldian mode) just for the key of G. There is a catch though. Depending on the VSL of the dulcimer the bass string might break if you try to tune it to this. 
For such cases there are the so called reverse tunings which change the key of the bass and middle string. Thus GDG gets DGG, GDD (G ionian) gets DGD, GDC (G dorian) gets DGC etc. It works quite well and might be of interest when playing something in the coresponding key. 

As introduction I highly recommend Neal Hellmanns Dulcimer Chord book which has a great introduction to the modes and tunings. I don't even play any chords (strictly noter/drone player on my Dulcimer, if I want to play chords I pick up my guitar) but would recommend this book to any dulcimer beginner (noter/drone or chords) because of the good introduction to the modes.

Another unorthodox way to tune are the so called bagpipe or unison tunings: They are mainly used for mixolydian mode. The idea is to tune the middle and melody strings like the Bass just one octave higher. Thus for D mixolydian the bagpipe tuning would be tuned like this: Tune the dulcimer to DAD. Tune midlde string from A to the same pitch as the melody strings. 
It works great for mixolydian tunes like Old Joe Clark, Going to boston etc. It's also nice to take tabulature for DAD (or another mixolydian tuning) and try it out in a bagpipe tuning: London Bridge, Mary had a little lamb, Brother Jacob and other nursery rhymes just get a lot more interesting just by changing the pitch of the middle string ;)
 Hellmann's Dulcimer Chord book and Jean Ritchies book "Dulcimer people" both have a section by Holly Tannen where she propagates these unison/bagpipe tunings for jam sessions with fiddlers/guitarists etc especially Irish music.


Stuff like these is part of the reason I love the dulcimer so much: Even as somebody who never had a real musical education (my last music theory lesson I had at school when I was twelve years old and I forgot everything) you get a basic introduction just by having fun with the instrument. 

I hope I didn't add to much confusion :)