Show Us Your Pets!
OFF TOPIC discussions
My mate Zak as the avatar pic 
updated by @ukgb: 10/13/19 08:06:57AM
Forum Activity for @ukgb
Ukulele Tuners
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Well I bought some banjo friction tuners for her on ebay off a 1920's banjo out of New Jersey. 3 out of 4 good ones plus some parts, and only short one good washer.The person who sold them to me thought they were probably Grovers. Got them fitted and got her strung up and tuned. Looks like I'll have to make another nut and bridge up, as the slots are cut too wide for the melody and middle strings, so the strings are buzzing, but otherwise she sounds nice...
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Being that I don't have much lap.....and don't like using a bum strap....I put 3 little clear plastic bumpers on the backs of my dulcimers. (they have sticky backs) I play on an adjustable table. Nice and loud just right. I can control volume, and bow it and hammer it....easy cheesy on the adjustable little black table that you can get at Walmart. Daughter in Hawaii has a white adjustable table and that worked just right too. A dulcimer is ALWAYS set up in my living room so I can just stop and play anytime I want....
You can try those little plastic bumpers and take 'em off if you don't like them. You can keep them on even while playing your dulcimer on your lap. The old style of many dulcimers had wood permanent ones on the backs like many of the dulcimer makers are making now a days. aloha, irene
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
LD. Thanks, I am seriously thinking of going ahead with the possum board. Thanks for your input. I have 2 McSpadden’s with 26” vsl. One is redwood with walnut and the other is all walnut with some extra frets. I love them both!
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Silverstrings...yes, no regrets. I use it from time to time. I was pleasantly surprised at the very balanced tone of the McSpadden dulcimer. I love the 26 scale (have an athritic joint in my left wrist so the full size is a problem), and the spalted sycamore with the walnut back and sides sounds very rich. My other dulcimers are largely all walnut, or walnut with butternut, and they are on the mellow, rich side. Very nice, but I wanted something that would be warm with some sparkle. The spalted sycamore did the trick. Of all the dulcimers i have, this one is fast becoming my favorite all purpose one. If you call McSpadden, I believe they would let you buy, and return if you don't like the possum board. Just call. They are really great to work with.
LD
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
LD, so you are at least glad you bought the MsSpadden possum board? I have a 26” dulcimer from them, too and love it. What does your Spalted Sycamore sound like and does it have Cherry sides and back? I am looking at one of theirs in the 26” vsl length. Thanks
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
LD:
I just purchased a new McSpadden Spalted Sycamore top short scale dulcimer. I also ordered the possum board. I have never worked with one, and it clearly makes it louder. I have not put a lot of time into it yet as the dulcimer really sounds true sitting flat on my lap, but my initial reaction is that it does bring out volume but some of the deeper tones got brighter. Just an unscientific observation. I have another brand dulcimer that completely loses the lower sound on my lap, and the maker will not make a possum board for me. I think he sees it as an insult! I may tackle that project myself. Anyway, it certainly has a use, and in an ensemble setup, volume will be increased.
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Anybody who has played a dulcimer knows how much better they sound when the back is unrestrained. Possum boards really help but mostly they allow an easy way to free up the back plate to vibrate freely.Any hardwood will help reflect sound a little bit not very much. I did an experiment playing with my birch possum board then covering board with sheet brass. Followed that by covering board with a cotton kitchen dish towel. There was barely any difference in volume. Just raising back of dulcimer any way you can is all you need.
Somewhere I saw someone who mounted a dulcimer on an acoustic table that acted as a resonator. I have to build one someday... Robert.
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I just purchased a new McSpadden Spalted Sycamore top short scale dulcimer. I also ordered the possum board. I have never worked with one, and it clearly makes it louder. I have not put a lot of time into it yet as the dulcimer really sounds true sitting flat on my lap, but my initial reaction is that it does bring out volume but some of the deeper tones got brighter. Just an unscientific observation. I have another brand dulcimer that completely loses the lower sound on my lap, and the maker will not make a possum board for me. I think he sees it as an insult! I may tackle that project myself. Anyway, it certainly has a use, and in an ensemble setup, volume will be increased.
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Possum boards (regardless of wood type) do increase volume. How much? No one has yet designed an experiment to test the concept (variables would include number and height of feet or standoff, Janka or other hardness rating of the p-board material, and some sort of quantitative measure of both lap an p-board loudness values.
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Here's a pic of one I made. Don't need the sound holes, but it does help with volume.
McSpadden Possum Board Volume
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I am thinking of getting a walnut possum board to increase the volume on my 2 McSpadden Dulcimers. Does anyone have one of these? I will be playing acoustically in groups mostly and am not ready to think of external pickups and amps. Thanks!
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
You tune a stick more or less "backwards" from a dulcimer. Holding the stick in guitar style playing position, the top string is the bass string and the bottom is the melody string; middle of course is the drone. I would say most sticks are tuned DAd, some are tuned DAA, as are most dulcimers (or CGc/CGG if you like a lower key).
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I did a few different searches and knew what I wasn't looking for (McNally, Merlin, etc.) in the way of a strum stick.
EDIT: Funny, until seeing your reply to me, I hadn't seen the photo with the stamp on the headstock-- I missed a few of the photos.
updated by @robin-thompson: 10/10/19 09:40:55PM
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
That's it, Robin, thank you! Same stamp on the side. I had searched and searched--how did you find that?
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
There are elements of an eBay instrument which remind me of your instrument, @boingercat:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Strumstick-Handmade/174043907074?hash=item2885d34402:g:nTYAAOSwcJVdj~Ot
*Note the mention of maker's initials at the tuners.
updated by @robin-thompson: 10/10/19 08:52:29PM
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Yes, I know it's not old. Just was hoping to find some info about how to tune it, etc., because the strings are very different gauges, and I wasn't sure if that was correct.
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Not heard of BFM and can't find anything on-line about them or their instruments.
It depends on what you mean by "old"... but none of these stick instruments (not really dulcimers) are much more than 10-20 years old.
updated by @ken-hulme: 10/10/19 12:27:10PM
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
It's hard to see in the picture, but it actually is a "B," where it says B.F.M. music. "Handcrafted By B.F.M. Music." I thought it was an S at first. It has great projection. Thanks for any help you can offer!
updated by @boingercat: 10/10/19 11:21:37AM
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Do you have any photos to help us?
Anyone heard of "B.F.M. Music" stick dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I acquired a "stick dulcimer" that is stamped (woodburned into headstock, actually) "Handcrafted by B.F.M. Music." Can anyone help me identify the maker? I don't think it's old. Thanks!
updated by @boingercat: 10/09/19 10:09:26PM
Two mode/tuning/notation questions.
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Dissonance is what Locrian Mode is all about!! Stick with D-Ab-Bb!!
Two mode/tuning/notation questions.
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I'm bringing back this old thread, because I have a similar question regarding the bass and middle drone strings and the D Locrian mode. The fifth note of the D Locrian mode is "Ab", which is a diminished fifth. It is dissonant when used as a drone in D-Ab-Bb tuning. However, if we leave the middle drone as "A" as in the other modal tunings, in this case D-A-Bb tuning, we have a note that is not part of the D Locrian mode. It, too, is dissonant to the ear.
When I have read about the Locrian mode elsewhere, the consensus (if there is one) is that the D Locrian mode sounds best when only the root drone "D" is used along with the melody. So my question is this "Shouldn't the tuning for the Locrian mode omit the fifth and perhaps be something like D-d-Bb, instead of D-A-Bb or D-Ab-Bb?" By omitting the fifth, the dissonance can be minimized. And since you don't want to remove the middle string to play a single Locrian mode tune, the solution seems to be to tune the middle string drone to an octave of the bass string drone, which results in a D-d-Bb tuning.
Any thoughts on this?
Your Three Favorite Songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Glendy Burke
Hard Times Come Again No More. both by Stephen Foster
Grandfather's Clock.
Your Three Favorite Songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I prefer Hal-an Tow as a group a capella "chant" rather than an accompanied tune. What would be perfect is to do this one with my Anglo-Saxon Lyre.
Your Three Favorite Songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
So far?
"Hal an Tow" (Watersons version)
"Hard Times Come Again no More"
"Shenandoah"
Tabs or Tutorials for Jigs and Reels
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
Maire's Wedding is a great, easy tune. Here's a link to my old friend Steve Eulberg's Dulcimer Crossing tutorial on the tune.
https://dulcimercrossing.com/mw/dc_mw_md_dad_pre.html
Your Three Favorite Songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
My 3 favorites that I play are
Amazing Grace
Angels We Have Heard On High
Sweet Child Of Mine (an extremely simplified version)
Another song I've been working on that's been a lot of fun trying to learn is Happy Day by David Crowder.
What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Don’t know if it’s quite what you mean, but I love “oh Come, oh come Immanuel” - mournful but hopeful all at once
Your Three Favorite Songs
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
My top 3 are:
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (same tune as “the waters wide” and the other traditional one)
Jesus, Lover of My Soul (by Paul Oakley)
Hark the Herald Angels Sing (cant play this one satisfactorily yet...)
What’s your favourite playing style and why?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Thanks for your replies folks, really interesting mix of styles and approaches! Sorry I’ve not replied earlier, I’ve been building my second dulcimer - a 20”vsl elliptical design. After a bit of tweaking with the tuning it now sounds lovely and bright!
I love the versatility of the dulcimer and I’m beginning to understand that different songs work better with different styles (fingerpicked, strum and drones etc)
Tabs or Tutorials for Jigs and Reels
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
Hi I’d love to try out playing some Jigs or Reels on my dulcimer - problem is I don’t know many! (Aside from Swallowtail Jig and Arkansas Traveller)
Does anyone know any relatively simple but fun ones to play? Tabs or video tutorials would be great!
Randy Wilkinson tab book for Elizabethan Music
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
Welcome DivergentLuthier! I'm another one who would be very interested in a copy of Elizabethan music!
Randy Wilkinson tab book for Elizabethan Music
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
Divergent Luthier, don't let your first post be your last.. You are doing some interesting work making Randy Wilkinson's work available again. There are others on here who will appreciate your efforts.
Randy Wilkinson tab book for Elizabethan Music
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
Hello! I'm new here, this is my first post, as a matter of fact. I was looking for info on this book and came across this thread, so I joined up! I have been in contact with Randy a few months back. I had come across another of his books, Classical Guitar Music of Sor, Carcassi, and Carulli Adapted and Arranged for Mountain Dulcimer. A lady at our club had one and a number of us made copies. Like Dusty Turtle, I was a little uneasy about copying, so I searched for a copy of the book, to no avail. Then I began a search for Randy that lasted a month or more until I made a connection with him. I took the book and converted everything to digital format, duplicating the text and entering all the music into notation software. I made a copy of what I had done and sent it to him. He has given me permission to "publish" the book for minimal charge. I recently learned of the Elizabethan book and found someone who had a copy. I am hoping (over the winter months) to enter that music into the notation software and make that book available, as well. That will be a more formidable task, since the music is more complex and voluminous!
2019 Bowed Psaltery Gathering - Nozomi Nose!
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Gregg, you could post this festival in our "Festivals/Events section here on FOTMD, since it has various performers/instructors and is a music gathering. Then it would appear in our site's Events calendar. You can add a picture for it as well. 
2019 Bowed Psaltery Gathering - Nozomi Nose!
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Thanks for liking my Posting about ETBPG here on FOTMD Strumella!
2019 Bowed Psaltery Gathering - Nozomi Nose!
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
The Bowed Psaltery Gathering in East Tennessee Oct. 24 - 26 2019 is a great event for Bowed Psaltery enthusiasts but more special this year because Nozomi Nose, the best Bowed Psaltery Player in the world is flying there from Japan to perform and get a chance to meet the American Bowed Psaltery community! In Japan there is a large group of Bowed Psaltery players that perform together on stage. She will be bringing one of the extra large Bowed Psalteries she makes. I plan on driving out there from California in order to bring more instruments and gear and get to the campground on site early though its never full as most people stay at the wide range of motels in the area. Visit EVENTS on FOTMD's sister site "Psaltery Strings" for more information.
updated by @gregg-schneeman: 10/27/19 12:02:25PM
As a semi-professional foodie, I'll try almost anything -- Uni, sushi of any kind, monkey brains, menudo, dried grasshoppers -- you name it. Lots of those things I'd eat again readily. But.... I just can't take raw oysters. It's a texture thing. Breaded & fried, sure. Likewise oyster stew. But not raw.
Massive dislike of boiled okra for the same reason -- slimy texture. Love 'em breaded/fried or split and fried with Amchur in the Indian style.