Forum Activity for @karen-keane

I'm a flute player. Dulcimer is my first attempt at a string instrument. I wanted to try something new and fun.

Does Kona Bass refer to Kona Bob's Walking bass?

Paul

A big thank you to all our veterans, and JPR I hope that music will be a soothing balm for you.
James Paul Reed said:

In the past, I've played soprano clarinet; soprano, alto, tenor and bari saxes; Native American flutes and percussion (back in my school days). When I had a sax quartet that performed in senior centers and nursing homes, we practiced at my house and my dog would always join us. She'd run away when I played clarinet as it was too high pitched for her. Then, when I'd play my bari sax, Sadie would come over and stick her snout into the bell to check where the noise was coming from. In the sax quartet, our lead alto player was 84 and the kid was only 50. For several years, I played in a New Horizons band (for seniors starting new instruments or returning to playing - there are more than 100-200 around the country); several community bands; a Shrine band; a 16 member jazz or dance band; and performed with a Native American flute circle. These days, I don't get out much as I'm struggling with terminal cancer from exposure to Agent Orange during my 3 tours of duty in Vietnam. So, I've downsized my instruments to some bamboo saxes, dulcimers and kalimbas since I can play them as long as I'm able to sit up. Since I'm still mobile, I'm hoping it'll be a long way off before I become chair-bound.

Kristi's got the best ukulele collection I'veever seen-----call me for a jam, Kristi; I'm local thru the 19th of November!

I play piano, penny whistle, mostly. USED to play clarinet, recorder, guitar. Have been known to experiment a bit withthe djembe (I have one from Senegal).Wish I was better at spoons and bones. REALLY wish I could play the cello..........

Kristi Keller said:

Ukuleles(12), guitar(2), Kona Bass,autoharp (2),

James Paul,

I'll join you in hoping you can keep mobility for a long time! And although you aren't able to get out much, I'm imagining music brings you joy.

So glad you've joined us here!

Robin

Wow! Lots of multi-takented people here!

I play the instruments in the photo (I didn't say I play them well ). They are:

banjo (two five-strings: bluegrass and clawhammer [1910 Orpheum]types), mandolin, autoharp, dulcimer, and guitar (one of a couple of L'Arrivee six-strings). Not taken to the jam were electrics (Gibby six [LPC]and twelve [ES 335]), bass (Hofner Beatle), tenor banjo, lap steel, pennywhistles ( really can't play them ), and various percussion instruments. My most recent acquisition was a bohdran. I may eventually learn to play it and drive the wife, dog, and cat totally crazy.

I gave the 1929 Martin to our daughter. I've been through a bunch of other instruments, mostly acoustic and electric guitars, plus some banjos - given away, traded, or stolen.

I had the best job, too - teaching school, so I was able to use them in the classroom (even the elctrics), a lot! Even conducted choirs and brought folk musicians into the school.

Don't forget to also check our FOTMD forum called "Adventures in 'Other' Instruments' located HERE , to see what other members are playing besides the mountain dulcimer!

I've known some salty fellows, but no faulty bellows. Was that Saul Bellow's kid brother?

Sorry, I couldn't resist a yuk or two.

Jean Whitfield said:

an old pump organ with faulty bellows

You gonna teach me how to play it???

Bill Davenport said:

New Instrument Alert.......Got a new Banjammer from Mike Clemmer at the LDS Gathering.

Whoo Eeee what a blast to play this thing.

I play fiddle, whistle, guitar, and I want to play mandolin and bowed psaltry as well. Maybe a bowed dulcimer, somewhere down the line. My issue with bowed dulcimer is balance.

"Kanikapila: The word kanikapila, literally "play music"has come to mean gathering together informally to sing and play.It was not so long ago that kanikapila was part of our daily lives in Hawai`i. Somehow over the last generation music has moved from the garage party to the concert stage. It has become something to listen to rather than participate in. There is a sense today that singing is reserved for those who are really good at it. Still, many people yearn to kanikapila."- He Mele Aloha, A Hawaiian Songbook

I have borrowed this quote from the forward of this book a number of times. Possibly some of you have seen me use it before. But it strikes a chord in me, and I use it when it seems appropriate. Especially since I'm not articulate enough to say something this profound on my own. There is a wide and varied musical pallet in the world, and while we may not all look to the same muse for inspiration, we all look to music as an expression of our own muse. (Muses?) The fact that I will never play or sing on the level of those who inspire me to play, I still, as above, "yearn to kanikapila."

In the wordfs of John Lee Hooker,"Let that boy boogie woogie. It's in him, and it's got to come out!"

Have fun, Y'all.

Paul

Was a joy to read your post, Dusty. You'd be welcome to come form a jug band at our place!

A spirit of encouragement is one of the things (that's not really a thing) that makes FOTMD special.

Robin, I'vesometimes regretted having dabbled with so many instruments as well. You know what they say: "Jack of all trades, master of none." But then I think about what a gift it is to be comfortable enough with music to trynew instruments . I "discovered" the dulcimer in my mid-40s but did not hesitate for a moment to buy one andlearn it on my own. That I felt comfortable doing so was a product of many years playing guitarand also "dabbling" with ukes andautoharps, mandolins and pennywhistles.

My daughter's piano teacher (whom we love and respectdearly)is a professional cellist.I consider her a "real" musician and myself but a folk enthusiast. I do indeed envy her mastery of her instrument. However, if you had to pick one of us to help you form a jug band, I would assert without modesty that I'd be the better choice. And if you were having a barbeque and wanted some musical entertainment, I dare say our jug band would fare quite well even if we lack the virtuosity of a professional string quartet.

Paul's point is dead-on. Playing music can be a vocation even if it is not an occupation. "Dabbling" for personal enjoyment and growth is indeed avaluable venture. It saddens me that our society only values those activities that make money. Practicing an instrument is considered worthwhile if it leads to a paycheck but a waste of time if done purely for leisure. A story should be something we tell, not just something we read. Drama or comedy should be something we perform, not just something we watch on television. And music should be something we do, not something we purchase.

So dabble away, friend, and I'll be a-dabbling right next to you.

Robin Thompson said:

I wish people would stop tempting me with getting new instruments!!! I'm sick and tired of being a mediocre player because I dabble too much.

Making music at home is waaaay too much fun! Ought to be illegal!

Gosh, thanks, Dana!

I'm happy with whatever level of play I can achieve with any instrument I take up because it's so doggone much fun. It's important not to underestimate the enjoyment homemade music can bring to life. Paul's got it right.

Having fun with music IS serious! What better can you say than "I enjoy what I do."

Paul

New Instrument Alert.......Got a new Banjammer from Mike Clemmer at the LDS Gathering.

Whoo Eeee what a blast to play this thing.

I wish people would stop tempting me with getting new instruments!!! I'm sick and tired of being a mediocre player because I dabble too much.

Making music at home is waaaay too much fun! Ought to be illegal!

The mountain dulcimer is a late comer to my musical arsenal. I currently have two dulcimers: a four-string made by Johnie of Unicorn Woodworks out of mahogany and spruce, and a 6-string baritone dulcimette made by Ron Ewing out of walnut and western red cedar. I've also ordered an octave dulcimer from David Beede, ostensibly for my daughter to play.

I've played guitar for decades and currently have a Guild 6-string and a Seagull 12-string. I also have a mandolin, aviolin (which I don't play), several ukuleles (including two banjo-ukes), and two autoharps (a chromatic Oscar Schmidt and a diatonic Pawprint made by my uncle). There is a wide a variety of pennywhistles, recorders, and harmonicas lying around the house. I also have a limberjack and hope to get or make several more.

Hanging on our living roomwall is a rababa which I do not play but which was given to me by my daughter's pre-school teacher in appreciation for my many visits to the school with many of the instruments listed above. On the other side of the chimney hangs a dulci-gurdy, a hybrid dulcimer and hurdy-gurdy made by some luthier in Austin and given to me recently by an uncle. The dulci-gurdy is not really in playing condition, but maybe if I get some free time . . .

Finally, over the holidays I purchased an electric pianoso that my daughter can take piano lessons.

"That's enough!" my wife says. I smile andignore her.

Oh, and sometimes I sing, which causes the dogs in the neighborhood to howl in pain and my wife to scratch the blackboard to drown out my voice, which sounds like a combination of Bob Dylan and Mr. Magoo.

MD and its relatives

Lyre (pentatonic and diatonic)

Baltic Winged Psaltery (pentatonic and diatonic)

Pennywhistle

Scottish Bass Drum

Dumbek

I

Pauln addition to mt.dulcimer,I play guitar, 5 string banjo, harmonica, and ukulele. And sing.

Hmm...the Cassette is by Clarke, but the whistles that I have are a C and a D that have a logo that says Generation, and they are Brittish Made. Tin whistles with blue plastic for the mouthpiece.

I have a pair of tin whistles that I never learned to play. I think I picked up a flute at about the same time and I was concentrating on that for a summer. I still have the Clarke cassette tape, and the book must be around here somewhere, but I never see them both at the same time. 

I always put the whistles out for anyone to play when I have a music party, and my friend Stephanie always picks one up and starts with it. She can't practice at home because it drives her beloved bulldog, Mabel, totally nuts.

Perhaps I should just put in the cassette and grab one of the whistles and start playing.

Hello Kyle. I am originally from West Virginia (St Albans). I moved to Alabama in 2005 In pursuit of employment. I started playing the mountain dulcimer about 4 months ago. I'm finding it quite addictive. I've purchased two so far; a Bill Berg student model (DAD) and a Keith Young "youngster" (DAA). I have every intention of adding to that in the near future. I'm not very good yet but Improving. I hope to have audio/video recording capability in the very near future. Please keep me informed of your discoveries with your project.

Kyle,

I'd be interested in learning what you find in your research if you have opportunity to post any of it in future.

Good luck-- hope you learn lots!

Kyle,

A point I neglected to include in my earlier posting:

Lily McGee Ward Swick's (Kendra Ward's grandmother) dulcimer had been made for her about 1895. To quote from the Grimes Collection work: "So John Wright may have been the earliest known maker in this tradition." (61)

Here's a link to a 1955 photo of Mrs. Swick holding her dulcimer (posted by Kendra on EverythingDulcimer) that's included in the Grimes book:

http://everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=14334&p=183850&hilit=Kenneth+Ward#p183850

Welcome, Kyle!

Although I am not not particularly knowledgeable about dulcimer history, the best source of information I know of on WV dulcimer history (and one with which you're likely familiar) is Gerry Milnes's Play of a Fiddle.

FOTMD member Kendra Ward's family has lived in Gallia County OH, an Ohio county bordering the river near Huntington, and she may be able to point you to some helpful source(s). On a related note, in Stories from the Anne Grimes Collection of American Folk Music, two southern Ohio makers are mentioned in a chapter that includes information on Kendra's father and grandmother-- the makers are a man named George Butcher who modeled his dulcimers after those of an earlier maker from Eno OH named John Wright.

Good luck and it's good to have you here, Kyle!

Hi Paul;

MERRY CHRISTMAS ... hope she's a plum good'un!

Folks got me a subscription to Outdoor Life when I was 9 years old. First stop was the last page. McManus had a gift that I doubt will ever be challenged... certainly not by me.

Thanks for the kind words.

Paul Certo said:

Between McManus & Zern, it's not your fault. You were destined to write this way, I gar-on-tee!There's 3 of my favorites already.

Paul

Between McManus & Zern, it's not your fault. You were destined to write this way, I gar-on-tee!There's 3 of my favorites already.

Paul

Morning Dana;

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

I remember Jerry Clower and Justin Wilson too. Read a lot of Pat McManus, Ed Zern and Will Rogers while growing up too. So you see ... this is not totally all my fault .......

... that's my story an' I'm stickin' to it ..............

Dana R. McCall said:

That was to funny! Better than Jerry Clower and I love his Ledbetter stories.

... weeeeel then I reckon I orta caution you to keep a close eye on yer tweezers ... Cousin Scooter's took to borrowin' Aunt Holly's to catch grampuses with an' they don't always get wiped off too good ... just thought you'd want to know ...

Evenin' Ma'am... ;)

Robin Thompson said:

Sam,

When I got to the part about Foo Foo being, uh, born breach, I laughed so loudly it caught my husband's attention. And it's still funny! And don't be making too much fun of Aunt Holly's moustache-- I'm working on growing a fine one. ;)

Like Paul said, a yarn can go on. . . :)

Have a good one, fellas!

Sam,

When I got to the part about Foo Foo being, uh, born breach, I laughed so loudly it caught my husband's attention. And it's still funny! And don't be making too much fun of Aunt Holly's moustache-- I'm working on growing a fine one. ;)

Like Paul said, a yarn can go on. . . :)

Have a good one, fellas!

My thanks to YOU Paul;

Just knowing that a couple of you have gotten a little chuckle from Uncle Burley or Turnup's Christmas has brightened mine considerably.

Blessings

Sam

Paul Certo said:

A good dinner only lasts until breakfast next morning, but a good YARN can go on fer years, and get better every time! Thanks, Sam.

Paul

A good dinner only lasts until breakfast next morning, but a good YARN can go on fer years, and get better every time! Thanks, Sam.

Paul