Forum Activity for @rod-westerfield

90 members in the Family

OFF TOPIC discussions

WOW... 90 members... way to go Strumelia... great idea.. and what a family you have started... almost feels like time to all gather for supper...
updated by @rod-westerfield: 01/13/19 05:09:18PM

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Send them in my direction, I'd rather have brussel sprouts, which I love than wine which I can't drink. My hubby does the grocery shopping a lot and will come home with bags of sprouts, so proud that he was able to find them. hehehheeee Stephanie Stuckwisch said:

Brussels sprouts?! That guest isn't getting through the door.

Mary Z. Cox said:

Well--this is not dulcimer related, but I just read a piece of real stinkaroo advice in today's local paper.
It was a short article telling folks that instead of bringing flowers or wine to dinner as a guest--we should consider bringing a stalk of brussels sprouts instead of flowers. Evidently they are in season and can be put in a vase--then taken out and eaten the next day for dinner. (yuk!)
Sure hope no one I know decides to take that advice--I'd mush rather have flowers and wine. :)

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Brussels sprouts?! That guest isn't getting through the door. Mary Z. Cox said:

Well--this is not dulcimer related, but I just read a piece of real stinkaroo advice in today's local paper.
It was a short article telling folks that instead of bringing flowers or wine to dinner as a guest--we should consider bringing a stalk of brussels sprouts instead of flowers. Evidently they are in season and can be put in a vase--then taken out and eaten the next day for dinner. (yuk!)
Sure hope no one I know decides to take that advice--I'd mush rather have flowers and wine. :)

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Well--this is not dulcimer related, but I just read a piece of real stinkaroo advice in today's local paper.It was a short article telling folks that instead of bringing flowers or wine to dinner as a guest--we should consider bringing a stalk of brussels sprouts instead of flowers. Evidently they are in season and can be put in a vase--then taken out and eaten the next day for dinner. (yuk!)Sure hope no one I know decides to take that advice--I'd mush rather have flowers and wine. :)

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

As a singing teacher myself, I consider giving children false ideas about their singing voice to be a form of "abuse." Strong word, maybe, but that's how I feel. BTW, I know Brett Manning. I, myself, have studied with his teacher, Seth Riggs for well over a decade. Foggers said:

I have only just realised in this year that the worst piece of musical misinformation EVER given to me in my teens was from the school music teacher. When I auditioned to join the school choir she told me I had a low pitched voice and that I should always since alto parts. (It was an all girls school and the choir usually sang 3 part arrangements for soprano, mezzo soprano and alto). She also told girls who appeared to naturally have a wide vocal range that they would damage their voices if they continued to do so and that they should choose the range they sang best and stick to that.

So I always considered myself to have a lower vocal range and never ventured further up the scales. Then when my OH started to have singing lessons a couple of years ago, we also bought a voice training package on line (Brett Manning - a bit cheesy but good sound exercises and info). Doing the exercises made me realise that I do have a clear upper register too. I will never sing with a crystal clear soprano, but now have a 3 octave range and can cover a much more versatile collection of styles too, whilst still sounding like ME rather than some "X Factor wannabe". I think that is a result!

I have several friends who were told as children that they "could not sing" and it has taken years to take the risk and overcome that big psychological hurdle to sing in public. My OH is one of them. Now when we sing in public he is overwhelmed by the warmth of response he receives (and flattered to be told he does Johnny Cash numbers really well because of his fine baritone voice!)

So if you think you can't sing, think again about where you got that message.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I have only just realised in this year that the worst piece of musical misinformation EVER given to me in my teens was from the school music teacher. When I auditioned to join the school choir she told me I had a low pitched voice and that I should always since alto parts. (It was an all girls school and the choir usually sang 3 part arrangements for soprano, mezzo soprano and alto). She also told girls who appeared to naturally have a wide vocal range that they would damage their voices if they continued to do so and that they should choose the range they sang best and stick to that.So I always considered myself to have a lower vocal range and never ventured further up the scales. Then when my OH started to have singing lessons a couple of years ago, we also bought a voice training package on line (Brett Manning - a bit cheesy but good sound exercises and info). Doing the exercises made me realise that I do have a clear upper register too. I will never sing with a crystal clear soprano, but now have a 3 octave range and can cover a much more versatile collection of styles too, whilst still sounding like ME rather than some "X Factor wannabe". I think that is a result!I have several friends who were told as children that they "could not sing" and it has taken years to take the risk and overcome that big psychological hurdle to sing in public. My OH is one of them. Now when we sing in public he is overwhelmed by the warmth of response he receives (and flattered to be told he does Johnny Cash numbers really well because of his fine baritone voice!)So if you think you can't sing, think again about where you got that message.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Ayup! That would count as Stinkerooo advice in my book!"I was advised to put geared tuners on my Edd Presnell dulcimer."

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Not sure if this counts, but I was advised to put geared tuners on my Edd Presnell dulcimer.And before anyone asks, I didn't do it.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Lois Hornbostel said:

Nowadays, it's "in" for old-time musicians to play very dronally, as Bruce Greene does - and it sounds good. Guitarists play their chord progressions along with his dronal style and have learned not to complain. One of the reasons he and Don sound so nice together (and authentic) on old-time music is they are dronal.

Oh my gosh Lois, can you imagine some guitar player complaining to Bruce about his playing? I can just picture it!... LOL!! =8-0

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I'm so not bound to the DAA/DAd thing. I play in C which is better for my voice. If I want to play something like Old Joe Clark, I tune my C up one note to a D. DGG with any lower note played on the bass string. I also tune Aeolian and DorianAs for the speed bump of a 6+ fret, they don't bother me as I finger dance. Since I hop around on the melody line no fret ever gets in the way.But I really found it annoying to be told when I did play with a group that a person couldn't possibly play DAA Ionian with DAd Ionian. Never could convince one member that we were actually playing the same major pattern, WW 1/2 WWW 1/2 for certain songs. She'd just keep coming back to Old Joe Clark and I kept agreeing with her that yes I had to tune DAd for that one. Arrrggghhhhh And to err is human, to arrgghhhh is pirate. ;-) Roger L. Huffmaster said:

Carson, I love your attitude!!!!
I'm not bound to DAd, or DAA....any tuning that allows making a pleasing sound is a good tuning.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

If mine didn't have a 6+ I would not have one, it's just a speed bump for me. Re: the bike shop, steel works just fine, always has, always will, so long as it isn't gaspipe. I just hope the three or four steel mills in the entire world that make bicycle-grade steel tubing continue to do so. Andy Huffman said:

get that pesky 6 1/2 fret. Arrrrgh... I hate the pesky 6 1/2 fret. Always in the way and I never use it.

Oh, and bike shops... and anyone else who tells me something that has worked for 100 years no longer works. One of my friends the other day was upset because he heard my tv was from 1997. When asked why I still had it I said, "it hasn't broke yet."

so instead I go with If it ain't broke don't fix it and question anyone who says otherwise. Oh, and never trust any enterprise that requires new clothes.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Guy, you're right, they're wonderful but, I agree with you. My thumb is an integral part of my playing... perhaps it's because of playing keyboards... but, my thumb is my problem digit with callouses and blisters, and a nail that grows very weird now.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Well, so many of the techniques that work so well for many players don't work for me. David Schnauffer and Steven Seifert are legendary players obviously, but their no-thumb technique just doesn't work for me. I'm sure that if I kept at it I could eventually make it work, but my thumb just naturally wants to play, so I just gave up trying to play like Schnauffer and Seifert.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Barbara... Moms can be so insensitive, sometimes... I know, I am one. My daughters sometimes shock me with some of the remarks I've come up with. These are usually meant to be supportive but, get lost in the mother/daughter translation. I apologize for your Mom... she didn't mean anything ugly. barbara kelly said:

Today there was an update, she (my mom) said: " I haven't heard you practice lately, does that mean you think you can play now without practicing?"
I love my mom dearly, but sometimes.......... I've just gotta laugh!

barbara kelly said:

Oh, here's my Stinkaroo advice,
My mother, no matter what I play, or how good, always says, "if you keep practicing you will get better" end quote. She will offer no other comments.
I've learned to ignore it, altho it used to hurt... still does when I've played a tune perfectly.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Someone should say to your mother- "If you keep listening you'll hear better." ;D

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Suzanne... this again gets around to the "right" way of playing dulcimer... seems there is no "right" way! Just find what works for you and enjoy!

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

OK, guess I'll jump in here too...How's about strumming? Many folks think that "bum-diddy" is the only way. UGH! With Don Pedi's DVD Workshop, I learned that almost anything goes, as long as you hold the beat/rhythm. He recommends (along with other things) to strum with the words. Sometimes tunes change length of words and syllables in each verse and playing (even without those words) with those inflections makes a really nice diversion in the overall sound.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

<<I've been getting used to just nodding and smiling when confronted with much "helpful advice" from others. When I went to get the strings I'm using now I was told at the music store that four .010 banjo strings wouldn't work on a dulcimer. Nod and smile.'>>Me too. Same things happens at the bicycle store when they tell me 'nobody rides steel bikes anymore...nobody uses 9 speed anymore...nobody uses bar-end shifters anymore."....nod and smile, nod and smile... LOL

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I agree also, use different tuning to get the sound you want... after all as I tell my students and anyone that asks... that's why they call'em tuners, not fine tuners.. to many people use them to just fine tune to DAd or DAA...

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Roger;You DON'T HAVE to play in DAd to play with others! In DAA you play the same NOTES, just not on the same FRETS as a DAd. So a DAd player trying to follow you - or you trying to follow a DAd player won't work, that's all. Just ADD 3 to the DAd melody line tab numbers - 5 becomes eight, 6 1/2 becomes 9 (the exception) and 7 becomes 10, etc.

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

"That stick (noter) is no good for real dulcimer playing"."You can't play with us, because you can't play our music in DAA."

STINKAROO advice...

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Ok, a fun thread now-Did you ever get a piece of dulcimer playing or music playing advice that totally STUNK, didn't work for you and actually messed you up in some way? (no naming names though please, this is all in fun!) =8-o ;D

updated by @strumelia: 01/05/19 04:36:36AM

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

My second favorite to Jean's classic is The Appalachian Dulcimer Book by Michael Murphy, another long out of print but available on-line volume.

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

I have a book titled Play the Dulcimer by Ear and Other Easy Ways. The authors give instructions on how to tune Ionian, Bagpipe and Aeolian, then they list "Exotic Tunings" under which are Mixolydian, Dorian, Lydian, and Phrygian. A few songs are listed for each, except for Lydian. The authors ask the readers to find a Lydian tune and if they do to please let the authors know what it is. And Locrian simply isn't mentioned at all. Jean Ritchie is quoted as saying that the tunings listed as exotic "Are not used much any more." And all the tunings are given with C as the do note. Publication date 1969-1970 Strumelia said:

Yes that book might not really be that hard to write....it might only have 2 or 3 tunes in it! ;D

I have always been meaning to get that Homespun set of Jean's too....one of those 1000 things on my 'list' to do...

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Bill - if you know the Mode, the Key doesn't matter. If you have Tab for one, it works for all...Ionian: DAA, CGG, EBB, GDD are all the sameMixolydian: DAd, CGc, EBe, GDg are all the same

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Thank you Lisa, thats a little easier for me.

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Bill, the short answer, if you are fretting only the melody string, is this:Look in the list of songs at the beginning of the book, where Jean tells what MODE the song is in.Tune like this for each mode:Mixolydian= DAdAeolian= DACIonian= DAADorian= DAGForget about the other modes for the time being. These four are plenty to start.Note that your melody string is the only one you need to retune. And also note that in DAd, the melody string d is the highest note you will tune to. When going from DAd to any of the other modes, you will be tuning your melody string DOWN, not up.Ok? This will get you started! LOL!

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Thanks for the answer Lisa, now my head is really spinning. Trying to learn all the different modes and keys and what not makes my head spin. I will print the chart out and keep for my reference and just keep plugging away. Thanks again for your help.Bill:)

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Bill, this book was written at a time when dulcimer 'tab' was not that common yet- and a higher percentage of players knew how to read music a little. This issue is one small drawback of this particular book.Here's how I figure it out:First I look at where it tells me what MODE the song is in for the book- In the beginning of the book there is an index of songs and their modes.For example, Aunt Rhodie is in ionian mode, Jean states there.Then I go to the song itself, and I look at the fret the song ends in. In this case, fret 3....thus confirming ionian mode.Now, if you happen to know that DAA tuning as an ionian tuning, you could just stop right there and tune to DAA and follow the fret numbers in Jean's tab and all will be well. But say you want to know which ionian tuning she uses, or what key she has chosen?Well if you look closely at the song, on the left top of the song it says "Tune dulcimer..." and underneath that it gives three whole notes indicating the three notes to tune your three strings.The lowest note will be your bass string.Look at this chart: http://www.cyberfret.com/reading/converting-standard-notation-to-guitar-tablature/1st-position.html Ignore the guitar tab part, just look at the named notes on the music staff.Do you see the first C note, and where it is located on the staff of lines? You will see that Jean's BASS low note is on that same low line. So Jean is tuning her bass string to C. Jean's other two notes she writes un er (Tune dulcimer..." are G notes, if you look at the note chart and compare. Thus, jean is tuning her dulcimer to DGG, which is the typical ionian tuning for the key of C.If you print that note chart out, it can help you figure things out when confronted by these frustrating mysteries.Another example is Shady Grove in jean's book. She states in the song list that it's aeolian.Then look at where she places the low bass string under 'tune dulcimer', and look at the note chart- it's a C note again. Then look at her middle string indication under 'tune dulcimer' (the note in the middle)- again it's a G. Now look at her highest note for tuning the strings, and look at the lower chart to find it- it's a B flat (flat is the little "b" indication).So, for shady grove, Jean is tuning C-G-b flat.CGb-flat is the key of C version of what we usually see for aeolian key of D....D-A-C tuning. All strings are simply one whole step down from DAC, and going from key of D to key of C.Again, just knowing that she tabs it in aeolian mode from the first Song List at the beginning of the book would then tell you you can simply tune in any aeolian tuning, such as DAC, and be able to play the same tab and same tab numbers.I know this sounds complicated, but the notation charts can help you determine what some notes are.

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

I have a question on to play the tunes in this book. How do you know what tuning the songs are in? Am i missing something when i look at the tune? I look at it and i see the timing, melody noter position and so forth. I do not read music but for the life of me i cannot figure out what tunings the tunes are in. I read thru the book and don't see it, or is it there and I'm missing it? Thanks for you help.Bill

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Yes that book might not really be that hard to write....it might only have 2 or 3 tunes in it! ;DI have always been meaning to get that Homespun set of Jean's too....one of those 1000 things on my 'list' to do...

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

I dare you to write that tab book on Locrian mode tunes, Lisa! :-)Jean Ritchie's Traditional Mountain Dulcimer and instructional CD from Homespun Tapes is also a treasure. I can't even tell you how many times I've listened to parts of that CD.

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Maybe I'll purposely write a tab book on Locrian mode tunes for dulcimer.Hmmmm.....might be a bit short. But then again I like challenges! LOL

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Yep.. today I'd say 80% maybe more are in DAd, back then most were in CGG... oh changes whats next ..lol

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Oh, I see what you mean now- sorry! you mean that in the 70's there were a lot more dulcimer books written for ionian rather than mixolydian, like today's majority are in. Yes, I agree. :)For a rather obscure instrument, it never ceases to amaze me how many tab/instructional books there actually have been written for MD.

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Actually I meant the other books not hers...

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

Though one might easily assume that, actually the tabs in her book are in the following modes/tunings:5 mixolydian songs, 3 aeolian, 4 ionian, 2 dorian, and 2 phrygian.Then of course other chapters are on dulcimer history, playing chords, harmony, etc. :)

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

It is a cool book... I just a couple months ago found it and many other of my books that I had bought in the late 70's..neat stuff imagine this a lot of tabs are in Ionian...hmmmm..LOL

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie

Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs

It's an oldie but a goodie!Every time I open it I learn something new, year after year. Jean has a way of explaining things well in simple terms. Has a nice selection of simple folk tunes to play in different modes, some fascinating history and wonderful photos. It includes chord playing, noter playing, harmony playing, and finger picking styles too.You can often find very inexpensive used copies on Amazon or Ebay.

updated by @strumelia: 06/11/15 07:21:26AM

Any banjo players out there?

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Sue - I was really pleased when I got the hang of clawhammer, it is a really versatile technique.

Lisa - I totally agree that it is impossible to play banjo or MD and not notice an immediate lifting of the spirits!