Forum Activity for @strumelia

I started as an 'in' strummer mostly because i saw that Jean Ritchie was mainly an in strummer when playing in noter style. (though of course Jean was talented in other styles as well, and also a good guitar player)

My 'in' strum is much more strong and assertive sounding than my out strum. Part of this is because I angle my force downwards as i strum in, and upwards as i strum out. This enables me to choose whether or not to hit the middle and bass strings as I'm playing melody notes on the melody string. I often would play a run of melody notes in an 'in/out/in/out' motion, but while playing only the melody string. Of course one can do this same technique of angling to avoid bass string whether one is an 'inny' or an 'outy'.
Dusty makes a good point that the sound of broadly strumming back and forth on all strings all the time creates a rather overwhelming sound that can not only quickly become tedious but can drown out the melody. Only time and practice can get one better at making your pick 'dance'.

On my noter drone blog, I have quite a few instructional posts with videos geared towards helping beginners improve their strumming skills; https://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/search/label/strumming

I am considering either a single or a double dulcimer bag from The Dulcimer Bag Lady, and just wondered if anyone here has one. I'd like a little feedback first. I have 3 of her (her family's business) music stands, which I love. Great quality and design. But I've never seen one of her dulcimer bags up close, so that's why I thought I'd ask here. Anyone care to share their thoughts?

https://www.dulcimerbaglady.com/bags.htm

I do know that her daughter and son-in-law have taken over the business.

Basic rule of dulcimer -- There is No Right Way or Wrong Way to Play the Dulcimer -- there is only what works best for You.
Never let anyone -- teacher or friend -- tell you that you MUST play a given way.

I spent decades strumming "outie only".  Then one day, for some unknown reason, I back-strummed.  And it didn't sound bad. So I did it again,  And again.  And suddenly I was strumming both ways.  Today I still tend to be an out-strummer, especially on slow songs.  But I also strum both ways.

In my opinion, in and out strums sound very different, especially if you strum slower. I feel that they have different energies. An in strum feels passive and calm whereas an out strum feels engaging and sharp. I think that a melody note after a bass note feels cradled, whereas a base note after a melody note feels like an echo. So I think it would benefit you to make sure you play plenty with both in and out strums, and feel the subtle difference. 
Good luck and have fun
Nate

In the latest of my series of chats with fellow dulcimer players I spoke with Dennis Harris: https://mdconversations.blogspot.com/2024/01/12-dennis-harris-from-pleasant-hill.html

Congratulations! So many dulcimer players do not want fricion pegs. That may be due to a number of circumstances that we could all bring to mind. A good story of well-fitted set of pegs is always a joy to read!

Do you have the fine tuners? They are the little ebony trapezoidal buttons on the string between the saddle and the nose of the tailpiece. Sliding them will control the tuning by about a semitone.

There is no music you cannot play.  There is only music that you cannot play yet !

One thing I forgot to mention is that you can practice your strumming without playing songs and worrying about left-hand fingering.  Just lay your left hand over the strings to stop them from vibrating but not so hard as to get a tone out of them, and strum with the right hand.  Put on your favorite music and strum along with the beat.  You will just be making a percussive scratching noise with your dulcimer, but you will be able to concentrate solely on the right hand.

I'll post this here...

Mr. May posted this on Facebook yesterday and I thought I'd share. 

@ken-hulme , I'm anxious to receive the book and the dulcimer.  Anxious for all of this to make sense 😅 Right now it's " all Greek to.me!"

I was listening to Jean's High Hills and Mountains album on my ride home after work this evening.  A  nice ride home for sure. 

@dusty said: You're not there yet, but you will be soon! 

I appreciate for the encouragement and the tips!

Which this year is March 30th, the fifth Saturday.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

@robin-thompson 😀 thanks for the info!

Hey, friends-- our special holiday is approaching!  Always the last Saturday in March.  

Thanks a lot. I know it takes time. 

The short answer is "yes."  You should strum inwards and outwards.  But you are right to ask because you will want to start in one direction until you get it steady, and then you can strum in both directions.

There are both "in" strummers and "out" strummers, but what that means is which direction you strum on the main beat.  Most of us who started on other instruments such as guitars or ukuleles are "out" strummers, whereas many who started on the dulcimer are "in" strummers.  Neither is better than the other. What is important is that you develop a steady beat and that you eventually learn to strum in both directions.

Start by strumming once per quarter-note beat:  1 - 2 - 3 - 4.  Whichever direction you choose, do that for every strum.  Do not change direction.

Once you can do that steadily and smoothly (which may take an hour or may take 6 months), you are reading to add strums in the other direction.  Now you will count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.  You will still strum in the direction you chose on all the numbers, but you will strum in the opposite direction on the &s.  Again, do not vary.  Either go out-in out-in out-in out-in or in-out in-out in-out in-out.

Eventually (as in years from now) when you are really smooth with that eighth note strumming patters, there will indeed be exceptions when you can vary from this pattern, but for the foreseeable future, stick to the pattern.

Let me add that while it is important for you to learn to strum steadily--first in one direction and then in both--that does not mean that when you play a song you have to strum on every beat.  You should be able to do so, but you will also want to skip beats to vary your playing.  You're not there yet, but you will be soon!

Hi. Would you suggest strumming inwards or outwards as a beginner?

Definitely get a chromatic tuner, not something called a guitar tuner or dulcimer tuner.  There are lots of affordable models in the $10-20 range, but some are better than others.  I agree with John that the Snark is one of the better ones in terms of accuracy and ease of use.  Because of their low profile, I personally use the D'Addario tuners.  One is a headstock tuner that can work on a flat head.  But on my scroll-head dulcimers I use the same D'Addario tuner that's for violins or violas.  I attach it across the fretboard just left of the nut, where a lot of people keep their capo.  If you look at any of my videos when I play the McCafferty dulcimer, you'll see it right there.

If you want to spend a little more, perhaps the most accurate clip-on tuner is the Peterson Robo-Clip.  It uses a simplified strobe display that is much easier to read than older strobe tuners.  I use that on my guitar.

I also have an app on my phone called G-Strings, which is free and very accurate.  The only downside is, like the handheld tuners, it won't work at a jam or whenever there is significant ambient noise.

Frank --  in The Dulcimer Book, if I remember right, Jean notates the tunings in reverse order -- Melody, Middle, Bass... not the way we name them today -- Bass, Middle, Melody. She recalls her father's tuning the same way -- bim, bim, BOM...

Good find. Have fun with the book.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Because I make and play a variety of instruments, I prefer a  chromatic electronic tuner which shows me not just the Note but the Octave that that note is in. 

These  days there are several that fit that bill, but I still love my Seiko SAT501 handheld.

I highly recommend trying an app called "soundcorset" it is very straightforward to use for tuning, and most modern smartphones have significantly higher quality microphones than clip on or onboard tuners. 
The advantage of a clip on is that it doesn't pick up background noise, which is useful in loud places like group settings. As John said, a chromatic is definitely ideal. 
While I can understand the apprehension toward using an app, the key benefits are that it's free and that it's built into something you already carry. Personally, I keep losing my tuners around my apartment, because I have too many instruments that arent well organized, so it's nice to always know I have the phone app as a last ditch, if nothing else.
Nate

@john-petry I like the idea of a clip on. The hand held is cumbersome for someone like myself who can't walk and chew gum at the same time! I've  tried the cell phone app thing... no bueno and I didn't like it. I have a smart phone... I think your better off without. I like Phil Robertsons podcast with his sons and Phil manages quite well never having a cell! The Mrs and I think our next phones (we don't have a landline anymore) are going to be  old style flip phones. We'll  start using our laptops more for the internet etc.

Years ago, a decent chromatic tuner would run $35 and up. Korg comes to mind.  Now there are loads of clip on type, that all perform OK, but my overall favorite is the Snark ST-2 model. Sells for about $13 on Amazon, What I like is that it is fully chromatic, so you are not tied to "presets" for different instruments, it has a nice bright easy to see display, and best of all it has the ability to use vibration or its own internal mic. [vibration mode helps in a noisy environment, as it's picking up your instrument, not everybody else]. It helps that it is built a little stronger on body than most other clip ons, and the clip has a good spring and grip. 

Although I don't have one of those newfangled cellular telephones,[I don't even have an oldfangled one].....I think you could probably find an "app" tuner if you looked.

I've never been able to tune by ear, so I'm looking for tuner recommendations. I've only ever had/used a Fender tuner, a small handheld type and I gave it away. I see there are tuners that call themselves "Dulcimer Tuners," in addition to guitar tuners. Thoughts?

I made an offer on a nice used copy on ebay and the seller accepted.  $12.96 was my total cost. Should be here by the 30th.

Sounds like you did a wonderful job on those pegs!  🙌🏼

That's wonderful news, Curt!  These things don't always turn out so well.  That's a good job of peg-fitting.

I looked after Strumelia mentioned checking Amazon and you can buy it new for $22.29, but as John says you can find used copies as well.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Betty was a wonderful promoter of southern Appalachian culture and music. I was able to take several classes with her at Dulcimerville. She will be missed by all of her family and friends. Rest in peace, Betty.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thank you for letting us know of this sad news Robin. Betty Smith gave so much of herself to others, through her long life in music.

https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/artist/betty-smith/

https://www.citizen-times.com/obituaries/pgsc0650042?fbclid=IwAR1oVFxixAqDZ_HcDYjYJ-OyTlyG0INklPJ2eqYuGFOZscQleKqD-q8MOoY

Hello,

I have installed new rosewood pegs on my Sunhearth (photo attached), tuned it up and WOW!  Now I know why Sunhearth dulcimers have such a good reputation.  The sound is great!

While doing some research on the internet about Sunhearth dulcimers, I ran into some information, and a photo (attached) that has made me wonder about the originality of the tuners that I took off.  While I think that most of us would agree that the rosewood pegs look great, I have found some information, mostly on this forum, that has surprised me.

There was a story about Walter Martin and his dulcimers in DPN Vol 15, #3 (July/September 1989).  It was mentioned that he used either gold-plated Schaller or Grover machine pegs OR Rosewood friction pegs.  And there is a photo that was taken of some dulcimers hanging in his shop that was posted by Leo Kretzner on this forum previously.

So....  The tuners may of been original.  I kept them and can always put them back on, but I do like the rosewood pegs, and since the dulcimer does not have a 6.5 fret, I will probably just leave it in Ionian.

BTW, I bought a good peg shaver, and a set of Rosewood Viola pegs on eBay (Dwain, thanks for the information about the pegs).  They were easy to install myself.  I think Mr. Martin would be pleased with the result.

Curt DeBaun III

 thumbnail_IMG_6756.jpg - 40KB

Abebooks.com has several copies available for around $15-$25 

I just updated this useful thread by removing some older links to defunct web pages.

BTW it's very easy to buy Jean's original Dulcimer Book (as Wildcat pictured below) on Amaz*on. Don't overlook buying USED copies of it for sale there as well, to save yourself a few bucks.

If you'd like to hear Jean talking a bit about her life and her approach to playing, I recommend these: 

https://www.homespun.com/profile/Jean%20Ritchie

https://folkways.si.edu/jean-ritchie/the-appalachian-dulcimer-an-instructional-record/music-instruction/music/album/smithsonian

Also, search Jean on YouTube and you'll discover many wonderful recordings.  

Yes, Frank, that's the CLASSIC Jean Ritchie dulcimer instruction book.  It was one of the first, if not the first book on the dulcimer.  Much good information to be discovered in it.  Jean also wrote "Jean Ritchie's Dulcimer People" and several other books.  Her personal story about growing up is in "Singing Family of the Cumberlands" and is well worth having in your library.

I like this topic, lots of good info. I've also been poking around the @strumelia  blog . Great stuff, thank you all.

Is this the Jean Ritchie book I should purchase that's mentioned here?

Thanks,

Frank

The diverse regional variations, such as the flatvele and venleg vele in the north and east, and the distinctive Hardanger fiddle in the south and west, showcase the rich musical heritage.

Frank, you can't go wrong with a Warren May dulcimer. I have one, an all walnut. hourglass. Aren't kids something. My son came to me when he was about eleven or twelve and asked me I could teach him some chords on the guitar. By the end of that summer he was playing better than me. I became a roadie for his band when he was in high school. He went to Berklee College of Music in Boston and majored in film scoring and his primary instrument was guitar. He's a professional musician out in Los Angeles. Enjoy your new dulcimer. 

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

@richard-streib. I certainly will take some pictures and post. Yes, thanks to FOTMD,  I've read about the issue with the cold temperatures and letting the instrument acclimate to room temperature. When speaking with Gail over the phone today,  we discussed the issue as well. She was also kind enough to text me a video about going from daa to dad tuning if I  choose to.