The only thing I could find that had chord charts was the following from a booklet included with a Folkways dulcimer instruction album by Kevin Roth. There's a PDF of the booklet available at:
https://folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/folkways/FWCRB20.pdf
Download the booklet and scroll down to page 43 or so where the Aeolian chord charts start.
Here's my article on dulcimer Modes and Modal tunings. It has all the Modes, their traditional tuning, and the key of D equivalents.
I think your inquiry about Phrygian Mode is only the second or third I've seen in 40 years. It's just not a Mode that anyone wrote or writes music in, in the last 200 years or more. In that same 40 years of playing, I think I've tuned to Phrygian Mode perhaps twice; for the same reason -- No one has written any music in Phrygian that I have any interest in playing.
Open Aminor tuning -- No matter which way you go -- high or low Am -- you're going to have to change strings to tune to mthe key of A (Bass string is A or a). AEE is the baritone Ionian tuning which could also be AmEmEm of course. AEA is Mixolydian, so AmEmAm. Same thing going to the high a.
There are any number of good chord charts on the Internet (not that I use them, but they are there). Admittedly, most of the chord charts are only for DAd tuning because most chord-melody players only use that tuning...
Check out the Strothers' Chord Finder. It allows you to specify any tuning and shows you chords all the way from the zero fret to fret 17.
http://strothers.com/chords.html
It seems that there are not very good resources for Mountain dulcimer chords on the internet. Even the ones I find are just basic cowboy chords.
Does anyone have a good dulcimer chord resource? Can anyone give me some chords for the DAC tuning that utilize more of the neck?
Any help would be appreciated!
JL
Howdy,
I’m new to dulcimer playing, and I am beginning to experiment with different tunings. I was curious as to how some of you tune to the Phrygian mode.
Also, does anyone have a good open Am tuning, that is if such an animal exists?
JL
Janene, I've made recordings in that little spot and I think the wall rugs help give better sound-- less like I'm recording in a bathroom. :)
Robin, I think I'll have to try the textile-megaphone thing in my music room...I have a bunch of quilts folded up...might as well hang them up somewhere. I have a (almost phone-booth sized) nook I use to record vids...I'll hang the quilts and rugs there. Good tip.
I had a Keith Johnson hourglass which I sold to another member here. It was well made and sounded good. Mine had handmade pegs instead of geared tuners. I enjoyed it while I had it, and its new owner enjoys it now.
I had a Keith Johnson hourglass which I sold to another member here. It was well made and sounded good. Mine had handmade pegs instead of geared tuners. I enjoyed it while I had it, and its new owner enjoys it now.
Was finally able to see your photos Susie...in my Paint program. You are AMAZINGLY neat and organized...and anyone would be proud to have you own one of their instruments...they look so well cared for! OMG, I'm sure your pets feel the same way. You are an inspiration :-) !!!
Thank you! Your cozy corner is very pretty! It's inspiring to have these places where we can sit and play.
Janene, I like the little stool lots! My other playing chair is a child's oak chair a friend gave me. The short stool and chair work well because I'm just over 5' tall. The rag rugs on the wall may impact sound of the natural megaphone of my little corner. :)
Robin...love seeing your "nook"...the sun pouring through that lovely deep large window..and you play on a stool?! Must have a strong core :-) I'd have my feet propped up on that window sill too. Your textiles on the wall...does that impact the sound...in any case, it warms up the room. Thanks for sharing
I have one of those PC-spots too, papers everywhere...love the highlighting and red marks on the sheet music, the measuring tape (?) and you're messing around with a sheitholt (6 strings)? Interesting...
Here's the cozy and messy area on my desk next to my computer where I try out new music projects and tunes. ;D
Was finally able to see your photos Susie...in my Paint program. You are AMAZINGLY neat and organized...and anyone would be proud to have you own one of their instruments...they look so well cared for! OMG, I'm sure your pets feel the same way. You are an inspiration :-) !!!
Susie..I can't open your JPGs. What am I doing wrong...anybody? I'm prompted to SAVE then OPEN...when I indicated OPEN I'm prompted further for which app etc....this is on my PC.
I did go to a program to reduce the size of the photo I offered from 5MG down to 1.4MG ...is that the difference? I would really love to see your pictures.
Although I have a music room in the basement (where I record vids) and another small (rarely used) one off the living room...I find myself most often sitting in my "Cozy Corner" to do some spontaneous playing. I also love to see individual music rooms too...get some tips on features and organization. Any places you love to play. I love that you include your fur-babies and family history.
I would love to see where you most like to sit and noodle around on your dulcimer. As colder weather approaches I think these little nooks are so important.
I'll start with my favorite spot. A (cluttered) window seat area between my kitchen and living room. A sunny window seat for my pups, a cage stand for my birds (their day time perch), a glider (with arms unfortunately). A little stand for a cup of coffee, pencils, glasses..phone, e-reader etc., added a little book shelf under the bird cage. I print out songs I want to learn (predominantly lyrics) on 11 X 17 sheets of paper and hang them with a "pants" hanger on the PVC cage frame. Wild bird bath (just plugged in for winter) and bird feeders a few feet away on the deck. Can monitor the laundry in the mudroom, the soup on the stove, and the front door from this spot. My Echo dot is close by and can take a break to listen to an audible book...or draw from my Amazon music playlists. Retirement is lovely and my house is never clean. I'm spoiled.
Having just described all this, I can see why my "practice" is so unfocused.
Please share your cozy corners.
@frank-ross Lacey is sure a pretty girl! All our dogs lived long. . . And there's just something special about having long relationships with animals.
@david-bennett What else could Sally do if there was no dog to point to as the culprit? haha
Yesterday while Karen and I were watching football on TV our young cat, Sally, sauntered in from what we call the "computer-music room and lay innocently on Karen's lap. During a commercial I went in to that room and found turkey feathers scattered all over the floor. Sally had found the stash I thought was well enough out of the way. As I was picking them up Sally poked her head in the doorway and had this look on her face like, "What in the world happened here?"
Right!
Sometimes, even if nothing can be found about the builder as luthier some info can be found on things not related to luthiery (an old address directory, obituary, etc.)
Jimmy, I'm seeing the photos just fine on an old iPad mini running Safari. And the dulcimer looks to have been made by a skilled builder. Do you know anything about Keith Johnson?
To get them to work on my pad I renamed them to 1.jpeg , 2.jpeg and so on so if you just shorten the names to something similar they should work hope this helps
On my Windows based computer no probs
On my Samsung pad cannot see pics.
Hope this helps
Jimmy, go to the Members page by clicking "Members" from the tool bar on top of the page. Then you can type in a portion of the member's name and you will see all the possible options. You then click on whichever one you are searching for.
I just did that and put "Jimmy" in the search bar.
Pics are fine no problem viewing them
I type their name in the search box and hit “done”, but nothing happens.
I recently purchased this dulcimer on an online auction. It is signed in pencil as “Mountain Dulcimer by Keith Johnson, Sporting Hill, PA-1988”.
i just wondered if anyone ever heard of him, or if he might be a member here.
There was a sales receipt in the case that shows it was purchased by a former owner at a music shop In Campbelltown, PA for 174.00. I picked it up for 85.00.
I tend to up the string gauges for noter drone playing, particularly for the melody string (I like just one melody string). I like working a heavy melody string with a reasonably stiff pick. There is a volume difference from different string gauges - the key being to match the string gauge to the pitch used at an optimal tension for the string's performance - but that also has to match your playing style. In my opinion, dulcimer string gauges are generally too light. Early instruments would have typically had heavier strings and, when played in noter drone style, would have been quite loud instruments.
Hey Ken, What are the strings for your noter/drone. I just bought a used McSpadden and ordered strings from them. When I told them I would be switching from DAD to DAA, they sent me .022 Bass and middle and melody are .012. I'm not sure I really like the sound. This will be my noter/drone dulcimer. Dulcinina
Switch to a single melody string (0.012 or 0.013 for A), move the (now 3) drones closer together and be particular about your tuning accuracy. DAA A will work OK to start with. DAd A is good for tunes that emphasise the 4th, 2nd or 6th of the scale. EAA A is another great tuning (key of A). Record your playing and listen back to the sound - then think about adjusting the melody to drone balance (pitch and gauge) depending on what you hear in the recordings.
Jimmy -- dulcimer volume is related to the interior volume of the instrument (cubic inches under the hood), square inches of sound hole, and how much the back of the instrument is allowed to vibrate.
Search here for information about a "possum board". Think of it as a non-electric amplifier. Dulcimers create their sound a bit differently than a guitar -- the top has that huge brace called a fretboard, and doesn't create a lot of the sound. If the back is allowed to vibrate freely instead of being muffled in your lap, you get a lot more volume. A possum board, or a double backed dulcimer are two ways to get more volume. A possum board can be made for any dulcimer, and some of us build them for sale on request.
I built a wooden travel box/case for one of my dulcimers that doubles as a possum board.
You can, of course, get an expensive or inexpensive pickup, stick it on/in your dulcimer and play through a mini-amp; but where's the fun in that?
Dulcinia, my main noter/drone instrument is one I built based on the C.N. Prichard dulcimer. It is three strings, wood pegs, and a 28" VSL. I use a plain 0.020 and two 0.014s for the middle and melody.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Uncontrite Modal Folker.pdf - 92KB
