Forum Activity for @robin-thompson

Okay, thanks. I appreciate your advise.

So, Rolla, that means tuning to DAA, right?

Thanks, Dan.

I know how you feel. Information overload can be daunting sometimes. I actually prefer pure diatonic dulcimers to the ones with the extra frets. Robert Force and Albert d'Ossche' uaed to remove the 6+ from their dulcimers.

Thanks, Dan. I appreciate your response. I've been reading so much the last couple of days that it's getting confusing!

Welcome to our happy family, Melanie. You should have no problem learning to play without the 6+ fret. Most of the tunes don't require it at all, esp the old tunes like Aunt Rhodie, Cabbage, Old Joe Clark, Mississippi Sawyer or Grey Cat on a Tennessee Farm. When I started learning 4 years ago, the 6+ actually got in my way until I learned to ignore it.

I wanted to thank everyone for the warm welcome here! So many friendly people and good information.

I have a question and I hope I'm not going to have a problem. My grandson has my better dulcimer and I will be getting it back in the next few months. Meanwhile, I bought a handmade one off E Bay simply so I could begin learning and practicing. I found out that this one is 15 years old and does not have the 6 1/2 fret on it. Will that be a problem in learning to play? I know that for many, many years, people have played on dulcimers without this extra fret but I've been reading that this extra fret is important. I'm new enough to all this to not even be able to ask intelligent questions yet.

Am I going to have a problem?

Since it was written in 1675/76, I would say that it is not under copyright. I don't have tab for it. If I find the music written out, I will see what I can do. Don't hold your breath.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Uff da! I thought I saw th 1+ on the melody string....

Ken - the 1+ is on the middle string, not the melody string. Tuning to DAA and adding 3 will just move it to the 1+ fret on the melody string(not the 4th fret). You will also need the 8+ to cover the 6's.

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This is something that crops up in a fairly large number of tunes where the root note falls on the open string, so maybe it's worth spending a bit of time looking at ways of working around it if you're playing Drone style.

The problem.
============

When the root note is on the open string(mixalydian) there is no leeway to go any lower on the melody string. In the case of SMTTF the tune calls for the note below the root, so you have to find some other way of getting this.

With no extra frets.

1) 'Fudge' it or leave it out. This works well for some tunes, but unfortunately, the note we're looking for here is the most important for this mode( a minor 7th), and it's not so easy to leave it out without changing the character of the song.

2) Move to the higher register(octave) i.e. move the root note to the 7th fret by adding 7 to the TAB (1+ on the middle becomes 6 on the melody).
Give this a try first. It may not sound particularly good, many dulcimers tend to lose something up the dusty end, but it will give you a good view of what the problem is when you go back down to the lower register with the root on the open string.

3) Borrow the note you want from one of the other strings.
If you're in DAD (key of D) then the note you want is a 'C' which can be found at the 6th fret on the bass. This is a bit of a stretch and probably not a very good solution.
Or you can take Cynthia's approach and move the melody on to the middle string (key of A) then the note you want is a 'G' which can be found at the 3rd fret on the bass.

With a 1+ fret.

4) Tune to DAA and add 3 to the TAB. (1+ on the middle becomes a 1+ on the melody).

5) Play as TABed in DAD, borrowing the note you want from the 1+ on the middle.

With a 6+ fret.

6) I've left this to last as it is often the most practical solution.
Tune to DAG(Dorian) and add 4 to the TAB. (The 1+ becomes a 3, and the 3 becomes a 6+)

Advanced technique.

7) Make any extra notes you need using an angled noter.

I don't know how to tab this and post it, but I will get you playing this tune even if we go one note at a time - promise!

If you play the 1 fret and the 2 fret in the same time as called for that 1+ note, it will work. Or just skip the 1+ note entirely....

If you add 3 to the fret numbers to convert from DAd to DAA, as Cynhia suggests, you convert the 1+ to a 4 and won't need to bother. I've played the tune a time or two in DAA, noter & drone style, and it works just fine.

Lynn, I am really new but heard this haunting air many years ago sung a cappella. I just put up the video I did for it. I did it DAA tuning, with the melody starting on the A string 0123 2 3 4 4 31, then on the low D string 3 4 4 4. I think you can get the rest. I didn't tab it out. The best thing about it is that it only needs the drone strings, no chords as it is sung a cappella (just the voice alone). Hope this is helpful to you, I've always loved this tune.

There is a version on Everything Dulcimer in the Tabulature collection, but it's a .TEF (TableEdit) file. There's a free TEF Viewer available if you don't have TablEdit.

I have been very pleased with this pickup that attaches to the sound holes or on the end: Cherub guitar pickup WCP-60G. You can find it on the internet for approx $8.00. There are lots of great reviews. I have tried a couple of others, but this one stays attached wonderfully.

If you are considering having a built in pickup built into your present dulcimer, then be prepared to spend a lot more money. You could contact McSpadden Dulcimers about installing one at a cost of from $125.00 to $150.00, plus shipping there and back.

Good luck.

You can buy an original mcspadden dulcimer case at Martin Oesterles dulcimershop in germany.

http://www.dulcimershop.de

Hi Derek,

I just noticed your post from last month. Perhaps you have already found an answer to your situation. I'll give my input, just in case you are still looking for an answer.

Hard cases, being heavy, would be quite expensive to ship from the US to the UK. Have you considered a high-quality soft dulcimer case? I use cases from Blue Heron. I have used one of mine for 14 years and have taken it from Florida to Ireland, and to a few US destinations by air, plus taken it around by car. It is still in excellent condition. Being lightweight, shipping would not be such an issue for you. You can check them out here: http://www.blueheroncases.com/

When traveling by air, I pack soft clothing such as socks, underwear, T-shirts, etc. around it for additional padding; then I use it as my carry-on. I would never put it in the cargo hold!! However, I have not had any trouble bringing it onboard; though the shape is longer than the norm, it fits even in small overhead bins just fine.

Hope this helps!

Linda

www.cabinhillmusic.com

I well recall just trying to do open strums to keep up with jams myself, on various instruments at various times in my life. It's all part of beginning playing, and all practice is goodgoodgood- even open strums!

Hi,

I just saw your post & live in N. Houston area. I keep trying to get to the NHCG Jam's but the only time I made it there, they were having a reunion party. The Jam was yes, very fast. It was great listening to all the different instruments but no way was I ready to try & do anything but open strum. There is a group that meets in Copperfield on Tuesday evenings, if that would work for you. I practice up in the Woodlands, we just finished our Christmas performances, so are not meeting till Janurary.

I wish you luck with the dulcimer

Terry, rest assured that your fingertips will get used to fretting strings and the muscles in your fingers will also strengthen and stretch, making chording easier and easier. It just takes time. You are asking your fingers to perform tasks they've never had to do before.

Have fun and I'm sure you'll progress faster than you think.

I don't know if this will help you, but I just got a set of these the other day and here is the info on them:

Loop end, .023 wound, .014, .010. They say also that their strings provide a chenille wrap to cushion the spot where the string crosses over the end of the instrument. They also say you can get them by mail from them for $12 US postpaid. IF NEEDED you can unwind the chenille from the old string or use yarn or a pipe cleaner if you get strings without chenille from a store. If necessary, you can use strings .001 larger or smaller . A light gauge 5-string banjo set will give you 1 of each string you need for the Strumstick. Ha! That should give you all you need.

There are Beaucoup free tuners available. Best one though is ClearTune for about $1.99. In App section.

Joe Besse

http://www.seventhstring.com/tuner/tuner.html

I downloaded a freebee called pitch pipe on my smart phone. It will play all 12 notes like a real pitch pipe. I find it remarkably accurate. I tune all my toys with it. There are tons of tuning apps to choose from... BTW a plain old pitch pipe or harmonica is good too... Bob.

With all the cut backs in school funding our children are no longer exposed to classes that teach woodworking, sewing, cooking, etc. I am thankful that my 33 year old son had those classes. Today he is an excellent cook, is able to do simple home repairs including installing all the cabinets in his pantry and can replace a button on his shirt. He is a professional musician. We worked side-by-side to build his 16/15 hammered dulcimer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I agree Pamela. I grew up in a time before computers when every girl and boy was expected to have a hobby and work with your hands. I would be less than half the person today without those hand skills I learned in childhood. I fear its a lesson lost today on our children... Bob.

Every year I make my annual trek to the saw mill to get a load of poplar. 90% gets cut up for making grave blankets. I select the nicer boards for dulcimers and bluebird boxes. Building dulcimers is no big deal once you get the knack. But its still amazing to me that a pile of rough lumber can be turned into a musical instrument. In our world today we place value on so much that is fake. Working with wood and playing wooden instruments helps keep it real... Bob.

Gregg, the link you posted above does not seem to work. (Long links get cut off, but if you use the link function, then you can use a different title and the website stores the longer URL so that it still functions, as I do below.)

However, I did find this article from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune . Is it the same one?

This article was written by Michelle Mills, a friend of Jeanie and I who also dances for our consort at the Rennaisance Faire with swords balanced on her head! www.sgvtribune.com/arts-and-entertainment-20131002/harvest-of-dulcimers-celebrates-the-music-of-the-past