Forum Activity for @dusty

Nick, I personally don't play in a droning style, so those who have already responded are more help than I can be. And they've also given you solid advice. In the key of D, DAd or DAA would be the most common tunings. In the key of G, DGd would work. And Ken's advice on bagpipe tuning might work in either case.

Another possibility, though one shunned by traditionalists, would be to use a capo. If you are tuned DAA or DAd, you can obviously play in D. With a capo a the 3rd fret you can play in G, and with a capo at the 4th fret you can play in A. The other common key would probably be C, and you could tune down a note to CGG or CGc for that.

The main advantage of using a capo (the fact that your fingering doesn't change as you change keys) is less important to drone players than to us heretical chord players, but you might consider the option if it doesn't offend your traditionalist sensibilities.

Your D&G drones are in the key of G. If you fret your melody strings in the key of D, the drones will clash somewhat, especially with certain melody notes. If you play with other instruments playing chords, the dissonance may become very unpleasant, in particular with certain chords. If you retune your drones to DA, the D scale melody strings will work better, but when you play a melody in G you will have the same problems. This is why we use certain tunings for certain keys. If you know you are playing a tune in G, use the DG drones, for the key of D, use the DA drones. Players of a diatonic instrument must adapt to the situation that presents itself. Adding a chord instrument to the mix makes this all the more important.

Paul

Nick - you might also want to give Bagpipe tuning a trial - Ddd. I find it works quite well for D and G tunes.

Moonshine, if you can venture out of Minneapolis, you can try this store:

Hobgoblin Music
920 State Hwy 19
Red Wing MN 55066

It is also known as Stoney End.

Or try:

Musicmaker's Kits
14525 61st St. Ct. N
PO Box 2117
Stillwater, MN 55082

They may have some completed dulcimers for sale.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Gabe - thanks for the testimony. Sounds like Mr. Gillian is a fine craftsman.

I've not heard of that maker. A "Thomas" dulcimer would be one modelled after those hourglass dulcimers made by "Uncle Ed" Thomas a well known builder back around the turn of the 19th to 20th century - Uncle Ed was born in 1850 and made something like 1500 dulcimers in his lifetime. A number of contemporary builders make replicas of Thomas dulcimers...

I can't find a thing about Gillian Thomas as a dulcimer maker. Gillian is a woman's name, of course. And if she's built more than a couple of instruments, she apparently does not have an Internet 'footprint' - no website or mentions. There is a nurse practitioner named Gilliam Thomas who lives in Winston-Salem. though .

Sorry I can't be of more help.

If you can contact the seller by phone, have him/her play the scale from fret 3-10 for you on the melody strings. If the scale sounds 'right' that's some indication that the fretboard is pretty accurate. Getting an unplayable Dulcimer Shaped Object is always a problem when buying on-line.

If this is your first dulcimer, I strongly recommend that you buy an instrument from a recognized maker - we can give you some names. AMong other reasons is that they will welcome a phone conversation so that they can play you some of their instruments so that you can hear what they're like. Aesthetics is the second reason to buy a particular dulcimer. Sound is the first.

A lot will depend on your choice of wood and style of play.

Mine is faced with beech, which is legendary for it's resistance to abrasion. It's had thirty odd years of regular use and shows little signs of wear, still more than serviceable. The frets on the other hand have been worn down to tram lines long ago.

Joy - you don't say how old it is, if you start with a brand new instrument then even the slightest sign of wear will show up immediately. Judge it after a few more years and you may see it differently.

john p

What a timely discussion this is for me to read! I've been playing for six months now and just a day or two ago I was pointing out to my husband the visible wear on my favorite dulcimer. I wasn't sure what is considered "normal" wear and tear so it looks like I need to take a look at how I am strumming and how I'm holding my pick. You all are such a wonderful resource!

Another "less damaging" strum technique is to not hold your hand (and the pick) rigidly at right angles to the strings (even with only a 1/$' sticking out), but rather rotate the wrist and the "attack angle" of the pick so that it hits the strings at an angle: \ or / not |

Play slower - don't necessarily try to keep up with a bunch of speed deamons. Develop your speed in your own time, don't be pushed. Better to play slower and correctly than fast and sloppy...

On more suggestion I heard discussed at a festival. A new player was asking the workshop leader "how to hold the pick" and the leader replied that you should "choke down on the pick" until you have maybe a 1/4 inch or maybe a little more with the tip sticking out kind of at an angle rather than straight down and play that way. It would certainly limit the length of pick that would be entering the string area. Maybe someone else has some ideas. I love this forum - the sharing helps all of us. Linda

I agree with Wayne about the pointless picks. I also was tearing my fretboard up with the way I was coming down on it with the herdum (sp?) picks and their "point". Since I changed to the pointless (round picks), I haven't seen that kind of damage. I also started ordering dulcimers with fret boards that have really hard wood overlay on the fret board for those I use for strumming. One thing to realize - it took me a awhile to get used to using those round picks - in fact it took a couple of weeks to really feel like I was as comfortable (hitting the strings like I wanted to) with the round ones as opposed to the pointed picks. But, I haven't gone back so that tells you something. One added note: David Schnaufer's model for McSpadden has a pick guard on the sound board because David wore a hole in his dulcimer from coming down on it with the pick so don't feel too badly. And, when Aubrey Atwater came to the Lone Star State Dulcimer festival in Granbury TX last year, she held a couple of workshops. The dulcimer she was using had two grooves worn in her dulcimer so deep it looked like someone had carved it out with a knife and the sound board had an 8-inch long crack in it. She explained the fret board as a result of her aggressive playing. Hope you find a solution to your quest. Linda

Changing the type of pick you are using and especially how much of it extends from your fingers should help. The pick needs to strike the strings not the fret board.

How long instruments last depends a lot on the materials used and style of play. Stuff like do you use a noter, how hard the fret wire is, what the fingerboard is faced with etc.
One of my instruments has been played daily for 30 odd years and the frets are down to tram lines now, it's long overdue for a re-fret but never quite get round to it.
OTOH, the fingerboard is done with steamed beech and renowned for it's resistance to wear, it's marked but not at all worn.

In the end, how does it play for you, I think the reason I keep putting off the re-fret is because it's so comfortable to play(I use a finger).

If it becomes difficult to play or fret cleanly, you can easilly have it refretted and/or refaced if you think the instrument is worth it. (excessive wear after six months sounds a bit suspect though)

john p

Concerned? Not really. You should perhaps wipe it down with a damp ag to get off the finger goo. How is the "fretboard worn? Is the shiny finish gone? Are the frets actually worn, or just polished? If you are damaging the finish or the wood on the fretboard, you really should learn to not scrape the fretboard with the pick. That's just a matter of fine control of your hand position. There is a Group here about things to do to care for your dulcimer. It sounds as if your fretboard could use a wiping of an oil such as Fast Fret or Dr. Duck's Ax Wax.

If you are still looking, may 15, 2015 on ebay: Good Luck

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEAUTIFUL-HANDCRAFTED-MOUNTAIN-DULCIMER-by-David-Honea-27-1-2-VSL-/121648015351

HANDCRAFTED MOUNTAIN DULCIMER by David Honea 27-1/2" VSL

built overfive hundred Dulcimers over the last many years.

Each of my instruments have3 light coats of shellac.They are signed,dated and numberedon the inside and can be viewed through the soundhole.

The sides, head and tail piece are Maple.

The fret board isCherry and MaplewithMapleposition dots.

The soundboardand back arebook-matchedWestern Red Cedar.

This instrument is made of allsolid wood----no plywood.

Instrument #562

Instrument measures5-1/2" at the widest point. 2" thick. The vibratingstring length (VSL)is 27-1/2" from nut to bridge. Overall length is 33-1/2". It also has 6-1/2 and 13-1/2 fret.

It is tuned to D A A A.

I've seen his dulcimers advertized there before. I think he only sells through EBay and perhaps locally in Georgia. With a 31.5" VSL you'd better have BIG hands if you want to chord it; or play Noter & Drone style where a long VSL isn't much of a poblem.

Mandy, I love that video too!

I also loooove Aubrey Atwater!

Ok, just found this and I think it should come back.

Here's one of my fav's from our own Sarah Morgan playing My Dearest Dear. This moves me so much. The tune, along with what Sarah puts into it make for a moving experience.

Hi - Here's Aubrey Atwater playing Spanish Lady:

Well...I don't know about any "big time" on the horizon, but I really appreciate y'all for all of the encouragement through the process. THAT was pretty "big time" as far as I'm concerned!

Thanks Joy! I really appreciate those gals egging me on at the time.

That's great, John. Very silly and a lot offun.

I hope this makes sense to y'all...the one I want to post as a "favorite" isn't a "favorite" because it entertains me the most...it's because it's the song encouraged by Geekling and Strumelia many months ago when I was trying to learn how to play dulcimer and sing at the same time. Their encouragement made a HUGE difference for me and will forever be appreciated! It's silly (of course), but it has really opened some doors and I offer my sincere thanks to them for making me see it through.

I love the Fisher's Hornpipe and hearing David Schnaufer play. My daughter and I used to crank up this version (on CD) when we lived in a duplex years ago and there were, lets just say, inappropriate noises coming from the teenager who lived on theother side. We had some real boot-stompin' laughs with this tune. Thanks for bringing back some very fond memories for me!!

Bruce playing with the Seeger Sessions is a pretty good party, but so is this, which begins with a dulcimer:

That's pretty cool. Life just ain't the same without a trombone solo.

And to be fair to Jimmy Fallon, Bruce does call him over when he yells "spoons," so it's not like he insisted on jumping in front of the camera.

Dusty, actually I couldn't decide which I like best, so here's Pay Me My Money Down from Bruce et al on the Conan O'Brien show. The only annoying part is when Jimmy Fallon just has to get in on it banging spoons off beat, some people just can't stand when other people are getting attention...

Wow! Talk about a wall of sound! I love the way the violin and horns weave around each other. But I think if I had that band behind me even I would sound good. There must be a video of that whole concert somewhere. I'd love to get a copy. They also do a version of "Pay Me My Money Down" that has a nice Zydeco beat once theaccordeon and fiddles getgoing.It's just plain toe tappin' fun.

Here's my new favorite vid of the day, Bruce Springsteen singing O Mary Don't You Weep with his whole entourage of horns, strings, an accordion, etc.

Yeah Bobby, good stuff in that cabin! I love it when people play joyfully together without the ego competitions.

You know, the very first time I heard a mtn dulcimer in person and was totally blown away, was when a guy at an amateur folk jam I went to pulled one out and played "I've Been all around This World (Hang me)"- that very same song. I knew INSTANTLY that I just HAD TO play that instrument- I was truly possessed and overcome by the mtn dulcimer from that first moment he began to play it. I didn't even know what it was, but I had to get one and learn to play it.

I love those sessions - just had a weekend of them myself

Bobby Ratliff said:

Here's a video that I love!

One of the fiddle players is a young lady named: Dakota Hobbie.

Hi Lisa,

I know exactly what you mean! Nick saidthe same thing about the guitart player when he saw the video clip - he doesn't like the switch in rhythm and chords that the "new" players are producing. It would be interesting to hear the fiddleplaying exactly the same but with banjo - maybe it is the guitar that is swinging the tune not the fiddle? It iscatching the fiddle thatI want to do on dulcimer - definately not interested in copying the guitar!!!!!!!!

Strumelia said:

Robin, I like that Tim/Riley video very much as well. Isn't it wonderful to see noter/dronal playing being brought to the fore again? I love it! Those two do it so well, what a fine duo combo.

As to the second video 'Rockbridge' with the fiddle young woman and guitar player- just my own take on it, but I really have to say I dislike what the guitar player is doing. I don't hear the 'celtic' thing you are hearing, I'm hearing a jazz/bluegrass thing (could be due to our different backgrounds). The fiddling is fine oldtime style and bowing rhythm. The guitar player is driving home his heavy-handed jazzy style timing. He likely doesn't realize that he is doing that- I imagine he thinks he is playing pure, powerful, and supportive OT guitar. But to me he is just turning it into some ego fusion thing. I kind of got the tip-off even before the fiddler started playing, from seeing him strutting his 'riffs' while she very patiently smiled and waited. I never enjoy it when we wind up playing in a session with a guitar player like this.

Robin, I like that Tim/Riley video very much as well. Isn't it wonderful to see noter/dronal playing being brought to the fore again? I love it! Those two do it so well, what a fine duo combo.

As to the second video 'Rockbridge' with the fiddle young woman and guitar player- just my own take on it, but I really have to say I dislike what the guitar player is doing. I don't hear the 'celtic' thing you are hearing, I'm hearing a jazz/bluegrass thing (could be due to our different backgrounds). The fiddling is fine oldtime style and bowing rhythm. The guitar player is driving home his heavy-handed jazzy style timing. He likely doesn't realize that he is doing that- I imagine he thinks he is playing pure, powerful, and supportive OT guitar. But to me he is just turning it into some ego fusion thing. I kind of got the tip-off even before the fiddler started playing, from seeing him strutting his 'riffs' while she very patiently smiled and waited. I don't usually enjoy it much when we wind up playing in a session with a guitar player like this.

Hey Robin,

I loved that video of Tim Erikson and Riley Baugus. It was good to see Tim playing in noter drone

Riley Baugus was playing on stage and jamming at the small old time festival I was at this last weekend here in the UK He did a great concert on Friday and Saturday evenings with Ira Bernstein flatfooting. I missed Riley's teaching session because I was running a noter/drone class.

I have a couple of videos to post here - in many repects they are very noter/drone dulcimer related but don't have dulcimers in them! The first is Tommy Jarrell playing and singing Poor Ellen Smith. I would love to capture that rolling drone with the off-beat shuffle on noter drone dulcimer. The way he backs himself up whilst singing through playing a lower simplified melody reminds me of the way Jean Ritchie works with her dulcimer. Also I love the extra crooked half bar that appears just now and then. I'm going to have to catch this tune sometime and put it on my dulcimer. There was a fiddle teaching session this last weekend on Tommy Jarrell's bowing style - I'm not a fiddler but I did want to go to the session to see what I could learn about playing noter/drone dulcimer from it (unfortunately I missed that one as well due to workshop commitments - Oh well!)

The second video I have is typical of how young fiddlers are pushing the old tunes. It is difficult to explain but I hear lots of OT fiddlers, particularly the younger generations, moving the rhythm around and adding long stroke drones. They are sort of pushing a Celtic influence into old time. I'm not sure if the guitar is in droped d or what (actually I think it is in standard tuning) but the playing style is very similar to Celtic DADGAD in rhythm - not your typical OT guitar style at all. I like this transatlantic cross-over. From 'bluegrass' we got 'newgrass' and bands like Nickel Creek - and something similar is happening to old time. Again, I'm looking to catch this sound and feel on noter/drone dulcimer - but I'm not there yet on this one either !!!!!

This one always gets me smiling...young folks clogging their brains out....

It was posted mid October, so I suspect the skulls are a seasonal decoration.

Macy Jayne said:

Here's yet another 'favorite' MD video I found recently on Youtube. I don't know anything about these people, so I also don't know the reason for the human skulls on their fireplace mantle, LOL. The women appear to be playing the chords an octave apart and the man is playing a melody line. Great rhythm!

_...

So good I had to watch it twice!

Wayne Anderson said:

Hello Maggie, what a great idea - well my favorite YouTube video is Bing Futch & Steven Seifert doing a number on Cluck Old Hen.

Well, I'm jumping in again to post another. (Glad folks liked the first one and thanks, Randy, for letting us know that tune was Johnson Boys !)

Here's link to a conversation here about the following video

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/group/oldstyledronenoterplayers/forum/topics/tim-eriksen-riley-baugus-on?xg_source=activity

and here's the video:

Here's yet another 'favorite' MD video I found recently on Youtube. I don't know anything about these people, so I also don't know the reason for the human skulls on their fireplace mantle, LOL. The women appear to be playing the chords an octave apart and the man is playing a melody line. Great rhythm!