Forum Activity for @melvoid

Various Tunings

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I may have mentioned recently that I've dabbled with the dulcimer for a long time, but mostly for my own enjoyment. I DO give banjo and guitar lessons, and recently one of my guitar students showed an interest in dulcimer. Do I dug out several old books for ideas. One problem I'm having is that none of the books seem to have a basic list of the various tunings and the notes. They're all based on tuning to itself off of fretted strings. Not bad, but for my beginners, I think it's easier with an electronic tuner and note names. I'm having a hard time finding a source for more than Ionian and Mixolydian. I have one old Mel Bay book with other tunings, but it's full of errors!

Does anyone have a source for just the tunings with note names?

Update: I have since found a forum at wikihow.com/Tune-a-Dulcimer, and that seems to disagree with the Mel Bay book on a few of the tunings (Aeolian, for example - heavy sigh).

I realize that, for now, Ionian and Mixolydian are probably all I'll need, but my OCD side is showing and I want to have it all correct for my own peace of mind, if nothing else :-)

thanks

updated by @melvoid: 04/17/22 12:25:13PM

The Positive Thread...

OFF TOPIC discussions

Glad to see you active again. Looking forward to your participation.

virtual fest from Hindman KY

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thanks Robin. That not only honors Cari but also brings back some wonderful memories.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

virtual fest from Hindman KY

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Though this isn't from this year's virtual Hindman Homecoming fest, I want to honor Cari Norris in this thread.  I share this from Molly McCormack-- I especially love Cari 's singing on the Jean Ritchie song Sweet Sorrow in the Wind in which she is joined by Molly.  I'm guessing Cari could be playing her grandmother Lily May Ledford's guitar in the song.

https://youtu.be/d4yDC1_1JYA 

The Positive Thread...

OFF TOPIC discussions

I've been gone a long time.  Hoping to get back to trying to play again.

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Ah yes, I actually have an app that does this. Great idea fro doing the play along thing.

In the end I just did the transposing thing and made a recording of the pc.

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

If you download the youtube video as an audio file, then get Amazing Slowdowner program, you can open the audio file in AS and change the pitch of the tune without changing the speed. Change it to the key/pitch you want, then save that new audio file. Then you can play along in the exact key you want. (AS can also be used for changing speed btw)
I have always found Amazing SlowDowner to be extremely useful.

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

So I’m almost done my arrangement transposed from Gm to Dm. In the end, this really seems the best option. Just means I can’t play along with youtube videos or cd recordings…but I’ll make my own. Almost done, stay tuned. And thanks for your interest in my post. 

12 String Guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Yes I know both ( Leadbelly and Leo Kottke), alas my capabilities are not so high.

Lol@Pete Seeger quote :D

virtual fest from Hindman KY

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I've enjoyed both Don's and Joellen's presentations. I was disappointed in yesterday's presentation on Troublesome Creek instruments as they couldn't get the Powerpoint to work. I hope they get it together by the Traditional Dulcimore Gathering in Berea as Doug is to present the Powerpoint there also. Looking forward to Don's workshop this afternoon.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

virtual fest from Hindman KY

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I've enjoyed the segments I've watched of the Hindman Dulcimer Homecoming!  The fest continues today (Sat 9 April '22) and ends with an evening concert.    

12 String Guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

 

It is perfectly possible to play fingerstyle on a twelve string.  Leadbelly did it.  So did Leo Kottke.  Check this out.

The real problem with 12 strings was expressed by Pete Seeger: You spend half your life tuning your guitar and the other half playing out-of-tune.

12 String Guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Well up to now I didn't have much time for music since my last post here due to the workload on my employer. Now I'm on a two week vacation so more time for music :D
The full sound is really the nice thing, same why I prefer playing with two melody strings on the dulcimer and what I love about my Hummel.



Yeah I knew of harp guitars. They are heavily used in Viennas "Schrammel Music" (named after Schrammel brothers who popularized these in Viennas wine pubs at the end of 19th century):

As far I know you can get them only custom built so for the moment out of my financial and musical capabilities. 
Interesting enough there used to be a so called "Bass lute" which was basically a lute guitar with extra bass strings: 
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Basslaute


Concerning the dulcimer equivalent: I already own a eight stringed hummel ;) And I fear the transatlantic shipment costs from your place to mine would cost more than the actual instrument. A more radical "12 stringed dulcimer" would be the hungarian zither the maker of my Dulcimer offers them too (with 19 strings!): 
https://www.klangwerkstatt.de/ungarische-zither 



An understandable sentiment. I love finger-style guitar (listening and playing) and this is just not possible for me with the 12 string. On the other hand the 12 string is great for songs with heavy strumming (Eg Star of the county down, The Blacksmith etc).

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Do you have a sheet? I think a G minor tuning might work for Noter/Drone playing and would like to try this. Since you clearly want to play with chords this is propably not of much help to you though.
And thanks for the youtube recommendation: It's a lovely tune.

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thanks for the suggestion. Could be done but I want the minor chord to play open. Plus, there’s a certain sound quality when one tunes down to CGc and capo the first fret. I’ve noticed this on song arrangements by Jessica Comeau. So this is what I will stick with…for now.

I’ll hopefully post up a video soon of the piece

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I would transpose to Bm. Then your chords would be Bm, D, and A.  You'd be all set in either DAd or DAA.  No need for a capo.

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I was thinking that but seems like too much of a hassle. Tonight I ended up transposing to D minor. Tuned to Cgc with capo on the first fret. Chord progression now is Dm, Fmaj & Cmaj. Able to play all the notes without adding temp frets. But thanks o plenty for your suggestion.

Btw, the musical pc is Cantiga #302 from the 13th century. Look it up on Youtube, its a beautiful medieval song. 

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

You will probably need a chromatic or use temporary frets [paper clips about .040 or tooth picks may work],  tmp frets 0+, 4+, no capo [DAd. Can capo at 3 [DAd] by adding a temp fret at 7+ also.

Show Us Your Pets!

OFF TOPIC discussions

Oh the life of the beloved household cat. I'm glad they are so pleased to own you.

How do we indicate the extra fret in tablature

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thank you. We were talking and I guessed 6 1/2 but after thinking for a bit, 6+ seemed like it'd be easier to write.

Lucky guess on my part.

thanks!!

Composition in G minor

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi all,

I have a pc I want to arrange for mountain dulcimer. It's traditionally played in G minor. Altogether 3 chords, G Minor, Bb major and F major. I'm wondering what's the best approach to playing this. I usually toggle between a Dad tuning or a Cgc. If you were to tackle this, would you simply transpose it to a key favouring popular dulcimer tunings or would you keep the chords the same and capo in some way?

To be honest, I'd really prefer the G minor to be an open strum. 

updated by @canadian-dulcimer-boy: 04/07/22 01:46:39PM

How do we indicate the extra fret in tablature

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

6+ is exactly right, @melvoid.  We use the + for extra frets so that someone with a true diatonic fretboard and someone with extra frets can still refer to frets using the same numbers.

How do we indicate the extra fret in tablature

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

P.S. Thanks for all the "welcome" messages!

How do we indicate the extra fret in tablature

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I give lessons and one of my guitar students recently mentioned an interest in dulcimer. I'm not an expert on the dulcimer, by any means. My dulcimer has the standard layout, meaning that from the zero fret up, I can get mostly a major scale, but with a flat 7th. My student recently bought on with that extra fret, allowing a true major scale. She borrowed mine first, and we started writing tablature, and now with the new one, and an extra fret, we thought maybe we'd refer to that as 6+ or something so the existing tab isn't changed.

Any suggestions for how to handle this?

Thanks!

Show Us Your Pets!

OFF TOPIC discussions

Teddy and Rufus... bros just chillin' in the sun...

12 String Guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

I didn't notice this post before either. My only experience with at 12 string guitar was a Yamaha that a college roommate owned. I played around with it some, but I never got into it. That was over 50 years ago. I do like the sound of a 12 string, but it is not something I enjoy playing.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

worldwide Play Music on the Porch Day

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Folks, I hope y'all have the last Saturday in August marked on your calendars for the annual worldwide celebration Play Music On The Porch Day!  Here at our house, we are practicing the one we think we'll play for PMOTPDay.

12 String Guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

I don't play, but have several friends and bandmates who play 12 strings, and I know 3 players of 24 and 30 string Harp Guitars -- talk about "full sound"!"

Hollar when you're ready, Jost, and I'll build you the dulcimer equivilent -- 9 strings (3 courses of three strings each), on a 3" deep x 9" wide body, 27" VSL, with a double-back like a Galax.

updated by @ken-hulme: 04/07/22 07:22:55AM

12 String Guitar

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Just noticed this post, @jost.  How's the 12-string been treating you?  I have a 12-string guitar made in Canada by Seagull that I bought several years ago, just before I discovered the dulcimer.  It's fun to play something with such a full sound, isn't it?

Wormy Chestnut for dulcimers - Clifford Glenn

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Your post is so informative--thank you for posting it. 

Wormy Chestnut for dulcimers - Clifford Glenn

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Thank you for such a detailed post on strings ... this is very enlightening!

Dulcimer in my car.

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

How neat. Great idea.

Dulcimer in my car.

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I saw this question and then lost it.

 I have two “practice sticks”.

it just the fretboard. With the frets I use.

 I got one from Backyard Instruments and the other from Grant Olson.

I keep one in the car.

Show Us Your Pets!

OFF TOPIC discussions

@alphie There's no accounting for tastes in music or anything else.  :)

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Have fun, Alphie!  I finished a McSpadden kit last Saturday!  It's so much fun building, especially when all the hard work has been done by somebody else.  Good to have you with us.  We'll try to help you with whatever.

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi, I’m newer to this website and very pleased with all the information available. I recently visited Branson and bought a kit from Cedar Creek Dulcimers. Took about a week to assemble it. I’m pleased with the unit and it’s fun learning. Hope to improve my knowledge/skills over time, but it’s really for personal pleasure. Thank you all for the information all of you share.

Simerman Dulcimers

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Beautiful job, Ken. Nina

How does your pet react to your Dulcimer playing?

OFF TOPIC discussions

Well, my Cat doesn’t care at all. My Lab lays next to me and wags her tail when I pet her in between songs. My Australian Shepherd leaves the room.

Show Us Your Pets!

OFF TOPIC discussions

Our Aussie. I think he has perfect pitch since when I play he leaves the room.

Simerman Dulcimers

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Ken, great job! I bet she's tickled.