Forum Activity for @john-c-knopf

The Spanish word for "dulcimer", according to the dictionary, is "dulcémele".

I really don't think this a big issue. People along the Pacific coast have played stringed instruments for many years. People buy and play lots of acoustic guitars from inexpensive Asian models to high end Taylors and Martins. These instruments receive no extra treatment for humidity control. The outsides are finished and the insides are not. Build her a dulcimer. The general rule of thumb is that if you are comfortable, the dulcimer will be comfortable.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

"Dulce" is Latin and Spanish for sweet and "melos" is Greek for tune  -- "melodìa" in Spanish.  If I were going to make up a Spanish word for dulcimer I think it would be dulce-melodia .  Zither is "cìtara"  -- a guitar with no neck and a small body.

You could always get a tattoo of a dulcimer and say "See this..."!!!

I live in SW Florida "right next to" the Gulf of Mexico.  I fact I lived on a boat here for 10 years.   I also used to live on an island on the equator in the far Pacific where the air is reallllllly salty.  Never had any issues from that.  Of all the dulcimers I've built I only ever had issues with frets raising because I lived where it was dry and the recipient lived where it was damp.  

To put it simply, you cannot, just cannot build a wooden instrument and seal it completely against humidity.   A normally made dulcimer will not rot/degrade due to ambient environmental conditions.  However, hurricanes. typhoons and floods are not "ambient environmental conditions".  

How wonderful of you to build your sister a dulcimer. I would think if she has a reasonably "tight" house and does not live with the windows open all the time, the dulcimer may be protected enough kept inside. As exciting as it sounds to sit by the beach to  play I probably would not do that. I live in NC with 95% humidity much of the summer with no problem imparted to my dulcimers kept inside the house.

I always carry a pencil, and paper is usually available, and do a rough sketch [for a lot of things]. I would say to most folks that it sounds something like the more treble side of an acoustic guitar [sorry about that ] with less volume and sustain, because that's probably what most can relate to.

Hello all. My sister loves string instruments but has never been able to learn any and when I let her play my dulcimer she had a ton of fun, even pulling it out several times to show friends the couple of beginner songs I showed her. I'd really like to build her one, however she lives in northern California right next to the ocean, so I am very worried about two things:
1 Sending it to her and frets raising making it unplayable when it gets to her
2 It degrading and warping extra fast due to the salty ocean air where she lives.
I would love any and all advice that might help with either or both of these issues.
Thanks y'all for all the help over time
-Nate

I definitely do a very poor job at this when asked.  A big factor in explaining it is the level of knowledge the person you are talking to has about musical instruments. I've found that double melody strings are especially hard for non musical people to grasp even when you show them visually how the strings play the same note and are fretted together. I think at the end of the day if people are really interested and you don't have one to show them you should encourage them to look into it, because every time I've ever shown one to someone they are always very surprised when they hear it. The disarmingly simple design of so few strings and so few frets leaves people blown away by the ease at which you can produce beautiful melodies. It really defies most people's expectations and talking about it really doesn't do it justice.

By the way, if you were not aware, the word dulcimer is a portmanteau of the latin word 'dulce' for sweet and the greek word 'melos' for song

You raise a good question. Since you do not always have audiovisual tools at hand perhaps, perhaps a 50 mm x 75 mm picture or photo laminated in plastic you could carry on your person. You might could do front and back, one side the dulcimer the other side someone seated playing it.

As for sound, you have discovered that the dulcimer is capable of many voices. To me its sweetest voice is on a slower song. Perhaps a dulcimer sound clip of a slower melodic song well known to the people of Spain could be loaded to your phone to share the sound that way.

It is likely that many of you will not encounter this problem, but as I mentioned, the dulcimer is unknown in Spain.

I add as a curiosity that "sweet" in Spanish it's said "dulce", so when I say that I play the dulcimer they think something like "sweetwhat?!"

Usually I have a cell phone or a computer at hand, you can show pictures or play videos (that would give for another discussion: "what videos do you play to show how the dulcimer sounds", but I will raise that question another day), but sometimes I don't have at hand any audiovisual example to show what it is and how it sounds.

Then I have to explain what it is and how it sounds. Explaining what it looks like (apart from the different shapes and materials) is easier, what it looks like, how it plays.... (I usually make the joke of "I'm so lazy I wanted an instrument to play sitting down"), but to give you an idea I look for examples of songs, but it's difficult.

If I mention Jean Ritchie, they don't know her (I confess I didn't know her either until I started playing), curiously very few people know Joni Mitchell, which really surprises me.... I usually mention "Lady Jane" by the Rolling Stones, but a lot of people don't know that song...

So, what examples could I use to explain to people what a dulcimer is?

I think Dusty is correct. In 1982 Orthey dulcimers came tuned DAA if I remember correctly. The string gauges would be as Dusty mentioned. When people moved to DAd playing, the middle string probably changed to 0.014.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I just got a call from the music shop where I used to host a monthly dulcimer club before we moved online in April or May of last year.  As of sometime in June, they will be allowed to host indoor gatherings again.  Now I have to establish whether there's sufficient interest.  Some of those who used to drive a long way to join us have already expressed that they would like to stay online.  Others have joined from around the country and a few from overseas, so I'll either have to do two gatherings a month or perhaps one hybrid gathering.  I know they have livestreamed concerts from the music store, but I'm not sure that is interactive enough. Hmm . . . 

The tunes we know for Slane/Be Thou My Vision/Banks Of The Bann;   The Riddle Song/12th of Never; Twinkle,Twinkle/Baa Baa Black Sheep/Alphabet Song/A Vous Dirai-je Maman;  and Aura Lee/Love Me Tender come to mind; but none with more iterations than Rosin The Beau

With those large diameter string pins.... if you can't find loop-end strings, you can make a loop by running the open end of the string through the ball-end and pulling it up tight.

The other Orthey dulcimers I've seen had VSLs of 27".  If yours is close to that, a wound bass string around .024 would probably be right.  Middle string perhaps .012 or so and the melody string would depend on your tuning. If you are tuning DAA, then keep a .012 for the melody. If DAd, perhaps .010.  

My personal preference would be for slightly heavier strings (.026, .014, .012) but those that I list might be close to standard for that size dulcimer.

And as the image suggests, you will need loop end strings, although if all you can get are ball end, you can always remove the ball manually.  Just squeeze them gently with plyers and pop them out of the strings.

This is an interesting question. I thought of the "The Ship that Never Returned" which is the basis for "The Wreck Old 97" which is the basis of "The Municipal Train Protest Song" (MTA), which is the basis of "Super Skier." Not quite as many as Rosin the Beau.

With regard to Rosin the Beau, the Limeliters did a parody called "Acres of Limeliters." Randy Sparks and the New Christy Minstrels did  a song entitled "Denver" to that tune. I believe it was also the basis for a campaign song,"The Hero of Tippecanoe," for William Henry Harrison. I'm sure there are others, but those are ones that come to mind.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

We know how common it has been in the folklore tradition to add new lyrics to an old melody.  Poets such as Robert Burns did so incessantly, it seems.  Woody Guthrie did so, too.  I have two questions for you to contemplate: 1) What melodies seem to have been used more than others for new songs; and 2) Have any melodies been used more than Rosin the Beau?

To provide context for the second question, let me point you to the following:

1) Roll on Liberty Ball

2) Lincoln and Liberty

3) Acres of Clams

4) Mary of the Wild Moor

5) Lament of the Old Sourdough  

If you have more to add, please do so.

Ex-brass player here! I majored in euphonium and minored in piano in undergrad (was a music education major), and played for several years after graduating. Once I left music ed as a profession, I moved toward instruments that were more fun as a solo player -- piano, uke, autoharp, and now dulcimer. I still love my wind band and brass band music, though, and I still have a lot of connections in the brass world!

If you like folk music on brass, check out Percy Grainger, Gustav Holst, Vaughan Williams, Malcolm Arnold, Edward Gregson, and Philip Sparke. They're the kings of British brass band and folk music!!

It has pins. This instrument is #856 from May 1982.

 20210511_164417-01.jpeg - 123KB

The image doesn't show ball end or loop end, some hitch pits will work for either. I believe KenL knew George, he may have a better insight to  what string was originally used, if not, VSL, tuning and personal preference will all factor in.

Photo of Tailpiece...

 IMG_20200925_234003490-04.jpeg - 131KB

I have a George Orthey hourglass that I need to put new strings on. Can someone help me with original string gauges? 

One of my most exciting moments as a dulcimer player was playing Cripple Creek as fast as I could while Aubrey did her clog dancing on a small wooden square she had brought with her.  We were in a jam circle and it was my turn to name a tune. I just said I wanted to accompany  Aubrey's clogging, and she replied, "Well you better play pretty fast then!"  I sacrificed accuracy for speed and just watched in awe as Aubrey's feet did their magic.

I can't wait until I get a chance to hear the latest episode.  Thanks, Patricia and Wayne for all you do!

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 51 
The Sweet Harmonies of Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

In this episode we feature the stories and music of Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly, a husband and wife musical duo based in Warren, Rhode Island. They’re well known for their blend of gorgeous vocals as well as being multi-instrumentalists. The amazing array of instruments they play include old-time banjo, tin whistle, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, limberjacks, feet, and of course, mountain dulcimer.

You can listen to all the  Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast  episodes directly on our website:  https://dulcimuse.com/podcast  or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode: https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/051.html

Thanks for listening!

Thanks Robin, I sure will! No, I didn't think you were one of the enablers.

Thanks Dusty. It sure does have a nice voice and these Gingers are fun to play. It's amazing the tone they can get out of a small bodied dulcimer. 

Susie, enjoy that lovely new Ginger!  

There may be some enablers here at fotmd yet I'm not one of them.

Looks like a beauty, and I'm sure it sounds like one, too!

I think I've purchased my last dulcimer.

I wanted to get a second McSpadden Ginger, this one intonated DAd (I already have one intonated GDg). 

I contacted Tim at McSpadden and asked if he had any walnut woodsets with sapwood. He had a couple and let me choose between the two (for the back). I pretty much knew I wanted a spruce top. So, after deciding on all the other features, I ended up with this little gem. I knew what the back would look like, but Tim also selected wood for the peghead that had sapwood, to go with the theme. I didn't know he did that until I picked it up from my music store.

I thought I'd share it here because, after-all, you're a bunch of enablers.

It sounds wonderful and is a joy to play. McSpadden comes through, once again.

Here's my McSpadden family: 

Thank you Dusty,Ken,Wendell and Strumelia for your good wishes. You guys are an encouraging bunch!

It sounds like you are really enjoying your new dulcimer. Have fun playing it.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

It’s a win win all the way around. And the padded case is way more than I expected.Now to see if I can find someone in the family to pass my cardboard dulcimer to try.

Looks good, sounds good, AND it comes with a case...all for a quality-built McSpadden at a great price! What's not to like?

@adkzookeeper, I'm glad to hear you're so happy with your dulcimer.  And in general, it's wonderful that McSpadden is offering a more affordable model.

Congratulations, Lynn! It sounds like you got a keeper for sure. Enjoy!

@ADKzookeeper , what great news- I'm very happy for you! 

Eeeekkkk! My Flatwater arrived yesterday and it’s gorgeous! And the sound........even when I play all the wrong notes it sounds so good!  And the (I think you call it sustain?) notes just linger in the air for a long time. Sweet. I admit to asking them to put on a micarta fretboard (it helps me to better see the separate frets.....ok and I love how smooth it feels under my fingers). This Flatwater will keep me busy and happy for a looooong time😊😊😊😊. Thanks to everyone for your feedback on the Flatwaters. After a year of playing on my cardboard dulcimer this is just the push to keep me practicing.

‘Lynn

I have a John Frazier dulcimer, and I think there is some info about him in one of the Revel's Music catalogues. Here:

Suffice to say, the diatonic scale fits the diatonic fretboard just fine.  If you want to play notes not found in the diatonic scale you can try an alternate tuning or add frets.  There is no "right" way to play the dulcimer.  Many dulcimer players are satisfied with a basic diatonic scale without additional frets.  If you want or need more notes, try an alternate tuning or add some frets.  Neither choice is more correct than the other.

You are welcome :) I messed one link up, so here another go:

https://www.dulcimerstore.de/c/dulcimershop/dulcimus-standard