Forum Activity for @harpin-mark

Hello Folks - 

This is my first post - hope it goes through OK.

I just took ownership of a 1979 FolkRoots D50S dulcimer. Solid spruce top and laminated walnut back and sides. It is a long scale (36 1/2 " overall length with a 29 1/8 " fret board and 2 1/2 " depth)  It had no strings on it, and I am trying to determine what gauge and brand would be best for it. I know that they should be loop ended. 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.  -  Thanks  -  Harpin` Mark

No judgement here.  Everyone has a preference to suit their own playing style and their own needs.  There's probably a way to measure the amount of tension on each string precisely, but that's not really necessary.  Obviously, the string tension has to lie somewhere between the minimum amount of tension necessary to produce a clear sound (without rattling) and the amount of tension required to break the string.  My own preference is for a string with some flexibility.  One that responds to hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, chord playing, etc. with ease.  However, I fully understand why some desire less flexibility when playing noter-drone style.  It's all a matter of what "feels right" to the individual with the instrument in their hands.    

He plays great, but kudos to the lady playing the spoons! Thanks, Rob!

I'm probably the odd man out here. I hate the feel of loose feeling strings. If I'm chording 15# tension feels ok but playing noter/drone I prefer 17-20# tension. 
But I also have different dulcimers for different tunings so the string tension stays pretty much the same on all of them.

Thought I recognized the playing;  here's one of my favorites of him:

Oh Wow, what a great discussion.  I'm going to try the lower on some of the other duclimers.  And I've found that I really do like ONLY 3 STRINGS.  I'm so grateful for all I learn on this site.  Aloha, Irene

WOAH.....that shows some great playing....no comment on the kid smoking a cig.  sigh. I'm going to watch that again.  I loved that rough kind of singing....that's not his "first rodeo."  aloha, irene

Now, that's some playing! 

Jean never talked about lowering string pressure for anything... I don't believe she even thought in that way.  Since she played noter & drone with a pick, the effects of string pressure just weren't all that important.  Many of the olde time dulcimers had VERY high actions by modern 'soft finger' standards.  

Wow!

Wow!  That playing is superb. He's really got the bounce in that dulcimer.  Film looks interesting too, but I could listen to that dulcimer all day.

No comment on the kid smoking a cig.

As I've added more dulcimers to my collection, I've begun to label the cases with the tuning that seems to fit that instrument best.  My standard dulcimers tend be tuned to D-A-A, C-G-G, or sometimes even Bb-F-F.  My criteria for selecting the tuning is usually based upon string tension.  In other words, I change strings or tuning to get the "feel" I like.

I've also discovered that my reproduction dulcimers sometimes require a lower tuning to prevent the wooden tuning pegs from slipping under the increased string tension of the higher tuning.

John K.,

I remember reading that Jean Ritchie preferred C-G-G tuning.  I think her instruction book used C-G-G tuning.  But did she ever talk about lowering the tuning to make the strings more responsive to the touch of her fingers?   I suspect her choice of C tuning was likely based upon what was considered traditional in her family.

Ken H,

Good point.  I also tune down on occasion to better suit my voice.  Although a noter wouldn't give the same "feel" as the fingers, it would be similarly affected by string tension.  I suspect requiring less downward pressure on the noter would result in smoother playing.

Dusty,

I hadn't considered that string tension might have the opposite affect when flatpicking.  More tension = Faster Response.  Less Tension = Slower Response.

kjb,

Do you ever tune to a C tuning because it feels more comfortable on the fingers or only when playing with other musicians in the Key of C?  Do you prefer the lower tuning for fingerpicking because it is more responsive to the fingers?

I often tune to CGC so I can play in C with other instruments.  Also like it for fingerpicking. 

I regularly tune to C or C# when I fingerpick.  I don't use fingerpicks, but just my bare fingers, and I like the extra "give" in the strings. 

However, when I flatpick I want the strings very taught, as any extra give means the note is sounding slightly later than when you pluck it since the string bends before it makes any noise.  In other words, its harder to flatpick fast and accurately with looser strings.  So for flatpicking I tune to D and move my picking hand back towards the bridge or even tune up to D# or E.

I guess what I'm saying is that looser strings provide greater right-hand control when playing with fingertips but less control when playing with a pick.  So I adjust my tuning and my playing accordingly.

These days I play mostly in C --- Cgg or Ccc as the key of C fits my voice better.  Playing with a noter, the string tension is quite as important as it is for tender finger players.  I find that your ordinary D string set can usually go down to B without being too floppy, and up to E and maybe F for they get tight enough to break a bass string.

Greg,

You remember that Jean Ritchie used to play in the key of C a lot of the time?

Me too.

Obviously, the dulcimer can be tuned up or down to play in alternate keys, but what about adjusting string tension for comfort?

I've been noticing lately that I have a preference for less string tension.  Both my left hand and my right hand seem to be more comfortable when the strings are more flexible and have more give.  In practice, this means I frequently lower the tuning as much as a whole step to create the fingering sensation that I prefer.

Instead of the standard D-A-A or D-A-d tunings, I find myself lowering the tuning to C-G-G or C-G-c.  Obviously, I have to tune back up if I plan to play music with others or attend a dulcimer workshop where D tunings are the norm, but when practicing or playing for myself I prefer the feel I get with the lower tuning.  

The advantage of the lower tuning is a more flexible string that is less resistant to fretting, hammering, or plucking with the left hand and more easily strummed or fingerpicked with the right hand.  In short, I am more relaxed when the strings play more easily.

Obviously, there is a limit to how much the strings can be lowered, but I have found that the tuning of most dulcimers can be lowered a full step without creating any problems with loose or rattling strings.

Does anyone else experiment with tunings higher or lower than standard D tunings by adjusting string tension to achieve a more comfortable and relaxed feeling in the fingers making contact with the strings?  

This film clip is outstanding:

I hope to get to see the movie after it's released!  

Yes, I am aware of Janita Baker's DAA#d tuning.  What I was trying to achieve with the DADb tuning is to allow my fretting hand to add more complex chordal arrangements and harmonic flourishes to music that is tabulated DAD while also allowing me to strum (and not just pinch the DAD notes, as Baker's tuning would require).  

Janita Baker developed a method of playing chromatically by tuning to DAA#D. I have a four string chromatic dulcimer I tuned to DGAD. I used it to arrange Rondo Alla Turca, as best I could with four strings.

Thank you, Dusty!!  Garret

Garret, lot of individual instructors offer online lessons.  But as far as I know, those are the only two dulcimer schools online.  They share some basic similarities: both involve monthly subscriptions that give you access to a range of materials for different levels of play.  Dulcimer Crossing involves a greater variety of different instructors, for in addition to Steve Eulberg, there are lessons by Erin Mae Lewis, Nina Zanetti, Neal Hellman, Abrey Atwater, and others.  The Dulcimer School has Stephen Seifert and to a lesser extent Aaron O'Rourke.

In the interests of full disclosure, I should say that I know both Steve Eulberg and Stephen Seifert personally and am fond of them both.  Both are excellent teachers with decades of experience teaching dulcimer.  If you've been playing for a while and have a knowledge of basic music theory you may find some of the lessons "below" your needs, but that doesn't mean they are useless. I often just use the tab and the performance videos to learn tunes and skip the lessons that go measure by measure through a tune.

My advice would be to join both schools for a month and poke around a lot. You might decide one works better for you than the other.  Or you might decide that you would get more out of private lessons than you would from joining either one.  But you can always cancel your subscription anytime, so there are no long-term commitments. 

Oh, and happy birthday!

Hi!  My wife is wanting to find a birthday present for me and I suggested an online dulcimer school (I think I might be categorized as intermediate to advanced, based on the music I can play that is categorized as such).  Are there any others than Dulcimer Crossing and Dulcimer School?  Thanks!

Thanks, Ken!  I've joined quite a few, including some of the ones you recommended.  Hopefully I'll find some with similar bents.  

Hi Garret;

You might want to check the list of Groups here and see if there are some groups aligned with your interest.  There are groups for 4 strings, baritone dulcimers, classical music, and many more that you may find of interest.

You can read some of a groups posts.  But to see everything and reply to posts you need to Join the Group by clicking on the button at the top of the discussion.

Hello, All!  After a very long absence, I have returned!  I am a classically trained pianist and am very drawn to the harmonic (or even inharmonic) complexity of classical music.  That's not to say I'm not interested in various kinds of music—I am.  But I am excited most by novel harmonies and chordal structures.  Because of this, I purchased two McSpaddens, one with the 1+ and 8+ frets and one chromatic.  (My McSpaddens also allow me to convert them from the standard string arrangement to a baritone string arrangement without much trouble.)  I've also bought a lot of tabulature (for three strings) but have found much of it too simple in its harmonic structures (and very simple to play, too).  I played around with various tunings on my semi-diatonic dulcimer using only three strings but have found that still somewhat limited.  I thus have focused more on trying to use a 4-string arrangement (with a DADB tuning, employing a 5th and a 3rd).  Anyone tried using a four-string arrangement, playing more complex harmonies?  I'll be grateful for any feedback!!  Thanks!

Not just for beginners.  Thank you, Sandi, for bringing this up again and thank you, Dusty, for the cleaned up link for http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/ .  The site is worth bookmarking and also prowling that Main Menu.  It started in 2000 and is so jam-packed with information and sites to see.  While the tab and other information isn't written for dulcimer, it has tons of resources.  I had two songs I needed to come up with the lyrics, "Old Joe Clark" and "So Long It's Been Good to Know You."  Both have tons of versions and this let me compare and decide.  There's lots of music resources and the music education section is a school unto itself.  Just wish the dulcimer had been part of the resources.  It feels like we're the "Rodney Dangerfield" of musical instruments.

I take a chair yoga class twice a week, plus t'ai-chi twice a week.  The chair yoga class teaches all sorts of seated and standing stretches that are simple, easy, and keep you from cramping up.

So true Sandi!   I try to make it a habit whenever I get up from my desk to do a standing stretch on each side- holding onto the chair arm with one hand while twisting at the waist and reaching the other hand up real high. So simple and quick to do that on both sides, it feels real good and I think it helps counteract the damage of sitting for long periods.
You're right that incorporating a little 'mini-action' whenever you have a moment, or in between doing routine things... it all adds up.

I know I'm always in this place of failure, but my BFF became a PT assistant and shared some great advice that I will move to:  It's not about your daily workout (not that it's not necessary!)~it's about living an active lifestyle.  An easy way to do this is to get up every hour for some movement, i.e. 20 squats and such.  So doable!  Hope I'm inspired, and so are you....

Thank you for this resource!

Can anyone suggest luthiers in the Portland, Oregon area that have some experience with dulcimers? I have two that need some minor work resetting some frets, general action adjustment, etc., and I would rather not ship them somewhere out of the area.

Thanks

As promised, that video

My stand up dulcimers was built for me by Jon Harris of Sweet Strings Dulcimers (you can see it in my profile picture). He built it based on the way I play, and God bless him, I didn't ask him to. It's very much a standard hourglass dulcimer except that one side is much smaller so I can get my hand around it, it also has a very short VSL (22" or 24", I forget) and because of that pretty heavy strings. Prior to that I was using a teardrop instrument.

Having played it for 15 years now, I can say that I agree with most of the things people have said in this thread. Anything with a neck is not a dulcimer, it's the body continuing under the fretboard that's partially responsible for what gives the dulcimer it's unique sound.

And also because the thing the way that sound is transferred from the strings through the body is different than on a guitar, mandolin or any other stringed instrument, the dulcimer has a unique voice. This is not true of any strumstick type instrument. And as mentioned elsewhere, the resonating cavity is too small to offer much volume, tone or sustain. I have a Strumstick, a Washburn Rover, and a couple of other things. The physics of building them render the necks too small to be useful. I've played the Woodrow Artist, and it's pretty cool and sounds great, but it's not a dulcimer. And Merlin was also a big disappointment.

Unfortunately, Jon Harris has stopped building. But Folkcraft once made me a dulcimer based on his specs. I don't think they keep them in stock (in the 15 years I've been doing this, you're the second person to have shown an interest in this style of playing). But I'm sure they'll make you one. Altho' I prefer the Jon Harris, I still use my Folkcraft pretty regularly.

I don't find myself limited by playing standing up, rather it's apples and oranges. There are things I can play standing up that I can't do sitting down and vice versa. I'll post a video.

Various operating system securities won't allow some forms to be completed. Simply email your name and address to

  berea.traditional.gathering@gmail.com

and we'll add you to the list!

I had the Olympia Walkabout Dulcimer for quite a few years, until I sold it to fund another instrument. Kevin Jones is great to work with and will build it to your specs. They are a little more, but you are getting a classy instrument that isn't tinny or toy-like. 3 2-course sets of strings, makes a beautiful, full sound.

https://olympiadulcimercompany.com/products/

In fact, here is a video of MY specific Olympia.

I'm all excited to be there.  I did have a little trouble using the website you send us to fill out and let you know we're coming.  I sent you an email...hope it gets there.   aloha, irene