Would anyone be familiar or possibly have any info on a maker in Gatlinburg that has since passed, with this dulcimer? File attached. Thanks
I wonder how I missed this thread 4 years ago? I do remember the first tune I played on the dulcimer: Go Tell Aunt Rhody. That was 44 years ago.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
The group I play with recently introduced me to ' A Soldiers Lament'. It's not spooky, just very, very sad. I'm not a very emotional type of person, but this song really affects me. Our female vocalist was the lead with the others backing her up on the hallelujahs. It probably doesn't help being retired military.
It's funny to see this old thread resurrected. I just decided to put together a bunch of murder ballads for a workshop next spring.
I've always thought "Long Black Veil" was creepy because the singer is dead.
The scaffold rose high as eternity neared
She stood in the crowd but she shed not a tear
Often at night when the cold wind blows
In her long black veil she cries over my bones
This is actually my second Clemmer Ban-Jammer. I bought and sold the first one a few years back, and I have wanted another ever since.
I prefer fingerpicking the ban-jammer, as I'm not a fan of strumming across all the strings of banjo-type instruments. So I guess you'd say I play in a single-string style (melody notes and fill notes). The used instrument purchase included the DVD by Stephen Seifert that accompanies new ban-jammers purchased directly from Mike Clemmer. I think Stephen's style is more flat-picking, so I may give that a try going forward.
Lately there's been some renewed discussion of Just temperament on this site, so I thought I'd point to this very helpful thread. Be sure to check out @robin-clark 's great video below!
I vividly remember being taught 2 very different songs in kindergarten by two different teachers. One was Rock 'a My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham, and the other was singing Silent Night in German (we actually did it and I can still remember almost all the lines, almost 60 years later!) I loved those teachers and i loved singing out boisterously the songs they taught us. Yet another teacher taught us to do simple traditional folk dances from various countries. It was all such a wonderful rich experience!
I've always found The Well Below the Valley to be about as dark and creepy as they come.
I can't really remember the first song I ever played on the dulcimer, but I can remember the first song I heard anyone play/sing live on the dulcimer (about 22 years ago now)... it was a guy playing a dulcimer and singing Hang me O Hang Me (I been All Around this World) . It totally blew me away (the dulcimer instrument, not the song) and at that moment I simply HAD to get myself a dulcimer and learn to play it. I was completely in love with the mountain dulcimer from the first moment I saw and heard it played in person. 
Ironically, I don't think I ever felt compelled to play that particular song, even though it sounded great when that fellow did it.
If I am not mistaken, the original post here was written in verse. My guess is that the formatting got lost when we moved from the old site to the new one. It would be wonderful if Linda could edit that post so that we can see her original poetic intent more clearly.
Very true Dusty! I went in to edit @linda-jo-brockinton 's post a little so the the capitalized letters each began a new line. It seems like it was meant that way. Dusty you may be right about how the site migration might have changed it. 
Have fun with the new-to-you Ban-Jammer, Greg! Do you plan to play any particular style on it?
I came by a used Dulcijo here at FOTMD almost a couple years ago yet haven't been able to spend much time with it. The learning curve is a little bit steep since it is held like a banjo.
I started with flute in 5th grade, then switched to alto saxophone in 7th grade. Since then, I've played around with several recorders and the tin whistle. But for the last couple of years I've gotten into playing Native American Flute.
Great! My oldest son (17) plays the recorder really well and messes around with a bansuri flute from India, but he keeps talking about getting another flute. Which Native American flute makers can you recommend?
All 7 of my NAF's are High Spirits. Very good intonation, beautifully made and reasonably priced. I've been real happy with them. There are other good flutes out there too, but others would have to chime in about them.
Congrats on your new instrument, @greg-gunner!
Mike Clemmer just answered my question. Ban-Jammer #5075 was made in 2006
I started with flute in 5th grade, then switched to alto saxophone in 7th grade. Since then, I've played around with several recorders and the tin whistle. But for the last couple of years I've gotten into playing Native American Flute.
Great! My oldest son (17) plays the recorder really well and messes around with a bansuri flute from India, but he keeps talking about getting another flute. Which Native American flute makers can you recommend?
I just purchased a used Clemmer Ban-Jammer (Serial #5075) on E-Bay. Is there any way to tell when the instrument was made? Could 5075 possible mean May 7, 2005? Or does the number just indicate the instruments position in the sequence of all Clemmer instruments?
I have tried contacting Mike Clemmer through the contact page on his website, but he doesn't seem to respond to messages sent through his website contact page.
Also in what year did Mike Clemmer start to make the Ban-Jammer?
I started with flute in 5th grade, then switched to alto saxophone in 7th grade. Since then, I've played around with several recorders and the tin whistle. But for the last couple of years I've gotten into playing Native American Flute.
I'm a bass trombonist and euphonium player. The dulcimer is my first try at a stringed instrument.
Ron;
It's the obvious things that always screw me up when I try something new, and recording is new to me.
They're not obvious to me until later.
I think if you use a headset to listen to the recorded track as you play/record the following one(s) you should have a better shot of staying in time with the recorded session.
I was going to suggest that, but I thought it was too obvious. After all, you want to keep the tracks isolated so that you can independently control the position and volume of each track.
You guys are the bees knees, I do good to get one track right!!! :)
I think if you use a headset to listen to the recorded track as you play/record the following one(s) you should have a better shot of staying in time with the recorded session.
Ron's suggestion of a click track is good, depending on the tune, as he says. For this tune on YouTube I had the advantage of someone else recording and mixing it, but the click track and the lead-in phrase helped me keep the parts consistent. We recorded about 16 tracks on mountain and hammered dulcimer, many made up on the spot. The important thing was only using parts of each track, and not all at the same volume. I was impressed with what she did with all the pieces after we were done!
@JenniferC Very nice tune. I really enjoyed it.
I also use Audacity and have layed down as many as 6 tracks. It takes quite a bit of practice before you get the parts synchronized. Once I have a part recorded, I practice the next part against the recording until I feel I have it good enough to attempt a recording. I repeat the process until I have all the parts recorded.
One trick I used to use when I was starting out was to generate a click track (Generate -> Rhythm Track on the latest Audacity) and record the parts against that. I no longer do that because it made my playing sound a little too mechanical.
I use Audacity for audio. If I am producing a multi-track recording, I usually dub the tracks sequentially. After you lay down the first track, you can over dub the next track while playing the first one back through headphones. Here is an example:
Here is another:
I'm interested in responses here, too. I've never figured out on my own how to successfully dub several tracks together. I use Audacity for single-track recording but must have a brain block when it comes to more complicated stuff. That software is only for audio anyway, so I think Jennifer needs something for video as well.
However, let me point out that there is a whole group here devoted to Home Studio Recording . That would probably be the best place to ask this question rather in this general forum.
I have a Folkcraft resonator with a pickup. It has a 23.5" VSL , double back, and a reversible nut [raise/lower action and multi string layout], can be setup as a bass, standard, or baritone. I would have the same thing in a chromatic. Then I could play in any style, including dobro style, or most any genre, as my interests change. I play chord/melody primarily.
Yeah, the subject comes up periodically. And the answers are as varied as the kinds of music people enjoy playing, and the way they play -- Chord Melody, Fingerdancing, or Noter & Drone.
I, for example, am a hardcore Noter & Drone player of 15th century to 19th century Anglo-Scottish Border Ballads and their descendants as played in this country. I want a dulcimer not more than about 6" wide, not more than 1-1/4" or so deep, with a 1" tall fretboard, staple frets, and Just Intonation. Those traditional instruments have what I call a "high silvery" sound. John Knopf, Bobby Ratliff, Dan Cox and Kevin Messenger all make dulcimers of that Traditional type which I would be proud and happy to own. And I do own dulcimers by John and Bobby.
The kind of dulcimer I prefer has changed wildly over the last 40 years. Originally I liked, and built, deep, wide dulcimers with much more baritone/bass response.
I'm sure your right about those adjusters working really well. I am going to put them back on in short order, they needed to be cleaned up a bit which I'll get to in a few days. The pegs o this one are right on and are holding a perfect tuning with no slipping etc. The label inside says made from planks on a 100 year old slave cabin near Lagrange, Kentucky if I am reading it right.
String gauges are totally dependent on the notes of the Open tuning -- DAA, DAd, CGG, CGc, EBB, EBe -- and the VSL of the instrument.
A "normal" set of strings will tune DAA, DAd, DAC, DAG, on up to EBB, EBe, etc and maybe up to the key of F. But The bass string will probably break if your try to tune to GDD, GDg etc. To tune up to G you need another set of strings. Those "normal" string will also tune down to key of C -- CGG, CGc etc.; and maybe to B. But below that they will be too floppy and again you would need different strings.
There are people who play fretless dulcimers, or it could have been built to be bowed.
Actually, on the couple of Ledfords that I had the pleasure of playing, those "string adjustment hubs" -- which are fine tuners, BTW -- worked very well to make tiny adjustments to the tuning.
In her collection was one interesting old dulcimer, same builder. Beautiful dark wood, possibly walnut, but NO frets! That one was already sold.
