Forum Activity for @dulcinina

Hey Dulcimerjones, I go to the Nicholasville group when I can.   I think we were partners in the finding "Do" exercise. Yes, come to Berea sometime. 

I didn't know that. Thanks. 

There are European and Latin American styles of HD play that use fingerpicks.  The Mexican instrument is called the Salterio.

So glad to know someone else is visiting other groups.  I think it's an excellent way to meet players who might line up with your particular style & others that don't.  I'm in eastern Ky & have been visiting the group in Nicholasville over the past 6 months--next stop, Berea!

Using a pick for tuning. I ... overlooked that. I was thinking of plucking it with my fingers, but a pick would certainly work.

Now if I can figure out how this thing should be set up. I can tell that a few strings are out of tune.

I keep a pick holder on mine to do the tuning. I pluck each string with a pick. It could have been used for her mountain dulcimer as well since many people play both. Linda

Over the weekend, I retrieved one of my late mother's hammered dulcimers (Jake's Cabin Traveler). I'm new to the instrument but can play the melody of some tunes already.

But here's a mystery. There's something on the side of the dulcimer that looks like a pick holder. So I put a pick in there and took a photo of it.

Does anyone use a pick on a hammered dulcimer? Or is it likely there in case my mother had her MD with her as well and needed a pick?

 Pick holder.JPG.jpg - 84KB

Thanks for the tip about Susato low D whistles, Robert!  I have a Susato Kildare in C (which of course is waaay smaller than a low D), and boy that thing is loud and clear- great for playing outside or in a large group or festival/event setting.

I have slightly smaller than average woman's hands, and I find the low G is currently a challenge for me.  The idea of a 'keyed' low D is very appealing for me!  Will look into this.  Might be cool to play a low D if Brian is playing in a higher D octave on his fiddle. 

An intriguing puzzlement!  I would not have believed that Homer Ledford would leave one of his dulcimers unmarked.

Probably just another "dulcimer history mystery"...

Way cool, dulcinina!  I love both Hindman & Berea!

My first was a walnut McSpadden with wooden tuning pegs purchased in summer of 86 on a road trip from FL to CA..whilst driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Met the daughter of the owner of that shop at a workshop in northern GA a year or so ago.  She said it was going to close soon.  They got me started...recommended learning materials (Larkin's book) and basic supplies and sent me on my way.  Played at our campground each night for the month-long trip. 

Still have it (had the tuners changed out though).

That's great that all were able to get together.  There are groups here about 20 miles apart.  Only a couple of them (or maybe 1) come to the meetings of each.  I agree playing with other musicians who are "new" to you is a good, even great thing.  Never been to Berea (yet.... hey I may be available) but I love Hindman and the folks there.

Today my dulcimer group from Berea KY got together with the Hindman KY group who came to Berea for a day trip.  After they ran around town they came to our Multignerational facility to play with us.  There were about 20 folks from Hindman and about 17 of us.  Warren May came to listen as did Jean Ritchie's niece.

We had a great time together and a potluck afterward.  We had so much fun that we are planning a trip to Hindman soon to play with them.  Hindman is about 100 miles from Berea.  I drive 90 miles round trip to play with the Berea/Richmond KY group each week.  I am so fortunate to live close enough to take advantage of such opportunities.

I'm a fledgling intermediate player and my advice is to seize any opportunity to play with different groups.  It's so rewarding.  Dulcinina

It's only too late if you don't start now.   

That's a funny name! I prefer the 25" - 26" scale for whatever style I play.

My guess is that they are completely gone now. For a while I was making hard copies of some of the articles. When I get home I'll look and see if I still have a file of them. Other than that, I can't help. If they are no longer available on the web, this is a great loss to the dulcimer community.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Dana, the longer VSL should not be a problem if you play in a drone style. Consider using this dulcimer (and others with VSLs too long for comfortable chording) specifically for tunes played on the melody string with the drones . . . uh . . . droning.

So this koa folkroots. I have given it a name. Jimmy Earl, ala James Earl Jones, "Luke I am your Father". The deep, rich voice this dulcimer has blows me away BUT...that longer vsl, I just can't do it. It will go the way of my last two mcspaddens and I will be sticking to the shorter 25-26" vsl. But seriously folks...how did Howard get such a boomy voice outta these things. Nothing comes close. 

Some of you may be familiar with my blog on traditional style dulcimer playing with videos and Noter style tabs. 

https://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/

Though I don't create new posts on my Noter blog very often nowadays, I do occasionally make updates or changes to the blog, which I started in 2009.

Today for the second time in eight years, I reviewed the links I had listed there.. Links to various helpful info on traditional dulcimer playing and traditional music resources.  Some sites had merely moved and needed their links updated, but I was surprised at the number of links to sites and pages that no longer even exist.  It struck me that much has changed online relative to traditional dulcimer playing since I began my blog in 2009!  

Ive updated and reorganized the existing links, added a couple, and removed dead or irrelevant links.  Ive also now added links to several builders who currently build traditional/early style instruments, such as Kevin Messenger, Dan Cox, John Knopf, and BirdRock (in UK). Hopefully this will be helpful to folks newly interested in traditional dulcimers.

I'm posting this because I'm open to receiving suggestions for including new links that are helpful and relevant to traditional dulcimer playing.  I may or may not decide to include such links, but all suggestions will be considered!

Im closing this thread to replies because I'd like to receive these suggested links in private. So please send me your suggestions by clicking the "Contact site owner" link at the very bottom of any page here on FOTMD.

thank you so much!  Strumelia

This was a huge resource with articles on mtn dulcimers and playingstyles, both traditional and modern. (For example the article interviewing Phyllis Gaskins on Galax style playing, and the article interviewing Ralph Lee Smith...just to name two)

Is this completely gone now, or does anyone know where it may have been moved to?  Was Lois Hornbostel possibly editing/managing it?  (I have no clue)

I was saddened to learn of Mr Dorogi's death.  I always found it curious that he, L. Allen Smith, and the founder of Stewart-McDonald had Athens OH connections.  

I saw that yesterday.   Another one of the good ones has passed...

There is some sad news from New York.  Legendary luthier Dennis Dorogi, 82, passed away Tuesday night at his home in Brocton.  Here is a link to the funeral home in charge of the family arrangements:

http://themorsefuneralhome.com/obituaries/

I play with both possum board and a stand-up stand.  If you play with a stand acoustically (not amped) you will want a board underneath, as the greater sound will head for the floor if you don't.  If you're playing with a pickup I don't think it makes much, if any, difference.

My stand-up stand is a tall waiter's tray table, from a restaurant supply house for $28.

I am considering a couple of things at the same time.

Had thought about modifying a keyboard stand to make a stand to play lap dulcimer in standing. Will I need a board under the instrument like a possum board or just a support for the tail and head block?

In regard to a possum board for playing while sitting, is there an advantage to the board itself or will a frame like support with support at the head and tail blocks be as effective.

Need your thoughts from those who have tried different things.

Thanks

My first dulcimer was and is (I still play it) a Walnut Valley Wildwood Mountain model I ordered in late 1992 and received in Feb 1993. Lovely instrument with walnut back, cherry sides, walnut fretboard and spruce top. I did replace the tuning machines with geared tuners and added strap buttons. Still looks good other than some mild finish loss from playing it.

It came with a hard shell case with shaped mold for the instrument inside. I wish other builders offered the fitted case. I know Blue Lion does.

I'm hoping the insurance will pay- sometimes they refuse to if they feel the packing job was insufficient.

Keep the packing materials, take photos of it all, including of any damaged box or packing materials, and of course photos of the instrument.

That happened to me once and the person was very apologetic and offered a refund immediately.  I was told that the job of packing and shipping it had been given to someone she thought knew how to do it right and said they had definitely taken shortcuts (from my description), probably not realizing how disastrous that could be!

I hope your results are similar!

This is very up setting for you. Will you be contacting that person?

Oh man.  I truly hate to hear this.    What will you do now?  

Wow that's a whole bunch of amazing produce, Ken!  I bet you cook up a storm with all that.

My older daughter & her wife buy a farm share too, between Spring and Fall... since they live in an apt with no yard in a city.  They really plow through those veggies...they have a juicer machine and they use it almost every day. They do grow a mini windowbox of herbs on their window railing in the Summer. 

A couple months ago we joined a year-round food co-op that offers a veggie box or produce box for $20 or a combo box for $25; plus lots of individual veggies and fruits for sale at way below local megamart prices (golden beets for 50¢ each vs megamart bundle of 3 for $4.49, and parsnips for 33¢ each instead of a bag of 3 for $3.99).  We've found a combo box works just about right for us.  There's no mandatory buy, and they have a number of pick-up points around the area.

This week we're getting:

5 Sweet Potatoes (pesticide free)
1 Sweet Onion
1 Red Onion (pesticide free)
2 Garlic Bundles
3 Bell Peppers (pesticide free,local)
3 Yellow Squash (local, organic)
4 Beefsteak Tomatoes (local, pesticide free)
3 Limes
8 Bananas
4 Sweet Oranges (pesticide free)
3 Avocados
2 Mangos

Mark & I have been enjoying the asparagus this spring from our little backyard patch. :)

I love garden fresh vegetables, so glad it's Spring!

Maria,

I replaced my tuners on the Walnut Valley with 5 star geared tuners. Now no problem keeping it in tune. It is an amazing instrument. I have several dulcimers, but doubt I would ever consider selling it.

Blessings to you.

Richard

No, it did not break. I've just never seen anything like the material before. I know someone else who has a dulcimer from the same year with the same nut and bridge. They are different-- her's is a 4-string, and mine is a 6-string. Thanks for the input. Linda

I agree with Ken.  The nut/bridge on my backpacker (DF1) model looks to be made of delrin or a similar hard plastic material.

Did it break?  Do you need to raise/lower the action?  Black & white is probably some sort of phenolic/plastic.

Does anyone know the material of the nut and bridge of a 1994 The Dulcimer Factory mountain dulcimer? They are black on the outside and white on the inside. Thanks so much. Linda