Can someone tell me the standard string diameters/"gauges" for Dave McKinney's Modern Mountain Dulcimers? I have tried to contact MMD for info, but have gotten no response.
I have two high C a Bb and D. All are tweeked. Tweeking makes the whistle sound more even and predictable in the second octave. I have a Tony Dixon polymer low D which is a relatively inexpensive low D whistle that sounds great but takes a pipers grip to play. I don't recommend low whistles for people with small hands.... Robert...
I don't know who she is, but I have that issue of DPN. Ken Kesey and Paul Erhlich; pretty heady stuff in CoEvolution.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Here is a little French tune I practice with, called Branle de L'ours (Dance of the Bears). 
I've been now playing pennywhistle for about a month... still a rank beginner with almost no 'technique' as yet, but it's waaay fun. I have compiled a bunch of simple very old tunes to practice with. I'm typically practicing about 30 to 40 minutes per day...that's kind of a lot for me actually. 
Cool!
I wonder who was Karen Missavage?
Alan Ginsberg...good times... lol 
From a 1984 edition of the "CoEvolution" magazine published by the Whole Earth Catalog...an ad for Dulcimer Players News. We just happened upon it in some of my husband's old Whole Earth items he had stashed away, i thought I'd share it:
THANK Y'ALL! Our church retreat starts tonight, and then I will work on a sound clip! ~still SO HAPPY~ :)
Hugs; beautiful bag you have made. So happy you have your little dulci, enjoy!
OH MY MY MY....such a DARLING case for a DARLING dulcimer. I'd love to hear her played...BY YOU. On the airplane, they would think that was a long purse. oh too cute to the MAX. aloha, irene
Congratulations--what an honor!
HA! ~love how I pictured the dulcimer upside down~ LOL! That's how I put it in the bag so that the tuners are at the top. *THANK Y'ALL!* I am SO HAPPY!!!!!
Jennifer, I know that there were more Wrens being made for etsy, but they found new homes before they made it. *I think* I read on the fb page that there was on bigger one (Sparrow) that was available....
Vlillik, I love the dress material! ~we make cloth napkins out of all our old dressy things~ :) I agree that dulcimer people are the very nicest on the whole planet!!!!!
It's a beautiful dulcimer 😀 gorgeous shape! And now it has a lively protective bag, good work!
Here is a pic of my completed bag and my beautiful Feather Dulcimer (a Wren) that I named Teagan. It means "little poet". Pictures could never do the artistry and craftmanship justice~she is the prettiest little thing I think I've ever seen!!!
Very pretty. Nice job!
Just a little update on my penny whistle adventure, which I started about a month ago now.
I've been progressing pretty well lately, and am actually enjoying it more and more. 
I can't wait to steal some time to practice every day, and I have a few favorite simple tunes under my belt now- though I can rarely play any tune without a note mistake or two still. Will try to make a little 'practice time' video and post it here soon.
Finding I like both the polymer whistles and the brass whistles- they have two different sounds and both are real nice. In general, the polymer plastic ones sound more warm and breath-y a bit like a recorder (great for haunting or ethereal melodies, or for playing while alone), while the brass ones sound more clear and sweet- more useful for playing with other instruments and fiddles for sure.
Additionally, the lower/larger the whistle, the more mellow and breathy it sounds no matter what it's made from. I think the lowest/largest whistle is usually a low C, which is an octave plus one note below the standard high D whistle. I don't see many whistles higher then high E - a note above the standard D whistle. I do have a high E whistle (rather than Eflat) because it will enable me to play in A ionian on it easily. The lowest whistle I now have is a low G. Lower than that and the finger stretches get quite difficult, even if using the "piper's grip" as they refer to it.
I can really envision playing the whistle as one of my standard go-to instruments, for several reasons:
1) It seems it's quite do-able for me to play and I'm progressing fairly quickly (when you're over 60 this is a big thing, lol)
2) Is not a huge investment, money wise -Yay for that!
3) Like the Bones, whistles are easy to take along and carry, especially when having to haul around a large minstrel banjo.
4) The whistle is well adapted to play ALL the genres of music I happen to like playing: old-time/Appalachian music, traditional early/minstrel American, traditional European folk/dance tunes, and medieval/renaissance. This is a huge plus.
Terry, I like to think of you carrying a harmonica with you everywhere you go. I know how you love to play music for people and spread the happiness music brings to us all.
Jennifer- the colors you chose for that woven flute bag are just beautiful- and perfect now for the coming Autumn. Did you make a drawstring closure? or so other closure system?
A toothpick, I can do that. I have already changed the strings back to the size that came with the dulcimer, I had gone from a 14 to an 11 so I could tune higher. I am back to DAdd & the 14 for an A, for a performance . The next time I want to go up to key of F or G (The tuning I did for 'This is My Father's World' - with chopstick as a hammer and a wine stopper as a noter ;-) will give all these ideas a try. I have several slots and only when I changed to one of the extra slots did the string ring.
Below is the ring, prepare for horrible:
Thanks so much,
m.
Maria, if you think stealing some time with a flute is more convenient than stringed instruments, and I agee, try the ultimate convenient instrument:
HARMONICA!!! I live approximately 14 miles from anywhere, so anytime I go anywhere, alone of course, I practice harp while driving. I love it. 😊
Love going Anywhere, USA.
Jennifer, your bag is beautiful. Glad you are happy with your choice of flute.
Terry
Maria
Ps and I wouldn't have been able to just grab my dulcimer or guitar that way by the time I took them out of the case and played it would have been time to leave plus for some reason when I've had my guitar out, it would have made me frustrated to only play something for such a short time I would have felt jipped instead of peaceful so it really is a Spirtual instrument!
Nice. Congrats. And how about a pic of the flute top!! Cool bag
enjoy the journey
it's true what you said about even a few minutes. Last night I had to work and I didn't get a chance to play my flutes or do anything musical all day. I had literally 5 minutes before I had to leave and I grabbed my Em flute and I played two songs and I felt really happy and peaceful. Even though it was for only a short time
I felt like my night was better because of it and I felt like I taught my students better as well!!
have fun
Maria
Hugssandi I can hear how thrilled you were yesterday, it's such a wonderful instrument! I've never come across such lovely people it seems to bring together :)
Jan-potts thank you! (Very quietly: the material used to be a summer dress. Can't throw some material away!)
xx
BTW, Marge you can also use a flat toothpick to keep that string from flopping a bit in the slot. Just loosen that string and put the flat side against the string and down in the slot and tighten it. If it is too thick a bit of sand paper will thin the toothpick down. I should have also said, with regard to the red tube on the wd40 can, you can take a razor blade and carefully split it so as to slide it on the string and down into the slot. If it is too stiff warm it up and soften it a bit or roll it or stretch it and then go for it. If it is too thick, the sand paper trick should make it workable if you mess with it a bit.
Yep, can see your pics just fine! One of the prettiest bags I've ever seen!
Thank you, Vlillik! My Wren came today, and it is so amazing that I cried when I saw it! OH I was too busy to enjoy it today, and that was a stinker!!! LOL! I also finished my bag (save a button) during my son's PT appointment and at church this evening (SSHHH! Don't tell!). The lining is two layers of fleece. Will try to get some pics tomorrow. :)
I was thinking your straps would go all the way around... Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Oh my, great fix idea for a loose sting in a slot.
Thanks
I had that problem and used the red tube off a wd40 can..........the string fit fine and it tightened up properly.
A good music store would have the thin tubing that is used on some violin string and other instruments. The string goes through the tube and the tube sits in the notch on the saddle or nut. Has worked for me when not wanting to fill and recut.
Hugssandi you sound very busy, I remember the days of storytelling! What a lovely time! My two are now 19 and 21 years old!
I'm hoping you find time to finish your work so it's ready for your Wren. I'd have as much padding as possible for it.
Ken-hulme thanks for the Velcro idea - I was thinking about using it yesterday but was worried it could rip off the material from the padding. Although I could do a strip/band of such webbing and just have Velcro at those ends and have about 4 of them strategically placed along the rectangle. So then to carrying straps, which I think may only be done once the safe retention of MD is achieved.
Thank you so much for your positive and uplifting responses x
Vlillik -- Velcro (tm) is your friend. You can use several strips for "latches" to close that case, and even use it to hold a strap on as long as the pull is "around a corner".
Paula, I think Matt may be on the right track. If there is a buzz in a particular area, you can check it with a short straight edge or a small square. It needs to be long enough to rest on at least three frets. As you check the frets you will quickly see and feel where the high and low points are. You might also be able to see a curve or twist in the fret board by holding the instrument up to your eye and sighting down the length of the fret board from one end.
Vlillik, I did not expect the square shape and love it! Beautiful fabric and my favorite green. :) ~genius idea~
So last night I realized my liner is longer than what I've crocheted, meaning I could leave it and draw string over it so that it sticks out, or I could cut it down and restitch just a little bit. Not sure how I will proceed! I have not crocheted on it more but might be able to while sitting through the kids' storytelling today. My Wren dulcimer is on its way, so I need to get a movin'! SO EXCITED! ~will share pics of both~
Hi, hope you're crocheting has gone well today?
I've finished my bag but need to work out the best way to pop straps on and a way of stopping my dulcimer from falling out! 🤔
Agreed- a very well deserved honor.
