Roots/Americana is generally recognized description nowadays, which is good. Some reference with "Frontier" or "Mountain", "mountain man ballads" or "mountain dulcimer man" perhaps? Those words will pop up for many 'uninitiated' folks when they first see you or your picture.
Yeah, you are your own best logo! 
Roots/Americana (I know I ain't addressing it in order) I was that before anyone every called it such, I reckon. Back in the old days, when it was time for the cowboys to get their buckles polished, I might just play "The Prisoner's Song." What is that about 1917? Probably older, even. So yeah, that's one good way to describe what I do. Now, to be maybe a little more specific, this isn't for the dulcimer world; this is for the festival promoters, club owners, bookers who might not really know what a dulcimer is. They should know Roots/Americana, tho', at least I hope so. So that's a good one to keep in mind. But I feel I need, not a gimmick, but a hook to get them to listen seriously to what I'm doing. Good thoughts from both of you, DT & JK. May address some other things in the posts a little later.
roots/americana is a good one.
And Rob is kind of a living logo, isn't he?
Well said.
roots/americana is a good one.
And Rob is kind of a living logo, isn't he?
Rob, I may be WAY off base here but to me (and I'm sure to many others) it's who you are and what you do that sets you uniquely apart. If you need a particular genre as a description of your music you could just say "Roots/Americana" or something, but the respect that you gained from me years ago was as Rob, not any kind of gimmick or phylum. With that said, if you need a logo I can hook you up!
Rob, I think your issue is different than Mary's.
Mary puts poetry to music in the style of traditional English and Scottish song. So her issue is how to describe that. It is not exactly folk music, because the melodies are original. But it all sounds traditional, so the singer/songwriter label doesn't work either.
You have a broad repertoire, and I think how you describe yourself should be determined by what you plan on playing. You play a lot of traditional music but you also do covers of country tunes. You play fiddle tunes but also sing. You flatpick but also fingerpick. Heck, you do some drone tunes and also add really cool chording to others. I think you could call yourself the "dulcimer outlaw" if indeed you were going to play mainly outlaw country on the dulcimer. But if you would include a range of other tunes, perhaps something else would be better.
Last Labor Day I played at the Gold Rush Days in Old Sacramento, and needed a few words to describe my act. I simply called myself "dulcimer player and songcatcher." Then my "character" was someone who had traveled from the Shenandoah Valley out to the "diggins" in California, picking up songs along the way. That gave me the ability to play songs from different areas of the country and even from different countries, since people from all over the world came to the Gold Rush.
Maybe that notion of "songcatcher" is something you can use given your broad repertoire.
Mary, it is possible that the issue you detect here is not male/female but professional/amateur. Most people here are amateur musicians with no plans to "take their act on the road" or record a CD. In that light, how you define what you do is less important than just doing it and enjoying it. Several years ago I posted a question on Everything Dulcimer asking for exercises to help develop my left hand technique. The first dozen or so responses told me "not to worry my little head about it" but just to play and enjoy playing. Those were not the exact words, but that patronizing tenor colored nearly all the responses. People were encouraging me to just play and have fun and not take seriously what I was doing. I was offended, but obviously not because of any gender issues. It felt as though people were telling me that I would never be good enough to be a professional, so I should just smile and play and not care if I got any better. Eventually, Stephen Seifert chimed in, mentioned some exercises that he does regularly, and then recommended a technique book.
And my guess is that yes, Steve has indeed told men to enjoy what they are playing and not worry about it. In fact, I think he has told me that in response to my own obsessive comments about mistakes in my playing.
Folks, I've been following Mary's discussion about a "name for her act" with much interest. Many of y'all's suggestions are generic enough to consider for a lot of different people. Here's the deal, though. I need to describe myself and my performances for venues at which I'm trying to score gigs. Now many of y'all have seen me in the past. I usually play in 1870s period clothing without direct amplification. I've been getting away from the old style clothing just a little. With my hair, beard and clothing I wouldn't want people to think I'm trying to imitate David Schnaufer! (like I could do that.) Am I the "Dulcimer Outlaw, the Willie Nelson or Waylon Jennings of the Dulcimer?" I don't want anyone to think I try to imitate either or them (or anyone else.) Am I just a dreamer who will probably never get a major gig? How do I describe myself to festival promoters? Do I just link to here or bandcamp and youtube or vimeo and let them look for themselves? Like Mary, I need something to help these poor old brain cells. Who better than you who have watched and listened these few years!
Thanks
Rob
IMHO the material (hardwood, softwood, plywood, heavy plastic) of the possum board makes little or no discernable difference in sound.
I have one board made of balsawood, and I use a poplar dulcimer box case that I made as another. I've also played on wood, metal, glass and fiberglass/plastic boards and tabletops. A hollowed box, like my upside down poplar case, is much louder than even an ordinary possum board.
I don't believe distance or height above the board makes much difference (unless it's more than an inch above), but any distance is better than a dulcimer set flat on a board or table. A back-to-board gap of 1/4" to 3/8" is just about perfect.
Do not pad (with felt or whatever) the places where the dulcimer touches the possum board or the bits that raise the instrument up. You want a hard connection, not a fuzzy, soft meeting of the two pieces. Fuzzy/soft absorbs sound.
Is there a difference of tone depending on what wood the possum board is make from, or the height from the board to the dulcimer?
I needed to make an adjustment on a possum board I had made, that raised the dulcimer up and I found the tone was much more brighter than when I just play the dulcimer.
Is there a best distance to try for or any height or space between the possum board and the dulcimer is ok? Do certain woods bounce back the sound better than others? real woods vs plywood - Hard vs soft woods - distance to dulcimer - does each of these cause the dulcimer to vibrate differently or sound different?
thanks
Bells, eh? Taken up Cajun Morris Dancing, have you John?
It's a gift. 
Bells, eh? Taken up Cajun Morris Dancing, have you John?
We'll be there with bells on (well...maybe not bells, but you get the idea). We're at the Parkview. Lookin' forward to seeing y'all!
Thank y'all once again for all of your tireless hours spent promoting this wonderful instrument. It is always a pleasure and an honor to participate in your projects.
Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 16
Blues on Dulcimer
On the surface, it seems that the mountain dulcimer is not an instrument created for playing the Blues. The impression of the dulcimer’s sweet simple sound seems that it would be too gentle to express the raw feelings evoked with the Blues. Additionally, the dulcimer’s diatonic fret pattern often doesn’t have the notes that are in the pentatonic Blues scale. Needless to say, it takes creativity and persistence to play the Blues on the dulcimer.
With guests John Keane, Chris Shoemaker, and Bing Futch. Additional music from Steve Eulberg and Steven K. Smith.
For episode resources: http://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/016.html
Kristi..Terrific to hear some familiar names that will be there. My understanding is the state park has limited appeal for multiple dog owners plus they never answered the phone when I called and the online reservations were confusing. How could we not have bumped into each other last year at White Acres. We set up a "compound" of fencing for our dogs. Have 4. The jams had no dulcimers. Mainly country and bluegrass. I joined them 1 night. Maybe you were at the KMW activities all day and night. I am at the RV from 5th period and on. No night activities at all.
Wish I could be there, but can't be that far away from home this year due to husband's health problems. Went last year and it was great! Hope everyone has a good week there!
Who is going to KMW this year?
I know the Keanes will be there as faculty, Jan Potts, Jill Geary. Anyone else? Maybe we FOTMD members can rendezvous briefly somewhere during one of the lunch breaks to meet face to face.
Anyone RVing it? We'll be at White Acres campground as well. Last year there was a site there that "Jammed" every night but no dulcimers....
I don't know how I missed this a week ago. I, too, met John at the second Wartz gathering. John and I had several conversations about building and dulcimer history. I missed his participation, and now I know why. He was a gracious gentlemen. I cherish the brief time I knew him as a member here and dulcimer enthusiast.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Well, Linda, I used to live in Salisbury, and if I still did I'd volunteer to re-string it for you. Pegs aren't as bad as some folks make 'em out to be. I wouldn't change a thing on the Tignor. In his later period he used store-bought violin pegs, but he still carved pegs for some of them. I've never used peg dope on a dulcimer. I either spit on 'em or use chalk ROFL. Moistening them lightly will make them swell a little and stop most slipping; chalk is a great lubricant if they are sticky.
There are number of Youtube vids on how to use wooden tuners that you can follow. IIRC DanC has posted one or more. There are products called Peg Drops which will help with slipping tuners. Old time remedies included a few strokes with a piece of chalk or a bar of soap on the shaft.
My article I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What? has a section on stringing/re-stringing. You want to remove/replace one string at a time.
Yeah, Linda, get than Tignor down and re-string her. As the proud owner of 2 Tignor's I think they are really underrated by a lot of folks. They are great players, at least mine are, for whatever style you like to play.
Checked out your string positioning on the pic you posted of your dulcimer and more or less duplicated it on one I had here that I was messing with.............when I fretted the middle/melody strings they tightened up just enough to touch the bass and sure enough threw it off. Looks like it is pushing it up enough to release some of the tension on the bass string or unseating it just a tad in the slot.
'Coyote' John Blosser calls DAA The Mode of The Gods... It was my primary mode for better than 30 years. These days I use Ddd also.
Hi Linda, welcome!
Hey you might want to re-evaluate that Tignor- some folks collect them and if it's in decent shape it could be a good player!
I hear you about the too-many-hobbies/interests thing. 
I am LOVING this site. I've played the dulcimer for maybe 30 years....and not only do I learn lots more here, but feel good about my still loving playing in Daa. and with my little stick and pick. As i read all this, can recall doing these things to other dulcimers that have lately come into my hands. wonderful advice....THANKS LOADS.
Check your string positions in the scroll head if that is what you have..............Bass string to first tuner, middle string to second and so forth , avoid crossing them because they will pick up vibrations from the other strings. Since you strum right handed I would go clockwise in this order with scroll head pointing left...........
first melody string to first tuner on bottom of scroll, second melody to top tuner on bottom of scroll, middle string to top tuner on far side, bass string to bottom tuner on far side. use the lowest holes on the tuner pegs that will allow you to keep those strings from making big X's....keep the strings a straight as possible...........some folks will tell you it doesn't matter, but it does.
If you have a dulcimer made by Walter Messick, I would stick with his recommendation on string gauges. I have one of his. I took the extra melody string off because I was splitting them with my finger. Other than that I've not had a problem with intonation. I do use an electronic tuner and tune each open string to either DAA or DAd. As of this moment it's tuned DAd.
If you think you'll be tuning mostly to DAA or CGG, then it makes sense to get melody and middle strings that are all the same gauges. However if you will mostly be tuning in DAd or CGc, then get the set with the middle string slightly heavier than the melody string (since it will be tuned lower than the middle string, not the same).
Wow, there is life here, belatedly.
I re-strung the entire thing. Its scale length is 29". I got a couple sets of strings from a local Guitar Center, specifically dulcimer strings by Martin & Co.; they're 3 @ .012 and 1 @ .022. Having just now looked again at the owner manual that Messick included, he recommends 2 @ .010, 1 @ .012, 1 @ .020w. So I suppose I should get a new set to match that.
I don't think the bridge has moved at all; there is no "give" to it.
Perhaps different, thinner strings will improve matters. I'll see to it next week.
Mike, I think it is great that you can try different sources. One thing I would like to point out about Anne Lough's book is that she plays noter style. My students and I play with our fingers and we are free, however, to choose our own fingering. I suggest to my students in D A A that they start with the ring finger on do and then use the middle finger for re and the index finger for fa. Going up the scale use the index finger and then going down the scale reverse everything. The high do is the index finger, ti is the middle finger and la is the ring finger and using this same ring finger now end up eventually back on the 3rd fret do with the ring finger. Have fun. John
