Forum Activity for @jan-potts

What a great article, Kevin!     Good lookin' guy in the photo, too!  You hold an honored place in the dulcimer world and the article captured and expressed that very well.

Nice piece, Kevin. I continue to love the teardrop you made me.

Thank you Stephanie, I really enjoy doing it.

So far this year in PA., "Spring" has decided to hide her warm face behind "Winter's" shadow, so my love of playing out on the patio or porch is on hold for now. I mostly play my dulcimer in our living room. I have my "dulcimer" area. It is really my room so to speak, since we have the family room for my husband! It is the room where family gatherings and holidays flow into. It is a special place where I can share my music with family or just be entirely on my own to concentrate on perfecting my playing. It is also close to the kitchen. I can get in a song or two while waiting for water to boil. I've nearly boiled water right on out of a pot, however nothing has burned yet!

Hi Kevin,

I enjoyed reading your interview.

Your work to preserve this history of the dulcimer is remarkable.

Best wishes!

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. Ron yes that is #19 in the pic. Gail I'm glad you are enjoying your Prichard.

Thanks for sharing this nice article, Kevin.  I'm very happy with Prichard #18!

Good article Kevin. Well done.

Nice article, thanks for sharing

Kevin, now don't forget us when you become famous.

Great interview Kevin!!! Thanks for sharing the article and thanks for doing what you do!!!

Ramps under snow today 

Ramps are up about 3 inches  here in WV.

Here's the place to be for the famous (infamous?) ramp

http://www.richwooders.com/ramp/ramps.htm

The ramps up home in WV should be coming in soon.  Kevin and Rob can answer you better than me.  I ain't found no ramps in AL yet.  I sure miss them.

And we'll be able to say "I knew him when . . ."

You are a find ambassador for the dulcimer, Kevin.

Thanks for sharing the article Kevin. You deserve the recognition for the fine work you do with the instruments and in preserving the old ones. I'm proud to know you.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Well, Charles and Dan.............we got one this year...............Happy First of April, Terry.  By the way Dan...........you got some ramp?

Gee whiz Kevin............if that's 19 in the pic, my Prichard is a for sure celebrity.....most excellent dude..........

Thanks Ken.

Good job, Kevin.  Well deserved recognition of your talents.

 Thanks John..

Thanks Terry! I try!  

I'm proud to know you, buddy!  Now we've both gotten some ink regarding our unusual craft activities!

That's a great article, and Nicole seems to have presented the facts properly-- something that is rare to see.

Congratulations.

Very nice article, I am excited to have read more about you and your work, it is fabulous and you atta be excited. 

Kevin, I disagree with you not playing well, you and I play well enough to hear the sweet silvery sound of the instruments you so beautifully craft. I know I love my Thomas it sleek beautiful shape and that sweet, sweet sound. Best is that you made it, Thank you Kevin.

I really like your Prichard's and one day hope to be able to get one, but it needs to be JI fretting. Y'all sold me on that!

Great work Kevin, very happy for you and your success. 

I understand your reticence. When you do an interview you have no control over the final content and the author may not understand the subject well enough to present a good look. 

This reporter knows what she's talking about and does a nice job.

Very good, Kevin.  I knew you'd do good.

Thanks guys, wasn't sure about doing it at first,but, now seems ok. Randy my prices have been the same since I started, may have to go up sometime

How cool, Kevin-- I enjoyed the piece a lot!   And have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing the wonderful instrument you built for my old friend Kathy.  :)

Did the price of Prichard repros just go up?... : )....Ha! ....glad I got mine before you got famous!

Nice article Kevin...f'sure...

That's a good article, Kevin.  Good job with the interview.

Just wanted to share this, I have never had an article don on me before,and am just excited.  http://www.timeswv.com/news/old-style-dulcimers-connect-music-to-state-s-roots/article_f65e246a-ee73-11e5-88fe-3f2a4719fdce.html

Unless you need both the 6 and 6+ frets in the same song. Then you could find the two notes far enough apart to be cumbersome, in some songs. Over The Waterfall uses both, but not close together. The A part uses one, the B part uses the other.

The 6+ fret is not for DAA tuning, rather it is to get the DAA notes while tuned to DAD. The 6+ is almost never used in a tuning such as DAA. It helps you to njot retune as much. But the same thing can be accomplished by retuning, or by playing  the melody on the middle string when tuned to DAD. Tougher to do for noter players, easier for fingerdancers.

A 158 tuning such as DAd will give you all the chords that BELONG to the key that your 1 indicates, but chords from outside of that key will not all be possible. On a diatonic dulcimer, a certain amount of tuning changes is normal to accomodate different keys and/ or modes. A chromatic fretboard will give you all the notes, but some of the quick simplicity of the diatonic fret pattern is lost, so there is a somewhat longer learning period. Not so different from mandolin, guitar, etc, but there is more to deal with. No single three string tuning will compensate for all the missing frets. If the music you intend to focus on requires frequent use of chords that come from outside the basic key, a four string tuning as mentioned above is probably your best bet. 

You guys are out in right field.  Deep too.

Drive the Cold Winter Away is in my book of English Country Dance Tunes for Dulcimer, Vol 1 

http://www.lulu.com/shop/mark-gilston/english-country-dance-tunes-for-dulcimer-vol-1/paperback/product-2311230.html

Here I am playing it so you can hear the arrangement:

Hi Lexie, Wow, that's so touching! I'll share your words with her family, I know that will warm their hearts. Judy was a wonderful person and we're so glad we had an opportunity to know her. 

Thanks for listening!

Yup, we have a bit of a collection going.  :-) Thanks for listening! 

Hi Erin,

 I want to encourage you to play on your own till you find folks to play with. I am in Central MT and no one around has even heard of a mountain dulcimer. I am slowly introducing it. I am a beginner to music and to the dulcimer and have reached out to folks on this site who have very generously helped me learn everything I am ready for about the instrument, strumming, using a noter to basic music tabs, building and the history of our wonder "sweet strings".

There are many folks that offer skype lessons and instructional videos on this site and U-Tube.

I hope you enjoy your dulcimer journey and I hope you just play and have fun with it.

Lexie