Forum Activity for @ken-longfield

Good find. Have fun with the book.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Because I make and play a variety of instruments, I prefer a  chromatic electronic tuner which shows me not just the Note but the Octave that that note is in. 

These  days there are several that fit that bill, but I still love my Seiko SAT501 handheld.

I highly recommend trying an app called "soundcorset" it is very straightforward to use for tuning, and most modern smartphones have significantly higher quality microphones than clip on or onboard tuners. 
The advantage of a clip on is that it doesn't pick up background noise, which is useful in loud places like group settings. As John said, a chromatic is definitely ideal. 
While I can understand the apprehension toward using an app, the key benefits are that it's free and that it's built into something you already carry. Personally, I keep losing my tuners around my apartment, because I have too many instruments that arent well organized, so it's nice to always know I have the phone app as a last ditch, if nothing else.
Nate

@john-petry I like the idea of a clip on. The hand held is cumbersome for someone like myself who can't walk and chew gum at the same time! I've  tried the cell phone app thing... no bueno and I didn't like it. I have a smart phone... I think your better off without. I like Phil Robertsons podcast with his sons and Phil manages quite well never having a cell! The Mrs and I think our next phones (we don't have a landline anymore) are going to be  old style flip phones. We'll  start using our laptops more for the internet etc.

Years ago, a decent chromatic tuner would run $35 and up. Korg comes to mind.  Now there are loads of clip on type, that all perform OK, but my overall favorite is the Snark ST-2 model. Sells for about $13 on Amazon, What I like is that it is fully chromatic, so you are not tied to "presets" for different instruments, it has a nice bright easy to see display, and best of all it has the ability to use vibration or its own internal mic. [vibration mode helps in a noisy environment, as it's picking up your instrument, not everybody else]. It helps that it is built a little stronger on body than most other clip ons, and the clip has a good spring and grip. 

Although I don't have one of those newfangled cellular telephones,[I don't even have an oldfangled one].....I think you could probably find an "app" tuner if you looked.

I've never been able to tune by ear, so I'm looking for tuner recommendations. I've only ever had/used a Fender tuner, a small handheld type and I gave it away. I see there are tuners that call themselves "Dulcimer Tuners," in addition to guitar tuners. Thoughts?

I made an offer on a nice used copy on ebay and the seller accepted.  $12.96 was my total cost. Should be here by the 30th.

Sounds like you did a wonderful job on those pegs!  🙌🏼

That's wonderful news, Curt!  These things don't always turn out so well.  That's a good job of peg-fitting.

I looked after Strumelia mentioned checking Amazon and you can buy it new for $22.29, but as John says you can find used copies as well.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Betty was a wonderful promoter of southern Appalachian culture and music. I was able to take several classes with her at Dulcimerville. She will be missed by all of her family and friends. Rest in peace, Betty.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thank you for letting us know of this sad news Robin. Betty Smith gave so much of herself to others, through her long life in music.

https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/artist/betty-smith/

https://www.citizen-times.com/obituaries/pgsc0650042?fbclid=IwAR1oVFxixAqDZ_HcDYjYJ-OyTlyG0INklPJ2eqYuGFOZscQleKqD-q8MOoY

Hello,

I have installed new rosewood pegs on my Sunhearth (photo attached), tuned it up and WOW!  Now I know why Sunhearth dulcimers have such a good reputation.  The sound is great!

While doing some research on the internet about Sunhearth dulcimers, I ran into some information, and a photo (attached) that has made me wonder about the originality of the tuners that I took off.  While I think that most of us would agree that the rosewood pegs look great, I have found some information, mostly on this forum, that has surprised me.

There was a story about Walter Martin and his dulcimers in DPN Vol 15, #3 (July/September 1989).  It was mentioned that he used either gold-plated Schaller or Grover machine pegs OR Rosewood friction pegs.  And there is a photo that was taken of some dulcimers hanging in his shop that was posted by Leo Kretzner on this forum previously.

So....  The tuners may of been original.  I kept them and can always put them back on, but I do like the rosewood pegs, and since the dulcimer does not have a 6.5 fret, I will probably just leave it in Ionian.

BTW, I bought a good peg shaver, and a set of Rosewood Viola pegs on eBay (Dwain, thanks for the information about the pegs).  They were easy to install myself.  I think Mr. Martin would be pleased with the result.

Curt DeBaun III

 thumbnail_IMG_6756.jpg - 40KB

Abebooks.com has several copies available for around $15-$25 

I just updated this useful thread by removing some older links to defunct web pages.

BTW it's very easy to buy Jean's original Dulcimer Book (as Wildcat pictured below) on Amaz*on. Don't overlook buying USED copies of it for sale there as well, to save yourself a few bucks.

If you'd like to hear Jean talking a bit about her life and her approach to playing, I recommend these: 

https://www.homespun.com/profile/Jean%20Ritchie

https://folkways.si.edu/jean-ritchie/the-appalachian-dulcimer-an-instructional-record/music-instruction/music/album/smithsonian

Also, search Jean on YouTube and you'll discover many wonderful recordings.  

Yes, Frank, that's the CLASSIC Jean Ritchie dulcimer instruction book.  It was one of the first, if not the first book on the dulcimer.  Much good information to be discovered in it.  Jean also wrote "Jean Ritchie's Dulcimer People" and several other books.  Her personal story about growing up is in "Singing Family of the Cumberlands" and is well worth having in your library.

I like this topic, lots of good info. I've also been poking around the @strumelia  blog . Great stuff, thank you all.

Is this the Jean Ritchie book I should purchase that's mentioned here?

Thanks,

Frank

The diverse regional variations, such as the flatvele and venleg vele in the north and east, and the distinctive Hardanger fiddle in the south and west, showcase the rich musical heritage.

Frank, you can't go wrong with a Warren May dulcimer. I have one, an all walnut. hourglass. Aren't kids something. My son came to me when he was about eleven or twelve and asked me I could teach him some chords on the guitar. By the end of that summer he was playing better than me. I became a roadie for his band when he was in high school. He went to Berklee College of Music in Boston and majored in film scoring and his primary instrument was guitar. He's a professional musician out in Los Angeles. Enjoy your new dulcimer. 

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

@richard-streib. I certainly will take some pictures and post. Yes, thanks to FOTMD,  I've read about the issue with the cold temperatures and letting the instrument acclimate to room temperature. When speaking with Gail over the phone today,  we discussed the issue as well. She was also kind enough to text me a video about going from daa to dad tuning if I  choose to.

Frank, Warren builds wonderful dulcimers both in aesthetics and sound. I know you will enjoy playing it. Post some pictures when you receive it.

A hint: when it arrives if it is cold there, take it inside and let it acclimate to room temp in the box for a couple of hours before opening it. The hardest couple of hours for sure to tolerate.

Warren May builds lovely instruments, lovely both in looks and in sound.  Happy strumming, @wildcat !  

Welcome to FOTMD  @wildcat.  That's a really pretty dulcimer you bought!  Warren May is a respected maker, I'm sure you will be pleased.  

Hello everyone, Wildcat here.  My real name is Frank, but I've been using Wildcat online since the long ago days of AOL. 

I grew up in Ulster County NY, with Illinois Mountain as my backyard. I married my high school sweetheart and we raised 2 children and now we have a granddaughter.  19 years ago we moved to the Lake George region of NY.  Six months or so ago we moved to Peru, NY with our jobs and we are looking to buy a home. Time will tell...

My son is a talented guitar player and I was a very untalented one! Three cords and the truth... campfire stuff done poorly,  but I enjoyed it. My wrist and hand started to make things difficult and I stopped playing. 

I really missed it and some time ago I started searching for something easier, eventually finding the dulcimer and the noter style of playing and here I am. I'm hoping to learn as much about playing in a variety of ways as time goes on. 

Remembering the "pain" of my first guitar (cheap!) I vowed not to do that again and after a lot of reading and researching, today I purchased a Warren May dulcimer.  You can find me sleeping by the mailbox waiting for this...

Thanks for having me and thanks in advance for all the help. 

That was a wonderful video,  thanks for sharing.  I'm hoping to purchase a dulcimer from Mr May tomorrow morning over the phone. 

I own a score books with pieces Compostela by Michael Praetorius. Although he considered the scheitholt a "Lumpeninsttument" ( beggars instrument ), his pieces ( especially the Gavotte dances) work quite well. The score book and arrangements  were published by Wilfried Ullrich and are available from him.

So although there might no classic pieces written for the dulcimer there are enough, who work quite well.

I'm still trying to get this Mozart piece right:

https://thesession.org/tunes/7077

A couple cool links: 

https://youtu.be/uQaLuklN73Q?si=zt632ssDhTAiSg8d

https://www.conniellisor.com/orchestra/blackberry-winter

It is to be noted the traditional tune Blackberry Blossom is foundational to the piece.  

And Steve also played it with "the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, the Knoxville Symphony, and many others" according to his website.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

David Schnaufer " brought the Tennessee music box into the classical arena with Blackberry Winter, a concerto for the Tennessee music box, mountain dulcimer and orchestra which he wrote with Conni Elisor, Nashville composer and arranger. Delcimore, Schnaufer's 1998 CD, features this beautiful piece of music played by the Columbus, Georgia symphony."

https://dulcimerarchive.omeka.net/schnaufer

https://www.ledorgroup.com/product/blackberry-winter/

Steve Siefert has played this with Nashville Orchestra. 

There have never been any 'classical works' written for the Appalachian dulcimer either.  Leonard Bernstein has been bust with other projects.   IMHO "lower class peasant instrument" is a bit harsh.  No, they were not instruments of the major cities -- Vienna, Paris, Milan -- nor were they "favored" by the hoi polloi of those cities and cultures.  But that doesn't make them 'lower class peasant instruments'.  

Yes, we do tend to wander. I'm gad you found the rambling answers to your questions informative. 

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The replies to my initial enquiry have been great and informative...somehow it travelled from the dulcimer to the langeleik,etc...Then through that to "Hangman's Reel"...After listening to a lot of Scandinavian music in the 70's,I figured that Quebecois people inherited a lot of northern music[open tunings,uneven rhythms] through their Norman antecedents ...very far-fetched...then I surmised that metis and native people perhaps played open tunings and odd rhythms because of the influence of Hudson Bay company factors from Orkney[once a Norwegian colony]...very far-fetched....The one common factor about the scheitholt,hummel,langeleik[perhaps not the mountain dulcimer]....they seem to have been regarded as lower class peasant instruments.....there are no classical works for the scheitholt,to my knowledge plus you don't have to take lessons from age four to get good at it...I like that!

I believe one of the event organizers is @Dennis-Waldrop , who is a member here.

He would have to add the event to FOTMD's Festivals section. It's not difficult to do, but I do ask that it be done by someone who is involved in running the event.

Meanwhile, here is the facebook page for this event, if that helps: https://www.facebook.com/groups/448674886231259

What a fascinating glimpse into the musical history of Norway! The evolution of musical instruments often mirrors the changing cultural landscapes.

I will be there Friday. Mostly just hanging out with the vendors. How can we get this event added to the “Events” tab?

Sadly, I have other commitments that weekend.