Forum Activity for @ken-longfield

I don't think you are the only one, but I don't name my instruments.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Your not alone.  My favorites get names, like my J.E. Thomas reproduction (you can view it on my page) is named "Alice" for my paternal grandmother.

I've played old ones, I have two newer ones (DAD and AEA).  Jim Woods is a great owner - I prefer the new all solid ones to the older ones with a plywood back.  The acoustic spectrum they produce (I have a PhD in acoustics and have measured many of them) is remarkably consistent over time.  Just make sure that you are getting a McSpadden built one - there are kit built ones as well - some are as good as the shop built ones - most aren't.  The best way to tell the difference is by the label.  You can find a good account of the company here .

I would look for the normal things applying to any used item, unusual wear and damage, primarily. The company did change hands some years ago but that was ownership only as far as I'm concerned, same employees, etc. There have been some changes over the years just like in any other business, but I don't think it affected their instruments to any significant degree. I've had 2 of them, still have 1, but make my own now.

Here it is from archive.com

https://archive.org/details/DonRichardson-ArkansasTraveler1916

My Blue Lion rosewood hour glass. Beautiful sound and action. 

     Thanks monica, i tried it out tonight and it is really a great chair for playing. I can't imagin what the chair was really made for since it is so low but it is great for my prupose. My dulcibon is a large instrument, especially with the case so it's on the other side of the room to fetch when i need. Other than that, yes i think I'm good for awhile on my set up.

     If ever you are down i the Houston area, stop by and try it out ;-)

You might be able to embed an mp3 into a post here...in the texbox, click on the video-y looking icon on the right (right before the smiley icon) and explore that.

I understand Lisa, I'm so sorry ,I was trying to share that recording from my "archives" and I wasn't sure how.

Hi Charles, you can link to that recording here in a discussion if it resides someplace else online, but you can't upload the recording to your member audio clips- because all audio/video clips uploaded to the music and video site sections have to feature yourself playing or performing...see the site rules.  Had to remove the recording.  Very sorry! 

That's a great chair Marg, Your set up looks very nice.

WOW, monica - not quite what I have.

    I did find a chair today that is the best one for playing I have seen at any of the stores. Low, wide (to hole a few grandkids) no arms but a back. Problem was, how to make it fit in my space, design wise. But than some of my dulcimers are hanging on an art easel, so shouldn't be too hard to fit a new design. The price was so good, I got it. Turns out it is a design they used in one of the Maxtrix's scenes. So now, I have a great chair for playing and a conversation piece. The rest of the room may still need some rearranging but I think this will work. 

    Thanks

I've used a cord of ebony adding custom tips to custom rifle forends. It comes in consistancy from gummed eraser to cat can't scratch it. Thanks on the tip for pen blanks. That would be an excellent source and would take a minimal amount of shaping.

Ken that's  a great idea.  Will try that out this weekend!!

2)  Your profile page "EVENTS TAB" and "CALENDAR TAB" are designed to show events that YOU created, and their dates.

Thus, since Leo is the person who created that Harvest event, if you go to HIS profile page and click on his Events Tab and his Calendar Tab, you WILL see the Harvest event listed there in both places:  http://fotmd.com/leo-kretzner/event

In general, our profile pages will show things that we ourselves have created .  That's also why most members here will not have anything showing in their Groups TAB on their profile page- because they have not created any groups/don't 'own' any groups.  To see the groups you are a member of , you hover over your top navbar NAME link, where the drop down menu shows things like your Private messages inbox, Logout, groups you are following (a member of), and your account settings.

If you ever create an event such as a festival or gathering, it will then appear in your profile page Events Tab and on your own events' Calendar.

I know it's all different from what you are used to, but once you get familiar with the 'concepts' of how this site works, such things begin to make more sense.  At least, that's what happened to me!  Stuff that used to make me go "Huh??" now make make me go "Oh yeah, of course!"

I do apologise to everyone for the significant learning curve for our new home here- there was only so much that I was able to recreate to mimic or function in the very same way as folks are used to from our old site.   I'm pretty certain that over time, most of these things will become less puzzling.

P.S. Tumbleweed, if you are attending that event, then YES i would definitely click as well to "Follow" it- that way you'll get notified if others post in or update that event.

I'm sorry for the confusion concerning how the "attending/calendar' features function.

Tumbleweed, this is one of those things that I need to explain carefully, so please bear with me...

1)  When you clicked the "attending" button, you DID successfully subscribe to be shown as someone who will be attending that event. You are shown in the event's list of attendees, here:

Try looking on pinterest for music room ideas/decor. I found this ...

My girl Shylo tried to play my dulcimer.  I set it on the floor for a minute and she pawed at the strings.  After my heart rate slowed down. I told her she did a good job.  Didn't want to hurt her feelings.

I tried yesterday and again just now.  It isn't working.  I want to attend the 21st Annual Harvest Festival in Costa Mesa, CA in October.  I clicked the " Attending " but and the screen blinks but that is all it does.  I checked my calendar but nothing showing.      Do I have to be a follower first?

Your spaces sound just like me - all good but how will I fit one more anything or someone coming over to play also?

Thanks for sharing, love all this

Is that akin to getting 'noterised'?

JohnH

I was going to show you a picture of the interior of my sailboat, but I was afraid you all would get claustrophobic!

I usually sit on the edge of the sofa facing opposite this corner. Clearly there is limited space, hopefully this well serve to deter me from buying more Dulcimers.

Doesn't work worth a darn on my Ebony, Lignum Vitae or Snakewood noters     But then they're naturally 'compressed'.

If you don't have a bench vice as Sam suggests, agood source for very HARD wood for noters is the listings for Pen Blanks on Ebay.  The blanks are about 3/4" square and 5" long.  It's a good way to get small bits of some really exotic and beautiful woods without paying a fortune for a whole plank.

Looks like Wiskers wants to know where the carpet covering is on her new cat tree. 

Thanks for the information, Sam!  I may need to try this on a noter or two whose wood isn't very hard.  

Woods come in a wide variety of hardness. If your preference is for harder wood and your favorite noter isn't quite there, you may be able to improve its density at the tip by compressing it. This requires some practice or you may crush the wood instead of compressing it. I use a small shop vice and only squeeze about one half inch of the tip of my noters. I tighten the vise on them gently and try to never over tighten. I make my own noters so it's not a great loss if I go too far. This will work on round noters, but then you may have trouble turning it so that the compressed portion addresses the string(s) of your dulcimer. Done properly, you can even see the results. The wood will look shiny where you've compression hardened it. This practice will not only give a little more 'ring' to the sound of your strings, it will lessen wear just a little. The wood won't groove as badly as quickly if it is harder. Try this on some scrap. It may be something you like.

Again, I would caution you NOT to do this on your favorite wooden noter for your first attempt. Try this several times on scrap or old discarded noters to develop a 'feel' for it. 

 001 compressed noter1 - 800.jpg - 134KB

Just found a New/Old Hammnerd Dulcimer and my cat wiskers wants lessons!!!!

     I started with one dulcimer and not much music, now I have several dulcimers and other instruments and lots of music, tabs, books, bags, stands, misc. and etc.

    At one time I could practice most anywhere, than I started moving around trying to find a spot. I am now trying to set up an area and I was looking for ideas of how you may have yours arranged. What type of seating you thinks works well and size of area or space or room you have.

    Any ideas or photos of your special music space or area would be a hugh help, thanks.

My dulcimer life is very simple... I only own two (not counting "Stubby").  I do all performing on my Homer Ledford, and play my Warren May around the house.   If I had more dulcimers I would only confuse myself.

Thank you, for sharing these websites! 

Bro. Mark.  I think the consensis is that the dulcimer was made in Korea.  Not that one of your Order couldn't have been building dulcimers in the 70s, but I would expect a more complete "Made by Brother James of the Order of St. Francis" kind of label.  Or at least a sketch of Friar Tuck playing a dulcimer!   "Franciscan" here could be a backhanded reference to San Franciso, "flowers in your hair", that sort of counterculture thing. 

http://www.primeshop.com/MIDILibrary/midlist2.htm

http://www.ibiblio.org/folkindex/ti_frset.htm

http://www.dulcimerandmore.de/Tabs/tabs.html#alph_H

http://www.kitchenmusician.net/pages/kmmusicbyorigin.html

 Mark, love your lantern avatar.  I have a small collection of them.

Tom, a second dulcimer is handy.  The instrument you built has such a nice sound!  And it was always a treat to hear you & Melissa make music.  

Last summer, I bought a used dulcimer through Craigslist-- the seller and I met in a public place to conduct business.  Perhaps you would have good luck buying used locally?  

It'd be an honor and a treat to hear you two playing Quittin' Time!  

Dear Charley,

I am also intrigued by your dulcimer because of the inner label reading, "Franciscan".  I am a Franciscan Friar...one of those brown-robed, sandal-footed monk types of Friar Tuck fame from the days of Robin Hood and the Sherwood Forest.  I was amazed to see our name in there and am wondering if at one time any of our friars (there are about 20,000 of us in the world!) were building dulcimers?!?!?  

If you learn any more about this instrument, I'd love to know.

Sincerely,

Brother Mark

 Tumbleweed, are you planning to attend this event? If you are, did you hit the Attend Button for the event? It should put the event on your calander. 

I have a question.  Is there a way I can put an existing event on my calendar?

I'm still very much a beginner in playing but the issues I had with the dulciborn have settled down, except still on the highter frets - they are still hard to play but I am mostly playing lower down. I want again to thank you all for all the suggestions and your ideas in helping me set up my instrument. I am posting a few videos for the 4th on the dulciborn and any trouble I am having is more from just still learning how to play, not the dulciborn itself. So, thanks again