I like the hammered part also, but this is not the first time I have seen it. Little Girly was playing my dulcimer and she was experimenting with the sound by tapping the strings with a chop stick, it sounds pretty neat.
You might have a gem. Does it play well, does it sound good enough to you. Red stain is standard violin varnish in most cases. Not a bad thing. Light weight better than heavy, because light instruments resonate better. . Robert.
John Molineux! It has a 1 1/2 only under the middle string; a 4 1/2 under the bass and middle strings, and a 5 1/2 under only the bass. Note there is no 6 1/2. Here's a link to to a solo video of John where you can see the frets plainly.
I'm not the only one who likes odd bits of fret on my dulcimers, here and there:
Haven't a clue. Red stain, or paint? I would assume that if the case matched the shapes (especially if it closely matches the shape) that it was handmade. Therer are thousnads of builder out there who made one or two or a dozen dulcimers but no more. We really need a picture or six here -- too many questions that pictures will answer. waste of time to type Qs that pix will answer.
OK, here's "Erin's Green Shore," at least I think that's what this is. LOL. There are 2 pages: a low register version and a high register version. I didn't include a chord version since it moves around a lot on the fingerboard. However, if anyone is interested I may be able to do a 2nd harmony part for it.
Want to guess on what type of dulcimer could be an old red stain dulcimer, has a hard case that matches the shape of the dulcimer. Looks cheap since it has the red stain and felt light. I didn't see any paper on the inside. Sorry no image at this point. More curious than anything but since the case match the shape, didn't think it was hand made. Seem thiner/smaller than most dulcimers. Anyone know of what type of dulcimers were made and stained red with hard case that matched the shape.
And, in DAd, E/C#m at fret 1 [since the modes are not being considered] . Also I would suggest 2 MD's, one in CGc and one in DAd because of possible tuning time constraints.
Hi Travis - there has been some great advice here on how to get around different keys when sitting in with a band 
It is a fantastic to have the opportunity to play and enjoy music with others. The best thing about playing with other musicians and with singers is that the sum output is greater than the constituent parts - in other words you can be a part of something that is creating music way beyond what you can produce on your own. So once you have the technicality of the key sorted the next question to ask yourself is 'What can I add that will enhance the mix of sounds in the moment". It is all too easy to sit in with a band and 'play for yourself' just as if you had the band on CD and you were sitting at home playing along. Like singing along to radio in the shower - you may be enjoying yourself but your not actually adding anything to the music that others are going to want to hear 
So have a good think about the role your instrument is going to play for each tune and at every moment within that tune. Think about what you are going to add to the collective creative package. The golden rule is that if you cannot enhance the music at a particular point, or worse still if you will detract from the collective sound, then don't play.
The mountain dulcimer can do a number of different jobs within a band, rhythm, lead melody, counter melody, fills, starts and ends etc so have a good listen to each tune the band plays and decide how you can enhance each one.
Another issue for you may be how to work the instrument acoustically in a band situation. This can be a problem because the mountain dulcimer, played in contemporary chord melody style, carries far less acoustic volume than other instruments. I don't know how big the gospel band is that you are joining or what other instruments are part of the band but you may want to consider how you are going to sound balance your dulcimer in the mix. Personally, although you can work different keys from one instrument you may find it handy to have something like a McSpadden Ginger in your bag - a small bodied short scale dulcimer tuned up high to G. Sometimes a smaller dulcimer fitted with slightly heavier than standard strings wound up to a high tension will cut through a mix and also place you above the guitar and banjo in your own sonic space. You can then work the instrument more like a mandolin, providing choped rhythm and fills in the upper register. It is a very effective way to play in a band or session situation where a standard VSL dulcimer tuned to DAd would be drowned by the guitar (as they are both trying to fill the same sonic space - and he is bigger than you!!!)
Playing with a band can be a wonderful experience and can really quickly improve your own playing. With a little thought you can make the dulcimer an elemental part of the collective sound - and have a great time together. 
Travis, I play fairly often in a multi-instrument jam and move very easily among the keys of C, D, G, and A, as well as their relative minors of Am, Bm, Em, and F#m.
I tune CGc to get the keys of C and Am. The rest I get out of a DAd tuning with the use of a capo. The capo at the third fret gives you G and Em and the fret at the fourth fret gives you A and F#m.
The advantage to this is that you are playing in a 1-5-8 tuning the whole time, so everything you have learned in that tuning can be used in any of those keys, and your playing can be more versatile than limiting yourself to chords, as you would have to do if you stayed in DAd and used a lot of barre chords.
And by this same system you could get the key of F (or Dm) by tuning CGc and putting the capo at the third fret. So that gives you 10 keys already without having to carry around more than one dulcimer.
I looked up the material by Ehukai Teves (the name was transposed to Ekuhai in Dinah's post.) The best article was on dulicmer sessions . If you click on the printable version link at the bottom of the article, it produces a nice pdf. I don't play that way, but the article is a nice resource to have at hand.
An open scroll certainly makes changing strings a lot less hassle; true also of an open flathead.
If you can find a copy of The Autoharp Book by Becky Blackley, many of your questions will be answered. The book is a bit dated as it was published in 1983, so it does not take in to account the many improvements made in the autoharp by individual builders over the past 32 years. While there are not as many autoharp festivals as dulcimer festivals, they do exist. I highly recommend participating the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering here in Pennsylvania. It takes place the last full week in June every year. Some dulcimer festivals offer a workshop or two on autoharp. MEG stands for Music Education Group and Oscar Schmidt sold a couple of models of autoharps with the MEG label on them. I think some of the first 21 chord harps were sold with the MEG label.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Thanks Robin!
To send a PM:
As Robin said, Hover on your top navbar NAME LINK, and the drop-dpown menu will show "Private Messages"- click to get to your Message area.
There you can see past message threads you may have sent or received. To create a NEW pm, look there top right for "New Message" button. go there and start typing a name, like John...and all members with John will show in a list as you type (autofill) and you pick which John you want to send it to. and you type your PM and then send.
Make sure you look in your "Notifications TAB" in your Account Settings area, to checkbox the things you would like to receive email notifications on...like be notified when you receive a private message, for example.
Hope this helps!
What a beautiful instrument, Jerry!
Though I don't recall where I read the comment, it seems I've seen someone stating how they'd not seen an open headstock on a dulcimer. . . I don't know I have until now.
Hi, Sheila!
Click on your own name at the upper right side of the page-- your name is next to the magnifying glass search icon. In the pulldown menu under your name, you will find a link for sending private messages.
Hope this helps!
Thanks to the wonderful help of John P, the tab is now attached to this thread! Thank you, Sir.
Dave, I hope to be in Sallisaw before the end of the month. Maybe we can get together and do a little picking?
Shelia, I sent you a private message just to show you how it works. You can "pick it up" by hovering the mouse over your name in the upper right part of the screen. Should say, "private message (1)" (something like that.) Click on it and it takes you to the "email" area.
ANYONE who would like a copy of "Battle of the Somme" follow the above instructions, since there seems to be no way to post it here on a discussion.
Lois, thanks for your photos of these practical instrument haulers! I love to see things being repurposed!
Thanks, also, Ken, for the photo of the Wonder Wheeler, which I also own. People who are hauling hammer dulcimers especially like these because you can slide it in one side and then use the mesh bag for the rest of your instruments. I like this one, too, because you can push it and because the big wheels handle curbs and steps pretty well. If I'm not hauling my hammer dulcimer, though, I prefer to go with something smaller. Something like a trash bin with swivel castors and storage on the outside. With a push handle!
Hi Shiela,
This is one of those Mixalydian tunes that have an awkward range for N/D players. You either have to borrow a couple of notes off the bass string, or play up the top end.
The fret order is for the top end, and keeps all the notes available on the melody string. If you want to use the bass string then reduce everything by 7.
Probably the best option if you have a 6+ fret is to shift to the Dorian and reduce everything by 3. (except 9 => 6+)
The clip is A'AA for 1st part, key of A Mixalydian ... but use Ddd or DAd if you like, key of D Mixalydian.
2nd part is DAG, key of D Dorian
Re " The Battle Of The Somme " First off it was one of the first tunes I learnt on the dulcimer . I learnt it by ear from the playing on a Fairport Convention album . I originally understood that it was written by an unamed piper who was killed in the battle ( the battle went on from july to very nearly October 1916.) However i later found out it was wriiten by a known piper ( the name evades me ) who indeed died as a reult of wounds recieved in the battle , probably on the first day 1st July 1916 .being evacuated , died later in hopital in the U.K. It is a slow march, I am told that it qualifies as a " Retreat March " which means the music played as the soldiers prepared for the nights rest when in camp. A beutiful tune with a real kilt swing to it
my pup, saint is right with me when I'm playing. If I go to long (way over an hour) he will come around in front, look at me than put his head on the strings. He is sweet and as soon as I pick up the dulcimer he goes right to our spot. He is a good companian.
Hey rwarren.
Over the years I've used several items from the Happy Traum and the folks at Homespun. They are all really good. I used a couple of bluegrass packages (including the 4-hour bluegrass workout, which I highly recommend) and one harmony singing course (by Robin and Linda Williams) as well.
I don't know the Lorrain Lee Hammond dulcimer course, but she was a pioneer in the modern dulcimer and if you are a beginner, that is probably a good product.
I have a copy of the David Schnaufer DVD and can say that it's very good, but he doesn't teach a general approach to the dulcimer as much as teach a series of songs. I think the only general information he provides is some stuff on playing the major scale both up the fretboard and across the strings. But then he just goes into the songs. So the Schnaufer DVD would be good only if you want to learn those songs, whereas the Hammond CD set is probably a more coherent introduction to the dulcimer.
Those are the only two dulcimer items I know of offered by Happy Traum.
I purchased a used McSpadden on ebay. It was and is still in very good shape. My McSpadden has the scroll head. It came with the Grover Sta-Tite metal friction tuners. They are okay but I had the geared tuners McSpadden now uses retro-fitted on it...a big thank you to Ken Longfield and Kevin Messinger. I sent an email to Jim Woods. I gave him the serial number and he told me when it was made and the material used. He also told me that they went to the geared tuners in the 1990s. If you purchase a used McSpadden before that you will have the Sta-Tite metal friction tuners if you get a scroll head.
Erin's Green Shore.pdf - 61KB
