Forum Activity for @ken-hulme

Angela--  No dulcimer tuning really has a wide range.  That's part of it being a dulcimer, not a guitar -- it is not chromatic.  If you want to play a lot of minor chord music, you might be best off having two dulcimers -- one tuned in a minor tuning like DAG or DAC; the other tuned in a major tuning like DAA or DAd.  Otherwise re-tuning is your best option.  Usually you only have to re-tune the melody string....

This is a lovely possum board indeed, and really suits Robert's dulcimers. It did not fit any others I have, so guess you'd have to send him the right measurements.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I build and sell mountain dulcimers and thought it would be nice to offer a possum board to fit my instruments. I mostly play off a table top and use the possum board to keep the dulcimer off the table. Makes a fancy way to display them as well. I used to use scrap wood sticks to support the dulcimer but  a possum board looks and sounds much better.

It generally does not slip around on my lap. On my newer models I added two holes to attach a strap. I play up to the last fret so I need a board that can be shifted left and right real fast. Gale, I would be happy to make one for you, I charge $35.00 plus shipping. But Kens point about building your own is a good idea if you got the time... Robert. 

Oh, got it.

Sitting a lot may cause poor circulation and weight gain. Hence the standing or treadmill desk craze. I sit at my desk all day at work, so I find I just need to stand sometimes. 

Why is standing better for your health?

Last night while playing on the screened porch table and competing with the cicadas for sound, I discovered that two coasters turned upside down (cork up) worked pretty well as a way to increase the volume, and protect the back of my dulcimer. That is if you like to play while standing, which is better for your health. You can stack several coasters to see if you like the sound better. They don’t slide because of the cork backing. If you still want to make a possum board, this will help you decide how high you want your dulcimer to rest on the board. That said, that’s a beautiful board Robert, and I wouldn’t turn it down. You can only stand for so long. 

How do you keep it from sliding off your lap?

Nice looking boards there, Bob.

Gale -- A few dulcimer builders here are making and sellin possum boards, and I'm sure they'll chime in soon.  You can actually make one really easily by buying a "craft wood" plank of poplar from Home Depot or Lowe's that's 3 ft long and 6" or so wide.  You also need a piece of dowel (square is best) to glue across the board a litle closer together than Robert has his 'bridges'. A couple rubber bands will hold the dulcimer in place...

That is beautiful! Where is the best place to purchase one? Not sure if I have time to make one.

Thanks for bringing that up  Dusty. I didn't think to mention that, I was on a tablet and a bit pressed for time.

I've also tried DF#A and DF#AA [4 equidistant]. It may be better to describe these tunings with numbers in order for them to be translated to other keys [135 or 1355, etc]. Bing Futch teaches some interesting things in his book 'Blues method for MD 101' that uses 'boxes'.

I've used a variation on Janita's tuning: D-A-d-A#.   Also D-A-d-c#.  I can mute the near string with the heel of my hand.  That means I'm playing D-A-d (that's easy and I can strum!) with an extra string I can play only when I need it.

Another chromatic tuning is D-F#-A.  See this site: http://www.mountaindulcimer-1-3-5.com/

With 4 equidistant strings, try D-F#-A-D. 

You can substitute a "power chord" when you can't get a major or minor chord.  A power chord contains only the root and 5th notes.  It's the 3rd note that determines whether the chord is major or minor.  When you play an open DAd you're playing a D power chord, which can substitute for either D-major or D-minor as needed.  Not the same sound, but it works in a pinch, especially when playing with other instruments that will supply the missing 3rd.

When dulcimer tab shows a barred 1st fret as an "E-minor" chord, it's actually an E power chord.  It's the kind of workaround that dulcimer players use all the time, but a guitarist won't know about. 

I think it's great that you've found a guitar teacher who's willing to explore dulcimer with you.  However, he may need an occasional gentle reminder that a dulcimer is not a guitar.  The typical lesson plan for beginning guitarists is not well suited for dulcimer. The dulcimer is NOT designed to play in multiple keys from the same tuning.  Nor to play chromatic runs.  That doesn't mean it's impossible -- but it ain't easy and it's very uncommon for anyone to attempt it.  The addition of a 1-1/2 fret doesn't really change things -- it makes a few more chords and scales possible, but it does not mean you can take the normal scale boxes and movable chords that you'd learn on guitar and translate them directly to the dulcimer.

If you're hunting for a Gb, G and G# in the same song, then you're playing a song -- or an arrangement -- that might be easy on guitar, but on dulcimer it's crazy advanced.  If your heart's set on that style of music, your life will be much easier with a full-chromatic fretboard.

This past weekend at The Dutchland Dulcimer Festival, I had the pleasure of meeting three FOTMD members.

Oliver Odgen, Maryann Lang and Jeff Hamilton. If I missed anyone Let me know. Had a wonderful time in Lancaster.

Just a quick note on Janita Baker's use of the DAA#d tuning: you can't strum. She fingerpicks, and that A# string allows her to get all the chromatic notes, which is why she can play jazz and ragtime and stuff. But if you follow her tablature and try to strum across all the strings, it will sound terrible.  The tuning only works for her style of fingerpicking.

Cynthis, I got the answer from the seller on ebay.  The VSL on the Cedar Creek is 29 inches.  it's to big for my hands for sure.

You can join our Public Domain...or Not? Group here and ask every time you have a question about a certain song:

http://fotmd.com/strumelia/group/40/public-domain-or-not

But often it's just faster to google "(song title) copyright" and go to the resulting Wiki page...where it usually tells the composers or traditional info.  It will also give versions and talk about any copyrighted lyrics someone may have added later, etc.  Most songs first published before 1926 are now in the public domain, by the way. 

You can try 4 equidistant tuning of DAA#d. Janita Baker uses it in several of her books. She also uses several others, which I don't remember, for other keys.

Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you, and thank you! You've been very helpful.  I had come across a couple of these but couldn't remember the names or how to relocate, particularly oldtown. My google searches for old time fiddle tunes missed most of these. 

Janet

Old time fiddle tunes by the hundred, thousands even :

Larry Warren's Sippery-Hill Web Site

Find your tune > right click > Save link as ...

Try this one: https://www.oldtownschool.org/classes/adults/fiddle/tunes/ . I think those are all MP3 files.

 Yay, thank you!!

Click on your name which will take you to you page. Above your profile photo you will see:
Latest Activity-Audio-Video-Events-MyFollowers

Click on MyFollowers TAB and it will show you the ones you need to approve.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't find the list of people following me, in order to approve them unless I go back to the original email and click that link.  

Is there a direct way from the FOTMD website?

Steve Eulberg

Janet.... try these

http://www.mne.psu.edu/lamancusa/tunes.html

http://www.drfiddle.com

Janet, I am no expert on Apple products, but my understanding is that older versions of Quick Time can play midi files.  Try to install QT 7 and see if that works.

Another (more time consuming) solution would be to use one of the many free online audio converters to convert the midi files to mp3 files.  If you put "Free online audio coverter) in the Google search bar, you'll find plenty of options.  Don't use any that ask you to register or demand payment.

If I understand correctly, I do not have ABC or midi file capability since I have an OSX operating system. Am I correct?  When I had a PC I used ABC files often to hear how a tune should sound, but now that I have a Mac, I have not been able to find a similar resource that will work with my Mac.  Is there a resource for mp3 files for fiddle tunes?  Do I need to download some kind of extension to make ABC file work with my Mac?  My apologies in advance if this has been addressed before.  Thanks!

Hello Barbara-p:  I have two Honea Dulcimers. One is big - 38" long, Vsl: 31.5" built 6/2008.  Though big, it is strong and light as a feather.  Western Red Cedar top and bottom with walnut sides.  Wonderful sound, warm and full - hourglass.  The 2nd one I just got a few weeks ago.  More freeform...looks like a sweet potato and was swiftly dubbed 'Tater' - smaller, VSL 27.5", Western Red Cedar & Walnut ( seems to be his favorite woods ).  It is new and has a while before aging into it's real sound, but I do like it.  He does a very good job and you can get them at often a very reasonable price on E-Bay.  I would not be afraid to buy one.  His quality is consistant.  I usually buy the older dulcimers from assorted makers - 60's to 1990's as they have developed their mellowness of time.  Hope this helps. 

Very nicely done Robert, my butternut would work great, ya think.

I wound up doing D d d d, and liking it for now, may try D D d d and will remember to widen the slot on the string guide.

Almost half the volume and tone of a dulcimer comes from its back. Raising the instrument just a millimeter off your lap or table top is all you need to do. I wanted to design a possum board that not only evevated the instrument but reflects the sound up and away. The model pictured here with a new butternut dulcimer I completed yesterday elevated the instrument about an inch. Its made of solid core cabinet grade birch plywood. finished with a mix of walnut oil stain and red dyed shellac and lacquer. Once you try a possum board you will never want to be without one... Robert

James if you go with a wound third string you will have to widen the slot on the string guide. Utility knife works well for that... Robert.

In order of use, for me it's probably somethng like DAD, DAC, DGD, EAA, DAA, DAG, and I'll often play all of those a half or a whole step down.

Hey folks, here is a useful Forums TIP !:

When you click on the top site LINK to Forums ,  you get to the main Forums page, but you'll have THREE TABS available to choose from, and each tab will show you a different view of what you might want to see: Discussions (which is the default view and shows all the forum Categories), Newest Posts (which shows newsest posts and by whom and when, in which forum disussions), and My Posts (which of course shows your own latest forum posts).  For example, here is the view when i go to the main Forums link and then click on the Newest Posts TAB.

And if you like that "Newest Posts" view in particular, you can always bookmark it to get there quickly whenever you like. 

Some words of warning on the shopgoodwill.com website, for those of you not familiar with auction sites: Always check the estimated shipping & handling fees before you bid. Most will be rounded up to the nearest lb. above the weight of the instrument. Some will have you pay for 30 lbs. or so, plus handling, on a 4 lb. instrument. Not as good a deal if you have to tack on another 30 bucks to the auction price. Check the photos carefully for damage, and always read the Condition and Notes section below the photos. Some of the dulcimers are damaged, but may be a great deal for those of you who like to restore. Don't place your bid until near the closing time of bidding, you will only drive up the price. And set a maximum price, the maximum you are willing to pay, and the site will raise your bid 1.00 at a time until your maximum bid is reached. This is a good way to keep emotions out of your bids too. Good luck

Ahhh!  Not seen the pictures - just realised I've only got the 1st Edition!  Time to upgrade....

Thanks Bob, much appreciated.  I had out the hourglass poplar I got from you back in December, and decided I wanted to get away from doubled melody but still keep it in Bagpipe, so wanted to get some ideas from the site.  Guess I'll be going to the music store a bit later in the day then for some new strings and try D D d d.

James I like DDdd. It sounds more robust. Even on my Galax I like a low D in the mix... Robert

Ok, great, thanks S. Got the strong glasses since forever :-) but sure will try the other ideas...

Looks to me as if it may be some sort of copy of the Siegrist dulcimer (the patented instrument that Ken refers to).  See Ralph Lee Smith "Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions" 2nd edition pp. 142-144.  It may even be an actual Siegrist, although I think they are usually clearly labelled with the maker's name (Paul L Siegrist).