If You Don't Somebody Else Will
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
gee just when I think i have mad progress along comes this
honestly I loved it.
Forum Activity for @phil
If You Don't Somebody Else Will
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Steph, I can't take any credit for Billy since it's a trad tune. :)Randy's fantastic flat- picked version is a YouTube favorite of some players here in Ohio who are familiar with the tune. They know the skill required to do what Randy did with the piece!The tricky part for me of playing Billy with a noter is that run up the fretboard in the first section of the A part. I can only get it to sound half decent about half the time. ;) It's a timing thing that I can't think about too much or rush too much. Too much thinking is bad for my health, anyway. Haha!
Geekling said:
That couldn't have been easy to play--I know I certainly couldn't! I'm particularly partial to Ridin' the Zigzag and Wobble Railroad.
If You Don't Somebody Else Will
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Randy, you are the first and, I'm thinking, the only person I ever heard play Billy in the Lowground on MD. Since you flat- picked it and it's got lots of notes (Mark flat- picks it on guitar) I thought it was a tune I could never manage on dulcimer. Once I got rid of that droning fifth (by going with the CcG tuning), it worked for me. I played this with a fairly stiff quill-- it sounds different yet with a more flexible quill or one of my big homemade plastic picks.
Y'all are so nice to take the time to listen and comment, friends. I'm going to even risk seeming sappy and let y'all know that I have great affection for my music friends, many of whom I've never met in- person.
If You Don't Somebody Else Will
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Yeah, I agree about how smooth and effortless Robin's playing appears. Her superior technique makes even difficult songs seem approachable.
My favorite is still Circleville. 
If You Don't Somebody Else Will
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Duly noted Randy ! (OK, I'm sorry, but it's often pointed out to me these days that the old ones are the best ?) Gonna have to get her to give me some lessons one day, I've been a fan since I first joined FOTMD
JohnH!!!
If You Don't Somebody Else Will
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Yes, good call out RanMan. Robin makes it sound so smooooth and easy, but it takes a huge amount of work to get to that skill level. Beautiful playing Robin.
If You Don't Somebody Else Will
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
True that.
I always liked 'Quittin Time at Essex Mine' ... I'm a sucker for a good waltz.
If You Don't Somebody Else Will
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Point out the sweet noter playing here on Billy in the Lowground that is. It's an extry good tune and the choices and execution are perfect Robin.
http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/music/playlist/popup?playlistUrl=http%3A//mountaindulcimer.ning.com/music/playlist/show%3Ffmt%3Dxspf%26id%3D3745489%253APlaylist%253A148%26mdate%3D2014-08-01T05%253A09%253A27.528Z%26nik%3D2pgjt53vxzwfp&playlistType=user&autoplay=1&selectTrack=0&hideShareLink=1
updated by @randy-adams: 06/11/15 07:41:48AM
Do your pets enjoy your playing?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I've got 3 cats. One will fall asleep behind me as I'm playing, one has gotten to the point where she will deign to stay within earshot for a few minutes, and the third flees when she sees me carry a dulcimer into the room.
Do your pets enjoy your playing?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Our dogs tend to congregate around when I'm playing.
Do your pets enjoy your playing?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Our dog can take our music or leave it. There's no accounting for her tastes in music. :)
Do your pets enjoy your playing?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Here was our Sheba just this afternoon ...she came into the living room and draped herself over the chair a few feet away, to listen to us playing music with a friend.
Do your pets enjoy your playing?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Just curious...do your pets enjoy your dulcimer playing? My cat and my dog are my biggest fans. (Of course, free entertainment every evening, food an drink "on the house", and no motel fees may be the reasons they like my playing).
updated by @steven-berger: 06/09/16 08:21:50PM
Tab for Angel Gabriel
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Teri would you mind sharing your tab when you get it done?
Tab for Angel Gabriel
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I contacted Aubrey and she sent me the lyrics and chords. I will tab it out on my own.
Thanks to you all!!!
Tab for Angel Gabriel
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Hi Terri,
I've been off line for awhile, but there are a couple of ways to play Angel Gabriel. I don't have any clean tab, just my chicken scratchings. Are you looking for noter/drone, chording to support a voice or finger picking?
Stephanie
P.S I've sent you a friend request so we can figure out how to get the tab to you.
Tab for Angel Gabriel
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Thanks, Dawn, I already contacted Susan but she says she has never tabbed it. I will try to contact Aubrey, maybe she can help. If worse comes to worse, I could tab it but I am not the best in the world. : )
Tab for Angel Gabriel
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I have been looking for a tab of Angel Gabriel, a folk tune that I have learned to play but want to use for our club newsletter. Susan Trump plays and sings it beautifully and I found a video of her on youtube. I guess I could tab it out myself, but I'm being lazy!
updated by @teri-west: 02/20/19 04:03:39PM
Looking for clarification on D A d
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Thanks Brian G and Skip. Thinking of D A d as a tuning which allows for Mixolydian or Ionian tunes to be played is helpful. Anne Lough in her book: "Welcome to the Mt. Dulcimer" suggests that this tuning could also be called 1-5-8 or Do-So-Do. This frees up my thinking also so that DAd could also be CGc etc. Again thanks.
Looking for clarification on D A d
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Think of it as having 2 fret boards, one with a C#, one without [ D mixolydian and G-ionian]. As someone once said, adding frets is like overlaying fretboards. The plus frets basically add flexibility without retuning.The melody string[s] provide the modal character and the remaining 2 provide the dronenotes which define or provide the background for a mode. Consider tunings DAC and DAd, both use the same drones to provide the background for different melody string modes. If you play a tune that doesn't use any form of C inDAd tuning, I suppose you could call it what you want [probably wrong].
Looking for clarification on D A d
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Hi John. I'm not sure I understand your question, so this may not be a very helpful reply. :)
DAd is a tuning, not a mode. To distinguish between the two possibilities you mention, I'd say something like "I'm tuned DAd and the tune is in D-mixolydian" or "I'm tuned DAd and the tune is in D-major (ionian).
Looking for clarification on D A d
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I know that technically a pure D A d is the Mixolydian Mode with a flatted seventh in the scale. (Example: Old Joe Clark) I also know that when a person says they play in D A d but are using the sixth and one half fret (6+) that they are actually playing an extended Ionian scale without the flat. (Example: South Wind). How then should a person who says they are playing in D A d distinguish between the two?
updated by @john-w-mckinstry: 06/11/15 07:41:46AM
My new Berg!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Sounds like you got quite the bargain there. Congratulations.
My new Berg!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Congrats, Dave. My first dulcimer was Bill Berg student model. I still play it often and it seems to get better with age. Heck, maybe both o us do. You made a great find and buy.
My new Berg!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I just bought a 5 string Berg hourglass on eBay for $78.00. This is one made by him and his wife. I have played many builders, including Mcspadden, and lots of others. This is by far the best sounding dulcimer I have played. All solid wood, book-matched back, all walnut with butternut, or cypress top. It is the first 5 string I have touched, and may never go back to a 3 string. Tuned dadD. I love it. Who ever said you need to spend hundreds for a great dulcimer?
updated by @dave-shattuck: 08/02/23 09:43:30PM
Show Us Your Pets!
OFF TOPIC discussions
Here is a thread where we can all show off our animal buddies!
Let's see your favorite furry friends.... :)
updated by @strumelia: 07/31/23 09:29:55PM
The Positive Thread...
OFF TOPIC discussions
Tell us one positive thing in your day today!
updated by @strumelia: 07/31/23 08:38:43PM
Though I have all my digits, I have physical problems with my hands. For picks, I cut large ones out of plastic lids and use quills, too. Both of these give greater points of contact with the hand than smaller picks of whatever type. The more points of contact my hand has with each type of plectrum, the better it is for me physically.
I'm happy to see you're going to explore further options, Julian!
Julian, sorry to hear about this terrible accident. I'm sure it will take a while for you to recover.
My husband Brian had his left thumb completely detached by a table saw many years ago. He was lucky in that they were able to put it back and it's there, but it doesnt function at all- neither does his index finger next to it. They are just sort of there for looks. After two years of recuperation, he took up the huge challenge of playing oldtime fiddle, as a sort of physical therapy. Now 20 years later, he's a wonderful fiddler despite the fact that he cannot use his left thumb or index finger at all- he frets notes with his other 3 fingers and probably has the world's strongest left pinky at this point. That's one finger more than famous guitarist Django Reinhardt used to fret with- only 2 fingers- you might want to read about Django and his fingering challenge.
I don't know the details of your injuries, but I'm still hoping you will 'never say never'. The mountain dulcimer, because it can be strummed broadly across with a simple sweeping motion of the right hand, and played with a noter stick or a single finger with the left hand, might well be the ideal stringed instrument to play if missing several fingers. Please do consider the possibility that one day you will be able to play it again.
Meanwhile, my sincere wishes to you for a good recovery.
And keep in mind that one doesn't have to be a player or builder to part of the family here on FOTMD!
Oh, Julian, I am so very sorry and hope your healing is progressing well!Though I do not wish to presume anything, there are various styles of dulcimer play which could, perhaps, be managed if you wished to explore options for playing mountain dulcimer.Again, I'm sorry about your accident! Take care.
Playing dulcimer with a ukelele
Playing and jamming difficulties...HELP ME!
Thanks, everyone! We will have to get capo for the ukes and give thata try....
Playing dulcimer with a ukelele
Playing and jamming difficulties...HELP ME!
If he knows D,G and A chords he can play with you.
He can capo 2 and play in C - CFG, which will please him.
If you have specific questions on specific songs, I'll help you if I can.
CGC tuning for you is fine too if you mostly are going to be playing with him.
Have fun, I do this all the time and they sound great together.