Forum Activity for @jan-potts

Angel Band, Hard Times, John Stinson #2, June Apple, are some that I might add. This is a great list!

Robin's got a great idea there. Publish, as it were, the jam list, including links to where folks can get the tab for themselves. It would get pretty darn expensive to make 30 or 50 copies of tab for each of those tunes -- money the festival organizers will be loathe to spend...

Buffalo Gals (easy sing along) - Shady Grove (may require capo or re-tuning though)

Pre-event jam lists are a good idea. The TAB for most of those tunes must be on the ED TAB list? So you could save yourself a lot of time and effort by picking tunes off the ED list (I think there are a couple of dulcimer clubs that also have on-line TAB sections?) and just pointing folks towards the TAB. Then if they want to learn some of tunes before the event they will have the opportunity to do so - or if they want to download it after the event.

Thanks for the suggestion, Geekling. Since "Rhody" is one of the songs that people sometimes learn as their first one, it makes sense to add that. To be honest, I don't expect a whole lot of beginners. The jam I am running will be concurrent with one of the workshop sessions, so I would think that most beginners would be more comfortable in an actual beginner workshop rather than an open jam. But later in the day will be a formal song circle, so maybe this list can help guide both sessions.

I initially got the idea for a song list from the Harvest Festival of Dulcimers. Before the one year I went (when I met you and Keith) I worked specifically on some of the songs on their list.But that Festival includes hammered dulcimers and the jam was open to other instruments. The Berkeley Dulcimer Gathering is only for mountain dulcimers and I doubt other instruments will show up. I don't plan on linking each song to a specific tab arrangement, but I will provide links to two or three websites where people can find tab for almost all the songs there, and if I get really ambitious, I'll try to show up with several copies of tab for at least some of the songs. When I was at the Harvest Festival, the person who sat next to me at that jam had gone through their list of songs with a copy of Stephen Seifert's Join the Jam book, and flagged each song on the appropriate page, so when people called out songs she just flipped to the right page in the book and had her own tablature.

Patty, I already added "Turkey in the Straw," as a matter of fact, and "Sourwood Mountain" is a good one, too. I think I learned that from a video that Robin T posted here, so I'll review that video, re-learn the song, and add it to the list.

I'm sure the jam will include some singing, too, so I know we'll be singing Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land," Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene," The Grateful Dead's "Ripple," John Prine's "Paradise," and more. But I wanted to provide a list of some of the more typical dulcimer jam tunes. And I've been really surprised how many of these tunes I already knew even if I don't play them regularly.

Thanks for the suggestions!

That's a great list and I'm going to try to learn these. I know some of them. At Wartz, Sour Wood Mountain was popular. Turkey in the Straw if you need a "T" tune. I do believe the Wartz official theme song is Father Halpin's Topcoat, LOL. You do have a great list and I wish I lived close enough to join you all. I'll bet it's going to be fun!!!

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Robin. I am trying to stay focused on typical tunes for dulcimer jams rather than just list tunes that I like to play.

I have been asked to host a jam room at the Berkeley Dulcimer Gathering on May 17. It was suggested that I provide a list of common dulcimer jam tunes that people might expect to play there. I plan on keeping things open and letting folks "call the tune," but I still thought it would be helpful to create a list.

The problem? I've been to only one true dulcimer jam. Most of the jams I've attended included other instruments and involved people singing from Rise up Singing as much as playing standard old timey fare. So I need help creating the list. Below is what I wrote down off the top of my head. Since I am the host, I probably need to know each song listed, and so far I either know the song or have a close enough idea that I can prepare adequately in the couple of weeks before the event.

My question to you: am I missing any obvious tunes that one would expect to hear at a dulcimer jam? I am not interested at this point in an exhaustive list (I would just copy the contents of Stephen Seifert's Join the Jam if I were) but the most common tunes played.

Amazing Grace
Angelina Baker
Arkansas Traveler
Ashokan Farewell
Bile Dem Cabbage Down
Black Mountain Rag
Bonaparte's Retreat
Cripple Creek
Elk River Blues
Going to Boston
Golden Slippers
Gray Cat on a Tennessee Farm
Hangman's Reel
Liberty
Liza Jane
Mississippi Sawyer
Old Joe Clark
Redwing
Rosin the Beau
Saint Anne's Reel
Shall We Gather at the River
Si Beag Si Mor
Simple Gifts
Soldier's Joy
Southwind
Westphalia Waltz
Whiskey Before Breakfast
Wildwood Flower

Keep in mind these are suggestions for this application [book] and you will probably change them at various times due to smoothing transitions between chords with different applications [tunes/books].

I daughter's think my dulcimer's sound is reminicent to a harpsicord. Is that good?

phil said:

my newest dulcimer is called Ol' Hickory it's made from 99% reclaimed Indiana hickory. has a high sweet voice.

"I daughter's think my dulcimer's sound is reminicent to a harpsicord. Is that good?"

If you or she like that sound it certainly is good. Narrower, thinner dulcimers (smaller interior volume) tend to have a "high silvery sound" deeper, wider dulcimers tend to have a more "mellow" or "bass/baritone" or "guitar-like" sound. Which you prefer is up to you. I had "mellow" instruments, but as a traditional N&D stylist, I came to love the high silvery sound of the more traditional instruments, and that's all I have today.

As far as naming them -- no. Except in the sense "my Thomas replica" or "my Virginia Hogfiddle"

my newest dulcimer is called Ol' Hickory it's made from 99% reclaimed Indiana hickory. has a high sweet voice.

So I named my second girl Wahkeena which is a Yakima word meaning "most beautiful". She really is, and is named after a favorite waterfall of mine in the area.

Please do explain Alliefair!

My first dulcimer is named Dulcina. My second one is awaiting her official name, and for now I just call her 'girl'. I don't think she minds too much.

The little Craigslist dulcimer that I bought over the weekend was made in the early 1970s in Texas. So naturally, I'm calling her "Tex". Haven't named the other two I have yet though... Will have to wait until something strikes me. Tex sounds better than "that Craigslist dulcimer".

I assume dulcimers to be female -- especially the hourglass dulcimers, for obvious reasons.

Mr. B. B. King named his guitar "Lucille", so why not name our dulcimers girl's names?

Anyway, there doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rule about it.

One could argue the case for Galax dulcimers being male by observing their pot-bellied appearance.

I've never given a name to a musical instrument of mine...maybe I could start with my dulcimer :)

Yeah.

But how could I know the sex? Where are the panties?

Please let me know

I have a habit of naming inanimate objects myself. For example, my two-tooth partial plate is called "Chip and Dale"

My android device is called "Rufus". But I have never named any instrument I have owned - funny. My "Uncle Eddie" is just called the Thomas, and imagine my new ones will be called The Homer (Ledford)and The Warren (May).

Yes, it does! Almost like Liza Jane!

"Oh, little Li-za, little Liza Jane, Oh, little Li-za, little Liza Jane..."

(imagine Bonnie Russell twangin' her Galax dulcimer tothis).

OK, that's your girl's name... What's your DULCIMER'S name?

Kitty,

I've been naming my dulcimers for a couple years now. I think I first read of the idea from Clare Chu.

My dulcimers have names derived from the Bible (KJV), and are usually from the Psalms. I think of an appropriate word to use from a verse, then I cite the entire verse on an inside label. For example, my wormy chestnut dulcimer is named "Heritage" from the verse in Psalm 16:6: "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage." And I wanted the name to have a historic sound, since the chestnut wood I used to make it was over 100 years old, and the dulcimer design was, too.

i have never named mine, my first one came with a name George the lady i got him from gave him that name i just kept it. Ok My mandolin kind of has a name for some reason I call it Jr.

Sounds like you all had a great time. I wish I could have been there too. And you all were able to stay out of jail

I have no recollection of any of this.

Robin Thompson said:

Hey, Carrie, I'm glad you got back to Ol' Pal! If you ran into a certain J.K. there, I trust you made every effort to avoid that troublemaker. LOL! I've heard wonderful things about the Wright's fest and might just make my way to TX some spring to attend.

I have no recollection of any of this.

Robin Thompson said:

Hey, Carrie, I'm glad you got back to Ol' Pal! If you ran into a certain J.K. there, I trust you made every effort to avoid that troublemaker. LOL! I've heard wonderful things about the Wright's fest and might just make my way to TX some spring to attend.

Glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself Carrie and we didn't have to use the bail fund.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Maybe next year I'll be able to get down that way again. I hope so anyway! Glad you had a GREAT time.

Wish I could have joined ya'll, Carrie. Great pics, keep em coming.

To answer your question about possible woods used, I"d say mostly walnut, with some pretty figured (burl or crotch figure) bookmatched walnut on the back, and an unknown wood --possibly spruce or similar softwood--on the top. The tuning pegs look like Brazilian rosewood to me. It looks like the original fret spacing on the fretboardwas cut inaccurately, and an overlay was glued on and new fret slots cut in it. The nut and bridgelook to berecent replacements for what was originally a paired melody string setup. Note the grooves worn in the tailblock.

What surprises me is the different levels of finish and craftsmanship evident in this dulcimer. Somebody who takes the time and effort to carve a scroll, fit friction pegs to the holes and bookmatch beautiful figured wood on the back should show similar care in doing the tailpiece joinery. Maybe some of a fine dulcimer was rebuilt by an amateur?

Thanks Randy! My other dulcimer also has fiddle edges...now I know what to call it. I prefer them!

Randy Adams said:

The top and bottom plates extend past the sides 1/8 of an inch or so.....it's old school.....I like it....

The top and bottom plates extend past the sides 1/8 of an inch or so.....it's old school.....I like it....

Jennifer Wren said:

Randy, what are fiddle edges?

Randy Adams said:

No matter how it got to where it is now it's a nice dulcimer Jennifer. I like the scroll, the bridge placement, the fiddle edges. All the other stuff gives it character! I bet it does sound good. Back looks like walnut.

Randy, what are fiddle edges?

Randy Adams said:

No matter how it got to where it is now it's a nice dulcimer Jennifer. I like the scroll, the bridge placement, the fiddle edges. All the other stuff gives it character! I bet it does sound good. Back looks like walnut.

Thanks for your comments everyone. It was sitting next to a used McSpadden and a Folkcraft, and they were very nice, but after playing them side by side, the sound of this one just had "it" for me. I left without it twice, partly because I was a bit fearful of the wooden tuning pegs. They are finicky, but I've come to like them. I wish I know the story behind it, but I enjoy imagining the possibilities.

Also, I added a photo to show more of the frets from the side to clear up that confusion.

Kenneth, I'm not sure which piece you are referring to, so I took a picture from another angle, which may clear up any confusion.

Kenneth W. Longfield said:

That's a nice find Jennifer. I am having trouble figuring out the second picture. Do the strings go under the round metal piece or over it? Under the metal piece it looks to be a walnut bridge with slots for four strings. Or maybe that is where strings cut in to the end of the fret board. The nut definitely looks like a replacement.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

That's a nice find Jennifer. I am having trouble figuring out the second picture. Do the strings go under the round metal piece or over it? Under the metal piece it looks to be a walnut bridge with slots for four strings. Or maybe that is where strings cut in to the end of the fret board. The nut definitely looks like a replacement.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."