Forum Activity for @ken-longfield

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the dulcimer or music

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Thanks Dusty and Maryann.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the dulcimer or music

OFF TOPIC discussions

Q: How many dulcimer players does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A: We'll never know; they keep arguing about modes even in the dark.

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When tyrants tremble thick with fear

And hear their death knells ringing

When friends rejoice both far and near

How can I keep from singing?

-- traditional American hymn

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"And when one person taps out a beat, while another leads into the melody, or when three people discover a harmony they never knew existed, or a crowd joins in on a chorus as though to raise the ceiling a few feet higher, then they also know there is hope for the world.

-- Pete Seeger

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And I have this one on my home page:

New arts shall bloom of loftier mould,

And mightier music thrill the skies,

And every life shall be a song,

When all the earth is paradise.

-- John Addington Symonds from "These Things Shall Be"

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the dulcimer or music

OFF TOPIC discussions

Reply by Cindy Stammich on March 1, 2014 at 11:09pm

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the dulcimer or music

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Reply by Regina Bartlett on February 28, 2014 at 11:03pm

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the dulcimer or music

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Thank you Ken!!!

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the dulcimer or music

OFF TOPIC discussions

It has been said "We may live without music, but not so well"
There is so much truth in this!

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the dulcimer or music

OFF TOPIC discussions

Chris Stammich posted this in the Drifting Thread:

Just for fun.....

Once upon a time I wanted to start a collection of "favorite sayings" regarding the dulcimer, or music in general.

Tull Glazener was gracious enough to get me started with "String Side Up".

I loved it! However, I didn't keep at it, so I thought now would be a good time to see if anyone here has something fun to add

So, I decided to create a discussion just for this topic.

My favorite saying: "The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Another one I've seen on a poster is: "There ain't no notes on a dulcimer. You just play it."

I'll try to copy the other responses for the Drifting Thread and post them here.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

updated by @ken-longfield: 09/09/23 09:44:31AM

As a beginner - which is better?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Kevin ! From what I have seen of his work you will not be disappointed ! Enjoy your journey, and share it with us, this site is very accommodating to all

JohnH

As a beginner - which is better?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thanks for the advice. I have traded a few emails with Dave Lynch and ended up purchasing one of his student models today. Now this journey really begins!

As a beginner - which is better?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Both are good instruments. With the Sweet Woods student you have the option of trading it in later for another model. On the other hand the custom Folkcraft will be a lifetime instrument. That's not to say that the Sweet Woods student can't be a lifetime instrument as well.

There are many places on the Internet where you can get free instructional material for learning mountain dulcimer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

As a beginner - which is better?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi, Kevin!
When I bought my first mountain dulcimer, I didn't yet know enough to know what features I would prefer in an instrument. It took many months of strumming and listening and learning before I discovered my own preferences. . .
With Dave Lynch's student model, you would have a well- made inexpensive instrument and be able to take all the time you want to explore the various facets of mountain dulcimer play.

As a beginner - which is better?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Kevin, without knowing anything about what makes the Folkcraft "custom," and having heard nothing but good things about David Lynch's beginner instrument I'd say go for the Sweetwoods. I got a great deal on my 1st one and, like your post above, I had plenty "left over" to invest in books, records (at the time) and instructional material. See some of Dusty Turtle's posts on this subject; he makes some of the best points I've read.

As a beginner - which is better?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions


updated by @kevin-nichols: 06/11/15 07:40:25AM

Matthew, where are you in North Carolina? There are 29 pages of members from NC here at FOTMD. There should be someone near you to get together with on dulcimer. You might not find any of the books mentioned above in a music store unless the store has an interested in folk and Appalachian music.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Matthew, I'll second the recommendation of "Larkin's Dulcimer Book." I had heard of it for 25 years (at least) but just got a copy of it. It's very good. Also, you can download from www.robertforce.com "In Search of the Wild Dulcimer." That is a great book as well! Others have told me they like McNeil's "You Can Teach Yourself Dulcimer," with a DVD. I've never used it myself. When you get a little more comfortable with the instrument, Jerry Rockwell's "Music Theory and Chord Construction for the Dulcimer," is invaluable. It's available from www.jcrmusic.com . If you're interested in noter play "The Dulcimer Book," by Jean Ritchie is wonderful. Indeed, you should probably get that, too. Shucks, I'm trying to load you down with books. LOL. Hey, you can't have too much music in your life!

Hi Matthew, I also was self taught on the dulcimer with no musical background. I bought a book by Larkin and feel like it gave me a pretty good introduction to the dulcimer (pre-internet days). However, it look like you have access to the internet and I highly recommend Stephen Seifert's Dulcimer School online:

https://dulcimerschool.com/

http://www.elderly.com/books/items/160-1.htm

Your friend is smart. When we have a specific task assigned to a specific day, it cuts through the mental clutter and is much more likely to happen. Many people change the battery in the smoke alarm in association with fall and spring clock changes -- a very healthy association.

- We have the right tools (hubby plays guitar) -- but I just need to get on the right rhythm for the year. It's great that the 12 month year is divisible by so many different units! Holiday String Changes? Jan 1, Apr1, July 4, Labor Day?

If you wipe down your strings before and after playing, you will get a lot of the grime and finger grease off and they'll last longer, as Cindy suggests. I find that as soon as strings start to feel at all hard or brittle I change them. New strings are much softer on the fingers. They also sound better, but since the sound deterioration is so slow, I never notice that my strings don't sound so hot until I change them and I realize how much better the new strings sound.

Since I like the feel, sound, and look of new strings, I think of it as a treat rather than a chore to change strings.

Ellen, if you wait until the cues that your strings need changing, you've probably waited too long. If you've waited a year, I bet you'll find new strings just feel much softer on your fingers and you'll want to start changing them more frequently. Professional musicians change strings at least every 2-3 months, as Guy does. I have a friend who plays gypsy jazz guitar in the SF Bay Area and has several regular gigs. One is the first Thursday of every month, and he changes strings before that gig, so he changes strings religiously once a month. I have more instruments than I play regularly, but on the dulcimers that I play regularly and on my six string guitar, I try to change strings every three months. The others I leave until I'm going to be playing one of them for a spell.

If you get the right tools, changing strings is easier. Make sure you have a string winder, a tuner, and a wire cutter handy.

Yikes! I've been playing the same set of strings all year. I can't say I've noticed grime on the strings or on my fingers. What cues are there that it is "time"?

Dusty,

I too play the autoharp. I send it to be restrung ;-)

Dusty Turtle said:

Dean, I change strings regularly, too, but not quite as often as Ken. I probably do it about every three months on the instruments I play regularly. Not only do dirt and oil from your hands accumulate on the strings, but the metal begins to oxidize too, and they become more rigid over time. I think if you change strings you will notice that they sound, look, and feel much better.

I even changed the strings on my autoharp once. Once!

I don't change them as often as others. As long as it sounds nice and they don't break I leave them alone. Most people don't recommend this though.

I replace them about every 6 to 8 weeks but I play a lot. It sounds much nicer with new strings IMO.

I would like to add my 2 cents here regarding strings. I wipe my strings before I put my dulcimer away - I have been using "Dr Duck's Ax Wax and String Lube" for as long as I can remember. It's great alsofor polishingthe instrument, but seems to do a wonderful job of keeping strings clean and maybe I am crazy but I think they sound better longer. Slides andfancy things seem easier too. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

If they sound fine leave them alone! I've only recently got back into playing my dulcimer, actually after finding FOTMD a few months ago. So I opened my dulcimer case and pulled her out after shutting her away over 20 years ago. Not only did it sound fine but it was still in tune! And I'm still playing it with those strings though the spares I had, which were shut away in the case with the dulcimer had all oxidised to dust. I guess there's something to be said for greasy fingers!

Dean, I change strings regularly, too, but not quite as often as Ken. I probably do it about every three months on the instruments I play regularly. Not only do dirt and oil from your hands accumulate on the strings, but the metal begins to oxidize too, and they become more rigid over time. I think if you change strings you will notice that they sound, look, and feel much better.

I even changed the strings on my autoharp once. Once!

Over time strings stretch and get dirty from you fingers sliding over them. The oil your fingers leave attracts dirt. It would not hurt to change strings at this time. Much depends on how often you play. I the more you play, the more often you need to change strings. I try to play a little every day and change strings about once a month. You will probably notice a difference in the sound of your dulcimer when you change the strings. It will sound better.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Larry, you've received good advice so far. As you can see, one way of playing in G is to tune DGD.

I don't do that, but I don't have as much experience with different tunings as Robin and Rob do. I mostly tune to DAd for 90 percent of what I play. But that does allow me--with the aid of a capo--to play in most common keys.

I play semi-regularly in a multi-instrument jam. At most bluegrass, folk, and old-timey jams, the most common keys are C, D, G, and A.

To get the key of C, I just tune to CGc.

To get D, I tune DAd. And then in that tuning I use a capo at the 3rd fret for the key of G and a capo at the 4th fret for the key of A.

You can play in G and A out of a DAd tuning, but it takes a better understanding of the fretboard than I have. But using a capo enables me to play everything I know and forget about what key we're in.

Larry, my husband and I go to an acoustic jam dominated by guitars with maybe a banjo and mandolin thrown in and me on diatonic lap dulcimer. After experimentation over a period of months, here's what I tried at last month's jam:DdA- home base tuning for key of DDdG- key of GEeA- key of A- I made the quick tuning change from home base tuning by using a false nut under the drone strings at fret 1.My aim is to re- tune quickly because the guitar players will call any tune that pops in their heads, no matter the key.I'm playing in noter/ drone style so this may not be workable for a chord style player. The jury is still out on how well it worked for me. I think I liked it.

Most of the time, if I only have one instrument with me, I'd tune the middle string down to G. If it were just a few songs, I might try to barre the 3rd fret and leave it in DAd. I usually have a capo with me, though.

An short Video of my Baritone Dulcimer

OFF TOPIC discussions

Sounds good. Hope you are enjoying it!

An short Video of my Baritone Dulcimer

OFF TOPIC discussions

Very nice playing, Phil.

An short Video of my Baritone Dulcimer

OFF TOPIC discussions

Beautiful, Phil. I know that pretty baritone will give you many enjoyable playing sessions. :)

An short Video of my Baritone Dulcimer

OFF TOPIC discussions

An short Video of my Baritone Dulcimer

OFF TOPIC discussions

yep. It's a carry over from playing guitar.

An short Video of my Baritone Dulcimer

OFF TOPIC discussions

Phil , that sounded great. Didn't know you were a finger picker.

Nicely done.

An short Video of my Baritone Dulcimer

OFF TOPIC discussions

Sorry it took so long to get this posted. But we are still moving into our new home. This is something That seemed to write it's self It just came out the first time I played it. I been calling it "Butterfly Garden" sorry for the bad quality of the video and sound I used my laptop nothing fancy.

updated by @phil: 01/13/19 05:09:18PM

Yes, she does. I have it, and it's a good one. It also includes a helpful CD!

Dewey

Sue Carpenter has a new book out on Duets!

Very much agree, David. The acoustic dynamics (the method of making sound) is completely different in the dulcimer, the violin family and the guitar family. Making assumptions that what improves one type of instrument will hold in another is largely unfounded, though people sometimes get lucky...

Here's what I'm thinking...out loud....so every wood has sound characteristics....like....maple is hard so it probably has a bright sound. Mahogany is a soft hardwood right? So it supposedly has a darker sound huh? So if a bright sound is desired why not go with a harder type of wood? And if a darker sound is wanted why not go with a softer wood?

Yeah sure a builder can tweak the sound by moving the bridge closer starboard or aft....did I say that right?....or use a thicker bridge.....or stiffer bracing or other secret methods....

When you take a bright sounding wood and attempt to make it sound darker isn't a little something lost?...why go against the tone/sound a particular wood is best suited for?