Well, melady, I hadn't thought of it...but, now that I 'av a kilt, ah might be inclined to wear it on occasion whilst performing onstage. That might present some new circumstances that I 'adn't thought of such as standing as opposed to sitting. Well, there ye 'ave it...'cepting I might 'ave ta get some new accessories...hmmm....
Cheerio 
No, I wasn't endanger of losing my head at the Highland Games, but I did one performance after falling in a parking lot. Caught my toe in the hoop and fell flat on my face. Hoop went over my head, but no one was about for that show. Did spend the day holding ice to my split lip to keep the swelling down. Fortunately it was an inside split so I could do the walking Kodak moment with the kids and not horrify them.
John Henry said:
ff, I do so hope that you did not hide a puppy dog up your skirts, and subseqently lose your head ..............?
John
Too bad ! I'd have paid good money to have seen you in that 'ensemble' Dusty ..............
John
Dusty Turtle said:
So I guess I won't be wearing my red stilettos at Thursday's open mic! Too bad. They go so well with that new cocktail dress I just got for Christmas.
Rob N Lackey said:Just be yourself and wear comfortable shoes.
So I guess I won't be wearing my red stilettos at Thursday's open mic! Too bad. They go so well with that new cocktail dress I just got.
Rob N Lackey said:Just be yourself and wear comfortable shoes.
Well, last night I had about 4 paragraphs written on this subject before falling asleep. A cat on the keyboard (thank you Mousie!) killed the window with about 24 open tabs in it. So much I had written has now been said, so I'll just reiterate: comfort and appropriateness. Oh and at those open mikes with the young folks, If they like your music they won't care what you wear. I had quite a following at one when I lived in MD a few years ago, particularly among the other musicians. Just be yourself and wear comfortable shoes.
Me.... a few years ago at an open mike
Something you've worn before that is neat, clean, comfortable, a good color on you, and won't pop, pull, or show too much if you have to bend over, sit down, or fall on your face. You don't want to have to worry about wardrobe malfunctions during a performance.
Someday, I'll have to tell you about my performances as Mary Queen of Scots.
Somehow, I think Aubrey Atwater would be very amused to know we're discussing her wardrobe! I've seen her in quite a few performances and I think she always wears a skirt or a dress....something she can clog in.
If I were performing regularly, I would also keep track of what I wore, so I didn't end up wearing the exact same thing every time (unless I was deliberately going for a "uniform" look). I sang in a group where we DID have to wear the same thing at every performance...back in the 60's...but expressing yourself as an individual is a good thing, I think.
I am reminded of a little girl I taught who was puzzled by what I wore, but didn't say anything until the end of the year. My school had me on a very rigid schedule to see particular students,and this student only saw me once a week. At the close of the school year, as she was leaving, she pulled me down so she could ask quietly--and privately--"Mrs. Potts, why don't you have any other clothes? All you wear are those green pants." I then realized that since our school was so big (spread out over several buildings) she probably HAD only seen me on TUESDAYS--the day I had meetings with my troop of Girl Scoutsafter school!
I am not at all surprised that Guy is most comfortable in nice slacks and a collared shirt, well-pressed--and you look GREAT in your profile photo!
I personally think that dressing in all black can sometimes be like a black hole. Or the place where all the energy drains away to nothingness. Or, like the Japanese puppeteers, you're "not really there" at all. If you see folks looking at you with worried expressions and a furrowed brow, they may be wondering who died. And I KNOW that there are a lot of folks who dress in all black every day....we all just gotta do our own thing, I guess.
When people come to a performance, they come toSEE you and experience being there with you, not just listen to you--they can do that (the listening) with all kinds of modern technology. They want to connect with you, and some of that is about your wonderfully expressive face andhow your body interacts with the dulcimer, and some of that is about forming this image of you that they're going to keep in their head.
I ALWAYS notice what female performers are wearing on stage. It's part of the performance package, unless your audience is visually challenged. There are some outfits that just don't work. The skirt is too narrow to easily navigate the higher-than-average steps up to the stage, or the material ends up being nearly transparent (oops!)with the positioning of the stage lighting, or there's not enough give or stretch in the material and construction to move around and/or adjust stands, instruments, stools, mikes, chairs, etc. The fringed jacket--which looked so great in the mirror--ends up getting caught in your strings. You pick up your dropped music and inadvertently flash the audience. Well, you're a performer, so you know all these pitfalls. MOSTLY, folks just want you to be comfortable and communicate a sense of your personality. Comfy shoes, a flowy skirt--or slacks that fit well--and a top with maybe a simple necklace that doesn't reflect the lights into folks' eyes.....if you're a hat person, go for it, just not one that keeps your face in shadow the whole time. Mary, I can't imagine you in work boots, ripped jeans, hunting shirt and ball cap on backwards, but maybe that IS you and I just lack imagination!!!
For most casual gigs, such as coffee shops and such, dress in the image you wish to convey to the audience. You are who you are. I was born and raised in a large, Northern city, to dress as a Southern Farm Boy isn't me. And may be seen as an insult by some audiences or sponsors. For formal gigs such as weddings, you need to dress for the occasion. When you get invited to play at an art museum fund raiser, consider it a formal occasion, and dress with class. For a Christmas performance, wear seasonal clothing. Try not to be a caricature of anything, you need not dress as Uncle Sam for an Independence Day performance. Tasteful in all cases, no matter what the pro's do. When radio stations all over the world play your recordings, you can wear a dress made of meat, and still get gigs.
Absolutely!! if you have a particular image you are desiring to present that will definitely influence your choices in attire. Even an "unkempt" sort of look. I just think it's nice to consider how you are presenting yourself to your audience, rather than some guys I see who obviously put no thought whatsoever into what they are wearing. It's another part of the whole experience in addition to the music, and something that doesn't have to cost a great deal of money to consider.
I am with DustyT in saying "Dress in whatever makes you most comfortable." Usually for indoor events I dress in slacks with an Oxford cloth shirt (short or long sleeve depending upon the time of year and temperature). For most outdoor events I wear jeans unless it is very hot. Then I wear shorts and a t-shirt. Outdoors I always wear a hat with a brim to cover my ears. I do this for medical reasons. Most of the time it is a straw Panama hat. I have worn a variety of footwear from my New Balance walking shoes to work books.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Hi Mary
I may be old fashioned but I think one should dress for the music they are doing. For me, jeans, hiking boots, and at-shirt for guys doesn't work. You want to stand out a bit more, and remember you are performing not just getting up and doing a song. For gals, look at what Jean Ritchie wore most of the time. A simple country dress. I think a long, colorful old fashiond dress goes very will with the old songs played on a dulcimer.Cheers Ken
I doubt that I can say anything as a performer, for I certainly am not a professional and I have not yet been asked to do any gigs. But I do play at the country jams and occasionally at other talent/musical entertainment events. Generally, what I like is a pair of jeans (or khakis) with a nice casual shirt, often some kind of plaid or checked, and a fleece vest that will coordinate well with the shirt.
I have seen Aubrey a few times over the years and what she wears certainly works well for her.
While dress is important, the music, venue, and message are the most critical.
I think that a lot of the men ought to dress a bit better.
Just my opinion.
I always try to dress well onstage Mary. Even if I'm wearing jeans for a casual event, I always wear a collared shirt. I don't personally like to wear t-shirts on stage. For an evening indoor event, I avoid jeans and instead wear slacks and a collared shirt. I always make sure my clothes are pressed. It's just my opinion that it gives the message to my audience that I \ really care about them, the performance and the music. Again, that's just what I do... and you know what they say about opinions....
John's reference to Wayne's blue earring concerns a photo Wayne posted with a blue Snark tuner attached to his ear. He titled it "Tuning by Ear."
I probably shouldn't post here. I honestly don't care how people dress. I don't think anyone should feel they have to dress up to perform, so jeans and a t-shirt works for me, if that's what makes you comfortable. Years ago I saw Gilligan Welch at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. At intermission, the woman I was with (a young lawyer from San Francisco) commented that Gillian's outfit was just "so frumpy" and someone needed to teach her how to dress. I had not even noticed how she was dressed, but I probably could have recited the playlist in order. It was funny, though, when Gillian added in her between-song repartee that she had started a database to list what outfit she wore at each show because she was giving a concert and someone pointed out that she had worn that same outfit the previous time she played that venue. Everyone laughed, of course. My date was horrified to learn that Gillian was thinking about her outfit and still dressed "so frumpy." I was sad that someone with so much musical talent had to waste her time thinking about her outfit. You know what I mean, like supposedly Einstein wore the same outfit everyday because he didn't want to waste time thinking about the mundane, insignificant details of daily life.
Dress in whatever way makes you most comfortable. If part of that comfort is your perception of how you look, then wear an outfit that you think makes you look good.
As a middle-aged man, I can confess that I am less worried about the clothes I'm wearing than the fact that the dulcimer does not hide my beer belly the way a guitar does. No one needs to see the jiggle in my middle.
$35 for the Silvertone - wow!
I'm looking forward to the beginner's autoharp workshops at Winterfest. Best of all, the choir director is also attending a workshop with me, and the autoharp repair guy is loaning us each a harp so we can participate. People are so nice and generous with their knowledge and tips.
Thank you for this information! It's much appreciated. I neglected to update this post, but I found a repair person who will be at Winterfest in Irving, Tx later this month who will look at the harps and check the strings, restring them etc. (Yes, I discovered sets of strings are pricey. But it is what it is.) Very please you've give me the info on how to clean them up, I can do that before taking the harps to him - it will save him time and be good education for me. Thank you again for the help.
Hi Ruth, I am sorry I did not see this post earlier. Robin Thompson just alerted me to it. While you can certainly use strings that are 40 years old, be prepared for some breakage. You can clean the strings using Scotchbrite or one of the artificial steel wool products. You can also use steel wool, but it is very messy and hard to clean up. You can unscrew the covers over the chord bars to clean underneath. Just keep the chord bars in the same position as you take them off so that you can put them back in the same place. You might list the bars on a piece of paper from left to right or vice versa. There are little springs under the chord bars. Be careful that they do not pop out. You can spend a great deal of time searching for them. Don't ask me how I know that! You might find a music store in you area the will sell a single autoharp string to replace the broken one. Sets of 36 autoharp strings are fairly expensive. Yes, you do need to use autoharp strings and not guitar strings. The autoharp strings are wound to fit the harp. It is not a difficult task to restring the harp. Another thing to watch out for is the felt falling off the chord bars. After 40 years the glue that holds the felt in place can dry out. You may need to glue pieces of felt back in place. Other than that, you should be able to clean the harps with something like Murphy's Oil Soap and then use a good guitar polish on them. To get the crud on the inside of the instrument use a vacuum cleaner with a narrow attachment to reach into the hole. You do not need to put it around, just get over the hole and let it suck the stuff out. I hope this helps. If you have any more questions, feel free to send me a private message or you can email me through FOTMD.
Ken
'The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Chronograph? That's auto correcting text for you!
Hi, tonight I rescued 2 autoharps from the church choir room. They'd been there so long no one could remember the who or how of it.
Anyway, one is an Oscar Schmidt Silvertone 15 bar, 36 string. One high E string is missing, but as it was in it's case, is in very good condition as far as I can tell. A little googling told me Silvertones were made between 1965-1967 and sold through Sears and Roebuck. It came with a 7 inch record with instructions for tuning, but sleeve is there, but no record.
The second autoharp is the Japanese Sekova chromaharp, these entered the US market in late 60s. While the Silvertone is maple (veneer I assume), the chromaharp is that sunburst coloring, you see on guitars. I found a serial number and would like to date that also. It's also 15 bars and 36 strings and has all the strings. However it wasn't in a case so is very dusty and grit etc has fallen into the soundhole which I can't shake out.
All I know about this instrument is the above text, thanks to Google!. Do strings that could 40+ years old have to be changed? The info that came with the chromaharp says strings do need not need to be replaced, except if they break. There is a tuning device, but plastic handle is so brittle, it's broken off. I'm wondering whether I should try tuning or not.
Apart some dusting, I haven't done anything else with them. I've got permission to see if they can be made playable again. So, where should I start? Can I unscrew the bars to clean underneath them? What do you clean the strings with? And best way to get the grit out of the body of the chronograph? Or should I find someone to restring them? I'm in Dallas Fort Worth area. Sorry for all the questions, I'd like to bring these alive again, I hate to see neglected instruments.
Guy, as you point out the other five modes sound somewhat exotic to many ears indicates they are not realy in use anymore. For centuries music is made in major and minor, or majeur et mineur, or Dur und Mol. Surely somebody can proofMozart composed a Fantasy in C minor in which a reverse scale delivers a descending Lydian scale, rather eclected.
Of course are major and minor part of the modes system, all be it under different names. Even Mixolydian and Dorian are related to major and minor: the first is a scale starting in major, but ends in minor, where the second is a scale staring in minor and ending major. In a way pulling one's leg 
Wout
Right.. sorry that I derailed it... I just see statements like "Modes represent a complete different music practice compared with what we use today" and have a difficult time not taking the opportunity to remind us that all western tonal music is modal music, and that is true for tonal music that is traditional with or without drones, popular music, the bulk of classical and jazz music, country, R&B, Rock, etc. Songs that use major or minor keys are modal. The bulk of all western music from at least the medieval period to the current contemporary period is modal for the most part. I think when people think something is "modal" they consider it to be one of those other 5 modes that are less commonly used and thus sound somewhat exotic to many ears. But the truth is, the chances are that all your favorite songs sung in every day major and minor keys are in fact, modal music.
Guys, I think part of the confusion here is that in dulcimer circles, modes are often conflated with drone playing. The assumption is that traditional music involves modes to be played over drones whereas modern music involves chords.
I think we all understand that a mode is nothing but a scale, and as long as a melody is restricted to the notes of a mode, it is modal music, whether or not drones or chords accompany the melody. After all, there is a lot of other modal music that incorporates chord structures (Miles Davis's Kind of Blue album is often celebrated as a study in modal jazz, for example, and Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" is famous for a long improvisation in the dorian mode).
Let me point out that the original question here had nothing to do with modes but asked about keys and how to use a capo. The only reason modes were mentioned was because the first person to respond, Rob, accurately pointed out that on a diatonic fretboard, the use of a capo changes the mode as well as the key. I fear all this discussion about modes is just overwhelming to beginners, especially those who are not playing drone style and don't really need to understand modes for any practical purposes.
Thanks Guy,
We're obviously talking at cross purposes here then. In drone style you can only play the natural minor, both the harmonic and melodic minor scales would require frets that don't exist on a standard dulcimer. What you are asking for is a sequence of five successive semitones.(frets 5, 6, 6+, 7, 7+, 8)
Which is why it is so important to distinguish between chord and drone styles and whether you have additional frets or not.
This is getting way off topic, so I shall leave it there.
A mode describes the manner in which the whole steps and half steps are arranged in any diatonic scale. The two most common modes are commonly known as "major" and "minor" scales, which are 2 of the 7 modes in western music of the common practice period. The Major scale is also known as the "ionian mode" and the minor scale is also known as the "aeolian mode." In common practice the minor scale is also altered into either "harmonic minor" wherein the aeolian mode's 7th degree is raised by a 1/2 step giving it a "leading tone," and also the "melodic minor" scale wherein the 6th and 7th degrees of the aeolian scale are raised each be a 1/2 step.
My point is simply that when someone says things like "Modes represent a complete different music practise compared with what we use today" it is not actually accurate, since the major and minor scales are also "modes."
Larry;
The 'something ' you're missing;
1. A key identifies a specific series of 8 consecutive notes [being available].
2.Keys are scales that are based on the Ionion mode series of steps/half steps [WWHWWWH], in other words the spacing [steps/half steps] between the notes.The physical layout of the MD fretboard dictates that the Ionian scale startsat the 3rd fret to the 10th fret [not counting + frets].You can see this by examining fret spacing on your MD. This could be interpreted to say that the only fret you can capo and change the key is the 3rd fret, all the others change the mode. Keep in mind a mode is simply a change in the order of notes on a single string with the spacing dictated by the fretboard, ie.: open = DEF#GABCD [WWHWWHW] is a mode [mixolydian] and capo at 1 = EF#GABCDE [WHWWHWW] is another mode [aolian] using the same notes in a different order and with different spacing between the notes.This is the reason you will need to re-tune or have another MD to play in C.
3. Having the 6+ and 13+ allows playing in both G and D, [DAd] or C and F [CGc] no capo necessary.
4. There is no need to become too concerned about modes this early in your journey.
Hi Guy,
Not really understanding that, are you talking drone style and do you have a 6+. If you raise the 7th then you no longer have a diatonic scale(do you have an example of this, I can't think of one myself), and if you raise the 6th then it's no longer Aeolian but Dorian. In fact, most minor mode tunes you come across are gapped at the 6th and therefore playable in both Dorian and Aeolian, (and Phrygian if you have a 6+).
But that's what you get when talking modes
Dusty said:
I agree, Dusty. I'm afraid this discussion has morphed (like so many seem to do) into another in depth discussion/debate of modes and their usage, and it's likely no longer useful to the original poster. I'm going to close this thread because I feel Larry's question was completely addressed a while back already. Feel free to start a new thread if you'd like to start a continued mode discussion. Thanks!