Forum Activity for @ken-hulme

Those black keys are for the frets your dulcimer doesn't have....

Years of piano left me figuring there were those who played by ear and those who couldn't. I even too one of those one night wonder courses on playing by ear, but had a heck of a time figuring out where to start. My other instruments never helped as I still needed SMN or at least tab even though I could transpose to different keys. Only dulcimer has helped me realize even I can pick out melodies and the rest of the accompaniment. Okay it's still fairly primitive and at a beginner level, but I'm looking at the BINGO or A HA moment from the opposite side and loving it.

Ahaaaaa! Thanks Paul. Another window opens up.

You are using C for D, D for E, etc. Now try using D for D, E for E, etc. When you get to F, you will find it sounds wrong. Go to the black key just right of F, and it will be the F# you need for the key of D. Another "Aha!" moment? That's what the black keys are for. When you get to C, you will find that a great many songs will need the black key just right of C-C#. Go try it, your wife will be tickled!I learned enough about scales & chords playing guitar to find songs on a piano. I won't ever be mistaken for a pianist, but I can make songs come out of it.Kicking & screaming, but they come out.

Thanks man, I'm enjoying it. Still playing the dulcimer though, it will always be my main squeeze. Ain't no piano gonna turn my clock around.

R N Lackey said:

That's great, Terry. Keep up the good work!

That's great, Terry. Keep up the good work!

Yep.

Carrie, I'm with Dan, it's just "too cool". My wife thinks it cool too. It's like this neat little discovery took the big secret out of the closet. Now the challenge is to figure out how to use more than one finger and what those black keys are good for. Carrie, I don't know much about a pump organ, I just hope it's not something that's catching.

Last night I experienced a new "ah ha" moment. My wife plays piano and over the years I touched the one in our home several times, but it was so foreign to me the touch didn't last long.

Well, after playing the dulcimer for 18 months now, I sat down at the piano and "bingo!". Starting at middle C on the piano white keys (wife told me this much), I discovered I can play, with one finger, songs that I play on the dulcimer. Middle C is D, next key to the right of middle C is E (tuned DAd), and so on and so forth up the key board. Middle string on the dulcimer are the keys to the left of middle C.

This may sound pretty elementary to some, but to me this was huge in understanding music and the scary piano. Just delighted by this discovery.

Terry

I suspect a metal noter would make more noise as it touched the frets. As for steel strings cutting the brass, in theory it could, but not in one lifetime. I have used a brass slide on guitars for a couple of decades. I made it from a brass pipe nipple, with the ends cut off. I also have one made of a bone from a deer leg. It's softer than the brass one. Eventually, they bone would be cut, I suppose, but you turn it to a new place and keep playing. The meat didn't last near as long as the bone has, and it's still going strong.

For slide guitar, the slide is really used as a movable fret, letting you play a note wherever you place the slide, even if there is no fret there. You ideally want a fairly high action for slide playing, to stay away from the frets. The sound of the slide hitting the frets is not music. Look at a steel guitar some time, the nut is 1/4" or more above the fret board. It can't be played with bare fingers at all, with the exception of playing harmonics.

As Ken said, each material sounds different. I like thick glass best, but I dropped it a few times over the years, and it was no more. It had a crack from cutting it off the wine bottle, but it was the floor that really did it in. Steel works, but it rusts, stainless is better, but thin wall tubing lacks something in sound quality, I prefer thicker. The bone sounds good, but I think it needs to be thicker, too. A cow leg bone might be worth trying. I may have to steal a soup bone before Mrs. Wanda cooks it! There are also ceramic slides, but I never tried them. The brass one is fairly thick, and sounds better than the stainless one I have.

Different noter materials give you different sounds wood versus steel versus brass versus glass versus bamboo.

Brass wouldn't make a particularly good noter, as it would be"cut" by the steel strings almost as easily as a hard wooden noter.

A slide is a guitar tool that presses down across all the strings, but does not actually press them down to the frets. Slides are usually, but not always, steel or glass.

A noter is a dulcimer tool that presses the melody string(s) only down to the frets. Noters are usually, but not always, wood orbamboo/cane.

A slide is sort of a wannabe noter

My dulcimer playing stand arrived today from Rae Lynn Woods. I really like it and it folds up nicely for storage. I am rather short and sometimes have trouble getting the dulcimer stable across my legs. It isn't a problem at all with it on the stand! Although I got this to use during upcoming knee replacement surgery, I'll probably use it all the time. Thanks to all of you for your various recommendations.

Thanks for the advice Matt, but alas, I have already bought and cut the 3/4 pipe and in process of putting the pipe together. Will let you know how it works out. I already have a sturdy wooden dulcimer playing stand which I leave set up in my studio and I was just building this one for use at gigs. I made several dulcimer stands out of 1/2" tubing and they work great for propping up your dulcimers. Take care and thanks again for your help.

Matt Berg said:

I do not think 3/4 pvc is a good idea. The biggest problem with pvc is that it bends, thicker pipe less, thinner pipe more. If you want to stay with 3/4, I strongly suggest building a "walker" type stand. The type I built relies on a single upright which would be wobbly if 3/4".

I leave an instrument on my stand as the stand is very steady. Besides, neither of my cats is big enough to knock it over.

Joseph Besse said:

Thanks for the PDF list Matt. I decided to use all 3/4" tubing and stick to a sit-down stand. Hope this works OK. BTW, I assume you do not leave the stand un-attended for fear of someone knocking it down when not playing.

I got my walker out and even with it adjusted all the way down it is too high for playing while sitting. I have ordered one of the wooden Rae Lyn stands. I'll let you know how I like it once it gets here.

I do not think 3/4 pvc is a good idea. The biggest problem with pvc is that it bends, thicker pipe less, thinner pipe more. If you want to stay with 3/4, I strongly suggest building a "walker" type stand. The type I built relies on a single upright which would be wobbly if 3/4".

I leave an instrument on my stand as the stand is very steady. Besides, neither of my cats is big enough to knock it over.

Joseph Besse said:

Thanks for the PDF list Matt. I decided to use all 3/4" tubing and stick to a sit-down stand. Hope this works OK. BTW, I assume you do not leave the stand un-attended for fear of someone knocking it down when not playing.

Members of FOTMD are such a creative bunch. I wouldn't have thought of the walker idea. :)

And for the sitting position, the adjustable feet can be removed and that might just be low enough to use playing when sitting.

Another idea would be a TV tray. If you could find a wooden one, you could even cut the legs down a bit so it is a perfect height.

Good luck with therapy too.

Thanks for the PDF list Matt. I decided to use all 3/4" tubing and stick to a sit-down stand. Hope this works OK. BTW, I assume you do not leave the stand un-attended for fear of someone knocking it down when not playing.

Joseph,

1" PVC tubing fits snugly inside 1 1/4" tubing. I used those sizes. My parts list is attached. s you can see, I started with a slightly taller stand, but needed to cut it down just a bit.

Good Luck,

Matt

PS. I haven't unloaded a pdf to this site yet. If it doesn't display properly, I will upload a jpg.

Now I see how you did it. I think I will make one just to use while sitting only. Can you tell me what size PVC you used? Looks like 3/4" for bottom part and maybe some dimensions. Thanks a lot for your help on this project. That stand is a neat one and I am sure there will start to be many around at local jams.

Joseph,

I used a pipe clamp. First I used a band saw to cut four slits down the pipe from one end. This gives just enough room that the pipe clamp can tightened and hold up the top. I was concerned that the band saw would not cut wide enough slits, but it worked just fine.

Don't really like that I need to use a screwdriver to tighten the clamps. If I do this again I will replace the screws with a thumb screws or something similar.

Matt

Hi Matt, wondering how you got the legs to extend with the clamps. I replied to you in the For Sale section also.

Matt Berg said:

Gail,

I was laid up this summer with a very broken ankle and spent most of my time in a wheelchair. I just posted in the for sale forum the stand that came out of that situation. It works very well while sitting and reasonably well while standing (though you might not use that for a little bit.) I have attached a picture.

If you know someone reasonably handy, they could probably make you one based on my pictures. If you want to purchase mine, great! Please, measure the width of the wheelchair or other chair you will use. This stand accommodates up to 27 1/2 inches. If you will need something wider, let me know and I will make a new one.

If someone chooses to make one for you and that person has questions, feel free to have the contact me.

Matt Berg

If a walker does not work for you try fashioning one from PVC pipe.

Matt, thanks for the information on your stand. I think I am going to order one of the Rae Lyn stands. I have limited storage space and it looks like it folds up easily and doesn't require much space.

Gail,

I was laid up this summer with a very broken ankle and spent most of my time in a wheelchair. I just posted in the for sale forum the stand that came out of that situation. It works very well while sitting and reasonably well while standing (though you might not use that for a little bit.) I have attached a picture.

If you know someone reasonably handy, they could probably make you one based on my pictures. If you want to purchase mine, great! Please, measure the width of the wheelchair or other chair you will use. This stand accommodates up to 27 1/2 inches. If you will need something wider, let me know and I will make a new one.

If someone chooses to make one for you and that person has questions, feel free to have the contact me.

Matt Berg

My wife and I purchased a personal table from Staples for her to put her flutes on. I was thinking it might do well for my mountain dulcimer as well.

http://www.staples.com/Sudden-Solutions-30-inch-Personal-Folding-Table/product_777587

But the idea of the keyboard stand might be a little lighter and more portable.

Thanks for all of the ideas. I think I can make one of these work for me. I'm going to try to talk my teacher into loaning me his for a month or two, but I doubt that's going to happen!

You can use a keyboard stand. I use a single frame X stand. There are double frame models for heavy keyboards, but no mountain dulcimer would be near the weight of a large keyboard. Mine was on sale at Sam Ash Music for $9.95 several years ago. This is what they look like http://www.sweetwater.com/c508--Keyboard_Stands?utm_source=MSN&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=keyboards&utm_term=keyboard_stand

It can be raised for standing players, or lowered for sitting players. Good luck with your knee replacement, I am investigating it myself.

Gail, no, the Rae Lynn stand isn't adjustable and that's probably my only beef with it. A few years ago my wife insisted on "gussying up" my office/music room. She wanted a "dressier" pair of chairs and I ended up with a couple oversized and overstuffed parson's chairs with the seat about 17-1/2 inches off the floor. This stand works well for me at that sitting height, but I've also used it with regular kitchen/dining type chairs and it was comfortable. I've often though that I'd just trim a bit off the legs if I found a chair that I wanted to use exclusively for playing my dulcimer.

Those walkers are height adjustable so you can use them sitting or standing. The ones I've seen, the player uses something like a rubber band or bungee to hold the dulcimer in place "just because". Bubble gum and string might also work. There are all sorts of solutions if you put your mind to it.

Barbara, thanks for offering to cheer me on. I had my right knee replaced back in 2008 and it has done great (although the recuperation and therapywas no fun). I just got surgery scheduled today for December 2nd to do my left one - it was down to bone on bone on the x-ray today. If I need encouragement during this one, I may call on you!

Barbara Gill said:

Gail, I don't have much to say about the stand but I can cheer you on about the knee replacement. I had my right one done last December and the left in March. I love my new knees and being able to walk without pain again! If you have any questions I can answer, feel free to contact me.
Barbara

Mark, the walker is an interesting idea and I already have one from my other knee replacement a few years ago. I want to play in a sitting position - could you do that with the walker? Also, what holds it in place?

Mark Richardson said:

My partner is 2 weeks into her New Hip... she uses a walker, but I've been using one for years... $5.00 at Goodwill

I use a 'walker', in a different discussion, we talk about stands. The walker does dual purpose...you can use it with your new knee in the healing process, and it holds your dulcimer just fine. I've decorated one and use it on stage...I DON"T have to strap it down, and I can play pretty fierce sometimes..

Ivan,

I looked at the ones on Rae Lynn Woods site and like those. Can you use them sitting and are they adjustable? If you don't know, I can contact them and ask. Thanks for the info.

Ivan Bradley said:

Then, if you want to go fancy, there's this one: Rae Lynn Woods

I have one of these and like it pretty well. I added more felt than what they included, but it might just be over-cautiousness on my part.

Then, if you want to go fancy, there's this one: Rae Lynn Woods

I have one of these and like it pretty well. I added more felt than what they included, but it might just be over-cautiousness on my part.

It looks like I am heading to a knee replacement soon - going to see my orthopaedic surgeon this afternoon. I think I would like to be able to play dulcimer during recovery once I am up to it. I would like a stand to place the dulcimer on (rather than my healing left knee)! Folkroots made a really nice one (my teacher has one) but it's no longer available. Does anyone know of a good dulcimer playing stand? I have seen one on line that is wood and cloth with a place to put your music, but didn't really like the looks of that one. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Better late than never, Frank! At 68 you're just at the right age to start learning to play!

Sounds like you're on your way! Have fun, and post any questions you come up with. Someone here will be able to answer.

My dulcimer is one I built from a kit over 40 years ago. I had it all done except for the wood finish and strings. Well life got in the way somewhere alone the line and finally last year I ordered strings and a tuner for it. This August (why hurry) I finished the wood with a satin urethane, strung it and tuned it. I added learning to play it to my bucket list and at 68 years decided it was time to get started. I noticed that the higher frets were really hard to get the strings to contact. After searching these forums I found that the height at the nut end was OK but the bridge was over 5/16 inch. So I trimmed it down some and it is much easier to make contact with the frets now. The bridge was glued in so I used a band saw to trim it. I can't remember what company make the kits but it about 1970 -72 time frame. Next improvement may be geared pegs - the friction one are hard to fine adjust. I make a forked stick to help with the fine adjustments. - take care folks

LOL! Thanks Phil!

phil said:

John Loved the Video. Now I have that tune stuck in my head. But that's ok I like it.