Forum Activity for @frank-dudgeon

Lovely playing, Robin. And good news about the new CD. Can't wait to hear it.

Very enjoyable, Robin --kind of smooth and mellow...

Thanks Bobby

I think that the shape of the body makes the guitar look bigger than it is. It only has a 23" scale and narrow deep C neck but it looks like a jumbo guitar! The body is quite compact and smaller than many tenor guitars I've seen. I've not seen another one this shape though ?

Thank you all for your comments

I feel very lucky that this tenor guitar found its way to me as I wasn't looking for one. I was given the instrument in a trade for one of my resonator guitars - in fact I was given this tenor guitar, a Frank Profitt and an Ellis Wolf mountain banjos and an 1890s Essex banjo. All are wonderful instruments in their own ways. And, Helen, I'm going to see if I can use them all on the CD project. It is taking some time to put it all together but I'm working on it little by little when time allows.

Wow, that tenor guitulcimer sounds great, Robin. It has a really nice, warm sound. And your playing is just precious. You display such patience with that slow rolling melody. Nice work!

I got this beautiful 1930s Regal tenor guitar in a trade a couple of weeks ago. They are usually tuned in climbing 5ths like a mandolin but starting with a C. But I thought I'd tune it instead to DAda and just play melody over drones on it So there you go - rather than trying to play a contemporary dulcimer like a contemporary guitar. I'm trying to play and old guitar like an old dulcimer I'msort ofgetting the hang of playing the instrument with just one finger!!! I may get as far as two finger playing some time

Thanks John. I found that I could write ABC notation after a very short learning curve too. And all the free programs out that can print it out musically much better than I could by hand.

But it will do "voices" so you can have both a melody and harmony lines. Here's a link for a quick explanation on how to do it.

http://www.lesession.co.uk/abc/abc_extensions.htm#voices

No, the only downside I've found is there is no TAB feature (at least I haven't found it). You can do it by typing out the TAB like lyrics (1st verse is D string, 2nd verse is A string, 3rd verse is d string) but that's kind of tedious way to do it.

John Tose said:

On the whole I find it very easy to use and after a bit of practice to write tunes out in. So much so that if I was jotting a tune down in a notebook now I'd do it in ABC, then when I got home I'd type it into the program and it'd play it for me.

Brilliant. One downside is that it only works for a single melody line.

I use ABC notation all the time. It's a great way to store a lot of music scores and pass them on as they use very little memory, it all being just writing. There are a lot of freely available software options depending on your operating system. I used to use ABC2Win but when we upgraded to Windows XP it wouldn't work properly so I use ABC Navigator instead. Only downside of that one is that it doesn't include a beginners guide to writing ABC. For the uninitiated the ABC above for Little Liza Jane - you would highlight it, and copy the whole thing into an ABC file on your computer, then using your ABC program when you open it it transforms it into a nicely laid out score. The program will even play it back to you, including endless repeats and at whatever speed you want, which is great for learning new tunes. ABC Navigator uses a quite pleasant concertina-like sound.

On the whole I find it very easy to use and after a bit of practice to write tunes out in. So much so that if I was jotting a tune down in a notebook now I'd do it in ABC, then when I got home I'd type it into the program and it'd play it for me.

Brilliant. One downside is that it only works for a single melody line. So great for folk music, but not if you want a score that includes a harmony line. Another is that ABC written on one program might not be entirely compatible with another, so if you've downloaded a song, you might have to change it a bit to work on your program. Looking at Liza above, I can see in fact that it wouldn't play properly on ABC navigator - it wouldn't like the unfinished bars at the end of line one and 3. Easy to fix though.

Just do a search for ABC notation and you'll find useful `how to' guides.

I've never seen this, before. How do you interpret it?

I've just recently joined FOTMD but was wondering if many have any experience using ABC notation?

I know that there are literally thousands (if not more) of traditional songs written in ABC notation and there a quite a few programs (mostly free) that can be used to write, edit, play and print.

For example, Little Liza Jane would be written like this:

T:Little Liza Jane
S:Friends
Z:Nigel Gatherer
L:1/8
M:4/4
K:A
ef | a2 f2 e3 e | fecB A2 ef | a2 f2 e2 c2 | f6
ef | a2 e2 e3 e | fecB A4 | cBAF E2 F2 | A4 A2 :|
z2 | Bccc c3 A | B2 A6 | Bccc cB A2 | F6
E2 | F A3 B3 A | B c3 B3 A | cBAF E2 F2 | A4 A2 :|]

And although they haven't added the ability to do TAB yet, there is a way to add it using lyrics (3 lines of lyrics using finger numbers instead of words or syllables).

I will Kenneth. I've been messing around with the piano for 15 to 20 min. just about every morning since my discovery. We have a regular piano and an electric piano. I really like playing the electric experimenting with the different sounds. Lots of fun.

But right now I am spending a horrible amount of time preparing for a family reunion the end of this month and a Christmas presentation in Dec. I've fallen in love with a new song I am learning to play, "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem". Love the words and music. I've heard this song for years, but never appreciated it until now.

Terry, I love those "ah ha moments" when they occur. Glad to hear about your piano discovery. Keep exploring and experimenting. That's the fun of music.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Ken,I figured that was what the black keys are for, but thanks for the confirmation. I have already began using some of the black keys. I don't really know when to, but by ear I find the right sound.

Lois, I certainly don't play by ear, but more and more I am finding it easier to pick out a song without TAB. I am also getting the hang of playing songs in DAA or DGD, while tuned to DAD or CGC or even BF#B. I just move up the fret board.

In fact, I have dedicated my Don Gardner built dulcimer to playing in noter/drone, always tuned to DAA or DGD. Playing all the songs I play in CGC in DGD, without TAB. Playing by ear? I don't think so, but I believe I'm making progress. I sincerely believe that learning to play in noter/drone has opened up another "ah ha" moment. I think the learning key has been not being stuck in DAd playing with the noter, using the noter or pointer finger to press the middle string. DGD or DAA forces one to use the melody string in its entirety (if that makes sense). The high ringing sound is just beautiful, so old timey sounding.

Good luck Lois.

Terry

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.