I have both the tenor and tenor D psalteries from Rick Long. Although I must admit to playing the chromatic tenor more often, the D tenor is very useful for playing with dulcimer, Actually, it's not all that hard to tune the two C#'s down to C so you can play in the key of G as well. Also, remember even on the diatonic D tenor you can play in all the modes associated with the major keys of D and G with only the retuning of the two C strings as appropriate.

Rick is the only maker that I know of that makes the D psalteries. All the makers usually make chromatic versions...which have pegs/strings on both sides. The one side are your natural notes, like the white keys of a piano and the other side are your sharps/flats, like the black keys of a piano. The D psaltery would be very easy to learn, but limited to playing in the key of D. My chromatic, from Unicorn Strings is nice in that it comes with clear plastic note guides that show the note of each string. It really helps learning, put you have to know how to read music. They can be removed later on as you get better or you can leave them on, as they are not obtrusive. I love the idea of its being chromatic, so I can play in any key.

Rick makes fine psalteries. I have a Unicorn Strings 2.5 octave chromatic psaltery. They are fun to play, sound beautiful and accompany the dulcimer nicely. They are great portable instruments. Good luck in selling your dulcimer.

DT -- many dulcimers can't use fine tuners because there just isn't room (even for a bead-type fine tuner, not to mention a violin-type fine tuner) aft of the bridge and before the strings turn over the end to the string pins. Especially one the older style instruments with nut and bridge at the extreme ends of the box.

I can't speak to the difficulties folkfan has using zither pins with arthritic hands. But in general I find that although zither pins are harder to tune than geared tuners, they stay in tune much better. Some folks who teach dulcimer to kids prefer zither pins because the kids can't mess with them and put their instruments out of tune.

On my autoharp (made by my uncle at Paw Print Autoharps) he uses not only zither pins but fine tuners similar to those on violins. I am surprised more dulcimers don't have fine tuners.

Jerry, Are you asking about the zither pins on my courting box dulcimer? If you are, then my answer would be that I don't play it as much as I do other dulcimers I have that use geared guitar type of tuners. I have arthritis in my hands. There are times that I a just can't get the zither pins accurately tuned using a wrench. Just gripping the wrench can hurt.

Here's a photo of a smaller instrument I have that uses zither pins.

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/photo/img4887-1?context=user

I'm ready to trash this one as I can't tune the pins on it at all. Good day or bad they are so tight and stiff that controlling the wrench is just too awkward.

Barbara, that is cool! Thanks for sharing it.

Folkfan, love your courting dulcimer, how does it sound? It's on the order of the Sweetwoods Travel Dulcimer.

The only one I can share is a picture of a dulcimer where the sound holes are actually natural holes in the wood. Not real unusual to some, but it isvery neat.

I think that one takes the cake and puts the icing on it. My first thought was a great instrument to play "Pistol Packin' Mama" on. The next was to wonder if the alien finger picks???

My courting box dulcimer is about the most unusual dulcimer that I have a photo of. It has it's own removable lid.

David Mitchell, Howie's son, and the publisher of his classic 1960s book

The Mountain Dulcimer -- How to Make and Play It (after a fashion)

have just made the book available to the dulcimer building and playing public as a pair of downloadable PDF files.

The book has long been out of print and only available through libraries - although the publisher says they have a few copies on hand for sale... Find the links and discussion here:

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=28295&p=344973#p344973

The slightly different 1962, predecessor pamphletis available here:

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=28278

These are not only fabulous resources for wannabe dulcimer builders, but also for players. Back when I got started playing, this and Jean Ritchie's Appalachian Dulcimer book were about all that were available.

I have worked in a nursing home for 24 years and an assisted living for the past year...I havewitnessed the power of music in so many ways. Before I started playing the dulcimer I tried to teach myself to play the keyboard. I would play at work (PAINFULLY slow to start!) you could never have a more grateful and encouraging audience...we would played name that tune ...if they could tell what I was playing then I knew I was getting better...if they couldn't tell they would say how wonderful it sounded anyway! Same thing with the dulcimer today...and when my dog sings along they love it even better! I would encourage everyone to play at least once.

Just seen this story on FOX News. on how some Hospital and a growing number are using Music therapy.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/22/little-music-goes-long-way/?test=latestnews

Thank you for sharing this video! I have felt the power of music, myself, and feel it's as necessary to life as air and water.

Phil, it's a great organization! Thanks to you for drawing our attention to it. And Melody, who works with the organization doing these programs, has now joined FOTMD as a member too! Melody says she loves dulcimer music and has some on her playlists.

Music is such a part of my life that is hard for me to imagine that people don't have access to music twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Music is indeed very powerful and allows us to express our inner soul, whether we are young or old, music makes us feel. It reminds us of moments in our life, helps us heal, and brings a smile to our faces. Thank you for posting this Phil, it reminded me of the true power of music and our responsibility to bring that joy to others on a daily basis.

Strumelia Thank you for adding this to my post. I wish I had this information when I received the link from a friend.

Phil, great discussion title. Music has been VERY powerful in my life. When I finally hit bottom 8 years ago, God drew me up out of the pit through music and I finally put my trust in Jesus. I haven't played in a nursing home yet, but have seen how music affects children, sometimes calms them and sometimes winds them up

Phil, that is something very, very special that you are playing for your mother now.

I have been going to the nursing home and playing for my Mom. I don't think I am that good yet on the dulcimer but it sure seemed to draw a crowed around her door last week. I normally play my flute or guitar for her. I have been learning a lot more of the old hymns for her.

Hi, John! Your point about young people and music is right on the mark.

It's fascinating to me how in the video, it seems it was the singing and enjoyment of music when he was a younger man that caused hearing the music on the iPod to trigger something in the gentleman's brain. As Strumelia wrote about classical music being such a joy to her mother and continuing to be even as her body weakened. . . The languages of music can speak, move us in mysterious ways. I'm awed by this.

John E. Wood said:

Having played in nursing homes, I've experienced this. Music is really a powerfully moving force. I'm not in the healing profession but I know there are studies going on regarding the healing effects of music. And I firmly believe that encouraging young people to MAKE some kind of music has to have some upbuilding effect on their lives. The mountain dulcimer is one of the instruments well suited to making music easy for many folks who have neither the time nor the financial resources or talent to master a more complicated instrument. I'm glad to be a part of the mountain dulcimer community. Best wishes to all.

Phil, what a WONDERFUL video to watch....brought tears to my eyes this morning. Everyone should watch this to the end of the video- gets better and better.

My mother spent her last 2.5 years in a nursing home near me, and I made sure she had her classical music radio station playing all day in her room, every single day. I would make sure and check that the nurses turned it on every day. It played while I sat with her as she died, too. Classical music was my mother's biggest joy in life. (Aside from spending time together the two of us, that is.)

Phil, this video is powerful! Music, whether 'live' or recorded, has the power to move mountains. Recorded music-- music that sounds just as (or much like) what the older person heard when younger-- could trigger something buried in the mind. Miraculous.

Thanks a million for posting this link! I'm going to have Mark watch this video.

As musicians we sometime don't realize how the music we make may effect someone else life. If you have ever had the opportunity to play in a nursing home you can see it upon the face of the peple that live there.

I was not sure where to post this video. but it truly show the power of music.

(Strumelia edit):

Here is a link to Music and Memory , a non-profit organization helping the elderly through music, where you can find out more about their wonderful programs and you can help!

http://www.musicandmemory.org/

Thanks for the link phil,

'Gum Tree Canoe' I mentioned earlier is No 10.

john p

if I may be so bold I would like to post a link of John Hartford. here is a quote from the person that posted this series of video.

"Shot in a studio with TV cameras, and no audience, John sings many favorites on this video.
Never released on DVD, and no longer produced on VHS, this OOP video is getting harder to find.
I was lucky enough to obtain a sealed copy and encode off the 1st play of the tape."

John Hartford - Learning To Smile

One of my favorite John Hartford albums is Hamilton Ironworks. He does a fair amount of talking on this album, partly about the people he learned from or played with growing up, partly about the songs. He sticks to fiddle on this album, leaving the banjo to Bob Carlin, a fine clawhammer player. I like the stories almost as much as the songs. Try listening here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B00005NNKU/ref=pd_krex_listen_dp_img?ie=UTF8&refTagSuffix=dp_img

I also like Johns Steamboat songs a lot.

Paul

"Really all it's about is an offset from whatever tonic key you're playing in, itself very often somewhat questionable when you're playing something pentatonic, for example. It's easier to describe the offset from tonic and the key."

If you play chords, the correct chords for the mode are made from the scale that contained in that mode. If you use drones, they come from the scale that the mode contains. The drones are nearly always the root and fifth, but the chords created from the scale will use notes not available in all closely related modes. This is the misunderstanding that I referred to. And it comes in great part from the belief that extra frets and capos can give us any mode in the same key in any tuning. Which is why many players use an A7 chord where they should be playing a C. And why I have seen some players play DAA tabs in DAD tuning, ignoring the fact that they are playing the melody in G, but the drones are in D. It grates on the ears like nails on a black board, and they don't grasp the difference. Because someone told them the extra fret makes it work. The fact that the pentatonic song doesn't use all the notes doesn't change the fact that the harmonies depend upon a certain modal scale. The harmony may require notes not contained in the melody. Chromatic instruments are less bound by these dictates, as the notes are always available, and as chromatic players, we don't focus on what tuning will give us the missing notes. As diatonic players, if we ignore this body of knowledge, we rob ourselves of the ability to use this knowledge to make our music sound good. When we choose between the use of drones or chords, this is a conscious decision, dictated by our tastes. When we choose not to learn, we hamper ourselves from making other conscious decisions.

Paul

Randy, Thanks for posting this video. Mostly I don't listen to mountain music on the fiddle, but Mr. Hartford playing gives a sweet sound to this tune. Mostly I tend to associate the fiddle with a screech (guess I haven't heard many good fiddle players or the right tunes). I'll have to do a search and see if I can find more of his work.

Truth to tell, in the past, Ashokan Farewell is the only fiddle tune that I've listened to and really enjoyed. Thanks again.

Not necessarily true. Modes as simple descriptors in the way that dulcimer players use them are very useful. Whenan OT session goes to the key of A the fiddlers may use AEAE forBuffalo Gals, Old Joe Clark and Cluck Old Hen etc. However, we need 3 different A tunings for those 3 tunes (ionian, mixolidian, dorian) - so it is pretty handy to have our own descriptors (and to some extent be able to hear the scales) to be able to place the root A on the right starting fret through re-tuning. It saves a lot of time and confusion to be able to call modes. And they are not an offset from the tonic key on the dulcimer as you cannot add a flattened 3rd for this or a flattened 7th for that - we don't have the semitones! You have to physically move the start point of the scale on the instrument through re-tuning.

Thosemodal names are bloody useful for traditional playing styleswhere you have touse a lot of different tunings.

Jeremy Main said:

Mostly because the Victorians made it complicated and then added an extra layer of nonsense by adding those quasi-mystical Greek names. Really all it's about is an offset from whatever tonic key you're playing in, itself very often somewhat questionable when you're playing something pentatonic, for example. It's easier to describe the offset from tonic and the key.

It sounds like A mixolidian - like many Irish derived tunes (Red Haired Boy etc). Try A',A,A or A',A,d with a 6+

Loved this guy and his presentation.

One of my treasured videos is of him singing 'Gum Tree Canoe' on an empty stage. I shall have to go see if I can find it again, it's on one of my old machines or a CD somewhere.

I think it's Dorian Randy, but I've come across these Appalachian fiddle players before and they aren't too fussy about modes. They seem quite happy to play something in between if they can't make up their mind whether it should be a major or minor interval.

john p

Got down the dulcimer and played several John Hartford tunes. Surprising how easily they transfered. He was such a talent. I'd have to listen a few more times to see if I could determine the mode. It sounds like it'll be a fun tune to learn.

Thanks, Randy. John was one of the great ones.

I liked John a lot, too. But I'm not convinced most dulcimer players understand modes any better than any one else. I am sure some do, but a lot of us are still misunderstanding modes.

Paul

I know what you mean about listening to John Hartford play. I feel the same way. he was one of the great ones.

I was perusing BHO this morn and came across a thread about this tune.. Squirrel Hunters. It is comical when the banjo dudes try to determine the mode...they don't understand it like dulcimer players...uh huh...we're the experts about modes!

I am always inspired when I hear John Hartford. Somehow what passes thru to me is a determination and confidence and I want to practice, and practice, and maybe the music could flow out from inside me like it did for him.

So what mode is it?

Strumming the small kantele is so much fun!

I reworked the chord chart I have uploaded here the other day.

I tried to show which of the most common chords are available on the five string kantele. I added the chart as jpg and as pdf here.

On the five string kantele, some chords are incomplete ambiguios (i.e. identical fingerings may stand for different chords. For example, A and Am are identical, because there is no c or c# string. Em (e-g-b) and C (c-e-g) are identical, because there is no c and no b string on the five string kantele). Incomplete chords become "completed" and distinct when someone sings or plays a melody instrument along.

If there are any mistakes or if you have suggestions, just let me know. Thank you.

Thank you, Macy Jayne. Looks like you are well on your way with your Kantele. You did a beautiful job on the instrument and learning the song. I also appreciated the link to the video where you bought yours.

Thank you, Barbara, for alerting Macy Jayne to this post.

I'd love to get additional feedback from others out there. It's a pretty sounding instrument and it's not common. That's what makes it interesting.

Here's a link to where I bought my kit and their vid about kanteles.

http://www.harpkit.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=kantele

I appreciated your suggestion about Ken's video. You didn't know if I saw it yet or not. Maybe Macy Jane will post...I don't know her. Thanks for the post.

Barbara P said:

Sorry I couldn't be of any help frets alot.

Barbara, Yes , I did see Ken's video. But he didn't talk much about some of the things I was interested in or actually play songs on it. So, that's why I thought I'd see if I could get more information here.
Barbara P said

Have you seen this video on Youtube? I think Ken Bloom gives a nice overview of the instrument:

You can also ask Macy Jane who just built one. She's a member here and I am sure she could answer some questions.