Epinette des Vosges
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Wow what a beauty - would love to hear sound clip!Can you talk her into posting something somewhere so we can listen in?
Forum Activity for @foggers
Epinette des Vosges
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Deborah is away from home right now. She is a professional beer taster (yes, really) and is currently judging at Denver's Great American Beer Festival.As soon as I can, I will get her to measure the string length on the pinette and let you know.Michael
Epinette des Vosges
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
Wow, what an instrument! And 8 strings, too.Do you know what its scale length is?
Epinette des Vosges
Adventures with 'other' instruments...
My friend Deborah, from Montreal visited recently and brought her Epinette.It's a beautiful instrument that she had made for her by a Canadian builder.
updated by @michael-vickey: 06/11/15 07:21:49AM
Only 10 to go till 200 members
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The next new member will be #400.The next big FOTMD virtual food party might include blackeyed peas. It's a New Year thang.Anyway, happy New Year --Dick
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LOL razyn said:
Here's some individually wrapped leftover Halloween candy -- not everybody on FOTMD is so @#$% healthy...
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Here's some individually wrapped leftover Halloween candy -- not everybody on FOTMD is so @#$% healthy...
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Rod Westerfield said:
Sorry, I ate the last ones. Have a pickled egg instead.no problem.. here's your cider... pass the cookies please...
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no problem.. here's your cider... pass the cookies please...
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Robin- yes seems like just a couple weeks ago that 'little baby Fotmd' was born. Remember when it was only about 6 of us? ;D I was so worried that not much more would happen.(Rod, pass that cider on down the table, wouldja?)
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no orange juice... fresh cold apple cider... yum yum..
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Hmm. What would be good to eat with pickles, pickled beets, cookies, and applesauce?Chocolate, of course! Then we'll wash it all down with orange juice. LOLSeems like just yesterday that little FOTMD was born. . .Thanks, Strumelia!
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Michael Vickey said:
Thank you. :)Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer is growing slowly but surely (I think it's about four months old now).The best thing is that so many of our members are actively participating and really seem to enjoy being part of our little community. FOTMD is vibrant and full of bright enthusiasm!When I created it, I envisioned a place where both advanced players and brand new beginners could learn and grow side by side, and feel equally at home. A place that would appeal to advanced players yet have its highest goal be that of encouraging beginners. It amazes and delights me that FOTMD seems to be fulfilling that vision exactly. Its members are what make FOTMD special and successful ....it is each one of YOU who should be thanked the most! :)300 this morning!
Break out the bubbly.Congratulations, Strumelia. Thanks for creating the FOTMD site.Michael
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300 this morning!Break out the bubbly.Congratulations, Strumelia. Thanks for creating the FOTMD site.Michael
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wow only 2 new members to gain and it's 300 member party time.. everybody get ready...way to go Strumelia who would thought....what a site...
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I've been enjoy Apple cider here lately so I'll have a couple gallons chilled and ready...
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razyn said:
In case y'all aren't counting, it's almost time for the 300-member international picnic and dulcimer jam.
Pickles and cookies, hmm... what else would be good with that?I have some home made apple sauce!Dick
Gosh, it seems like just yesterday when we hit 200!
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In case y'all aren't counting, it's almost time for the 300-member international picnic and dulcimer jam.Pickles and cookies, hmm... what else would be good with that?Dick
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Rod Westerfield said:
Ok Rod, I see those hot dog buns in the background.... yer holdin' out on us, aren't you ?!Oh...wait...11/04/2006...? Think I'll pass on those cookies! =8-oOnly 2 left ta go.... so here are my cookies ready for the party... sorry didn't have the the stuff for no bakes... so we have banana nut cookies...
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Only 2 left ta go.... so here are my cookies ready for the party... sorry didn't have the the stuff for no bakes... so we have banana nut cookies...
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Ok I'll bring no bake cookies this time... a few on here know about the cookies...maybe then you'll only be in Cookieonian for awhile.... lol
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Yer making me blush now, 'Mo'.OK so yesterday I made the pickled beets and the bread&butter pickles already for the virtual block party 200 member celebration :
Who else is bringing what?Jim Fawcett- how about some of your pure home raised honey?Anyone else got something to bring?Mo, can you bring something besides your wheat-a-pix this time?- last time they got my innards all gummed up and I was stuck in mixolydian for a week! =8-oLet's see some pictures of what folks are bringing to the imaginary FOTMD Big 200 !.... :DAnd who will be our surprised 200th member? Give them a party hat and a noisemaker!
updated by @strumelia: 05/06/25 11:41:48PM
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Wow the family just keeps growing... only 10 more and 200 members... so what are we going to do to celebrate? .... thanks Strumelia for starting this gathering of friends now family....3 cheers for our leader...
updated by @rod-westerfield: 10/27/19 12:02:25PM
Terminology is always so interesting.What I call a "standard dulcimer" refers to my usual body shape and the dimensions of various parts. Each one I build tends to be unique even when they are a standard model as this is the way I prefer to work.I consider a custom dulcimer to be a variation on my standard, usually involving extra frets, number of strings, choices of wood or figured wood, scale length, fingerboard width, etc.I also make the occasional "one of a kind" dulcimer which may be larger, smaller, a different shape or structural design, etc.I set the standard for my "standard dulcimer" very high so sometimes I think that if I made a model and called it a "performance model" it might be confusing. Some people might think that the "standard dulcimer" is not as good as the "performance model" or some such thing.
Many luthiers use the term "Performance Model" or "Concert Model" to name their high end models that have the best quality tuners, ebony fretboard, larger soundbox, a built-in pickup, and various other combinations of stuff that make the instrument 'superior' or different in both practical and aesthetic ways. Naturally all these features tend to cost more.None of the features will actually make you a better player, and some don't even make the instrument sound better. Some of the features might make better instruments for playing in a performance or concert setting. Others might not.As we all know, everyone's idea of what sounds 'better' is different. I used to be very impressed by big resonant boomy dulcimers with deep tone. Now I prefer light silvery tender sounding dulcimers with more shallow soundboxes. Our tastes all change with time.Nothing wrong with buying a fancy high end dulcimer if that's what you want and it has features you want for your playing. :)
updated by @strumelia: 02/03/16 01:06:13AM
Ken it is set up... the first 3 strings are a normal dulcimer arrangement, if you play the last 3 strings you have a bass dulcimer, if you use the 3 middle string it is a baritone... yes the strings are equidistant.... how do I play..hmm still experimenting with that...I have used a noter and let the other strings drone, have chorded which was fun figuring out chords to use all the strings... have just played sets of 3 strings... this is Gary - Prussia Valley's Extended range dulcimer...the melody can get lost if your not careful... I have even tried fretting the melody and 3rd string at the same time... the choices are wide...
Rod - you've got two strings on your Bass course; plus two strings on the Middle Drone course, and only a single melody string? Or do you have 5 equidistant strings on that Baritone? How do you play? Chord Melody? Accompaniment chords only? Sure seems like the volume of that single melody string would get lost among all the other sounds.
Shas - basically most dulcimers have three "courses" of strings - Bass, Middle and Melody. Any course can have 1, 2, or even 3 strings. B M m is common (3 strings), as is B M mm (4 strings, doubled melody). Sometimes you'll see BB M mm for a 5 string and the two bass strings can be equally thick, or one can be a thin string tuned an octave higher than the other. BB MM mm is a six string - sometimes called a "church" dulcimer if it has a deeper and wider body for a louder sound.Then there are those wacky 4-equidistant string dulcimers which can't seem to make up their mind if they're a uke or not! They really are ideal for people who specialize in fingerpicking or flatpicking with the right hand, but cornfusin' for the rest of us!
Thanks Greg I had c# then retyped and oops... Greg Gunner said:
Rod's answer explains things pretty well with one exception. In the Key of "D" the 7th note of the scale is a "C#", not a "C".
D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-d
His explanation of the relationship of the numbers in the tuning designation to the letter names for the notes is right on.
Greg
yes and no... if you have 4 strings with the melody strings close together then...yes you look at as being 3 strings... but some people play with 4 strings equidistant.. so that would be the 4 string...in regards to 1-5-5 and 1 -5-8those are the notes in the scale you tune to for example..Key of DD E F# G A B c dso in 1-5-5 you get 1=D 5=Ain 1-5-8 you get 1=D 5=A 8=dKey of CC D E F G A B c1-5-5 1=C 5=G1-5-8 1=C 5=G 8=chope this makes sense, if not I can try to explain more...
updated by @rod-westerfield: 01/26/16 11:31:12PM
Well, I think I can handle your 1st question about labeled in the Key of D. Look at the note that the tune resolves in. If it's a 3 then play DAA, if it's a 0 then play the tune in DAd. The Ionian scale pattern traditionally began on the 3rd fret of the diatonic dulcimer, so the d you would need to start your scale would be found at the 3rd fret. With a true Mixolydian mode tune the scale pattern starts at the open string or 0. If, however, your dulcimer has a 6+ fret, you can start the Ionian mode pattern at 0 as well. If a tune in Ionian uses the 9th fret in DAA, you'd use the 6+ starting the scale at 0. If the tune doesn't use the 9th fret in DAA, then it doesn't matter about the 6+, you can play the tune from 0 on a strictly diatonic dulcimer anyway. The lower notes of the tune (below 3 in DAA) will have to be played on the middle string.Question 2. Tuning the instrument to itself. Tune the bass string to a pleasant note, not too tight, or mushy so that it buzzes. Bounce up and down on the string, does it still vibrate well, can you fret it with out too much pressure. This will become your Open string note or Key note (call it the key of X for unknown, if you like). Go to the 4th fret and sound that note, then tune the other strings to it. Now in tuning the other strings you will need to get a feel for when you are going too high or tight. The string starts resisting going up (you turn the gear but the note doesn't seem to want to change), it doesn't vibrate as freely, it becomes too tight to press down on. If these things start to happen, down tune immediately or BOING is the next thing that will happen. Years ago when my hearing was better, I'd try for DAA and usually end up with C#G#G# if I wasn't using a tuner. I've learned to keep extra 9 volt batteries on hand at all times now, as I tend to forget to turn my tuners off. :-( And as to changing strings, if you want to change from one key to another and depending on how sensitive your hearing is will probably determine if you want to change strings. I use a guage that I can go from CGG to DAA with no problem, but DAd is stretching it. And that is what happens when you change keys frequently, your strings more quickly lose their ability to hold the notes. They simply wear out faster. Some individuals will swear that they hear a difference in the sound of DAd and DAA, I don't. And they prefer different gauges for those note changes.Question 3 the final d in DAd indicates that it is an octave higher. Yes, you are correct.
Dan, it actually is an issue with banjos, I can say that much. That's why many banjos have compensated bridges. Dan Daniels said:
Interesting postings about incorrect fret placement or sharping up the finger board. As a luthier with 28 years behind me I've never heard the argument that string gauge effects intonation. You may be pressing too hard or sharping by bending but more likely your frets are incorrectly spaced.
Maybe string gauge does have something to do with sharp notes but this is the first place I've ever heard it!Just my thoughts on this very early Monday morning.