Forum Activity for @greatlakes73

Beginner questions about dulcimer care

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Hello! I have a 2006 Warren May all cherry dulcimer I bought used a few weeks ago and am just learning about. I’m in the process of restringing and just wondering, while I have it “naked,” if I should do anything more than wipe it down with a very slightly damp cloth. It looks to be in very good condition. 

one other question: this dulcimer has no extra frets. I’m thinking of leaving it tuned to DAA. I do have another instrument coming next week that has a 6.5 fret, also from Warren May. Should I leave that tuned to DAD or do his dulcimers in general do better with DAA? Please forgive my ignorance. I do have a background in piano but know nothing really about different modes, etc, etc what I’ve tried to pick up from this site so far. Thanks!

FOTMD needs your support

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I want to thank the several members of FOTMD who have made donations this holiday season.  It is so kind and generous of you to support our site during these trying times.  Your thoughtfulness is so much appreciated and keeps this dulcimer network running (for 14 years now!).  Hugs to you and may you have a warm and safe holiday season in the company of good friends and loved ones.  🥰 

Gary Gallier's Dulcimers

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

He told me last spring that he has quit building.  

Don Pedi & Bruce Greene (Loy McWhirter sings, also)

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I'm glad you enjoyed seeing it, friends.  

Don Pedi & Bruce Greene (Loy McWhirter sings, also)

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

That was a delightful video. I enjoyed watching it. Thanks for directing us to it Robin.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Don Pedi & Bruce Greene (Loy McWhirter sings, also)

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

What a wonderful new video to watch and enjoy, Robin!  🥰

Don Pedi & Bruce Greene (Loy McWhirter sings, also)

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

https://youtu.be/3vtOSWqS5oE?si=tbeWZmovuLGaNzo9

updated by @robin-thompson: 12/29/23 05:22:38PM

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

 

Awww, thank you Dusty! <3

Modern Mountain Dulcimers?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I'm sorry to hear that David is no longer building dulcimers. I've owned two of his exceptional instruments.  I'm now trying to determine a fair price for the MMD koa chromatic that I still own (lost the other one in the Paradise Camp Fire), as I no longer play dulcimer.  I'd think the MMD dulcimers would hold their value well, but I've been told that chromatic ones "sell for less."  Hmmm?

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

 @montycraig , I bet you are getting excited about your McSpadden coming soon. I got an hourglass all-walnut McSpadden as my first dulcimer, and it had a voice like an angel!  My daughter has it now. You will be pleased.

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

 @matthewlyon , that dulcimer in your profile photo looks like a lovely instrument- is that the one your wife gave you as a surprise present?
With tall action and a traditional diatonic fret layout, it was smart of you to decide to play it in noter style! I hope you are enjoying it, both when playing with others and playing alone.

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Nice to hear from @Doug-Jones and @Jeannie-in-Paradise. l consider both of you local friends.  And Jeannie, you are the reason I am here. You found me at the original Everything Dulcimer site and encouraged me to join here. I will be forever grateful.

Modern Mountain Dulcimers?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

It's certainly sad for the dulcimer community that David is no longer making dulcimers.

I have a MMD made entirely of lacewood that I got from Aaron O'Rourke.  It has the lowest action of any dulcimer I've ever played.  That's the instrument that helped me develop what passes for my flatpicking technique.

Modern Mountain Dulcimers?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Yes, it's true. A good friend of mine, John Hawk, has been the Modern Mountain rep for many years and he confirmed that David is no longer building dulcimers.

The "I have small hands" idea

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Wow, it was fun reading through this thread again. There is much good encouragement here for all dulcimer players. Thanks for calling it to our attention Strumelia. It caused me to look up the scale length (VSL) of various instruments from mandolins at 13-14 inches to electric bass guitars at 43 inches. Most modern acoustic guitars fall in the 24.5 to 25.4 inch range. Five string and four string plectrum banjos around 26.25 inches. Like John Keane, I find a 27 inch vsl comfortable but I have dulcimers with longer and shorter scales.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The "I have small hands" idea

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

This is a terrific thread and I remember reading it a few years ago when I first started dulcimer. I thought I had small hands when I first started playing, just because I couldn't make chord shapes. It also didnt help anything that my first dulcimer had a 29" vsl. Still, I played it and got used to big stretches and then I started making dulcimers with smaller VSLs. I was able to make much bigger stretches much more comfortably.
So is the lesson that playing on a hard instrument makes easy ones easier? Or is it that I could have had much less struggle and discomfort by only playing on a smaller dulcimer? 
It brings up the question of how much I want to physically challenge myself vs how much I just want to enjoy playing.

Now, I'm convinced I have pretty big hands, but I still prefer a 23" VSL to anything longer.  I have a couple years of practice stretching my hands, but there are still really long stretches that I wouldn't want to try on a 29" VSL.
At one point I really wanted to play more  challenging music, but I get a lot more enjoyment out of having an easy, comfortable time playing less challenging music. Obviously both are valid.
I think the big thing is that no one should ever convince themselves that they  can't  play a longer VSL instrument because of small hands, but making stretches on a shorter VSL instrument is still a lot more comfortable.
Nate

The "I have small hands" idea

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Just ran into this fine thread and I thought it was worth bumping up again - so much good advice and info in it!

Modern Mountain Dulcimers?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I do vaguely remember reading in the past year or two that he announced he was retiring from making dulcimers.. sorry but I cannot recall eactly where I read that.

Modern Mountain Dulcimers?

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I read that David McKinney of MMD may have retired from making dulcimers?  Anyone know if that is true?  Thanks!

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Glad you checked in Jeannie. Remember you had a couple rough times. Hope you find the inspiration to play some tunes. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FOMTD MEMBERS!

OFF TOPIC discussions

I want to wish you all a very blessed day today, in which we remember the birth of the Prince of Peace so long ago.  

How we need His peace today!  Merry Christmas to one and all !

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Jeannie who?   Just kidding!  Of course I remember you!  As we're still (more than a year later) recovering a bit from Hurricane Ian last year, I'm all too familiar with the PTSD attached to natural disasters.  Ian brought back some of mine from 'Nam... 

Hope to see you here more often!!

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Jeannie, welcome back to FOTMD. Yes, I remember you and have wondered what happened to you after the fire. I hope you will start playing again.Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to seeing you here from time-to-time. Best wishes.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I decided to post a 'hello' after not logging on to the group in a few years. I lost three gorgeous, chromatic mountain dulcimers in the Paradise "Camp Fire," and in the stress and chaos and recovery afterwards, I stopped playing, even though I did purchase a beautiful koa chromatic Modern Mountain dulcimer.  Life has continued to move along, and I haven't played in a long time, but I did want to say hello and see if any of my old friends here remember me!

Kora

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

That museum sounds very interesting.   Hopefully I can visit there at some point.  I have a tiny collection of instruments, flutes, ocarinas, a gorgeous tongue drum.  A kora would be a good addition!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FOMTD MEMBERS!

OFF TOPIC discussions

I send my warmest wishes for peace and lots of music-making in the coming year!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FOMTD MEMBERS!

OFF TOPIC discussions

Happy Holidays -- whatever End Of Year holidays you celebrate wherever you are!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FOMTD MEMBERS!

OFF TOPIC discussions

Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Festivus, and Happy New Year to all!  (and i hope you had a happy Hanukkah, though it's now over)  

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FOMTD MEMBERS!

OFF TOPIC discussions

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to all!

https://youtu.be/miOxoTF4dKQ?si=Ed0MMkNJs_3BSk1

@foggers I think of this time of year.

Kora

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

 

Georgia, she is an incredible kora player, thank you for sharing. The kora is an instrument that lends itself to rhythm techniques, so the very high level players do things that most folks would find really daunting, but when using beginner tunings and techniques, it is very easy to get started and make beautiful music.
When I went to the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ they had a small room full of gongs, chimes, large drums and all sorts of easy to "play" instruments like ukuleles and xylophones, which were open to the public to mess around with. I was super excited to see simple koras in there and get to play one. They really are a lot of fun, and very easy to start but quite difficult to master, I'd imagine.
Nate
updated by @nate: 12/23/23 05:26:28PM

Kora

Adventures with 'other' instruments...

I have a CD of Sona Jobarte  playing the Kora.  It's really beautiful, but looks incredibly difficult!

Gary Gallier's Dulcimers

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Did you find GG?

Gary Gallier's Dulcimers

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hope this the right place to post a general question.

Anyhow I emailed Gary at his web page to see if he is still making Dulcimers but I'm not getting any response.  Is he still alive?  And if so is he still making instruments?  Have a good holiday all ;o)

What Are You Working On?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Good hearing from you Robin, we have missed your post. I hope you and all have a Happy, Healthy Holiday Season.

What Are You Working On?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Great to hear what you've been up to @Robin-clark .  👍🏼

@richard-streib , that is a whole lot of cookies!!  🍪

I've been learning to do a little watercolor painting lately, it's a challenge!
I've also been enjoying brushing up on my cursive handwriting while tinkering with fountain pens and bottled ink, and writing in my journal.
Another decades-long hobby of mine is knitting. I really enjoy the social camaraderie in attending various regular gatherings of knitters in my area.

What Are You Working On?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hello all,

Yes, I have been absent from the dulcimer fold for a few years!  The band I played with folded a few years back due to a bereavement and then the pandemic came along.  I picked up guitar again and have been working towards playing/singing as a solo act locally - plus I joined a Welsh MVC.  So that has taken up all my time.  The local Welsh music nights in the pub are the same night as the choir practices - so that has also put me out of the dulcimer loop.

But....I do intend to put some time into a Welsh tunes project next year on the Bocs Cân Idris and perhaps make a CD with my good friend and guitarist Johnathan (who lives 3 doors up!).  All noter drone from me of course!!!!

Have a wonderful festive season everyone.  I'm off to band practice now as I have a one-off gig tomorrow night with a new band doing a bluegrass/Americana set.  No dulcimer for me this time but guitar, dobro and banjo,

What Are You Working On?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Robin, great to see your post! I still rely on your YT videos for 'better' noter playing! Merry Christmas!

What Are You Working On?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Robin!   So good to see you here again!!  Have missed your posts.

What Are You Working On?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I've been working on my Christmas cookies. So far 30+ dozen and I think I am finished. All for giving away to church members, neighbors, and some local businesses where I trade. Decorating is done and most of the wrapping. I'll make the coconut cake for Christmas and help cook dinner on Christmas for the family.
Merry Christmas every one.

Introduce Yourself!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I just realized that I haven't been on here a lot lately, although a few people on here do know me personally. I joined this site back in December of 2011 right after I got my first dulcimer for Christmas and I was surfing around for resources. I'd been playing off and on over the subsequent years and finally got serious about it in 2020 when I joined the Berkeley Dulcimer Orchestra which was forced to go online after only two rehearsals. I would say that's when my journey really began. Since then, I have acquired more dulcimers as a result of joining the Albany Dulcimer Quartet (soon to be a quintet) and wanting to be a "utility" player. As a result, I have a standard, baritone, bass, ginger, and banjammer. I truck most of these with me when I go to rehearsals and have a fun time playing with others. I have just recently discovered 1-3-5 tuning and am having a lot of fun exploring that doing solos, which I recently shared in church. I'm still a low to medium intermediate but am enjoying my journey.