Forum Activity for @robin-thompson

@ariane I am hoping the coming new year holds better things for you, my friend!  Hugs! 

I agree, chamois cloth works well and is less ugly than rubber shelf liner. Buy it cheaper at a car parts section, because people use it to polish/dry their cherished cars with.

@homer-ross @Robin - unfortunately this year I was not able to organize our "almost traditional" musical Advent calendar and do hope very much that I can create one in the next year with all the wonderful musicians from FOTMD and the dulcimer facebook groups.

Wishing all a peaceful Advent season

Ariane

@homer-ross We've enjoyed the Advent Calendars which @ariane has organized in past years!  This year, though, there is no Advent Calendar.  

Wishing all a meaningful holiday season!    

Another great podcast!

I listen over and over to your podcasts!

Thank you for all you do.

Rather than using shelf liner try a natural shamois skin, the soft and absorbent animal skin sold for drying your car after a wash job.  I used it for years without it adversely affecting the finish on the dulcimer.

Does any one know if the Dulcimer Advent Calendar is available this year? 

I'm happy y'all enjoyed the video!   It's curious to me that Dave Garroway says and repeats the Ritchie family was in South Carolina.  Perhaps they all did gather there at a relative's home yet I can't help but mentally think they must be in Viper KY.   

It seems George Pickow's channel at YouTube has been taken down.  There were some wonderful videos-- Wintergrace , Black Waters , Blue Diamond Mines and others) done by George and Jean and I am very sorry to see them gone.

Celebrating Jean's birth and the gifts she gave the world!  

Thanks Robin. Jean was such a delight. Wish I had known her other than from history. She did so much to promote the mountain dulcimer we all love so much.

It seems I looked up the score for Wintergrace. If memory serves I found it one website that offered it for sale. I think it is still under copyright.

Thanks for this Robin! Family times are the best times!

Thanks for sharing the video link Robin. I've seen that program before, but this is the first time in color. Always interesting watching the Ritchie family.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thank you for that link Robin. I had not seen that video of Jean's family gatherings before. 🎄

Happy Birthday to Jean! Thank you for sharing the video of the family Christmas. Those simple times were the best in many ways.

This morning, I searched YouTube for Jean's Wintergrace (which I believe was on George Pickow's channel) and was unable to find George's channel.  

I'm grateful for all Jean Ritchie shared with the world!  She was born 8 December 1922 in Viper, Perry County KY.  

https://youtu.be/piV-BGDHLF4 

You're correct John. I think it was in the $2,000 to 3,000 range, but I may not remember it all that well.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I don't remember this "Jeopardy!" episode, but I do recall the "Antiques Road Show" episode with the old Virginia dulcimore on it. The appraiser valued it way high, it seemed to me.

Good point, Dusty.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The trick, Ken, is to record the show, memorize the answers, and then ask someone to watch it with you.  When you yell out all the answers they'll think you're so smart!

Haha, Dusty. I'm glad they repeat those old shows. Sometimes the second or third time through I can get the right question for the answer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

If I'm only four or five months late, that's not bad.  I think of new music as anything played since the invention of the steam engine.

Jeopardy has been offering video and photo clues for years. That's nothing new. Also, this show is not new either. It was first broadcast in July of 2022.

Kwn

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Whaaaat?? I didn't think they showed picture clues on that show! Seems crazy.

As the question was asked, they showed a picture of a dulcimer, so the banjo answer was less informed than you might have thought.

That's actually pretty impressive!  Especially also considering that "mountain banjos" are actually a defined type of banjo.

On Jeopardy today:

Answer: The mountain this is the Kentucky state instrument.

Question: What is a dulcimer?

The first contestant to answer guessed a banjo, but the second one got it.

I tried the magnetic pickup route several years ago. The only drawback was the dulcimer sounded more like a guitar than a dulcimer since it only response to the vibrating string and loses a lot of the traditional  sound of a dulcimer

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/newsobserver/name/robert-bryan-obituary?id=12749920

This fellow was quite well known around Raleigh and Garner NC.  His obit mentions him as a dulcimer builder among other things.  Here's the link if anyone wants to read it.

That's a nice find @gail-a, but Howie's HD book is another thing entirely.  Not the same as the Mountain Dulcimer book and recordings we discussed all those years ago on ED.  Both book, by modern standards, are somewhat outdated in their approach to building.  Many things Howie was explaining how to calculate, for example, are commonly found today or easily acquired from on-line calculators etc.  

Found his hammered dulcimer book on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/dulcimerhmitchell1971/page/n45/mode/2up

It shouldn't need much, if any 'setup".  Just perhaps a new set of strings, wiping with a damp cloth, and a couple drops of Peg Dope to make sure the pegs work smoothly.  

The links do not work because the original www.everythingdulcimer.com no longer exists.  The current site called that is nothing like the original.   Gosh -- I haven't been in any contact with David for at least 8 years.  Haven't any idea if he's even still alive.   

There are a couple of archived versions of ALL the conversations we had on ED, but I don't remember who has them posted on-line.    Perhaps someone else will have that link.  The discussions there undoubtedly have David's contact information although it might not be valid any longer.  

Sorry I can't be of more help.  

Are the PDFs still available? The links don't work anymore

His obit googled right up…I’m going to take it to the local luthier and get it set up and give it a try…it seems to be a decent build…

I've never heard of Robert Bryan as a North Carolina builder.  But with over 400 builds he had some superior building skills.  The veined, leaf shaped tuning pegs, the laminated layers of light wood between dark on the tuning head and fretboard, and  skillfully cut sound holes are nice touches.  Probably built in the 1970s or 80s -- no 6+ or 13+ frets common to many post-Revival instruments.  Or perhaps he just liked the older ways of playing.  

I'd suggest keeping it "as is" rather than trying to retrofit 6+ and 13+ frets.  Playing Chord-Melody style tuned DAd would not be easy unless you are willing to re-tune.  Probably best to tune to DAA or even CGG and learn to play Fingerdance or Noter & Drone style.

Have you tried finding the builder's obituary on line?    "robert bryan dulcimer raleigh" should be a good google search string.  An obit will often give you interesting information,  likewise listings in Ancestry and similar sites may gain you more data.

I inherited this dulcimer from a friend. It has a label stating it was made by Robert Bryan of Raleigh. It has the number 412 handwritten on the label. My search doesn't reveal any time frame associated with the number. I can only find that Mr Bryan passed away in 2010. 

Does anyone in the group have any idea as to the age of this instrument? Regardless of value it is very special to me. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 dulcimer.jpg - 172KB

<blushing> Thank you Dusty! And thanks for being a long time listener! </blushing>

In my own wilder past goats were also part of my life, starting out with Alpines & Nubians, but found Toggenburgs were the breed for us.  Lived in 15.95 acres if woods, but when we needed to move, what worked for goats didn't work for people & vice versa.  Finally found a place for both, but eventually too little time.  Our last goat went as a companion to a horse, but my daughters never forgave "giving Cookie away."  May your friend have time, enjoyment, & continuing memories!

Patricia, I just listened to the episode and want to congratulate you and Wayne once again for your stellar work. You did a great job of framing the episode but allowing Ashley to really shine.  Her enthusiasm not just for dulcimer music but for the dulcimer community really comes through.  And ending the episode with Joellen's "Dance and Sing" is just a perfect way to reinforce the way music can bring us together in such a joyous way.

And I can attest--since I was there--that Ashley is correct: the Berkeley Dulcimer Gathering was indeed the first online dulcimer festival, although by the time it happened, several others were in the works.

Thanks so much for all you do!

Welcome Mivo, finally another fellow German Player:)

I started two years ago with a dulcimer from the Klangwerkstatt.

Where do you live in Germany? 

Viel Spass mit deinen neuen Instrument 😀

Welcome Mivo. You have a beautiful McSpadden and it sounds like you are well on your way. I agree to take the time to find your style. There are many paths to follow; all are good. 

Regarding fingerpicking vs flatpicking, I have a similar background.  I've been fingerpicking guitar since 1973, and also fingerpick banjo, both with fingerpicks. However, I've chosen to follow the chord-melody route on dulcimer, with a flatpick. I am enjoying  that, despite my fingerpicking experience.  It's all about you and your own choices.