Forum Activity for @benjamin-w-barr-jr

I am stunned to learn of this.  I have been thus far a one-time contributor with an article that I wrote on Dulcimer Association of Albany's yearly festival Mountain Dulcimer Music Festival.  I had written another article but that has yet to see the light of day from DPN.  I've enjoyed what interactions I've had with Ashley and realize that this decision doesn't come easy.  I was actually hoping to get to a point where I would travel around the country a bit and take in other festivals and maybe write on those.  I do wish Ashley the best.  If I were younger (and perhaps had a bit more money) I might have thought about taking this venture over; but at my current age (68) I'm trying not to tie myself down too much.  This is sad news as since when I first learned of DPN in the mid 90s I have treasured receiving my quarterly copy of this fine magazine.  

Nice.

Sorry to hear of this.  I had never met Larkin, but knew of her and a reputation in the dulcimer world.  RIP.

169

How about a gaggle?

I agree, Richard, a really nice find.  Good for you!

Sorry to learn about this.  Although, we likely didn't have much interaction, learning about someone's passing from this community affects us all.  May he rest in peace.

I see that!  Got my issue today.

Very nice poem.  By looking at the lines carefully due to the spacing, I could read the poem which gives a sense of time and space that I think was intended with this particular poem and its form.  They are often hard to duplicate in certain venues; especially, a place like Facebook is really difficult as I have put poems on there from poets who were having a birthday and the poems never duplicate very well in the form for which it was written and intended.  

But alas, it is poetry and it should be written, read, and heard.  

Eye opening for sure.  I think that with the increased security check-ins and all the red tape that goes with that has been cause for my preference to travel by car to my destination.  

Sorry to learn of the passing of one of our dulcimer family members.  Chatted occasionally and listened to a few of his videos.  May he rest dulcimerrily in peace.

I know there could be a gadzillion possibilities, but one song title that I really like and think could be a good cover title is Barley Bread and Elder Wine.  That title from the first I saw it has a wonderful image to me.

This is sad news indeed.  FOTMD have lost a valuable member, as well as his family and friends.  His presence and gifts will be missed.  May he rest in peace.

I just looked and I have a Global Tear Drop model.  It needs a new nut though.  Okay.  That probably didn't come off just right...I wasn't talking about me!  

A dulcimer too loud?  That would have to be an oxymoron.  

Hope it's works for you Maria.  That video sure looked professional. 

Well, my goodness.  I still have a landline (not the rotary phone though).  But before 8-Tracks and even cassette tapes, there were 45 rpms that had these inserts and when a record began to skip a penny or two (maybe even a nickle) would to make the record not stutter.  And there was the Western Flyer, the little red wagon, and red ball jets.

I remember that you guys did that...don't think I ever saw or heard it though...as you say,not in the public domain.

When other musicians cmplain because the dulcimer is too loud...and there's only the one player.

Glad to hear it Dana. May it continue to go well...and continued prayers.

Dana R. McCall said:

I got GREAT news yesterday! I had the first of three radioactive implants this week and the doctor told me my tumor has shrunk a lot, it really has surprised them also. It has shrunk enough that I can have surgery. Surgery was not an option before and was thought I might not be able to have it at all so this was wonderful news. I can banish this alien from my body. I'm one happy camper.

Dana, A lot of hard stuff going on. Prayers and thoughts with you through this difficult period in time. Sorry for the loss of your sister--way too young. May she rest in peace.

Hey Dana, sorry about all that has happened to you and your family. Prayers and thoughts are with you that all will go well.

Ben

It would help to know what the acronym NGFDA stands for.

I don't remember for certain, but I would have to say either Bile dem cabbage down or Go Tell Aunt Rhody. Neither song do I play on a consistent basis now.

Julian, Sorry to hear of the loss of fingers. Maybe there could be a way of continuing on...I don't know, just trying to be encouraging. But if not, keep listening and enjoying the dulcimer. Ben

Yay to all the winners, and especially to Gale A. Barr--namesake!

Happy 5th Birthday FOTMD!

My bid is (finger-drum roll on the back of my dulcimer) 402.

Thanks for the Fresh Air episode with Pete. Good to hear it.

In 2001, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, I wrote a piece as a skit that served as a healing point for many of the parishioners at my church. In that I wrote about the lives of people and how it affected the rescuers and the ones who consoled those people. I also used a few songs to help give meaning and voice to the words that i wrote. It opened with Billy Joel's Miami 2007--I've seen the lights go out; sandwiched with Simon and Garfunkel's take on Silent Night with the evening news; and closed with a recitation of Pete Seeger''s If I had a Hammer (some of those who were helping in that part wouldn't sing, so we said the words...just as powerful).

A touching tribute indeed, and most assuredly, heartfelt. I never had the privilege of meeting Pete, but he certainly had a peaceful, down home appeal and approach.

I posted on my facebook page when I found out this morning.

May his song live on in all of us.

Well, melady, I hadn't thought of it...but, now that I 'av a kilt, ah might be inclined to wear it on occasion whilst performing onstage. That might present some new circumstances that I 'adn't thought of such as standing as opposed to sitting. Well, there ye 'ave it...'cepting I might 'ave ta get some new accessories...hmmm....

Cheerio

I doubt that I can say anything as a performer, for I certainly am not a professional and I have not yet been asked to do any gigs. But I do play at the country jams and occasionally at other talent/musical entertainment events. Generally, what I like is a pair of jeans (or khakis) with a nice casual shirt, often some kind of plaid or checked, and a fleece vest that will coordinate well with the shirt.

I have seen Aubrey a few times over the years and what she wears certainly works well for her.

While dress is important, the music, venue, and message are the most critical.

I think that a lot of the men ought to dress a bit better.

Just my opinion.

Sorry to hear that Phil. That sounds devastating. First, it is good that all living creatures made it out alive. Second, I hope that the instruments will be okay...as you say, you may need to go to the street corner, play some tunes and pass the hat. Keep us posted.

For some unknown reason, I think that I had seen this episode. I remember Fess Parker sitting in a straight-back chair, his wife combing her hair and then coming out and asking him how long he would be gone. Of course, I had no idea what the dulcimer was, and other than his laying it down on the seat, I can't say that I thought much of it...actually, the siting of the dulcimer was not very long in the scene.

The concept of incorporating it into a "courting" dulcimer-like instrument might be the one that makes the most sense if you want to have the ability to play both a diatonic, and a chromatic dulcimer in one instrument. The fret boards could either run parallel or opposite each other depending on whether it would make more sense to play each one by turning the instrument around or more like a 12-string guitar idea.

And yeah, we're probably all nuts!

An interesting concept, but I would suppose that if you wanted a diatonic dulcimer, and a chromatic one, why not just dedicate a fretboard to each? But, hey, Einstein, great ideas begin with what someone else has said couldn't be done.

I play with the fingers...found it hard to hit the right notes with my ears....

Wow! What an interesting thread! I should sharpen up my linguistics should I have a mind to enter into this tale that is being woven.

I recall trying to search out the meaning or origin of dulcimer. Somewhere (perhaps it was over the rainbow?) I read that the word dulce was German and meant sweet. I suppose it could be Latin and Greek as Goschi states.

Anyway, I think that I concluded sweet for Dulce and that the other half would be music, so I like to think of it as "sweet music".

However, to throw something else that I don't know the exact origin to is that my cousins from New Brunswick, Canada call seaweed Dulce. I have tried it and find it is anything but sweet! Of course, my cousins look at me as if I"m kinda strange , especially not only because I don't like "dulce" but that I don't drink my tea with milk!

Well, that's my tale and I'm sticking to it...until a better one comes along!

Definitely a keeper and a heck of a find. It's sort of how I got my first dulcimer. I stopped at a flea market and this dulcimer was sitting on a table and the wind was actually making music on the strings. I had never seen nor heard of one at the time. The fellow selling it gave me a brief rundown of how he came on it and asked if $30 was a fair price...he said he had bought it for $20. I replied for someone who knows the instrument it probably is. I then started to walk away and he asked if I had $25 for it. I thought for a couple of seconds and figured that if I didn't like it, I could probably get my money back from selling it. Well, I still have that dulcimer!