The group I play with recently introduced me to ' A Soldiers Lament'. It's not spooky, just very, very sad. I'm not a very emotional type of person, but this song really affects me. Our female vocalist was the lead with the others backing her up on the hallelujahs. It probably doesn't help being retired military.
Ron;
It's the obvious things that always screw me up when I try something new, and recording is new to me.
They're not obvious to me until later.
I think if you use a headset to listen to the recorded track as you play/record the following one(s) you should have a better shot of staying in time with the recorded session.
I have a Folkcraft resonator with a pickup. It has a 23.5" VSL , double back, and a reversible nut [raise/lower action and multi string layout], can be setup as a bass, standard, or baritone. I would have the same thing in a chromatic. Then I could play in any style, including dobro style, or most any genre, as my interests change. I play chord/melody primarily.
Count your frets. Fret 7 is the repeat octave of the open strings. You show the C# [DB] as the 7th fret and D as the 8th fret. You included the C and the C#. One is for the D scale [C#] and one is for the G scale [C]. The 6+ fret allows playing a D scale, in DAd tuning, starting at the open string instead of the 3rd fret. This is because the frets are placed in a series of steps/half steps. Steps are the wide spaces. Half steps are the narrow spaces.
G scale = 3-4-5-6-7-8-9
D scale = 0-1-2-3-4-5-6+
That doesn't sound right although in MD talk we express the notes in sharps.
You should have:(nut)D-wide space-(1)E-wide space-(2)F#[Gb]-narrow space-(3)G-wide space-(4)A-wide space-(5)B-narrow space-(6)C-wide space-(7)D. The spacing then repeats. Any frets not in this order are plus frets. You may be counting the 6 1/2 (6+), getting the D scale, then your list is ok.
The MD fretboard is laid out in such a way to make the open scale of a D tuned string as being in the mixolydian mode of the key of G. This layout places the starting note of the ionian mode, used to name the strings key, on the 3rd fret. So if you check the notes from there up you will see the notes are in the order of the key of G: G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G.
It's not a McSpadden kit, I have one. The sound holes are too big, the holes on the large bout are at the 12th fret [McSpaddens are at 14th] and the fretboard looks to be too wide.
Beginner- "What's this?"
Intermediate- "I got most of the notes/chords in most of the tunes today".
Advanced- "Lets play 'Flight of the Bumblebee'".
Temporary frets are another option. Fret wire is around .040 high [crown height]. Tape them in place, tape between the strings. These could be partials, just under select strings.
Try tightening the screw on the end of the peg. If that doesn't work, disassemble the tuning machine by remove the screw and carefully removing the handle ant the washers. The plastic disk can then be roughed up with a piece of sand paper to increase friction. Reassemble and adjust.
jp,
You will be increase the tension from ~ 20 lbs [calculated] to ~27 lb according to d'addario string tension chart pdf. Their chart shows the .014 going up to ~38 lbs for an 'f' on a 26 1/4 banjo vsl. You could also replace the A with one of the melody strings or install a new, additional, .012 string.
Tune the 'A' to the same as the melody, dd [middle 'A' to 'd']. You're tuning then will be spelled as Ddd [or Dddd], bass to melody, in MD speak. If you loosen the 'A' to 'D' it will be pretty 'floppy'. The .014 will feel tighter than the 2 melody strings though if those are smaller.
Thanks for posting this site. I just tried it out, great. They are up to Feb 24, 2018 at this time.
It may be an alternative the ED admins could use/recommend if necessary.
Everybody needs to get good at using the "Wayback Machine" at https://archive.org/ . By the time it shuts down we need to locate the date with the most complete scan of the site so that people can go to that date to prowl for an article or tabs.
As a storyteller I do that with a site that was a rich source of story suggestions but no longer is online.
The strings recommended could be considered light so you could go to .022/023-.013/.014-.011/012. The lighter strings are easier to press down at the expense of a little volume. It doesn't really pertain to experience, but more to how the feel to your fingers and personal preference.
This will help. The results are a bit light so you can increase the size a couple of sizes. You should be aable to find single strings at a local music shop.
Maybe it's a matter of familiarity using that fret?
You can slide a knife edge under a corner and pry the fret up but you are almost sure to create splinters on the slot edge. Frets have little 'teeth' on each side of the tang to grip the sides of the slot. These teeth have a tendency to tear out the surface of the fretboard. There are tools the help prevent that but they don't work 100%.
hewalker, Thanks for the info. I'm glad you included he photo, it answers my other concenrs quite well.
Thanks, missed that and the width range, 1 1/8-2". I wonder if the fingers can be adjusted sideways, can fit over doubled strings and be set up for 3 or 5 courses.
I looked at their site earlier today to see if they published any specs. I couldn't find any. I I wanted to find out what the open width is [ 1 3/8 to 1 5/8"], if the fingers are sideways adjustable so they can be placed over different string spacings and if they work on flat fingerboards [I don't use any of the instruments they make them for]. They also offer custom made. If they will work oh MD's , there could be a lot of unique tunings done.
A taller seat/stool or standing with the MD on some kind of stand?
To clarify, all MD's have the ionian scale, it starts on the 3rd fret. The scale name [key] is defined by the note on that fret. DAA is used to play songs in the key of D [D is on the 3rd fret]. MD's having a 6+ fret have 2 ionian scales, one starts on the open using the 6+ and one starts on the 3rd fret using the 6. So, in DAd, you have the notes for the key of G [starting on fret 3] and D [starting open] on the melody string.
Since they have 'chromatic' instruments [all notes/keys available], they play with you or play in the 'keys' [note ranges] you have available. Otherwise you could be retuning for some tunes or adlibbing some notes.
Don;
Tunings are a physical thing, they are nothing more than the 'open' notes of the strings. The different tunings are used to facilitate physical access to various ranges/arrangements of notes. Most all the rest is music theory, which you can find on the net, in libraries or via classes and will pickup over time.
I'm not sure that there's more options, just different ones. DAA is probably more useful to noter drone players because of the 'extra' notes below the 'D' on the 3rd fret but there's a lot more written data available for DAd. I imagine everyone starts by playing ND [noter/drone] style at first, it feels natural, and easy to do. Many folks never change to the chord style. It's one of the advantages of taking up this instrument, being able to play how, and what, you want and like.
VSL = vibrating string length. You can get the gauge from the builder or use a micrometer or vernier calipers. The gauge is the measured reading, ie., .011 [typical for melody strings]. Your string are probably close to; .018, .012, .009, so you can probably go down to DAd but the strings may be a bit slack.
Yep, or you can play one string at a time [finger pick or flat pick with a pick]. These can be done in any tuning.
Maybe. What is the VSL [distance between the nut and bridge] and what is the string gauge [thickness]. You can try loosening them to DAd. The strings may be too small [thin] which will allow the to be too loose or floppy.
This site can give you a starting point for your string gauges, they will be a bit on the light size.
Changing to these different tunings is pretty easy. Starting with your present tuning of DAA:
1- to tune to DAdd, tighten the melody string(s) to the same note as the 7th fret on the bass string.
2- to tune to the other tunings, loosen the melody strings from DAdd to the note desired.
3- to tune to other tunings, such as CGc, etc, you usually loosen the strings [there are a few exceptions]. Keep in mind that the DAdd tuning tightens the strings to very close to their maximum strength, about 2-3 notes below breaking point.
For reference; a standard MD, bass D is D3, A is A3, melody D is D4, and it is written as DAd(d). Bass dulcimers are tuned an octave lower, D2, A2, D3.
Set up 2 folders on a PC, 'PDF'S for tablet' and 'PDF'S on tablet'.
Download MobileSheets Companion and the manual
http://www.zubersoft.com/mobilesheets/companion.html
Connect to WIFI on both units.
Click on the 3 vertical dots [overflow icon] at the upper right on 1st page that appears [main library of MSP] the tablet then select 'Sync to PC'.
A popup will appear on the PC allowing you to select the tablet, selet it an click ok at the bottom right.
.on the PC, click on the upper left icon and click on 'batch import' [I think it is] and find the 'PDF'S for tablet' folder, select it and go. I may have left out some steps, going strictly from memory right now [not so good for us old timers :)].
G=000 or 020, D=010 or 012, C=133 or 333.
skip:
( smaller/thinner/lighter gage string will be easier to push down.)
So a double 10 maybe would be easier to fret (less pressure using my thumb) than a double 12, making a clearer sound?
Yes. It may lose a bit of volume. As to 'clearer sound', that's probably subjective.
String size and VSL. For a given VSL/tension a smaller/thinner/lighter gage string will be easier to push down. For a given size/tension a long string is easier to push down. Note that the action is dime next to the 1st fret, nickel ON the 7th fret.
The bass string is tuned to the D below middle C, D3. The middle string is to the A below middle C, A3. The melody string is tuned to either the same A as the middle string, DAA, or to the D [D4] just above middle C, for DAd. Middle C is C4.
Vs a stick on or under saddle pickup, I guess. I lose track of what I write sometimes.
A 'dream dulcimer'? There is always seems to be a new one, or a return to a prior choice, as I change/adapt/grow/? [words don't fit]. McSpadden, Bear Meadow, Aolelus, Folkcraft [currently have], Blue Lion [ditto], and others, have been on my list during my relatively short association with dulcimers. Some have been much too costly, but not all. Some I made.
The thing is, once acquired it's no longer are a dream, it's a reality and I dream again.
Looking at my manual, player/recorder via 3.5mm stereo cable [probably male-male], nothing about a mic.
Just a note, MD's only, no guitars here.
