Forum Activity for @skip

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@skip
06/27/19 10:43:01AM
386 posts

Capo positions, tunings, chords and other wonderful things


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions


If you are going to play chords only, no capo is needed. A chord has the same construction regardless of the key of the tune. Actually all the information you need, when there is a vocalist, is the chords and when a chord is played. So having the words with the needed chord just above is sufficient to chord along with the tune. I think it's actually easier that way.

If the music you are looking at shows the chords as

G  C  G  C  G  D  Em  D  C  Em  D  G  C  G  C  G  D  Em  D  C, 

and the music key is G, play the chords as shown. Your second set of chords is the chords transposed for the key of D, as if you were going to play the melody + chords in the new key of D, not G. You would be playing the chords for a D melody, everyone else would be playing chords for a G melody.

Play the chords either way, which ever sound best or is the most natural feeling. You can play the D as 000, 002, 200, 030, 777, etc or just one note, 0 on the base string [like a standup bass player does, one note at a time]. The G the same, 310, 013 or just a 3 on the base. 

 


updated by @skip: 06/27/19 11:06:08AM
Skip
@skip
06/26/19 11:56:29PM
386 posts

Capo positions, tunings, chords and other wonderful things


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Since chords stay the same regardless of the key the song is, you only need to play the chord required by the notation. A 'D' chord is the same all the time. With this in mind, song in 'D', the chords are D, G, and A [which you already know. In 'G' the chords are G, C, and D. You will need to learn to play a 'C'. Song in 'A', the chords are A, D and E. All of these chord cam be played in the DAD tuning [the C is easier with the 1+]. No need to transpose or retune as long as what you're looking at has the chords/key displayed. If a chord is required you don't know or can't play, air strum that chord. For 7ths, use the major, eg., for an A7, play an 'A'. It's one of the benefits chording only, no melody. You can play along in many keys as long as you know how to make the chord called for.sun

Skip
@skip
06/11/19 02:20:40PM
386 posts

Any Advice on the McSpadden Sweet Song Kit?


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

I did one many years ago. Check the fit of the tuner head and check the fretboard for straightness/flatness. Dry fit before gluing. Remember to install the frets before gluing the top on. Don't dent the frets when installing with a hammer [pressing them in is my preference], use a metal spacer after getting them started [I use a metal lathe square cutting bit].

Skip
@skip
05/17/19 06:55:10PM
386 posts

I understand the appeal of chromatic mountain dulcimer


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I wonder if the same conversations, etc., occur concerning fretted and fretless banjos.

I did an experiment back when I first added a plus fret and repeated it with my first chromatic MD. I played a couple of tunes on my diatonic, then on the one with the added fret and the chromatic. They all sounded and played the same, by golly [and my other half couldn't tell the difference]. sun    I don't use a noter though, and that can make a bit of difference because of the extra 'bumps/thump's.

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@skip
05/16/19 09:07:23PM
386 posts

Problem With Buzzing Base String


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


I suggest  you check the string height first. Try sliding a dime under the strings right next to the 1st fret. It will probably drag or not fit if the slot in the nut has worn a bit. Call the Dulcimer Shop for advice and order another nut also. The bridge should also be checked by sliding a nickel on top of the 7th fret. 

The toothpick effectively shortens the VSL.


updated by @skip: 05/16/19 09:10:11PM
Skip
@skip
04/29/19 09:35:18PM
386 posts

Strings to use on newly acquired dulcimer


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

A starting place for you. The Strothers calculator is on the light side, you can usually go heavier a couple of gauges with no problems.

http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.html

www.stringsbymail.com

https://www.juststrings.com

Or get individual strings from your local shop. Get 2 of each.

Skip
@skip
03/11/19 07:20:02PM
386 posts

Dad tuning


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Do you know the string gauge of your strings?

Skip
@skip
03/09/19 04:33:48PM
386 posts

Dad tuning


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

You could try ADDd on the GDDd. the bass string should be ok going up one step to 'A' [give Cedar Creek a call and verify]. It should be compatible with the DAd players then, although chording may be a problemwhistle .

Skip
@skip
03/09/19 11:36:38AM
386 posts

Dad tuning


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

That's a pretty broad question. Commercial, for sale, is probably around 19-20". Folkcraft has a travel dulcimer with a 22" VSL. It's possible to make them very short. For example, put a capo on fret 7 on yours. You have effectively created a very short VSL, the capo making the fret a zero fret. Move the capo more towards the bridge and the VSL will get shorter. Playability/tuning not considered.


updated by @skip: 03/09/19 11:38:36AM
Skip
@skip
02/19/19 12:00:30PM
386 posts

Five strings?


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

I have a Blue Lion AJ 5 string. It  came with 5 separate strings [5 tuning machines]. The strings were too close together for my fingers so I removed 2 of them and converted it to a 3 string bass which I play when I'm not using the Folkcraft resonator. I've seen 1-2 with doubled bass and melody strings also. I don't think I would use one although they may be great for noter/drone players, more volume probably.

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@skip
02/09/19 09:05:02PM
386 posts

Synthetic fretboard


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

You know what might work? A simple fretboard on a board with a cheap rod piezo pickup on the bridge like those from CBGitty. That's all 'strumsticks' and electric MDs are, basically, just add a small amp. Screw the fretboard to the board, no glue required.


updated by @skip: 02/09/19 09:09:14PM
Skip
@skip
01/26/19 12:14:31PM
386 posts

Jam chord progressions


Playing and jamming difficulties...HELP ME!

Don Grundy: Keys A,C,D and G. Playing chords I, IV and V. What are the frets being played in these keys; playing the I, IV and V chords. I’d like to learn the chords in each key. Thank you. Don

Don;


You can figure out the chords and the notes to each chord using one hand.sun Here's how; Looking at your left had, palm up, the thumb = the key note name/I chord name, the ring finger = the IV chord and the little finger = the V chord. To determine the notes to a chord, [you need to know the notes in the scale] ; thumb = base/chord name [root] , middle finger =  the 2nd or middle note [Major 3rd] ; the little finger = the 3rd or high note [Perfect 5th] . By the way, the other fingers represent the ii, iii, vi, and vii notes/chords. The real challenge is to find the notes on your MD.whistle


Using a 158 tuning, like DAdd, the basic I [D] chord is 0 fret/open; IV [G] chord is 013/310; V [A] chord is 101. These are the same frets to play the I, IV, and V chords in any key using a 158 tuning. You would have to change the tuning to CGC use this for C or AEA for A, etc. You should go the route of previous posts for a more in depth study.


 

Skip
@skip
12/20/18 09:11:25PM
386 posts

Got my dulcimer!


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

 

Ken, 158 and 155

@ Pondoro;

Playing on just the melody string is called noter drone or finger dancing. Playing across all three strings is chord/melody. Although the dulcimer is a stringed instrument it is, musically, more like the a standard harmonica [diatonic]. Because of this some things that apply to those other instruments don't work the same on the MD.

 

Skip
@skip
12/13/18 01:24:47PM
386 posts

Introduce Yourself!


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Check your messages. [Hover over your name, upper right]

Skip
@skip
11/25/18 11:12:08AM
386 posts

Argh! Organizing your music!”$&?!!


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Since you seem to be interested in multiple/double screens, MS pro can do them using 2 tablets via it's 'slave' function. winky

Skip
@skip
11/22/18 10:49:34PM
386 posts

Argh! Organizing your music!”$&?!!


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

A recorder/player would be more useful with that ability I suppose. poke whistle

Skip
@skip
11/22/18 06:12:55PM
386 posts

Argh! Organizing your music!”$&?!!


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I use MobileSheets Pro on a tablet. It's for Android and Windows. I don't know that it will do all of that but it'a great for music.

Skip
@skip
11/17/18 05:14:35PM
386 posts

What do we call it?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

A 'medley', [pun intended]. Have a 'medley' party, hand out MD's and play a bunch of tunes one after another, without a break in the music. That's a medley of people with a medley of md's playing a medley of tunes!grin

Skip
@skip
11/03/18 05:49:24PM
386 posts

Advice on beginner’s dulcimer


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

That tuner should work just fine. Check the calibration, it should be set to 440. 

Maybe one of the folks here will recognize the name and the instrument. In any case it will be fine to learn on. The one thing I can think of that may cause a problem later is it may not be made for equal temperament tuning. As long as you play alone that should not be a problem. 

Skip
@skip
11/03/18 05:17:26PM
386 posts

Advice on beginner’s dulcimer


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

It' looks good to me. There may be a label inside at the lower hearts. The pegs can be adjusted by tightening the screw on the end of the pegs, it won't take much. New strings are probably justified but you can loosen then move the longer of the melody strings to the center position temporarily. Loosen it enough to remove it from the nail on the end and move it over also. The D and A you're looking for are the ones just below middle C. You can find a sound bit of C with a search.

Skip
@skip
08/23/18 07:13:39PM
386 posts

What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

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.

Skip
@skip
08/18/18 09:52:11PM
386 posts

Recording multiple tracks?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Ron;

It's the obvious things that always screw me up when I try something new, and recording is new to me.confusey

They're not obvious to me until later.smiler

Skip
@skip
08/18/18 06:30:23PM
386 posts

Recording multiple tracks?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

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. 

Skip
@skip
08/16/18 10:59:43PM
386 posts



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. 

Skip
@skip
08/10/18 10:43:11AM
386 posts

Question about fret layout.


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


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+


updated by @skip: 08/10/18 10:48:38AM
Skip
@skip
08/09/18 10:59:49PM
386 posts

Question about fret layout.


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

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.

 

Skip
@skip
08/05/18 07:44:20PM
386 posts

Dulcimer just followed me home


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

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.

Skip
@skip
07/30/18 03:22:09PM
386 posts

Intermediates


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

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'".

Skip
@skip
07/11/18 10:18:35AM
386 posts

Techniques for accidentals


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

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.


updated by @skip: 07/11/18 10:23:34AM
Skip
@skip
06/11/18 11:07:08PM
386 posts

Tuning peg will not hold pitch


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

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.

Skip
@skip
04/28/18 01:43:54AM
386 posts

bagpipe drone.


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

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.

Skip
@skip
04/27/18 08:42:25PM
386 posts

bagpipe drone.


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

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.

Skip
@skip
04/07/18 01:33:44PM
386 posts

Everything Dulcimer - Closing Down.


Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs


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.


 


Lois Sprengnether Keel:

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.



updated by @skip: 04/07/18 01:34:48PM
Skip
@skip
11/09/17 09:47:39PM
386 posts

Suggested Strings for MD


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

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. 

Skip
@skip
11/09/17 07:23:32PM
386 posts

Suggested Strings for MD


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

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.

http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.html

Skip
@skip
10/31/17 10:53:45AM
386 posts

Removing a fret


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

Maybe it's a matter of familiarity using that fret?

Skip
@skip
10/30/17 06:26:43PM
386 posts

Removing a fret


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

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%. 

Skip
@skip
10/23/17 09:03:34AM
386 posts

Spider Capo


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

hewalker, Thanks  for the info. I'm glad you included he photo, it  answers my other concenrs quite well.

Skip
@skip
10/22/17 11:40:34PM
386 posts

Spider Capo


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

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.

  5