I make them as needed. I have so much junk laying around I don't need to have a collection, plus I've even used shavings from a hand plane.

marg said:

Do you have some ready made or just when need one. Seems could have a few in different thickness, a collection of shims. Thanks for the info. on the 'glue', I have seen that mention in some areas & wondered about it. Never thought I would like to put glue on my dulcimer,

Just about everything you may use can be cut with scissors. Hard business cards or the hard plastic bubble pack for thinner shims. Most of this stuff will curl a bit as it's cut, but that won't hurt anything. I don't think I would use glue.

About $25 - $50-60.

I've got them on all but one. But then again all but one are chromatic.

You can 'bend' a note to get the + fret sound, bend the 4, get 4+, etc. It's just hard to bend close to the nut, at least it is for me. Of course it's really hard to bend a note in N/D style of play.

10ashus;

Don't give up on guitar oriented music, most all of it can be used, music, lyrics, and chords. they all can be used one way or another. It's just the tab that is essentially unusable. The music can be entered in a music editing program to generate MD tab if you really want it.

Most tab is not transferable between instruments because it is designed to tell the player where a note is on that instrument. If you were given tab for a chromatic MD, 4 equidistant strings, tuned to CEGBb, like I have, you would not be able to use it unless you had a similar setup.

Sure would have a wide fingerboard! There is one [almost], it's called a dobro and I guess a lap steel would be along the same lines, probably a few more kinds around. You could also just play a guitar in your lap, might be a bit clumsy because of size. Maybe a small or child's guitar in the lap?

Then the question is, are you playing a MD or guitar.

The biggest problem is that guitar tab is for 6 strings vs 3 for a MD. I've taken tab for guitar, in TablEdit, and transposed it, didn't work very well. I haven't tried with a chromatic MD, all the notes would be there but not the string count. A melody line would be playable on a chromatic if you used the music notation [smn] but most likely not the tab unless you can transpose the guitar tab numbers of the MD plus locations in your head, eg., a 3 [guitar] = 1+[MD], or 12 = 7[MD] or you are using the guitar counting with your MD already.

You would probably be held to flatpicking/fingerpickinh also, even if the rest of the differences were worked out.

Then there is the added problem of what guitar tuning is the tab set up for, same as MD.

http://www.seventhstring.com/tuner/tuner.html

I've had a bodhran for several years. I use it at a couple of jams I go to. I prefer playing it with others rather than my dulcimers. I was a bit concerned about taking it at first, but now most of the folks want it because it helps with timing [metronome effect]. The biggest problem I had was being too loud. I don't play it very well but that doesn't matter, it's fun and it really has helped keep the groups together, specially the speed demons in the HD group. I just recently bought a cheap tamborine to mess around with. Now I can have jingles along with a very small drum. :>)

I would try either a piece of fret board material or something contrasting, with a balance piece down by the bridge. Maybe some as fret markers like on a guitar. Kind of like inlay at the 0 fret and elsewhere.

You could try removing about .010-.015 from the top leaving a hump/bump for the 0 fret or gluing a .010-.015 x 1/2" x 1.5"shim or shaving before cutting the slot to raise the 0 fret.

Eric;

You can buy individual strings, just ask around, music stores, pawn shops [sometimes], and internet. All you need is the size [and end style if you need the little brass insert which can be removed if needed for loop ends].

The numbering system is pretty straight forward, you probably know most if it already.

1--2--3--4--5--6---7----8 The boldunderlined are the notes that make up triads and 7ths.

D--E-F#-G--A--B--C#---DTheboldare the notes in the chord.

I-- ii-iii-IV--V--vi-vii0-octave, the bold are the major chords, italics is a dim.

Are you familiar with naming chords by Roman numbers, eg., I chord, ii chord, etc.? If you are, try using the ii and/or vi chords [MOOC info]. ii chord in D is based on the E [EGB, (Eminor)], vi chord is based on B [BDF# (Bminor)]. In G, ii is based on A [ACE, (minor)] and vi is based on E. I don't remember exactly how they're used, as replacements for the IV/V chords or in line with them. You could also try using the dom 7ths, the basic 3 note triad plus the flatted 7th, in place of the major chord, for 3 strings try dropping the 5th [last note] of the triad, eg., D=DF#A; D7 = DF#AC; 3 stringer = DF#C. You could also try dropping the 3rd instead of the 5th, eg., DAC. Major 7ths may work, basic triad plus 7th, eg., DFAC#.

This is all stuff I just learned so I don't really know how well it will work.

From what I learned in the recent MOOC, chords are, essentially, harmony, if that helps.

It's great when things come together.

Thanks for the tip.

Try using the 2 modules, the 1st with the lead and the 2nd the chords. Hide the tab for the lead and the notation for the chords. You may need to adjust spacing if the get too far apart. I don't know of any other way, although someone else may. You might contact the developer and see if the grouping you're looking for is can be done. He is very helpful. There may be a way using the Text Manager, the chord #'s would be horizontal, 200, 013, etc. The text can be positioned above or below the tab or notation.

I'm not sure what you're after. The notation can be turned off [hidden] or the tab can be turned off, leaving the other on. If you're looking to have the chords as a separate work piece, you'll probably have to use an additional module and copy/re-enter them from the 1st module.

You can add a module from 'Score > instrument' selection just like the 1st module. This will give you another notation/tab set [module] in the score that is independent of, but in sync with, the 1st module. You can then turn off [hide] the notation/tab of either module as needed. The hide function is in 'Options >multitrack'. Just clear the check mark from the appropriate box[es]. This is how multi-part scores are on done also.

I don't know that I can help you with vocals, I've never done one.

1 - File > options > display > check mark 'Effects in notation' box.

2 - File > options > advanced > check in 'Extend bends/slides' box.

3 - Enter first note, eg., C in key of G > tab to move cursor > 2 note, C# [cursor on tab entry] 6 [same number as 1st note] and the plus sign. This makes the note sharp in the correct position on the staff. Using the sharp symbol or Alt D moves the note down a position and it must be moved back to the correct position.

4- Put the cursor on the 1st note, the one you want to bend, and click the 'simple bend effects' button. If you don't have that tool bar up you will find the radio button under 'Note > special effects'. The bend will be indicated as a bracket below the 2 notes in the notation and a curved line with the duration on tab.

I think I have it all there.

Note: I have a Musedit msi that may be usable.

They do have a 'pay after receipt' program now. I don't know the details, but it may help.

Think of it as having 2 fret boards, one with a C#, one without [ D mixolydian and G-ionian]. As someone once said, adding frets is like overlaying fretboards. The plus frets basically add flexibility without retuning.The melody string[s] provide the modal character and the remaining 2 provide the dronenotes which define or provide the background for a mode. Consider tunings DAC and DAd, both use the same drones to provide the background for different melody string modes. If you play a tune that doesn't use any form of C inDAd tuning, I suppose you could call it what you want [probably wrong].

312

Right.

I don't know what it would be called if you were to play a GEC or if it would even sound right.

Just a clarification, an inversion is the notes of a chord in a different order, low to high, eg., CEG is the basic C chord, EGC [1st invr] and GCE [2nd invr] are inversions. Just move the lowest note to the highest.

First a comment, the 'Mize' printed on the fretboard may be the name maker.

Second, looking at the slots in the nut make it look like the 2 melody strings may be right, the bass and middle may be reversed, but not necessarily so. That may be a result of the narrow width of the tuning machine recess. The shown pattern has a straighter pull on the strings.

Edit: Just looked at a photo of a Mize dulcimer and that looks like the same stringing pattern.

Compensation is to allow for stretch/tension between the frets and the bridge. Compensating at the nut would cause the distance from the frets to the bridge to be progressively off [sharper] as you fretted up the fretboard. Compensation is angling the bridge or relieving the bridge to effectively make the bass/middle string[s] longer.

Depends on definition of 'better', '3 string' and '4 string'. Plus, what's 'better' for me probably won't be 'better' for someone else or a different situation.

I have both 3 string, single melody string and 4 equidistant for both strumming and fingerpicking. I have 0 of 7 set up with double melody strings. I doubt I'll ever have a 5-6 string MD as I don't really care for the sound of double strings.

I use a small 6" fairly fine file. A fine triangular may work also. Put tape on the fretboard on each side of the fret to protect the wood and file carefully, a half dozen strokes then test. Be sure that you remove material evenly across the fret. You will have to angle or rock the file to round over the top of the fret as you go. If the frets are stainless they will be harder to work with. When you're done, use a small strip of 400 grit and polish. You can use the side of a nail to knock a half-round groove in a piece of wood to help form the paper to a curve. An eraser may work also. It won't take much to polish the fret.

Keep in mind these are suggestions for this application [book] and you will probably change them at various times due to smoothing transitions between chords with different applications [tunes/books].

Only 4 frets shown and it looks like a veneer overlay was applied, so not enough info.

The workmanship looks good and the sound is good = good deal.

Wood may be walnut with a spruce top?

Dusty;

The ball can be carefully crushed if necessary, been there, done it.

No difference as far as I'm concerned. Strings break near the tuner whenever they break on me, that's the area that the metal is worked the most.

Yes, D3 for bass and A3 for all of the 'A' strings [DAAA].

The small 'd' is used to show it's an octave higher [D4].

That's what it looks like to me. I don't have one but I would look at this one, or the Boss TU-80 which looks to have the same capability, for sure, since I like that feature. Presumably they are defining middle C as C4. This means you would tune your MD to D3 [base], A3, D4 for the DAdd tuning.

Oops, see the post right above yours. :>) Read it too fast, didn't ya! I do that also.

Korg OT-120 looks like it has that capability.

I suspect you are using mostly wrist or finger movement, many beginners do. Try making the movement more like brushing something off your lap which is more movement via the elbow rather than the wrist. You can advance to the more controlled wrist/finger strokes later.

Yeah, just got some alien sound I didn't really understand, soundedlike 'salgro'. Probably means 'you're going to guess wrong' or 'gotch ya'.

Strumelia said: Skip, maybe that's just a subliminal message...like the Beatles' "Paul is Dead" thing... Have you tried playing it backwards?

You're welcome Ken, I was interested in the comparison.

Ken the first one someone says 'hourglass' at the end of the tune, just before starting the 2nd tune.

Larry;

The 'something ' you're missing;

1. A key identifies a specific series of 8 consecutive notes [being available].

2.Keys are scales that are based on the Ionion mode series of steps/half steps [WWHWWWH], in other words the spacing [steps/half steps] between the notes.The physical layout of the MD fretboard dictates that the Ionian scale startsat the 3rd fret to the 10th fret [not counting + frets].You can see this by examining fret spacing on your MD. This could be interpreted to say that the only fret you can capo and change the key is the 3rd fret, all the others change the mode. Keep in mind a mode is simply a change in the order of notes on a single string with the spacing dictated by the fretboard, ie.: open = DEF#GABCD [WWHWWHW] is a mode [mixolydian] and capo at 1 = EF#GABCDE [WHWWHWW] is another mode [aolian] using the same notes in a different order and with different spacing between the notes.This is the reason you will need to re-tune or have another MD to play in C.

3. Having the 6+ and 13+ allows playing in both G and D, [DAd] or C and F [CGc] no capo necessary.

4. There is no need to become too concerned about modes this early in your journey.

You know what I find is interesting, there is no pattern in the variations. Looking just at the 3 A strings on many of the same frets the variation between the middle and melody are in opposite directions. Maybe caused by poorly shaped nut and bridge slots [along with the material]?

Does the MD have a zero fret or just a nut?

Seven home built MD's [one a Mcspadden kit, the first].

A true E'A'D'G bass TMB [an experiment].

A home built banjammer.

A couple more MD's started [experiments].

A home built 16/15 floating soundboard HD with hammers, using 15/14 plans which I modified.

Plus: a 16" Brendan White bodhran, 88 key Yahama keyboard, Ibanez short scale Mikro electric bass, and several penny whistles . I think I have a DAD complication, IAD [instrument acquisition disease] or MED [musical equipment disease, since I've also picked up amps, recorders, etc].

I don't play or use any of them very well [I'm not a musician] but music has been a very interesting hobby for the last few years.