Forum Activity for @ken-longfield

Teddy, I thought of you at worship this morning. Psalm 30 was the appointed Psalm. I particularly liked verses 2 & 3: "O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and your restored my health. You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; you restored my life as I was going down to the grave." These verses were particularly meaningful for me before and after my open heart surgery which was almost a year and half ago now.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Good luck Teddy on your dulcimer journey. Playing a mountain dulcimer is very therapeutic. There are serveral styles of playing, but as a piper you may like the noter/drone as a starting point. In that style you play the melody on one string (the one closest to you as you hold the dulcimer on you lap) and the other two or three strings act as drones. I'm sure you are familiar with it. Once you receive your new dulcimer and start playing don't hesitate to ask in the forums if you have any questions. As you know by now, we are happy to offer any help we can. Best wishes.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Greg, thanks for the information on the Hicks/Love connection. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge of the Watauga County dulcimer community.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Lois, I'm not really a bum ditty player. I'm more like Don Pedi describes as syllable player fitting the strums to the words of songs. As I understand bum ditty it is a single strum followed by a double strum. You can also do ditty bum which is the opposite; a double strum followed by a single strum. Hope that helps you.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Not much to add that hasn't already been said. Like, Dan, I hope you are not planning to add a fret to a hundred year old dulcimer or one from on of the historic traditional builders. Keep in in mind that adding the 6 1/2 fret is not just putting a fret midway between the sixth and seventh frets. You need to calculate the proper placement for the 6 1/2 fret either by doing the math yourself or using a fret calculator. If you already have the equipment to do the job yourself, go ahead. If not you may find it less expensive to have it done by a professional.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Lorilee, my oldest grandson is also on the autism spectrum. He is 13 and in junior high school (8th grade). Early on I tried to interest him in dulcimer, but was unsuccessful. He is in the middle school band and plays percussion. His father helps him. His father is not a percussionist, but plays guitar, trumpet, and piano and has picked up some percussion from being in bands. Our grandson seems to identify with the various patterns of drumming as well as different intensities (soft to loud). I don't know if one of his stims (watching things spin) is related to his drumming or not. He is not particularly proficient in math but is very good a remembering numbers.

You could approach your granddaughter by doing some simple counting. Count the scale 0 - 7 (if in DAd) or 3 -10 (DAA). Start with one strum per note, then add a strum to each note, and so forth. You can then introduce different rhythms 3/4, 4/4, etc. I suggest she use her index finger to do the noting even if you have to lower the strings in pitch a little bit. Holding a noter can be frustrating until you master the technique. Slipping in to the middle string causing an extra rattling noise can be disturbing. Of course, you can show her how to hold the noter properly and she how she does. Take it slowly in small increments at first. Don't force it. If she shows an interest, help her to be successful at it.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thanks Robin. That not only honors Cari but also brings back some wonderful memories.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I've enjoyed both Don's and Joellen's presentations. I was disappointed in yesterday's presentation on Troublesome Creek instruments as they couldn't get the Powerpoint to work. I hope they get it together by the Traditional Dulcimore Gathering in Berea as Doug is to present the Powerpoint there also. Looking forward to Don's workshop this afternoon.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I didn't notice this post before either. My only experience with at 12 string guitar was a Yamaha that a college roommate owned. I played around with it some, but I never got into it. That was over 50 years ago. I do like the sound of a 12 string, but it is not something I enjoy playing.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thanks Robin.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

A friend of mine had an accident with her Simerman dulcimer and asked if I could repair it for her. Here are before and after photos. I learned that having lots of small sound holes make a repair of this type very difficult.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

 DSCN0197.JPG - 370KB

Well, it depends on who responds. The theory is that with less contact with the fret board, the top is freer to vibrated thus enhancing the sound. There are so many variables to what effects the sound of the dulcimer and this is just one of many.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

All good suggestions. I am interested to hear how you replace this tuning pin. Like others here in over forty years of working with autoharps and hammered dulcimers I've never seen that happen to a pin.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a new song."

This is good music folks! Thanks for sharing you talent on IADD.

Ken

"The dulcimer (and its players) sing a sweet song."

What Ken Hulme said. Enjoy playing it Richard.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

That's a good article on the Dulcimer Shoppe and McSpadden. Thanks for sharing it.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

True, but it sounds better to me without having to bump over that extra fret imho.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I have dulcimers with and without the 6 1/2 fret. When playing with a noter I prefer the dulcimers without. When playing chords, if prefer the one with. There are exceptions to both of those preferences from time to time.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I doubt that banjo strings were used by early because of the sound they produced. My guess is that banjo strings were used because they had loop rather than ball ends (guitar strings). It was a matter of which type of string was easier to attach to the dulcimer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

National Guitar is February 11.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Not exactly good for outdoor activities in my part of the world, but I have no objections.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I have Richlite fretboards on two of my Martin guitars. You can't see a difference between it and ebony and I think the Richlite lets you slide better than ebony.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

It's a good question and you have received good answers. In the end, what is most important is that the dulcimer appeals to you and makes you happy when you play/use it. If you don't like the instrument for whatever reason, you aren't going to play it. Some people like fancy inlays and bindings, others don't. Some like hourglass shape, and others don't. If hourglass dulcimers with beautiful woods are aesthetically pleasing to you go for that, because that is what you will enjoy playing and it won't really matter whether you have a flat or scroll peg head.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

That Clifford Glenn dulcimer is beautiful; a real treasure. You've been given good advice, so I have nothing to add to it. Just enjoy the dulcimer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

No, Steven. You measure the distance to the 7th fret (actually the center of the top of the 7th fret) and double that distance.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I hope I'm not giving the wrong impression. I spent 40 years working with teenagers and enjoy them. I was being facetious in my first post about our teenage years here on FOTMD.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

For sure Robin. My oldest grandson just turned 13 last week. Hence my comment.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Oh, no! Another teenager.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The vernal equinox can occur on March 19, 20, or 21. The last possible day for the celebration of Easter is April 25. Any date we pick before April 25 will put International Appalachian Dulcimer Day during the Christian season of Lent occasionally. While I don't think this should deter us, it is just something of which we should be aware. Am I understanding correctly that it should be a specific day rather than the last Saturday in March or the second Saturday in April?

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I, too, after careful consideration of all arguments (including my own) feel that we should use the name "Appalachian dulcimer" and realize that we will continue the ongoing controversy of how "Appalachian" should be pronounced. For the past forty years I have lived in area of Pennsylvania that is part of Appalachia and here we pronounce it differently from my friends in the southern part of the region.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Charles N. Prichard marketed his instruments as "The American Dulcimer." Just look at the label he used. I call the presentation I do on dulcimer history "The History of the American Dulcimer." So, I'm fine with Leo's suggestion. As to the use of American as an identifier for the day, I think we were talking about a national dulcimer day and the United States of American is usually shorted to just America. I'm enjoying this conversation.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I like that idea Skip. Perhaps the 155th day for 1 - 5 - 5 tuning or the 158th for 1 - 5 - 8 tuning. Or we could choose another tuning; DAC, DAG, etc. Another could the number of letters in Appalachian dulcimer or mountain dulcimer either side by side or added together. And to go really random, put number 1 - 365 in your hat and draw one. That's really what you suggested.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Ah, yes, thank you for that correction. I forgot all about the confusion over Uncle Ed's birthday.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Another possible date would be June 21, the date the mountain dulcimer became the official state instrument of Kentucky.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I would rather see August 28 as National Dulcimer Day especially because I would rather see December 8 as Jean's birthday and not overshadowing or overshadowed by another celebration. Although Jean exposed many people to the mountain dulcimer she was so much more than that. She was a promoter of the Ritchie family and southern Appalachian songs as well.  I really think we would do a disservice to her by tying her memory only to the dulcimer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I like Steve's idea even better. Since it is two days from our wedding anniversary I might remember it. So, Dusty, are you volunteering to set up the Wikipedia entry"

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Not to detract from Jean's fame as a popularizer of the dulcimer, I suggest March 19 as that is the birthdate of James Edward (Uncle Ed) Thomas who built the early hourglass style mountain dulcimer. Didn't Jean's father play one of Thomas's dulcimers?

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I'm glad that you found and shared that photo. Like Dusty I would enjoy hearing him play that instrument.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

It's good to know the folks in Spain had a brief exposure to the Appalachian dulcimer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I've had several of Dave's student dulcimers and wound up selling them to students who wanted to move beyond a cardboard dulcimer. I have played quite of few of his regular dulcimers and can tell you that they are well built and a delight to play. I have no experience with Ron's dulcimers, but he has a good reputation as a builder.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."