So far this year in PA., "Spring" has decided to hide her warm face behind "Winter's" shadow, so my love of playing out on the patio or porch is on hold for now. I mostly play my dulcimer in our living room. I have my "dulcimer" area. It is really my room so to speak, since we have the family room for my husband! It is the room where family gatherings and holidays flow into. It is a special place where I can share my music with family or just be entirely on my own to concentrate on perfecting my playing. It is also close to the kitchen. I can get in a song or two while waiting for water to boil. I've nearly boiled water right on out of a pot, however nothing has burned yet!
Where's your favorite place to play?
My favorite place to play? Anywhere I can sit with a dulcimer. Although, if I can't sit, I will do the "Robert Force" standing method (tho' not too well.)
My favorite place to play alone is in my recliner with my feet up and the dulcimer resting across the arms of the recliner. But I also love playing with one or two people, in small groups, large groups, and KMW super jams! I love playing on the porch at Dulcimer Rendezvous or the lodge at the Great American Dulcimer Convention. I love having someplace comfortable to sit with a cool breeze and some beautiful scenery.
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Jan Potts, Lexington, KY
Site Moderator
"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best." Henry Van Dyke
Practicing strum patterns. ..........you are very smart Lexie.
Lexie R Oakley:
My favorite places to play are at home in my living room in font of my fire with my dulci' books etc, sometimes I do strum patterns with my lil' girly sitting side by side each with a dulcimer, it is our "copy me game", we have also included fret numbers.
When I have to ice or relax my injured knee, ( the knee part is healing) and practicing or working on a song alone, it is on my sofa recliner with my tabs etc next to me where I can reach both my dulcimers so I have a choice of which to play per song.
When I am studying or need help I sit in front of my computer working on instruction from a friend on this site, I have no skyp, so it is not interactive, but occasionally it has been interactive through chat.
On a sunny, less windy day I sit on my shaded deck in my glider swing, oh I can't wait for the rain to stop and the sun to shine! I love strumming for the birds that are flittering in my bushes along side my deck....
Yes Gail, it is fun to play around with my dulcimers along with my Girly, who is just 9.
It is a great tutor for me to really listen to what is played. It works lots on my strumming techniques also. We have fun with it.
It has been fun and a test for me to involve this child.
Lexie, Your 'copy me' game sounds like a great way to learn to play by ear, with a willing friend or family member.
My favorite places to play are at home in my living room in font of my fire with my dulci' books etc, sometimes I do strum patterns with my lil' girly sitting side by side each with a dulcimer, it is our "copy me game", we have also included fret numbers.
When I have to ice or relax my injured knee, ( the knee part is healing) and practicing or working on a song alone, it is on my sofa recliner with my tabs etc next to me where I can reach both my dulcimers so I have a choice of which to play per song.
When I am studying or need help I sit in front of my computer working on instruction from a friend on this site, I have no skyp, so it is not interactive, but occasionally it has been interactive through chat.
On a sunny, less windy day I sit on my shaded deck in my glider swing, oh I can't wait for the rain to stop and the sun to shine! I love strumming for the birds that are flittering in my bushes along side my deck....
My update is that I now live on my sailboat at a marina on the Caloosahatchee, and my favorite place to just play is "sittin' on the dock of the bay, watchin' the tide roll away..."
Strumelia: I remember that fear of messing others up too.My second favorite place to play is with several other friends and my husband at our town's local farmer's market. There is usually between 2 and 5 of us. Every other friday we volunteer to play there as our little way of giving back to our community. People love it, and sometimes we get some fresh organic vegetables or bread as a thank-you. I like that little toddlers often will start dancing to our music- unlike adults, they never feel too embarrassed to dance!
Update, seven years later (!):
We no longer play at that farmer's market. Right now I gotta say that my favorite place to play is with my husband in our living room in front of the fireplace, whether there's a fire or not. Though we do still enjoy going down to town and occasionally playing under a tree on Main street somewhere...for no particular occasion. We don't put out a hat or case for money -simply to avoid anyone possibly complaining about 'busking'...ha ha! 
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Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
updated by @strumelia: 03/30/16 09:17:54AM
My favorite place to play is in our sun room at the back of our home, situated on the banks of the Flint River, in Georgia.
I have Indian artifacts, decorative lighthouses, and a collection of bamboo fly rods and other items that I just enjoy staring at. Through the glass windows, one can watch the birds and other animals play and hunt food. Ducks down by the water and the occasional alligator float by.
All of this provides an amazing place to practice dulcimer and NAF, for a moment or sometimes hours. I feel extremely blessed.
Though my favorite place to play is still at home, I've got a new favorite room. Upstairs by the front windows. (They are low front windows.) I'm away from home for much of each week so my time playing dulcimer at home is very dear.
PS- My Sweetheart keeps the home fires burning. And he's my favorite playing partner. <3
updated by @robin-thompson: 03/30/16 09:20:54AM
Recently I've been playing most in my daughter's old bedroom which is now the computer room. I've got a music stand, and 3 of my instruments up there. The rest are downtairs in the living room that has an armless chair and music stand as well. I try to keep two books filled with the TAB I've finished and am currently playing on both levels.Tigger just sort of stares and goes back to sleep if he's around when I'm playing. I learned to play "Coorie Doon" by Matt McGinn just for Tigs. He has padded coorie doon spots all over the house.
Well, when we moved here to NC, we bought an old house with lots of rooms. Just off the living room is a sunroom/library where I've set up shop. It's out of the way, quiet, sunny, cheerful, musical, everything I could've asked for in a dulcimer hide-a-way. And, it's large enough that if someone wants to come over to play along, it'll hold maybe five dulcimer players at the same time... closely.
Suzanne,I vividly remember several teachers i had in kindergarten and first grade who sang and played and taught us songs and simple folk dances. Each teacher had their own kind of music to share in a unique way. I think it had a wonderful and profound effect on me as a person, so I wanted to let you know that many of your students will never forget the music you share with them. You are teaching them so much more than just a song!
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Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
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Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
I usually play in our living room where my little stool and stand are set-up but also love to play on our front porch or back deck when it's not too sunny. My very favorite place to play is with our group - we play in Lupton City - about 30 minutes from where I live. It's really neat to play outside when the weather is a little cooler and then it feels so neat amongst the trees and the birds, looking at the mountains. Sometimes, when we take our boat to a boat show, I will take my dulcimer, sit and just strum and play. People really do notice - they will stop and say what is that?.
Walter, the bowed psaltery sounds so haunting and celestial as it is- I can only imagine how beautiful it must sound in a resonant church setting. It must produce goose bumps...
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Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
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Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
By myself, I like playing outdoors on our deck or in a park best! In bad weather, I like my family room. I like playing with other people too, but I like a lively jam in that case. One of the best I have ever been to was at a KMW jam with a group of several md players and one hd player together. We had no other instruments to drown us out! Teri
I play in my living room. It's just me and my doggie at home during the day. Don't play in front of people.Bill
I usually play in the living room, while my wife reads. Another place I like to play is on my porch. Every now and again my neighbor will say something good about what I'm playing. He's learning to play guitar.
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Site Moderator
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Site Moderator
So far, I play in the living room, with Sandie and the cats listening. Haven't alienated any of them yet so I must be doing something right.This Sunday I will try playing in the park, at my choir's annual picnic/song circle/jam. Just some accompaniment noodling around unless somebody wants a solo ...
Barbara - we could call you BK or Beak!I like to play on the lanai except when it's muggy hot like the last few days. Or at a park downtown so i can people watch at the same time.
I remember that fear of messing others up too.My second favorite place to play is with several other friends and my husband at our town's local farmer's market. There is usually between 2 and 5 of us. Every other friday we volunteer to play there as our little way of giving back to our community. People love it, and sometimes we get some fresh organic vegetables or bread as a thank-you. I like that little toddlers often will start dancing to our music- unlike adults, they never feel too embarrassed to dance!
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Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
--
Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
I normally play in my room sitting on the edge of my bed, or at my desk in the living area... and outside if the weather is ok....
Most of the time, I play in an upstairs room sitting in my desk chair. The chair's got no arms and is okay height-wise so is great for mountain dulcimer strumming. I play here most because it's handy-- my dulcimers are all in this room.Although I don't do it much, I like to play either mountain or bowed dulcimer while sitting on the bench in our backyard. We get full sun there, though, and I don't like my dulcimers to get burnt! ;-)
Do you have a certain favorite place or setting in which to play your dulcimer?In your kitchen? Bedroom? At the dulcimer club with others? At church? Under a tree?Tell us why you enjoy playing there the most.If i'm playing alone, I like to play upstairs in my office at home...it's my little world where I can close the door and I don't have to worry about how I sound when I'm trying to work something out, and all my music books and papers are here. Also, I can work out tabs while on my computer, with my dulcimer in my lap. Not very poetic sounding or sociable, I suppose... oh well! ;D
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Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
updated by @strumelia: 10/27/19 12:02:25PM
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Site Owner
Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990
updated by @strumelia: 10/27/19 12:02:25PM
