John C. Knopf
John C. Knopf
@john-c-knopf
2 years ago
386 posts

Preach it, Bro!

Rob N Lackey
Rob N Lackey
@rob-n-lackey
2 years ago
420 posts

As an aside, Michael Rugg told me in an email that he'd rather have the 0+ than any other 1/2 fret.  Indeed he said he preferred his instruments without a 6 1/2

Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
2 years ago
2,113 posts

Dan is correct, as always.  It is a fret usually found on chromatic fretboards, placed between the nut (which is sometimes called the 0 fret) and the 1st fret.  As a term,  0+ is less confusing than "1/2 fret"

Dan
Dan
@dan
2 years ago
180 posts

Lorilee:


What is a 0+ fret? Sounds like an "odd fret"! confusey




Chromatic fret between the nut and the Traditional 1st fret. 

Lorilee
Lorilee
@lorilee
2 years ago
15 posts

What is a 0+ fret? Sounds like an "odd fret"! confusey

Strumelia
Strumelia
@strumelia
9 years ago
2,247 posts

Beating the straws, beaters, fiddlesticks,  ....it's an old fiddle percussion technique.  No need to associate it with anything negative, any more so than beating a drum.  Here's a great thread on fotmd about it:

http://fotmd.com/forums/forum/general-mountain-dulcimer-or-music-discussions/4572/fiddlesticks




--
Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990

updated by @strumelia: 10/18/15 12:58:26PM
Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
9 years ago
2,113 posts

Hand me that hickory wife beater, Rob,  I think it'll make MacLaren's March sound just right!nerd

 

Rob N Lackey
Rob N Lackey
@rob-n-lackey
9 years ago
420 posts

Ken, for some reason I figured you'd get the reference.  devil   I still think beater is the best name for it, although I have heard it called a hammer.

 

Sheryl St. Clare
Sheryl St. Clare
@sheryl-st-clare
9 years ago
259 posts

Seems to work well on Old Joe Clark. I vote for Sticks for the name.

Wout Blommers
Wout Blommers
@wout-blommers
9 years ago
97 posts

Being a non native speaker has some advantage, so is being naive giggle2

Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
9 years ago
2,113 posts

Oh I got the reference!   I've always called them Strikers or Hammers.  I've used the technique for years, but IMHO there aren't many songs where the technique is appropriate -- Little Drummer Boy, and some of the Irish march tunes of the 1916 rebellion come to mind...

shawn wright
shawn wright
@shawn-wright
9 years ago
7 posts

That was really interesting.  I'm too old to have much hope of reaching that level but maybe my kids could approach it with a lot of practice. 

In this day and age when people are easily offended knockers, nono .  Stick would be about as bland and non-offensive as you could get and somebody would still probably be offended.

 

Rob N Lackey
Rob N Lackey
@rob-n-lackey
9 years ago
420 posts

Oh my!  I can hear me doing a workshop on this technique and saying, "Ok, now, knockers up."

Anyone get the reference  grin      Think 60s.

Wout Blommers
Wout Blommers
@wout-blommers
9 years ago
97 posts

Sticks?

Chinese pick?

Ticker?

Mallet?

Hammer?

Rhythm Beater?

Snare drum or String durm?

Dulcimer bone?

I have a String drum bass hommel, which is played using a beater. Have to restring it, so no pictures yet. It plays a two or three tone very low drone. The thing which hit the strings is called a 'klopper' in Dutch, which should be translate as 'knocker'.


updated by @wout-blommers: 10/17/15 03:20:37AM
Charles Thomas
Charles Thomas
@charles-thomas
9 years ago
77 posts

 That was inspirational! After hearing, seeing and reading I ran to our pantry, found some chopsticks and started practicing. I think we all should come up with a new name, beater sounds too violent for such a wonderful sound.

Wout Blommers
Wout Blommers
@wout-blommers
9 years ago
97 posts

Rob N Lackey:
John Molineux!  It has a 1 1/2 only under the middle string; a 4 1/2 under the bass and middle strings, and a 5 1/2 under only the bass.  Note there is no 6 1/2.  Here's a link to to a solo video of John where you can see the frets plainly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfgKHgiL-Sg`


Very usefull playing chord/melody style. It leaves the melody string diatonic, which is nice playing noter/drone style.


I also like the possum board using the transporting case.


The beater... There goes my free weekend ;-)


 

Rob N Lackey
Rob N Lackey
@rob-n-lackey
9 years ago
420 posts

I use a beater I got from Jean & Lee Schilling's shop about 30 years ago.  I thought it was a noter when I bought it.  I later got a noter from them as well as many books and records.  Anyway...  here's a little thing I did with a beater a few years ago.  They can be quite fun.

http://fotmd.com/rob-n-lackey/uploaded_video/260/green-grow-the-laurel-lilacs

 

marg
@marg
9 years ago
615 posts

Interesting

 

Lexie R Oakley
Lexie R Oakley
@lexie-r-oakley
9 years ago
229 posts

I like the hammered part also, but this is not the first time I have seen it. Little Girly was playing my dulcimer and she was experimenting with the sound by tapping the strings with a chop stick, it sounds pretty neat.

Bob Reinsel
Bob Reinsel
@bob-reinsel
9 years ago
80 posts

Wow, that hammered part is remarkable!




--
Bob
Site Moderator

The greatest music is made for love, not for money -- Greg Lake
Rob N Lackey
Rob N Lackey
@rob-n-lackey
9 years ago
420 posts

John Molineux!  It has a 1 1/2 only under the middle string; a 4 1/2 under the bass and middle strings, and a 5 1/2 under only the bass.  Note there is no 6 1/2.  Here's a link to to a solo video of John where you can see the frets plainly.

`

pristine2
@pristine2
9 years ago
33 posts

I'm not the only one who likes odd bits of fret on my dulcimers, here and there:


updated by @pristine2: 08/01/23 08:56:23PM