Since the uke was brought up in this thread, and since I just saw Jake Shimabukuro again for the millionth time last night, I just wanted to mention that if you like uke, you need to hear Jake. He's done for uke what Bela Fleck did for banjo. He also happens to be a very nice guy. You can see a free documentary here:

Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings

Enjoy!

Lauri, I hope to have a JRS one day....he lives close to where I do and I frequent their shop. Really beautiful sounding dulcimer! JH....lately everything in my house is dusty....hasn't slowed me much :) Ukelele.....there has been a banjo uke calling my name for some time now....trying to resist!

I have figured out that looking at the bridges helps with accuracy. For some reason my eyes just want to look at the strings...so I have to kind of keep reminding my self to look at the bridges.

I'm really enjoying the HD....It remains set up in my music room and I have to walk past it to get to my other instruments so I stop and hammer often!

I was led to the fretted dulcimer from the hammered dulcimer, which I learned to play first. I still have my beautiful old custom Dusty Strings D25, and still love the thing even though I haven't seriously played it in a while. To David I just wanted to mention - don't look at the strings; look at your bridges instead. Much easier that way. :)

I made my first HD in the late 1980's, and a great number since then ! I truely believe it to be relatively easy to play, I could'nt read SMN then (nor can I now ) but once I had mastered the 'geography' of the instrument's layout (using a specific 'tuning' pattern every time helps ) I seemed to be able to 'jus play the durned thing', and although attending some workshops, I have never really been tied by the constraints of 'doing it the right way' I always played 'seated', using a monopole leg, and found that I fitted into our UK pub sessions (where just about any type of music is played, on just about every sort of instrument) very well, so long as I observed timing, rhythm , and patterns (see Susanne's comment). For me, the HD fitted into such sessions well , it worked great to be able to lay down backup sound to tunes I did'nt know. I always preferred playing the HD over MD in such situations, 'cos without doubt it carries a lot more punch. The downside being that this enables all the 'bum' notes one might play to be clearly heard !!! Of course, the MD is easier to lug around......................... !

Go for it Cheryl, just don't spend too much time looking down at the strings, 'cos then you might notice all the dust on the soundboard, which may put you off playing ???

best wishes

JohnH

Robin...great idea!!! Connie....I had no idea it was the dark side...push over I'm going to join you!! I was considering the D550 for a chromatic. I wish I could hear one in person, but I have heard Dan Landrum's via recording. I'm starting to get the layout pretty well, just hitting those darn strings accurately has been tough!

Phil....its calling me....its those darn irish jigs.

CJ, don't go over tothe dark side!!!!

Just wondering how many folks who play mountain dulcimer also play hammered dulcimer. I've owned a pretty Masterworks hammered dulcimer for years and just now I'm thinking I just may learn to play the durn thing. It has a nice sound and diatonic string layout with a couple chromatic notes on the side. Shouldn't be too hard to learn....right?? :)