Hi Jamie. Welcome to the wonderful world of FOTMD. If you stick around a while, you will make many new friends here.

Don't let anyone tell you your first dulcimer purchase was a mistake no matter the brand. I played the first seven years on a $100 kit with friction pegs. I wrote many of my tunes on that dulcimer and I performed with it at the World's Fair in 1986 and the Seattle Folklife festival.

If you play a little bit everyday you will get better regardless of the instrument. Can you find a better instrument? Absolutely! You can spend $4000 on a dulcimer but you will not learn any faster.

You are about to discover that every dulcimer you purchase or build from here on will never be enough. 

Welcome StringHopper and TwoGunBob!

(..I'm a secret HP Lovecraft fan myself)

Well heck... Firstly I'm not a Bob but a Jamie. TGB was my internet handle from way back that came from being a Robert E. Howard fan (creator of Conan) as H.P. Lovecraft called him Two Gun Bob and I adopted the moniker and all. Literally just got my dulcimer yesterday and then read the decidedly lukewarm opine of Roosebeck instruments but what's done is done. Anyone want to donate a dulcimer to someone that made a mistake? All said I sat down learning The Water is Wide and muddled through. If anything the challenge is getting those hand positions which are different from bass AND different from the balalaika. At least the balalaika prepped me for using my thumb so there's that.

I've played electric bass guitar for around 31 years. Rolling the clock back to being young and rebellious...

And then there was this stint doing cow punk...

And at the same time STILL playing angry music...

All that folded up about ten years ago and I pretty much just tinkered on the bass and got bored so picked up the balalaika last year to try my hand at Russian folk music. After a year I decided to branch out again and ordered the dulcimer and joined here as I really miss being a part of a musical community. I appreciate the warm welcomes so far and look forward to getting stuck in with yet another new instrument.

Let's see... In the last ten years I spend a lot of my time when not working painting figures for wargaming. The gaming is mostly to justify painting as that relaxes me even more than playing music. Honestly, when I'm not in a band playing live I kind of get depressed about the music thing. right now I'm working on an American Civil War project, probably what ignited the interest in the dulcimer.

Also done a plethora of fantasy/sci fi stuff over the years.

And that's about it for the moment. Look forward to getting to know this community and learning about yet another instrument.

Hi everyone! I am finally getting the time to get on to this forum, I am coming in from the old Everything Dulcimer forum (Asterhunter). My wife Sharon and I play and practice a lot together, and play in public every once in a while. We have a fairly active YouTube channel, one of our latest is here:

I'm sure I'll find some old friends here!

David Elosser

Welcome Lisa!

For determining whether your instrument is playable or needs work, I'd suggest you create a new discussion in the following Forum:

https://fotmd.com/forums/forum/instruments-discuss-specific-features-luthiers-instrument-problems-questions

-use the Plus (+) button to create a new discussion.

I also suggest you look over our site Groups and join any that interest you- that makes it even more FUN to be on the site!   :)

https://fotmd.com/group

Be sure to explore the various links along the TOP navigation bar to get familiar with the site layout.

And here's a forum for asking questions when you can't figure out the site settings or how to post something: 

https://fotmd.com/forums/forum/site-questions-how-do-i

Welcome, Pondoro.  Sounds like you may play several folk instruments in depth before adding to your Instrument Zoo.  I  think you will enjoy the  dulcimer. 

As Strumelia mentioned, there are so many instruments I yearn to play well but it would take several lifetimes.  I haven't been able to restrain myself  enough to fit that playing well requirement.  Fortunately the dulcimer is forgiving of my dabbling.   I sometimes say this is what happens when you give a Girl Scout the Dabbler badge.  I still am one.  Several of us here are.  I think you will feel right at home, there's even a forum about Adventures with 'Other's Instruments.  Enjoy!

Welcome Pondoro!   I've been playing old time American and Anglo-Scottish folk tunes on the dulcimer for forty years (one of these days I'll get it right!)

Here's an article I wrote a number of years back called I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?  It's an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms (so we all speak the same lingo); plus answers to many beginner questions about tuning, playing, care and feeding of your new acquisition.

I Just Got A.pdf  •  1MB

Hi Pondoro!  What a wonderful Christmas present!  The dulcimer (in my book) is the best instrument in the world for Christmas songs and folk music!  Enjoy

Welcome Pondoro. You will find many new friends here. While this is a dulcimer forum, there are many who play ukulele and harmonica. Bodhran? Now you lost me. I'll have to Google it.

5 min later:  Now I know.  A one sided shallow drum.  Interesting. 

Hi Pondoro. I envy your years of bodhran lessons!  There are several instruments I yearn to play well... but alas I'd need three lifetimes to do so. 

How sweet that your wife is encouraging your music adventures!  I hope you enjoy it here on FOTMD.

Hi, I've played the harmonica for 45 years or so, the ukulele for twelve, and the bodhrán for three. I've actually taken lessons for three years on the bodhrán. Anyway I want to play an old time American instrument and my wife is funding a mountain dulcimer for Christmas. So I'll soon be trying my hand on that. I like pretty much all music, but I'm looking forward to old time folk tunes and Christmas songs on my dulcimer. 

Welcome to FOTMD @fredr

There are a lot of great people here that will help you!

You are beginning a wonderful journey!  Have fun!

@fredr Welcome!  There's lots to see and hear-- enjoy exploring FOTMD! 

Hi Everyone I am new to the group and also to the Mountain Dulcimer. Saw and heard my first one in July last year, the memory stuck. So a year later I Found a new to me McSpadden and here we go! I have never played an instrament before and there isn't a Dulcimer teacher near me.

That being said, I am thankful to join your group and look forward to learning from you all.

Thank you again

Welcome Atilwi!  Glad you found us.  You're in for a fabulous experience!  Always ask questions -- we're here to help.  There are no stupid or inappropriate questions, just ones that don't get answered.  

I've attached an article I wrote a few years back called I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?.  It's an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms, so we all speak the same lingo when asking and answering questions.  Plus it has answers to many beginner questions about tuning, playing, care and feeding of your new friend.

I Just Got A.pdf  •  1MB

Hello!

I teach elementary music in Kansas and just ordered my first Dulcimer. Found this place when I was researching what to look for so I could choose a good one!

Howdy y'all!
Hooahmedic here!  Its Army lingo for a really good medic!  ;)
E. TN boy transplanted to Texas and still holding on to my mountain roots!

Hey, @Nanners -- welcome and happy strumming on your new dulcimer! 

Hi y'all! I'm Nanners, a newb from Austin. I just love the sweet, sweet sound of a dulcimer! I saw one for the first time in Mountainview, Arkansas when hubby and I were there for a bluegrass festival a couple of years ago. (We lead a bluegrass/folk jam on Tuesdays, him on guitar, me on fiddle). Time passed, and a couple of months ago I was in a local music store with a friend looking to upgrade her Mandolin... there were some dulcimers hanging on the wall! I picked one up and decided it was time to finally do this dulcimer thing. So here I am trying to learn a new instrument. Wish me luck!

Hey Jools, jump right in, the water's fine.     

Welcome Helena!
How very lovely that you found your dulcimer over Christmas in Berea Kentucky!

I suggest that you JOIN our Canadian Group here on FOTMD:

https://fotmd.com/b-ross-ashley/group/15/north-of-the-lakes

and then make a new discussion asking about anyone perhaps nearby you.  That group has not had any NEW discussions in a while, and I'm sure if you post there the Canadian group members will see it and jump in to greet you!

(note that you will only see the replies to discussions in a group after you JOIN the group and are a member there.  Use the JOIN button on the group's main page)

Hi I am Helena and I am a newbie. I found my dulcimer in Berea Kentucky at Christmas dance school week. I had been looking for an instrument to play and I saw this one in the window. It was love at first sight and sound. I have just completed Dulcimer University in North Carolina so at least now I can play a little. But I need help. Anybody now of some Canadian players and how I can reach them? Thanks

Hello to all. I'm Noah. Though I'm better known for my banjo playing and building on Banjo Hangout and YouTube (I've been playing for about ten years and building gourd and mountain style banjos for about five), I've had much interest in the mountain dulcimer. I started playing dulcimer in 2015 on the first one I made, after deciding that instead of buying one I could probably make a decent one, since I had about 20 banjos under my belt at the time. To date, I've made four. My first was a 4-string (double melody) walnut/cherry hourglass, and after playing it for some time and deciding what I liked/didn't like, I made my second, a 3-string walnut teardrop, which is the style I've favored the most and built since. I have a few pics of these on my profile. 

I was aware that this site existed, but I completely forgot about it until stumbling upon it again and decided to join. 

Links to my BHO profile and YouTube channel:

BHO: http://www.banjohangout.org/my/Noah+Cline 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4zlsglpLMap5XSaUPaQ7QA?view_as=subscriber

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Thank You Ken. The links are very much appreciated.

Hi John-c  Welcome to our wacky and wonderful world.  I've added links to a couple of articles I wrote years ago, which you may find useful as you start your dulcimer journey. 

I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What? is an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms (so we all speak the same lingo), plus answers to many beginner questions about tuning, playing, care and feeding of your new instrument.

Get Noterized is a beginner's guide to playing the dulcimer in a traditional (non-3-finger chord) style.

Uncontrite Modal Folker is a discussion of musical Modes and Modal Tunings and how they apply to the mountain dulcimer.

Uncontrite Modal Folker.pdf  •  92KB

I Just Got A.pdf  •  1MB

Get Noterized.pdf  •  87KB

Hello everyone. I'm John from Lawrenceburg, KY. I had a dulcimer back in the 80s. Not sure who it was made by, but learned how to play with a noter a little. I don't think at the time I really understood or appreciated the instrument so I traded it off, and my interests turned towards the guitar. About 3 years ago I purchased a Psaltery at the Gatlinburg craftsman fair and have enjoyed learning it. Just recently I came across a John Kinniard Dulcimer (pics attached). I sent John an email and did get a response. He was very surprised that I found one of his, but as I understand it he only makes very high end guitars now. I have a renewed interest in the Dulcimer now, and basically lost my mind over them. Purchased a McSpadden off ebay and anxiously waiting it's arrival. BTW if anyone has any info or experience with the John Kinniard Dulcimer please share.

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John K Back.jpg  •  76KB

Hey Craig good to meet you!

Wow - a Capritaurus AND a D-00. What a great pair.

I played guitar for many years before I started the dulcimer. The main draw for me was exactly as you say: diatonic forced me to rethink composing and experimenting with different tuning and string configurations.

As a result, I've now gone back to playing guitar again and started noodling in CGCFCD - what an amazing find courtesy of Martin Simpson! 

Hi, I'm Craig and I'm new around here. I discovered the site the other day while searching for info about my dulcimers.

I first got interested in the mountain dulcimer in the 1980s; I forget why, exactly, but Dave Cousins' use of the instrument on "Witchwood" by the Strawbs may have had something to do with it. I was already a guitar player at that point who could also find his way around a piano. I bought a Rugg & Jackel (the teardrop-shaped one in the photo) along with an LP by Michael Rugg ( Rugg's Celtic Collection for Dulcimer  -- charming album) and a couple of instructional books and started playing. The D-00 is quite small (22" VSL), so it's easy to play, though the tone is a bit boxy. More recently, I bought a vintage 1973 Capritaurus (the hourglass-shaped one), which at 29" VSL is the opposite -- great tone, but kind of hard to reach chords, and easier to play when tuned down to C. I may have to split the difference and buy a 26" model...

I'm not really a great dulcimer player; I'm better at guitar, but I like to play and I find that different instruments make me think differently. On guitar, mandolin, or dulcimer, I come up with different things. The modal nature of the dulcimer, in particular, forces me away from my natural tendency toward chromaticism.

R&C, enjoy that cool mountain dulcimer.  Happy strumming! 

Thanks!  I was very pleased to learn its history and to manage to acquire it.  Marsha gave me some good advice about not changing anything about it.  I like playing noter style.  I love the tradition and history of this instrument. 

My sister-in-law started lessons in Florida this year, although I suspect she's playing chord style.  But we're going to see what we can do together to entertain the family over Christmas. 

Oh my, what a great find, Rocks!  Whatever you do, don't change this perfect and wonderful old dulcimer- that's a collector's instrument and is in mint condition!  I see the frets are only under the melody string..so enjoy playing it in drone style, as it was intended to be played.  (you can always later get a nice second dulcimer for chord style playing, with extra frets too if you want to explore that style)      You're a lucky lady to now be the Amburgey's new player!

Hi, I'm Lizabeth.  I posted to the First Dulcimer thread before I saw this, so I've got an intro on there.  But, briefly, I've wanted a dulcimer since high school, when a friend learned to play during a summer working in the Appalachians.  I looked at them a lot but never pulled the trigger until a couple of weeks ago when I found a mountain dulcimer in a flea market.  I eventually bought it.  It's a Morris Jethro Amburgey (son of Jethro) built in 1978, and it's in perfect condition.  I'm teaching myself noter and drone playing.  I've been playing native American flute for four years.  My family is pretty musical, so I pick things up pretty quickly.  I love being here.  I think forums are an excellent way to connect folks and disseminate information. 

I hope these photos are right-side up!  The first one is of Marsha Harris.  She put a new string on for me, tuned the dulcimer, and gave me some pointers. 

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Any members who would like to tell us a little something about themselves?  We love to welcome new FOTMD family members, especially during the holiday season!    

*WELCOME SHERRI!*

I'm new as well, have just bought my first MD after thinking about it for ages, having tinkered with a Strumstick type device. At the moment still at the "Go and tell Aunt Nancy" (what you folks across the water call "Go tell Aunt Rhody" ... we have an extra half-beat on you there ....)

It's a small world, I'm from Norfolk, England as well. I'm semi retired now ; I used to teach children with Special Needs (of varying types .....) and I now write Computer Software occasionally, contract work. 

I'm currently working on a (free definitely open source probably) visual TAB player for Dulcimers to help me learn, basically you feed TAB and/or Chords into it plus some timing data and it plays it back at you showing the TAB,  you can change the speed etc. If you've ever used Yousician, a bit like that, except there's no audio detection of what you're playing. 

We also have a dedicated Group here on FOTMD where UK members can stay updated on local events and make new friend and local jamming connections! :   http://fotmd.com/john-henry/group/41/uk-and-european-mountain-dulcimers          

Alison -- being on that side of The Pond, you'll want to get to know Robin Clark, who is a member here. He lives up in Snowdonia, Wales, and has a company called Bird Rock Dulcimers.  Robin is extremely knowledgeable about dulcimers as well as guitars.   He is importing dulcimers made here, some built specifically to his design.  His website is

http://www.dulcimers.co.uk  or you can call him on   +44 (0)1654 712671

HI y'all!  I am sandi, and I was very active on dulcimer sites while learning after I first got my dulcimer in 2003.  The help and companionship of dulcimer friends online has always been AMAZING.  I have a Walnut Creek from Craggy Mountain Music that I bought sight unseen after learning about the mountain dulcimer, all because of the very kind Beverly who was so wonderful on the phone when I called.  :)  My goal was to have hymn sings with visitors to my home, as I so loved our Pastor's wife getting us around the piano whenever we visited her.  :)

I am a homeschooling mama with six children, so I had some years in there where my dulcimer was tucked away.  I have always wanted to play more but didn't know how to fit it in.  Now maybe I'm needing it?  LOL!  My current plan is to purchase a custom (Wren?) from Feather Dulcimers, and I am very excited.  I always wanted BIGGER and LOUDER to play in groups, but the practicality of a small instrument to store and pull out and travel with is now very, very appealing.  

That's it, I think!  I'm so happy to be back among you!

ETA that I'm dying to master this instrument.  It's simplicity has always appealed to me, but there is also much to master and grow with for the rest of your life should you want to.

Welcome to our corner of musical Paradise.  You may be interested in the article I wrote several years ago and recently updated, called I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?  It's an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms plus answers to many of the beginner questions about tuning, playing, care and feeding of your new friend.  Here's the revised edition.

I Just Got A Dulcimer 2016.pdf  •  1.1MB

I too have a Cedar Creek Dulcimer kit. I love it. It was so much fun building it. I wish I could build them all the time.

Hey, Boo!  (Sorry....I couldn't resist).  It's great having you join us and I hope you'll find us a fun, helpful bunch.  I have a Ginger that I really like. It was especially helpful when I was first learning chords.  I've never been to Mountain View, but I hope I can go some day.

 Well, Linda, I used to live in Salisbury, and if I still did I'd volunteer to re-string it for you.  Pegs aren't as bad as some folks make 'em out to be.  I wouldn't change a thing on the Tignor.  In his later period he used store-bought violin pegs, but he still carved pegs for some of them.  I've never used peg dope on a dulcimer.  I either spit on 'em or use chalk  ROFL.  Moistening them lightly will make them swell a little and stop most slipping; chalk is a great lubricant if they are sticky.  

There are  number of Youtube vids on how to use wooden tuners that you can follow.  IIRC DanC has posted one or more.  There are products called Peg Drops which will help with slipping tuners.  Old time remedies included a few strokes with a piece of chalk or a bar of soap on the shaft.

My article I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?  has a section on stringing/re-stringing.  You want to remove/replace one string at a time.

Yeah, Linda, get than Tignor down and re-string her.  As the proud owner of 2 Tignor's I think they are really underrated by a lot of folks.  They are great players, at least mine are, for whatever style you like to play.  

Hi Linda, welcome!

Hey you might want to re-evaluate that Tignor- some folks collect them and if it's in decent shape it could be a good player!

I hear you about the too-many-hobbies/interests thing.  

Say howdy here to us all, and tell us a little about yourself!