I will Kenneth. I've been messing around with the piano for 15 to 20 min. just about every morning since my discovery. We have a regular piano and an electric piano. I really like playing the electric experimenting with the different sounds. Lots of fun.

But right now I am spending a horrible amount of time preparing for a family reunion the end of this month and a Christmas presentation in Dec. I've fallen in love with a new song I am learning to play, "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem". Love the words and music. I've heard this song for years, but never appreciated it until now.

Terry, I love those "ah ha moments" when they occur. Glad to hear about your piano discovery. Keep exploring and experimenting. That's the fun of music.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Ken,I figured that was what the black keys are for, but thanks for the confirmation. I have already began using some of the black keys. I don't really know when to, but by ear I find the right sound.

Lois, I certainly don't play by ear, but more and more I am finding it easier to pick out a song without TAB. I am also getting the hang of playing songs in DAA or DGD, while tuned to DAD or CGC or even BF#B. I just move up the fret board.

In fact, I have dedicated my Don Gardner built dulcimer to playing in noter/drone, always tuned to DAA or DGD. Playing all the songs I play in CGC in DGD, without TAB. Playing by ear? I don't think so, but I believe I'm making progress. I sincerely believe that learning to play in noter/drone has opened up another "ah ha" moment. I think the learning key has been not being stuck in DAd playing with the noter, using the noter or pointer finger to press the middle string. DGD or DAA forces one to use the melody string in its entirety (if that makes sense). The high ringing sound is just beautiful, so old timey sounding.

Good luck Lois.

Terry

Those black keys are for the frets your dulcimer doesn't have....

Years of piano left me figuring there were those who played by ear and those who couldn't. I even too one of those one night wonder courses on playing by ear, but had a heck of a time figuring out where to start. My other instruments never helped as I still needed SMN or at least tab even though I could transpose to different keys. Only dulcimer has helped me realize even I can pick out melodies and the rest of the accompaniment. Okay it's still fairly primitive and at a beginner level, but I'm looking at the BINGO or A HA moment from the opposite side and loving it.

Ahaaaaa! Thanks Paul. Another window opens up.

You are using C for D, D for E, etc. Now try using D for D, E for E, etc. When you get to F, you will find it sounds wrong. Go to the black key just right of F, and it will be the F# you need for the key of D. Another "Aha!" moment? That's what the black keys are for. When you get to C, you will find that a great many songs will need the black key just right of C-C#. Go try it, your wife will be tickled!I learned enough about scales & chords playing guitar to find songs on a piano. I won't ever be mistaken for a pianist, but I can make songs come out of it.Kicking & screaming, but they come out.

Thanks man, I'm enjoying it. Still playing the dulcimer though, it will always be my main squeeze. Ain't no piano gonna turn my clock around.

R N Lackey said:

That's great, Terry. Keep up the good work!

Yep.

Carrie, I'm with Dan, it's just "too cool". My wife thinks it cool too. It's like this neat little discovery took the big secret out of the closet. Now the challenge is to figure out how to use more than one finger and what those black keys are good for. Carrie, I don't know much about a pump organ, I just hope it's not something that's catching.

Last night I experienced a new "ah ha" moment. My wife plays piano and over the years I touched the one in our home several times, but it was so foreign to me the touch didn't last long.

Well, after playing the dulcimer for 18 months now, I sat down at the piano and "bingo!". Starting at middle C on the piano white keys (wife told me this much), I discovered I can play, with one finger, songs that I play on the dulcimer. Middle C is D, next key to the right of middle C is E (tuned DAd), and so on and so forth up the key board. Middle string on the dulcimer are the keys to the left of middle C.

This may sound pretty elementary to some, but to me this was huge in understanding music and the scary piano. Just delighted by this discovery.

Terry