Most ukulele players play with their fingers which produce a softer sound. although some use their nails. Picks and nails make a sharper sound, even on nylon strings. [ I mess around with them, micro bass and autoharp, also.] You could try a 3 finger pluck or strum [finger pad inward] to get pretty much the same, softer, sound.

Hey Dusty thanks for the good advice I didn't even think about approaching it from a strumming point of view in the sense of altering the pic and maybe if I strumming inward instead of out, if I strum inward I would think I would get a little more of a Basie tone. Why I was thinking of changing the melody string with to get a little bit more of a Bassy tone thicker string more bass but I knew that was a slippery slope changing the size would change the action and affecting the groove in the nut and Bridge that's not a good idea, but I was just playing around I don't think I'll do that. I'll leave it the way it is and just try out some of your suggestions. All in all this has been a good experiment for practicing chords I must say. 

I do try my best to strum as soft as I can. It's just that I'm picking up a twang sound that just doesn't quite fit in. Maybe if they were playing Melody Tunes and I was just trying to play chords and strum as backup?  I wonder  what that would sound like? But they don't play Melody they only strum and play chords 

You know what they say: one thing leads to another. Oh I stumbled across a site that has Beatles songs tab(s) in D.A.D. and arranged for the dulcimer. I'm going to see if I can find that site again, and print it out to take to DJ's play a longs. and I'll also try to post it here in case somebody is interested in playing those Tunes.  Thanks Dusty

Jon, a few other things on string gauges. If you go to too big, the string may not fit in the grooves on the bridge and nut, or it might make those grooves bigger, thus creating a buzz when you go back to lighter strings.  You also want the tension to be roughly equal across all your strings.  I would say in general that .015 is too heavy for a melody string.  I like heavier strings than most, and I use .026 wound on the bass, .016 on the middle, and .013 on the melody.

However, there are some other techniques you can employ to reduce the "twang."  I am not sure what you mean by " strumming at the top of the fretboard top bottom,"  but you will get a more mellow tone strumming clo ser to the 7th fret rather than toward the bridge, where the tone gets brighter.  

You might also avoid playing open strings.  I am not sure how you are playing with the uke folks, but if you are just strumming chords (which I would advise since that's what they do), then try to use three-finger chords. Not only will you get more mellow tone, but you can mute the strings with your left hand (keeping them on the strings but not pressing them against the fretboard).  That will keep the strings from ringing out.  For example, assuming you are tuned DAd, if the song calls for a G chord, don't play 3-1-0. Play 3-3-3 or 3-3-5.  If it calls for a D chord, play 2-3-4 or 4-5-7.  If it calls for a Bm, don't play 2-1-0, play 2-3-5 or 5-5-7.  I will stop with the examples now, but you get the point.

And what are you doing with your right hand?  You might experiment with picks made of different material. In a different discussion here a couple of weeks ago, some people mentioned playing with leather picks. I would personally not want to use a leather pick because it would make playing single notes more difficult, but it would definitely produce a softer tone.  And you might strum with just your bare fingers.  If you strum out with your thumb and in with your index finger, I'm sure you would get a softer tone (just make sure no nails are involved).

And maybe this seems too obvious, but strum softer.  

P.S. I love the song Lazy Bones. I think I first heard it from Leon Redbone.  "Lazy bones, sleeping in the sun./How d'ya expect to get your day's work done?"

--
Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator

As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie
updated by @dusty: 10/09/26 07:25:07PM

The advice about the string has to do with the amount of tension put on the string. Too much tension and it breaks. You can check the Strothers String Calculator and see what it recommends. String Size Calculator Enter the vibrating string length and the note for the open string, in your case that is d. The calculator tends to go to the light side, so you can go heavier, e.g., if it recommends a 0.012, you can go to a 0.013, or 0.014. It might be risky with 0.015, but you could try it. Just be aware that the string might break when it comes up to the pitch you want. Wear googles to protect your eyes.

Something is to check is whether you melody string is well seated in the slot in the nut and saddle. Sometimes you can get a twang from the string vibrating in the slot.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Well, just an update on my experiment with the ukulele group. What I have noticed it sounds like to me is that my melody string is what I would call, “twang” For lack of a better word. And doesn't quite blend  with the ukulele groups plastic strings they use. I tried strumming at the top of the fretboard top bottom that always gets them mixed up closer towards the nut a little past the 7th fret so down the fretboard to get a deeper sound that didn't quite work. but a little better though. Obviously I'm much more comfortable tuned to Dad so I don't really want to return to a different key and I don't know if that would really make any difference,  what I was thinking is what would happen if I increase the string size of the melody string from 11 to 15 gauge? Somewhere I heard that you can only go up one or two gauges. I'm not sure exactly why. Does it have to do with the sound? or would that have to do with the structure of the instrument, and it would put too much tension on the wood? 

I will say it's definitely an experience playing with the ukulele group. They play those tunes that I would never dream of  trying to play. Like the Monster Mash, Beatles songs, and some song called lazy bones that was another big hit.  They're definitely not big on playing things like Bile them cabbage down, Shady Grove, Old Joe Clark, SMILE. Any ideas how to reduce the “twang" out of the melody string? I think it just may be the nature of the Beast, and it is what it is. I mean they are playing with plastic strings and we use metal strings so? 

If Dusty happens to read this I did get a email from DJ about the baritone Info “Baritone Dulcimer Day”