G'day. I started learning dulcimer in mid 2001. I had tried guitar but got to 5 chords then got very stuck. I tried Mandolin ..same story. I saw a mountain dulcimer online quite by accident and fell in love with the sound... then fell more in love with it when i found out how much easier it was to learn to play. I had a dulcimer and beginners book sent Down Under and with the great support of this site have had a ball... i keep learning almost every day. I play from Tab and by ear and am only now learning (slowly) to read a little SMN. I busk a bit at a local Nursing Home and depending on my health i play semi regularly at the Creswick Woollen Mill's large retail store in my home town. The store attracts many tourists so i get to meet lots of nice people. I am now writing my own music and am learning clawhammer banjo from a book and enjoy mucking around on my Sparrowharp (autoharp). Dulcimer playing also led me to playing a bit of Native American flute...oh and i can play some didgeridoo. I paint a little, my favourite subject being early American town and rural scenes, and do some patchwork...both are interests that came from dulcimer playing. I share my life with my littled rescue dog Murphy. I owe so much to the wonderful instrument we all love.
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AllVideo clip Apps for Android Tablet
Possibly a dumb question but I would like to add some photos to my video...
@Helen Seiler 8 years ago - Comments: 2
Learning to play and sing at the same time
G'day folks, just a summary of what was in the Learning to Sing with...
@Helen Seiler 8 years ago - Comments: 4
Spotted Pony - origin?
Hi, i am learning Spotted Pony so i can play it at our local folk group...
@Helen Seiler 8 years ago - Comments: 2
Burnt Out Cure??
G'day folksMy health problems have improved (again) but i seemed to have...
@Helen Seiler 8 years ago - Comments: 13
G'day fellow Aussies
Thanks for our very own group Lisa...I had thought of asking about...
@Helen Seiler 8 years ago - Comments: 10
Market woes....what to do.
Well, I have been bitten on the rear end by the committee that run the...
@Helen Seiler 9 years ago - Comments: 37
Easy French tunes
I am thinking of approaching a local French Pattisserie to see if they...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 14
Jamming experience
I received an invite by a small group of local folk musicians to join...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 19
Mood stops me playing
Hi folks. I have been reading here about the severe pain some of you...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 25
Found a teacher in Oz
Yay! I have my first dulcimer lesson booked for next month down here in...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 4
One door closes another opens
This a followup discussion to the Quality Competition (bluegrass banjo...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 18
Clip on pickup
A friend recently gave me an acoustic 100 watt tube amp. She also lent...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 4
First limberjack
I would like to buy a limberjack. Can anyone suggest a good place to buy...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 10
Quality competition
Hi guys. I played my regular community market gig today. I am the only...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 33
Favourite Dulcimer CDs
Hi folks, i am looking at getting a few dulcimer music cd's this year...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 15
Back in the saddle
Hi folks. Well I am back into the saddle again. Yesterday I played my...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 6
Phrasing markers - where are they
Hi folks, i am pretty new to reading music. I can pick the length of...
@Helen Seiler 10 years ago - Comments: 17
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I just ordered a Didgeridoo!
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Are you still strumming? Sharing some Christmas Blessings
@Helen Seiler Thinking of you and all in Australia and hoping for rain. Take care, friend.
Where have you been? Missing your posts.
Has all that summer heat worn you out? If so, I wish we could bring you north of the equator to chill out or we could send some of that chillier air to Oz!
Where have you been? Missing your posts.
I hope the New Year will be good for you and you enjoyed the Christmas Holidays.
I miss seeing you on here & keeping up with all your latest, I hope you are well
Till next time, hugs & strums
So good to see you still check FOYMD even if you are not on, I hope you are doing well
But of course, Helen! It was so nice to see a vid from you again. I'm happy to know that you are still playing and writing. I thought maybe you took up another new sport and...well, I remember what happened before.
G'Day Helen! Mum is doing better, she is working hard at P.T. and walked 50 ft. today. I will see her Wed. also I will take Smiley to cheer her up, he loves visiting nursing homes and Mum loves him!
I am doing ok, but it has been damp here so my joints rebell, trying to work myself up to mow my lawn, haven't been able to start my mower though. I may ask this family who do yard work to help with this chore this year.
Loved seeing and hearing your farmers song on your porch, it looks nice and warm there and warm is good.
Take care Helen and thanks so much for checking in....
Hey Lexie, so sorry u and your mum are having painful things happenning. Its so unfair. I think of you often. Take care and i hope you are getting warmer weather. Things are cooling down here in Oz.
So nice to see you back Helen. I have not played much, busy with the girly and my Mom has broken back, she is in a rehab place now.
My hands have been not working and it is painful to use them, I have been doing strengthening exercises, but changing strings and small dexterity is getting quite difficult. I am going to have to teach my girl how to change strings this will help.
So great of you to check in, so happy to hear from you. I think of you often.
Take care of yourself my friend.
Thanks Helen!! Great to hear from you!!
Hi Marg.. yes mostly good now thanks.
good to see you back on, hope all is ok
Missing your compositions...........hope you are doing OK.
How are you doing? Are you anywhere near where the weather system is hitting? Sounds so powerful, be careful & let us know how you are doing
What is (read a little SMN. )
I was reading your little story above, I am also glad to have found the dulcimer and this site.
Hi Helen,
thank you very much for your nice comment.
Karel
Merry Christmas to my dulcimer buddy on the other side of the globe! Hope all is well with you and that 2017 brings many good times your way!
It was $30. at the book store and after Christmas will probably by half that. I don't know anything about slides or guitars but thought it would be a fun project. I send the info to the group I play with, there are 2 in the group that like all kinds of instruments and making them. This isn't really making but could give them an idea if they wanted to try the slide.
I am happy staying with the dulcimer but doesn't mean I don't go looking for an additional dulcimers. I feel like I have gotten pretty good with Christmas music, in just a few days now will need to start all over on something else.
Crazy people out in the world, stay safe and Merry Christmas
Oooh Marg dont tempt me. I have stopped buying instruments so i can improve my savings. Thanks for the link.