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POLL: Single or Doubled melody string ?
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POLL: Regardless of what style you play in, how many other strings your dulcimer might have, or what tunings you might use...
please tell us whether you generally prefer using a doubled pair of melody strings (played/fretted as one), or whether you generally prefer a single melody string.
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Option
Votes
I generally prefer playing with a Single melody string.
29
I generally prefer playing with a Doubled (pair of) melody strings.
10
I prefer single string. Yesterday I installed fresh strings, and now my go to dulcimer has double melody strings. Just thought I'd give it a go. Slightly more volume. However, I see back to 3 strings very shortly.
Currently it appears that we play a single string on about a 2 to 1 basis.
Like 'em both for different reasons (as a mostly noter player). Split vote. Agree that there is an old world timbre you get with the double.
I prefer a double melody string for the kinds of music and dulcimers I play. It imparts an 'old world' feeling that I love.
On some acoustic dulcimers of mine I like it. Other dulcimers have just a single string. I think certain songs are good with the double melody string while others not-so-much. However, on my electric dulcimer I don't really care for the double as the notes sometimes gets muted on certain songs and it just doesn't sound right.
I'm going to try and see what one melody string sounds like on one of my dulcimers. oh my.........I learn so much from this site. thank you all, aloha, irene
I have two instruments set-up with double melody strings and like the sound, the natural reverb sound. :) Some tunes shine extra with the set-up.
Pull-offs and playing high on the fretboard are easier with a single melody string and, to my ear, sound pretty good. Most of the time, I play with a single melody string.
I began my dulcimer playing on a Folk Roots dulcimer with a double melody string. I now prefer a single melody string because it is easier to play a hammer-on or pull-off when playing in a finger-dancing style.
I prefer a single melody string. When I play noter I can get those in between notes on a single string easier than a double melody string.
That was tough. I like them both. But the instrument I pick up and play most often is my Kevin Messenger 3-string teardrop. So I guess I prefer a single melody string.
Love single string... easier to pick
Me Scottish ancestors wouldna let me waste the second string! Seriously has anyone noticed if using one string results in less volume? Surely there was a reason doubled strings were begun since they're a bit more trouble tuning and playing.
Played doubled melody strings for over 20 years, then for some reason started in on single melody string and haven't looked back!
Been playing with a single melody for years, best for my style of playing.
It was Sarah Morgan who suggested I remove one of the melody strings and she actually took it off for me. She was 17.