Play dulcimer?

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Tue May 03, 2005 8:26 pm

I noticed in the "other instruments" thread that a few of us confessed to playing some type of dulcimer as well as whistle.

It seems that a lot of posters here play dulcimer of one kind or another.

I can play mountain dulcimer, but I don't have one anymore, I voted "Other answer."

So vote, please and thank you.

chas · Post by **chas** » Wed May 04, 2005 4:59 am

I think that mountain dulcimer and tinwhistle/keyless flute are a natural combination. The MD is a diatonic instrument that can often (with the 6-1/2 fret) play in a second key. They are also generally in D/G.

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Wed May 04, 2005 7:27 am

chas wrote:I think that mountain dulcimer and tinwhistle/keyless flute are a natural combination. The MD is a diatonic instrument that can often (with the 6-1/2 fret) play in a second key. They are also generally in D/G.

Come to think of it, that means I play diatonic (MD, whistle), semi-chromatic (guitar, fretted bass), and fully-chromatic (fiddle) instruments.

They all have their advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage to fully-chromatic instruments is that if you mishandle a fingering, you're off by less than a half-step and can correct yourself quickly.

Maybe that's why we're constantly rehearsing our fingerings on the whistle. Of course, we have a word for mishandling a fingering and making a quick correction: Ornamentation.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Wed May 04, 2005 7:37 am

I think Hammered Dulcimer is the next instrument I will have to learn.
I've heard people say that it was the easiest inst. they ever learned...
that remains to be seen.

I also considered building a Lap Dulcimer out of a kit. Cable TV's DIY network
showed an episode of Handmade Music that showed the step-by-step
creation of a Mountain Dulcimer, and it looked relatively painless (at least,
compared to guitar-making which took up 3 episodes).

IrishLass · Post by **IrishLass** » Wed May 04, 2005 7:53 am

Thank you for posting this poll Cranberry! After reading the "other instruments" thread, I was wondering myself how many people played dulcimer, and what kind. I don't play anthing but whistle at this point

but I have looked at dulcimers on E-bay and wondered about them. I just really don't know anything about them, so I wouldn't have any idea which kind to buy to start out on. Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks!

Carolyn

chas · Post by **chas** » Wed May 04, 2005 8:55 am

fearfaoin wrote:I think Hammered Dulcimer is the next instrument I will have to learn.
I've heard people say that it was the easiest inst. they ever learned...
that remains to be seen.

I also considered building a Lap Dulcimer out of a kit. Cable TV's DIY network
showed an episode of Handmade Music that showed the step-by-step
creation of a Mountain Dulcimer, and it looked relatively painless (at least,
compared to guitar-making which took up 3 episodes).

They're both easy instruments on which to pick out a tune, difficult to make sound good.

I began on the lap dulcimer as a result of building a kit. I built a couple from Hughes Dulcimer company before developing my own design and building them from scratch. Hughes has inexpensive kits that are VERY easy to build, with plywood sides and back (definitely spring for the solid spruce soundboard). The all-solid-wood kit is a bit more advanced, but has the best sound of any dulcimer I've played short of my Blue Lion, which is not an inexpensive instrument.

Byll · Post by **Byll** » Wed May 04, 2005 9:07 am

I am a 'classically-trained' musician. That is how I make my living. Piano was always my main instrument. In 1989, my wife and I were at a craft show and I saw this guy from Michigan playing this thing with lots of bridges and strings. My wife says I kept gravitating back to that area of the craft show. There was simply something about the sound...and about the fact that this guy was HITTING the instrument and creating beauty...I was simply entranced...As John Denver said, I was 'coming home to a place I'd never been before.'

It is many years later. I play/teach/design/sell/live the hammer dulcimer. My life was definitely changed because of this instrument...

Hammer dulcimers are not difficult to get beautiful sounds out of, but if one wants to actually play the dulcimer, rather than play at it, one must put the same amount of time and effort into it that one puts into a more
'recognized' instrument. There is no magic, and there are no short-cuts.

Best to all.
Byll

mgwhitehead · Post by **mgwhitehead** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:34 am

fearfaoin wrote:. . . an episode of Handmade Music that showed the step-by-step
creation of a Mountain Dulcimer, and it looked relatively painless (at least,
compared to guitar-making which took up 3 episodes).

I've been playing mountain dulcimer for 15 years and have built one myself (it didn't turn out that great). Building a quality mountain dulcimer is not much different than building a quality guitar. It involves most of the same parts, steps and skills. Yes, many dulcimers, handmade by amateurs, have graced the eyes and ears with their beauty. And the first dulcimers were, of course, all made by hand. But everything that goes into building a guitar also goes into building a dulcimer. Their construction is not dissimilar. The fellow who built mine told me he spends an average of 70 hours per instrument. You can spend less time and use plywood and other inexpensive supplies, but the end product will be of comensurate quality.

Unlike quality whistles, some fine examples of which don't cost much, you pretty much get what you pay for when it comes to a wooden acoustic instrument. My advice to anyone looking to pick up the MD is to do some research and talk to experienced players and builders. And beware the brands out there that masquerade as "quality" instruments. If you build or buy an instrument that won't stay in tune, doesn't sound good and is difficult to play, you'll give up on it quickly.

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Wed May 04, 2005 2:47 pm

Seems I picked up a bunch of instruments at different points in my life and some of them are languishing there. I'm not much more skilled on my mountain dulcimer than when I got it. But I did take out and retune my hammered dulcimer about four years ago. Now I play nearly every day. I invested in a bigger and better instrument. And I'm in agreement that although it's easy to play simple things that sound pretty, it's a lot of work to get good at this instrument.

I play more in summer, when it's humid enough in our wood-heated house to keep it set up and out of its case.

Jennie

DanD · Post by **DanD** » Wed May 04, 2005 3:31 pm

IrishLass wrote:Thank you for posting this poll Cranberry! After reading the "other instruments" thread, I was wondering myself how many people played dulcimer, and what kind. I don't play anthing but whistle at this point but I have looked at dulcimers on E-bay and wondered about them. I just really don't know anything about them, so I wouldn't have any idea which kind to buy to start out on. Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks!

Carolyn

Check out http://everythingdulcimer.com The forum there is almost as nice as C&F.
DanD

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Wed May 04, 2005 4:23 pm

I'm primarily a hammered dulcimer player, but have had and played mountain too. My dulcimers have languished the last few years, but I tuned the smaller one about a month ago and now that I have a place to set it up and play it, I've been playing it again on a regular basis.

Its wonderful because some tunes that I find difficult on the whistle I can play easily and beautifully on the dulcimer with almost no effort (Gravel Walk for example).

I really should get back to the guitar too.

HDSarah · Post by **HDSarah** » Wed May 04, 2005 7:00 pm

I play hammered dulcimer.
I took up whistle because it's such a great complement to dulcimer: no strings to tune; can be tossed in the backpack (or just up my sleeve) and carried anywhere; inexpensive (at least before WHOA sets in, and even then, it's cheap compared to hammered dulcimers). If I was good enough, I'd add that whistle is accepted by Irish players while hammered dulcimer generally is not, but I can't play whistle at session speed yet. My whistle playing has progressed by leaps during periods of time when I can't play my dulcimer, and whistle has satisfied my need to make music. Lately I've hardly played whistle at all for months; my time for playing music has been limited and my dulcimer takes first priority. In the summer I should have more time and get the whistle out again.

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Wed May 04, 2005 8:03 pm

I play both hammered dulcimer and mountain dulcimer. I started out with the hammered dulcimer, a Rick Thum 16/16 with Handcarved hummingbird sound holes and then added the mountain dulcimers. The whistles came in between the dulcimers. I mostly play my hammered dulcimer but I have been playing my mountain dulcimers alot more lately. I think I have caught "SAD" String Aquisition Disorder. For Chriistmas this year, I got a Bowed Psaltery and it is a really fun and easy thing to play. I use 2 bows when I play it.

I have 3 mountain dulcimers. I have them each tuned differently and they each have a different sound to them. One is an hourglass Sitka Spruce top with a black walnut back and sides and an inlayed hummingbird and vine sound holes on it made by my son-in-law from a Cripple Creek kit , another is an hourglass Western Red Cedar top with Pennsylvania Black Walnut back and sides with celtic cross and vine sound holes made by Dave Lynch ("harpmaker" on Everything Dulcimer), and the 3rd one is a teardrop student dulcimer made by David Lynch it is made from Birch plywood (I think). For $100.00 it has a great wonderful sound!

A big part of my love of dulcimers is the wood! They are very lovely to look at and alot of them have a story connected to them. Dulcimer means "Sweet Sound". And it is! The Dulcimer has opened up a whole new world for me.

If you are looking for a great dulcimer for not alot of money, check out Daves dulcimers at: www.strothers.com/sweet_woods.htm

He will make any vibrating string length you want. The 2 that I have from him are a shorter length (25 3/4" I think) , and it makes it easier for Chording. I think you lose some of the sustain with a short VSL but his dulcimers have a big sound.

Cheers,
Kathy

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Wed May 04, 2005 8:32 pm

chattiekathy's signature wrote:~*~Creativity is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God~*~

Talasiga says,
As every new wave upon the ancient sea
So creativity upon eternity ......

BTW, how do you think I voted?
I have mountain genes and my ex left her excess mountain dulcimer with me when she left the country.

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Wed May 04, 2005 9:08 pm

talasiga wrote:
chattiekathy's signature wrote:~*~Creativity is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to God~*~
Talasiga says,
As every new wave upon the ancient sea
So creativity upon eternity ......

BTW, how do you think I voted?
I have mountain genes and my ex left her excess mountain dulcimer with me when she left the country.

Nice saying Talasiga. I am guessing that you said mountain dulcimer.

Cheers,
Kathy

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