I play any and all melodies that capture my interest though I haven't been brave enough to try to sing along. A few times, I've played the song and, when it caught a lot of attention, took a try at singing it. For example, I ended up singing "The Derby Ram" to a circle of children at a local park. Upon finishing, a little girl asked, "What's a ramsir?" *giggle* I used to be considered a very good singer, but severe asthma that doesn't seem to want to be controlled has caused me to hesitate trying to sing unless it's wintry weather. Nothing like terrifying your audience with a full-fledged asthma attack. By the end, they're ready to take you to the nearest nursing station!

My bowed psaltery is from Unicorn Strings and has a lovely tone that varies with the seasons. Like me, it's best in autumn and winter; like me, it tends to get raspy in summer. In spring, it varies. I play it a bit differently from most in that I hold it on my left inner forearm, almost in violin position, mainly because wearing a bodice and/or cincher makes it impossible to place it on my lap and play. To balance it on a stand mutes it too much I think. I've had a couple of people suggest that I amplify it, but I hesitate to do that, fearful that it would change the sound too much. I love the crystalline tone it has during cold weather. I carry it in satchels made out of different sorts of table runners, and it has endured heat and humidity, dust, snow and even a thorough drenching in a "toadstrangler". I've taken it to every event since I bought it--except for the first.

You see, my friend who went with me to events didn't trust that I could learn tunes well enough not be embarrassing, at least not so soon after I had purchased it. That first event was Feast of the Hunter's Moon near Lafayette, Indiana. Not long after we arrived and stopped by a booth where two ladies were singing. I spotted a psaltery toward the back and, when they had finished, asked about it. "Oh! You play psaltery! You must play this!" I found myself holding a Unicorn Strings psaltery but without the "training wheels"--those plastic strips with notes. I was not at all certain I should try, but I did: "What If a Day"--a relatively ambitious song I learned from Kine's "Songs from Shakespeare's Plays". I played it through twice, and they recognized it! WOW! After that, my friend allowed me to bring along my beloved psaltery, and I found myself put on the spot a number of places. I have to explain that I've been cripplingly shy all my life but had been coming out of my shell while attending reenactment events. The psaltery pulled me out into the open. At Fort Massac in Metropolis, I sat in with The Peacocks for a couple of songs. They were very kind and encouraging to me, assuring me that it's quite difficult to play with a group, especially since I still had those training wheels.

The next year at Feast, I was listening to a group of ladies who had gathered for a jam session at one of the tents. A gentleman nearby noticed the psaltery poking its pointy nose from under the satchel flap. "You've got one of those catscratch things!" he announced. I knew what he meant because I had tried to play one or two of them made by crafters, and both were "scritchy", a rather unusual but not too unpleasant sound. I had to disprove his misconception, so I very, very softly bowed a couple of notes, enjoying his look of astonishment. "Hey, ladies!" he shouted. "We've got a guest musician!" Well, there I was again, a nervous, klutzy but at least plastic strip-free guest. When we finished a couple of numbers, each lady had to give it a try, and each said the same thing, something I've heard repeatedly since: I want one!"

I tried to play the dulcimer before, but I simply couldn't catch on. The first time I held the psaltery, I tried a version of "The Silkie", and I played it through! When I played double-keyboard organ, I was always good at playing by ear. The psaltery was that much simpler because I play with one bow and need only a melody. It has an amazing range, and it does indeed have a haunting sound. The first time I played "Coventry Carol", it sent chills all over me and gave me a new respect for the beauty of carols. I dug out the traditional/folk songbooks I had collected to play on the organ, taught myself to read music again, and began learning. Later, I realized that I could play any song that I could hum my way through unerringly. If I could hum it and have it firmly in mind, I could find it on the strings. So, I began listening regularly to the tapes and CDs I had accumulated, and my list of songs grew. My playbook, which is divided by subject matter, each in alphabetical order, needs to be updated I'm certain; it contains songs from many time periods and countries plus various songs that seem to suit the instrument, including "Speak Softly Love", "Ashoken Farewell", "What Is A Youth?" (from "Romeo & Juliet"), "The Theme from Poltergeist" (honestly!), Beatles tunes and others from the Sixties, and various other songs from movies and Broadway. I plan to unearth my library of songbooks once more since I'll be adding a batch won on ebay, including three books of fiddle tunes and three of Morris Dance melodies. I'm also looking for an array of ethnic melodies; one of my favorites to play is "Bekledim Waltz". I was fortunate enough to play it for a gentleman from Russia who was visiting Fort de Chartres during an event. "That's from my country!" he proclaimed happily. I received a hug and two Russian coins, which I keep in my pouch.

Sorry. When I get on the subject of my psaltery, I get carried away.

This is from Wikipedia:
"The bowed psaltery is the descendant of the plucked psaltery, including the one David played for Psalms. Wikipedia has this:
The conventional bowed psaltery is triangular in shape, allowing each string to extend a little farther than the one before it, so that each can be individually bowed. Chromatic bowed psalteries have the sharps and flats on one side and the diatonic notes on the opposite.

It is a psaltery in the traditional sense of a wooden soundbox with unstopped strings over the soundboard. It significantly differs from the Mediæval plucked psaltery only in that its strings are arranged to permit bowing. The soundboard has a soundhole or rose in the center. It is normally played with a small bow, often made in the earlier semicircular style, rather than a modern concave violin bow."

During the medieval period, they began bowing the psaltery, and it was quite popular for a time before fading into disuse. It came back into vogue during the Elizabethan era before once more disappearing. This is a third go for the instrument, and it should be more readily available since it is purported to be easy to learn although I've met many people who argue that, the ones who tell me that their psalteries have been stuck in closets. It's rare for me to meet another player.

I would love to be able to play the fiddle, but my muscular disorders won't allow it. But, I CAN play the psaltery, even on a really bad day, even when my hands are numb. If I can hang on to the ash bow and balance the psaltery, I can play. I saw one on ebay for $51, a non-US instrument and was soooo tempted to bid for it since it was described as having a deep, throaty sound. I wonder if it was like the one I once tried at Feast, a remarkable-sounding instrument made of heavier wood than mine.

Thank you for the link to the story thread. My usual source of event stories is from a friend who is an avid reenactor--along with her husband and their dog, Bonney, who is a great hit with audiences, especially with her "poor wounded doggie" act.