Anahata/Treewind - another simultaneous post. Wow, your workshop sounds great. I wish I could get to one someday. Thanks for the great info.

Yeah, drones definitely should be on the list of possibilities. I love them on some songs.

To expand on what you said - High and low accompaniment - if you're doubling the melody, or evening doing a harmony, do you want to be on the same pitch? or an octave below or above? If you're on the same pitch is it going to hide the voice? What will complement it best?

(In my group we've got banjos, autoharps, English concertinas (yes, opportunities for two or even three at a time for all of those), guitar, fiddle, and three voices (using two, most of the time). We do about 80% songs and 20% tunes, doing mostly American old-time country stuff, and some earlier and later stuff. Obviously, my personal interests go beyond that, too.)

~ Becky in Tucson (Arizona)