Unusual dulcimer playing?

Subject: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Eire
Date: 05 May 05 - 06:56 PM

Heard these mp3s of a Dulcimer (Picstrum) played in a style I've never heard before, is it unusual? or standard style in America?

Can you put me on to any other recordings of the dulcimer played in the same style?

Link, http://www.soundclick.com/picstrum


cheers
Paul

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Scoville
Date: 05 May 05 - 08:45 PM

It looks like what we (in the United States) call a pickin' stick; strung and fretted like a dulcimer but held and sounds more like a flat banjo. We don't usually have pick-ups in them but I suppose anything is possible.

I can't point you to any pickin-specific recordings but I would guess that there are albums released by dulcimer clubs over here that feature them. I used to belong to North Harris Co. Dulcimer Society; if you click on "our music" over on the left hand side and play the sound bite of "Shove That Pig's Foot", the intro is jaw harp and pickin' stick. It's not the best recording of it (at least not on my cheap computer speakers) and the site's a bit garish, but somebody there might be able to point you to more pickin recordings. Ask for Jerry who plays the pickin stick.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Sorcha
Date: 05 May 05 - 09:56 PM

Actually, pretty much anyting IS possible with a dulcimer. 'They' say they are 'limited' but don't belive it. I once heard and saw the Wll Tell Overture played by hammering the strings with a pencil while finger fretting the notes. I'd believe it.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Dave in UK
Date: 06 May 05 - 05:41 AM

Blue Clicky thingybob to the above website

I play a appalachian dulcimer, but in a more traditional style, and agree with Sorcha above that there doesn't have to be a limit on what you play, stylewise, on the dulcimer, just let your imagination do the plucking!

www.everythingdulcimer.com is a good site

Dave

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Scoville at work
Date: 06 May 05 - 09:04 AM

You've seen the William Tell Overture pencil version, too! Wasn't that the most amazing thing? I saw it at Glen Rose (Texas state championships/festval) ages ago but I've never heard anyone mention it.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Eire
Date: 06 May 05 - 10:25 AM

Thanks for the pointers anyone got or know where I could get a recording of the the William Tell overture on dulcimer?

cheers

Paul

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 May 05 - 11:52 AM

The magic words on that web page are "when put though an effects unit and PA." The unusual sounds are produced by electronics, not by the instrument.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Eire
Date: 06 May 05 - 03:17 PM

leeneia "The unusual sounds are produced by electronics, not by the instrument"?

If I read and heard it right it was only echo that was used, I'm not averse to using that on my voice or instrument - it doesn't make the playing any different only the ambience.

It's more the style that interested me, so different to the usual strummy sound I associate with a dulcimer lots more drive.

Had a listen to "Shove That Pig's Foot", but wasn't impressed with the dulcimer playing, the main "bounce" to the tune appeared to be from the other instrument.

thanks for the input

Paul

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 May 05 - 03:39 PM

Scoville, it was at Walnut Valley years ago....seems like it was Mark Tillman....I'm plumbing the depths of my brain here....

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 May 05 - 03:42 PM

Not Tillman, if I do remember correctly, it was Mark Tindle. Website

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Scoville at work
Date: 06 May 05 - 05:14 PM

Yeah, that was him. This was probably eight years ago--I haven't been to Glen Rose in eons (and I've never been to Walnut Valley; I'm seriously out of the loop).

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 06 May 05 - 05:33 PM

There was a lad local to me ( West London UK) about twenty years ago
who played Jigs and Reels on an Appallachian Dulcimer - When he wasnt playing Jazz and Blues on it !! Incredibly fast fingerpicking style and left hand leaping all over the fretboard !!
Did a limited edition cassette with a mate entitled 'Singers Night - The Duo' !

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 May 05 - 05:38 PM

Also, look for Gary Gallier. Amazing fella

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 06 May 05 - 11:14 PM

Gary and Mark are both top notch mountain dulcimer players. So are Tull Glazener and Rob Brereton. Their music is a little jazzy and is beyond what many people expect from the dulcimer.

It has been many years since I've heard The William Tell Overture played with a pencil, and I cannot remember the player's name.   I think he was from Colorado. He has played at Winfield and Glen Rose.   I've heard Mark Tindle play quite a bit and he is an exquisite finger picker. I have not heard him use a pencil. That is not to say that he does not. I will have to check with some folks whose memory is better than mine.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 07 May 05 - 12:27 AM

Could the William Tell Overture person be Doug Berch? I know he was from Colorado, but now works with the Elderly Instruments folks.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 May 05 - 05:34 PM

LINDSAY BUCKLAND


Electric & MIDI Dulcimer player!

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GLoux
Date: 10 May 05 - 08:19 AM

Don Pedi is an unusually good lap dulcimer player...

-Greg

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Kaleea
Date: 11 May 05 - 04:24 AM

Eire,
I play the Willy Tell & have won contests with it. I use mixolydian (DAD) & play the melody on the middle string (mostly). Being a Music major, I play it quite stylistically as it would be performed by an orchestra--all the usual emphasis: dynamics, pauses, slight changes in tempo, etc. which is often not found in the average folk Music style, but is appreciated by judges. Good Luck!

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Pogo
Date: 11 May 05 - 10:47 PM

A couple of years back I attended a small Saint Patrick's Day festival and was priveleged to hear a unique playing of the dulcimer by a man named Ken Bloom. He plays it with a bow upright as if it were a cello and the sound was incredible, so rich and earthy. I love it. Bless him though...his singing leaves a bit to be desired ^_^

http://www.bolick.net/bloom/about.html

As a side note there's a challenge to some of the Mudcatters...the first piece on his album is a tune he says he can't identify. He gave it the name St. Andrews but I'd be interested to see if anyone could identify the tune.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 28 Nov 07 - 08:06 PM

One place to look for ideas might be the Turkish saz - it's basically the same idea (fretted three-course instrument where the melody is mostly on the highest course) in a differently shaped package. There are many different tunings for the saz, one of the commonest is (for a two-course instrument) AA Dd GG (that is, the middle course is octaved).

There are far more saz players than dulcimer players and its repertoire and stylistic range are vast. Try Ali Ekber Cicek for starters - there are samples on YouTube, including his most famous song "Haydar Haydar".

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Nerd
Date: 28 Nov 07 - 09:12 PM

The reason it sounds unusual, for dulcimer playing, is that it isn't a dulcimer. It's a "picstrum" which is the same thing sometimes called a "strumstick" or a "picking stick." it's different from a dulcimer in that you're fingering it in a different way, from a different angle, than a dulcimer. So...it's like playing a lap steel versus playing a guitar. It's not really a "standard style" in America, because the instrument is pretty uncommon, and hasn't existed for very long. Others here will know more than I do about its history...

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Nov 07 - 09:20 PM

who is replying to what? The thread was started 2½ years ago.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: Nerd
Date: 28 Nov 07 - 09:33 PM

Oops. Thanks for pointing that out, BillD. It was new to ME (blush)!

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Sandy Andina
Date: 12 Sep 09 - 03:23 AM

Actually, I use the pencil trick to play Baba O'Reilly.

Subject: RE: Unusual dulcimer playing?
From: GUEST,Mark Filler
Date: 11 Oct 19 - 12:15 PM

I have always enjoyed using the tunings that are more unusual and the best one I have written a tune in is using the locrian tuning with the drone being 1/4 instead of 1/5...1442