In a previous discussion of lap dulcimers, I said the "noter" should go to the washboard player, to save her nails. I have now discovered a dulcimer-related use for it: Do a Jesse McReynolds and split the melody course! (Huh?) In plainer (no dialect!) speech, J.M. plays mando sometimes fretting 1 string of a course, not both. Harmonics. You can use the noter to fret only the outside melody string. Noter gives better control than a bare finger, which gets "duff" notes off the other string. Remaining true to noter-disdain, however, I refuse to use the cute little bevel on the "business" end. Better to it around and use the "wrong" end, or better yet, turn it over and use the "wrong" side. I played "Long, Long Ago" because the melody stays low, and I found the resulting harmonics very rewarding. That just proves me as crazy as half the 'catters think I am; the other half just don't know me well.

Chicken Charlie