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hammered dulcimer?
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Subject: hammered dulcimer? From: moonglow Date: 25 Jan 04 - 11:37 PM We have a hammered dulcimer sitting (in its case) on top of our piano in the front room. Even though I'm not very good at playing the piano (and can not even read music) I want to try and learn to play the hammered dulcimer. However, we have nothing (that I can find or my mom has produced magically out of her amazingly well-stocked bookshelves) that I can use to attempt and teach myself to play it. Where should I start looking for lesson books, etc. to teach me? |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: katlaughing Date: 25 Jan 04 - 11:55 PM Another Mudcatter I know of takes lessons from Barry Simon and says he has some material he puts out for learning. You might want to email him from his website. He also makes them, as did our own Catspaw, whom I am sure will have good info for you, too. Welcome to the Mudcat. kat |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jan 04 - 12:54 AM Jean Ritchie has some good stuff. Look up KyTrad--that's her moniker here--in the Mudcat databases. SRS (aka Mom) |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: open mike Date: 26 Jan 04 - 01:13 AM definately John McCutcheon-- http://www.folkmusic.com/t_hd.htm i never heard of this guy but the search engine found him,.. http://www.dulcimerdan.com/ this site has recordings and free dulcimer tabs http://www.gourd.com/amainframe.html?hammer.html&2 |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: open mike Date: 26 Jan 04 - 01:18 AM http://www.folkofthewood.com/page133.htm these folks offer lessons but i think it is the OTHER (mountain, lap) dilcimer |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jan 04 - 01:26 AM We have a mountain dulcimer also. I have one of Jean's books that I used to teach myself how to play it. It has been so long that I'll have to teach myself again how to play it. I'll have Moonglow give that one a spin. The hammered dulcimer is one of the student variety, I think. The piano is an antique, about 125 years old. It needs to be restrung (and has been the topic of a thread here at Mudcat.) I keep my fingers crossed that when we can finally afford lessons the kids will be in that category of "passionate learner" so they learn despite their advanced years! SRS |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Thomas the Rhymer Date: 26 Jan 04 - 02:45 AM You can get a tuning chart via 'dusty strings' online... google 'em up, and dial in the tuning that is suitable for your instrument's configuration... the chart will help alot, (maybe pick up an electronic tuner?) and start messing around with tunes that will sound heavenly! It will help to listen to the fine players out there too... have fun! Start by playing very slowly, and don't give up. It gets easier, but there's always more than you can actually do, unless you have more arms than I do... Try to enjoy the limitations, while you learn about music from a totally different instrument than the usual run... Good Luck! ttr |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: paddymac Date: 26 Jan 04 - 03:28 AM I've played for seven years now, and keep learning. TTR's advice is right on target. Your first task will be to firmly plant a map of the instrument in you head, so that you know where to find the note you want. Most dulcimers are not chromatic. The "accidentals" you most likely have will be A#, C#, F#, G#. The major keys (plus their modes) you'll be able to play in will likely be A, C, D, F, & G. That covers probably 95% of all Celtic, mountain, old-time and bluegrass music. The vast majority of most music you'll likely encounter will be in D or G. You can also play in many other keys, but you'll just have to resolve the problem of missing accidentals. The easiest way is to just skip the note (but not the time value), but you can also play a complementary note (one that is in whatever chord is playing at that point). Each tune you learn will teach you something. Try to keep your playing area as compact as possible, and beware of crossing your wrists while crossing the treble bridge. If you have to cross your wrists, it usually means you started the tune on the wrong hand, or missed a note or a beat somewhere along the way. Most important, have fun, and think of playing as play. |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 26 Jan 04 - 05:57 AM I cheated. I stuck tiny labels on for each note. But then at my age, I like a little help, and I do play more than one instrument. Must dig it out again, been concentrating on the Piano Accordion lately... Robin |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: John P Date: 26 Jan 04 - 10:03 AM Maybe I can be of help. I've been advising people about how to learn the hammered dulcimer for the last 15 fifteen through my job at the aforementioned Dusty Strings. One of the best learning methods I have seen is a book and CD (or cassette) set by Linda Lowe Thompson called "Beginning Hammered Dulcimer". She has worked out a tablature system which is printed in the book along with the standard musical notation (if you can read music or if you want to learn) for each tune. The CD has all the tunes played as shown in the book. So you get three different ways to access the music -- a graphic representation of the dulcimer with the tablature, the written music, and the recording for getting an idea of where you are going. Lots of people with no previous musical experience have become good dulcimer players by using this book. When you finish working throught the beginning book, she has a massive intermediate/advanced book and CD set called "The Hammered Dulcimer Notebook". John McCutcheon has a video called "The Hammered Dulcimer" that has been very popular over the years, very much a "watch what I'm doing and learn by ear" sort of thing. There are also a couple of very good videos by Jamie Janover and produced by Dusty Strings called "Hammered Dulcimer Fundamentals" and "Hammered Dulcimer: Infinite Possibilities". Janover is a genius of a player and was a masterful percussionist before he took up the dulcimer. Many places have some sort of hammered dulcimer club or society somewhere nearby. Players get together and share tunes and techniques. Ask around at music stores or folk clubs to see if anyone knows of anything like that near you. Good luck, and have fun! John Peekstok |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jan 04 - 10:07 AM Good advice, thanks Thomas. I have boxes of stuff from my Dad's house, and I know I have at least one electronic tuning device around here. I also have his first tuning fork (something I loved to play with as a child!). One way or the other, she'll figure this out. I feel like the world's worst mom in not having afforded music lessons for my kids, but them's the breaks. They have had a lot of music around them and information about it, and I have encouraged her to read Mudcat (the top of the page in addition to the bottom!) and am glad she's being proactive in this. Mudcat is exactly the right kind of place for her to get this kind of help. I suppose someone out there can tell her (or me) how these electronic tuning things work? SRS |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jan 04 - 10:11 AM John P, we cross-posted. Thank you, also. |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Anglo Date: 26 Jan 04 - 10:45 AM Check in with Andy's Front Hall here (physical location in in Voorheesville NY) for books and videos. Her husband Bill Spence has played, taught, and recorded the HD for over 30 years. |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Thomas the Rhymer Date: 26 Jan 04 - 11:47 AM I think what is most imortant, SRS, if parents want their childeren to be musical... beyond music lessons, which BTW turned me off of being a musician as a li'l one... Have a wide variety of music on at home and it is most important to begin a dialogue with them about it... Let music be important, share likes and dislike, anything that piques interest... the choice of instrument, and genera should come naturaly after that... All the best! ttr |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jan 04 - 12:02 PM We have accomplished that! I'll be interested to see what she comes up with--its her project. At least it won't be "turn down your amp on that guitar" or "go play your drums in the garage" if she's learning the dulcimer! Instead, (hopefully) dulcet tones wafting from her bedroom or the front room. . . |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Herga Kitty Date: 26 Jan 04 - 06:48 PM I was given a hammered dulcimer plus Peter Pickow's book, 20 something years ago, and yes, I too marked notes (though not all of them)with different coloured stickers. Then I discovered, a couple of years later, that American tuning and English East Anglian tuning are different. (Like different intervals across the bridge). |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 26 Jan 04 - 07:41 PM Ok Herga Kity, something else I don't know about - please explain... Robin |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 26 Jan 04 - 11:04 PM Your are too old and lack the basic training, which hasve comenced at a MUCH earlier age.......carry on and....it will be sheer tortour to you and the once-present-nieghbors....GIVE IT UP...
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Jan 04 - 11:56 PM Gargoyle, she has music in the genes that will rise to the occasion. (I told her she had "arrived" once one of your posts made it to the thread.) Lots of exposure to lots of types, and a high level of music literacy. Just no cash over the years for piano lessons. A conundrum, I know. This is the first grandchild of John Dwyer (Pacific Northwest folksinger) who has been writing to Mudcat. Somewhere around here we have a t-shirt given to him at a grandfather-shower, with a limerick generated for the occasion about a certain curmudgeon who despised all children, except his own grandchild, of course! I'm pleased with her initiative! When it comes down to it, what she's lacking is exposure to the neighborhood lady who teaches piano lessons. There is something to be said for that--I had 13 years of lessons that were extremely useful, but probably not the highest calibre. (Especially the one who after lessons always pressed oatmeal cookies on us as we left her house. They tasted like fish and went the way of fish fertilizer, under someone's rose bushes as soon as we were out of sight of the house.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Herga Kitty Date: 27 Jan 04 - 02:46 AM OK Robin The interval from left to right of the bridge on the dulcimer I learned to play was a fifth, and Peter Pickow's book (while acknowledging that there is no such thing as standard tuning) says this is the most common set-up. But I think East Anglian dulcimers are tuned in octaves across the bridge. Kitty |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 27 Jan 04 - 06:29 PM Theoretically, any interval could exist across the bridge. But one should be careful about moving the bridges to fiddle with this (mine has individual ones, not a single one - especially as I have seen some Chinese ones built). The bridges most likely may have some reinforcing on the other side of the top sheet of wood - moving them may cause the instrument to be damaged as the stress will then be in a different place from where the instrument was designed to take it. Fred, the guy who made mine - a triple strung, said there were several tons of pressure on the soundboard. The fifth difference setup allows some elegant playing techniques. Robin |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Herga Kitty Date: 27 Jan 04 - 06:47 PM Robin Yes well, theoretically, chessman type bridges (which I had) would allow chromatic tunings in interesting keys. Once I wasn't playing in a band I stopped playing at all because tuning 63 strings was a pain, and because in pub sessions you can't properly hear what's coming out because it's going away from you! Kitty |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Thomas the Rhymer Date: 27 Jan 04 - 08:38 PM Yup... the bridge placement is particular for each dulcimer... and if you move the bridge(s) you're likely to be in the music shop soon... pricing a new one... I really like the concept of individual bridges, but I haven't gone there yet... being nervous about the time consumption that 'set up' already takes... and my insatiable desire for experimentation... would I EVER actually play it? Also, it seems the overtones could get messy(er) with odd intervals. I'm still of the impression that both sides of the bridge ring, though of course the unstruck is much quieter... and barely noticable when harmonic... cheerio! ttr |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 27 Jan 04 - 08:43 PM I discovered that if you don't have the bridges exactly spot on in place, the tuning doesn't hold anywhere near as well over time. Logical, when you think about it! :-) Robin |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Thomas the Rhymer Date: 28 Jan 04 - 12:20 AM Yeah... massive denial sets in... as you keep pushing down the strings on the sharp side of the bridge... for several courses... for a few more minutes of bliss... and then its ...Oh! No wonder I was so grumpy! And then the delicious tones ensue and encroach on another brutal day... With the sustain of the Gods... and the ringing of sweet aural sensuality! Yum... ttr |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie) Date: 28 Jan 04 - 07:02 PM Herga Kitty- I'm so glad you didn't say anything bad about Peter Pickow's book-(THE HAMMERED DULCIMER,Oak Publications, Music Sales) which many refer to as, The Hammered Dulcimer Bible. You see, he's my son-number-one, chief editor at Music Sales in NY, and a wonderful man, says Mama... |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Jan 04 - 09:23 PM Jean, good to hear from you! Here's to my daughter's dulcimer and your son's book--may they make beautiful music together (as it were. . .) SRS |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: GUEST,Andy Jackson Date: 28 Jan 04 - 09:30 PM To hear what the Hammered Dulcimer is really capable of and learn a bit about one of the early players obtain a copy of Jimmy Cooper Dulcimer Player CD and Booklet from www.forest-tracks.co.uk Jimmy said more than once "you dont learn the dulcimer you just play it" Good luck I know this is an unashamed plug, but in my opinion every dulcimer player should listen to Jimmy Cooper. |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: rodentred Date: 29 Jan 04 - 02:25 PM This thread makes me wonder what happened to Jim Couza ? Anyone know and did he produce any 'learn theeself material'? |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Herga Kitty Date: 29 Jan 04 - 03:17 PM Kytrad Well, the book worked for me! I was given a hammered dulcimer because I have very small hands. Trouble is, I have astigmatism too which 21 triple courses didn't improve... Kitty |
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Subject: RE: hammered dulcimer? From: Gypsy Date: 29 Jan 04 - 10:40 PM Get Linda's books.......there are 3 or 4, and well worth the money. Have played for 8 years because of her..........and, she answers mail! |
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