Oranges & Lemons. mtn dulcimer

Subject: RE: Oranges & Lemons. mtn dulcimer
From: Pinetop Slim
Date: 15 Jul 05 - 12:13 PM

For a pleasant harmony, try fretting the middle string two frets behind the note fretted on the melody string.
Or the bass string one fret behind the note fretted on the melody string.
Or all three together (e.g fret the melody string at 3rd fret with index finger; middle string at 1st fret with ring finger; bass string at 2nd fret with middle finger).

If you've got a chopstick handy, I bet "Oranges and Lemons" would sound great on the old "imitation hammered dulcimer." Fret with your left hand as you're doing now, but instead of strumming with right hand, tap out the tune with the chopstick -- don't hammer it; cock your arm up so that your hand is a few inches above the fret board and allow the chopstick to drop onto the strings in the appropriate rhythm.

Subject: Oranges & Lemons. mtn dulcimer
From: GUEST,leeneiaq
Date: 15 Jul 05 - 12:03 PM

Summer mornings are a good time to get out the mountain dulcimer for some postprandial play. I just thought I'd share an idea I had. I play the simple tune "Oranges and Lemons," and every time I play the theme, I finger it in a new style. I set this little challenge to myself because I want more variety in my playing.

I tune my dulcimer D-A-A. I don't double the melody string.

Here is a style I never thought of before: put the index and middle fingers of your left hand side by side and use them to fret the A strings. This produces a double melody. Use the index and melody fingertips of the right hand to pluck the streams. Don't use the D string. This is not a very fancy sound, but it's new and it fits the simple tune.

Anybody else have a technique to share?