1987-01, Dulcimer Players News Vol. 13 No. 1 by Dulcimer Players News

A Quarterly Music Magazine Featuring Hammer and Fretted Dulcimers Vol. 13, No. I Winler 1987

$3.00

In Ih is issue... George Orthey Doug Berch

Feslivals The Answer Column Fretted Dulcimer Column Hammer Dulcimer Column Fugues, Rounds & Other Music News, ideas, and much more

Doug Berch

Dulcimer Players

ews

Vol . 13, '0 . I • Winter 1987 to 1987 All Rig h ts Rescm~ The Dulci_r Players NClilI is published {eu times each )"ear. ISSUC$ are m:lilc:d (Via 3rt! class) 10 sul:$;ribcn in Janu:vy, April, Jul y and October. Sub9cripciorul in the Unill::d Stiles are $12 pcr )'1:31, $2 1 for two ye:lI1. C'anada: SI4 pet year. O\hcr c:oontries (sllI'fxc m:li l): SI4, (air mail . Europe): SI6, (air mail · Asia): S 18. In the Unill::d SUItes I n:duccd price is S8 is available for people who are un3ble 10 pay the full sul:$;ription price bc:cau.\lc ~ finanacial difrlCul ucs. Recent b:d: issues are usually .,-.Hlable. Cost per back issue is $3.73 in the USA \1fI(:11dcs postage).

I\bcNeil, Edilor 1),0. Box 2 164

Madeline

Win c h este r , VA 2260 1

7031465-4955

Table of COillenlS

F~chan~

Musk

Dulci~r 1'1a}en

6 8

10 12

No ttbook t...ormirtc tAt Tilt Ans ..n r Column Stun Ni:::;atI(J Wh~I '5 Nt .... llo\\in, The Duk imt r ,,'rilt. HfomSitll, l>tayin!: With A Da~ IbOO Cltlf Mor,.jlfgSltlr

Nort heast Dukimef Gat hering

15 20 21

T..·o FUI:IHS for FreUt'd Dulc:imtT Palll Jo'lIrruu 1987 EHlIlli Calt>ncbr Oukimer'$ in the C lassroom ESllfer I{rul:

M rs. Colt> IltT, IJa.VI James

!lam","" t)ulc:imer Cui lln.n 11N1tJ TlrOmpJ(}1I

The Old Gray Mart Ashgro ...~

2S 26 29

mar k Nag Gtorge Orthey I{t" 1..I)lfg/ftld Doug IJtrrh Jlllie IJaIIs

ClaMi,.,",

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Spring 1989 " 23

Real Dulcimer History: The Last Wild Dulcimer of Upstate New York Nicholas Btan ton

Shepherdstown, West VIrgin ia

The last wild du lcimer bagged in upStaLe New Yak was shot by Wilson Corliss, of Herkimer Co., in 1922. Having the shon bass bridge typi' cal of the northern variety, it weighed 231bs. By 1922 the once numerous inslIUment had vanished over mu c h or its original range. Elpcditions launched by the Museum of Natural History in 1902 and 19O5 inlO Minnesota had failed to find any live instruments, though many unstrung stuffed speci· mens were found on display in poopIe's homes, all reponedly shot in the 1880's or earlier. Corliss, interviewed in 1947 in MW.$k Afool, (a ballad hunter'S journal) SlDIed Ih:U it was fairly easy 10 flush Lhe h. dulcimer into the open, and thooght that this may have C(fttribulCd to its disappcarnncc. " You oould whistle " Raglime Annie~ or "Soldier's JO)''' and, it there was one amud,

it'd jump in 10 drown )'011 OUt on th e B pan. ~Raglime Annie" was better, "Soldier', Joy' would flush out I banjo IS often as not , and banjos were common. Shake a Ute and they'd rain down on you. And lhoIC tenors with the resonalor backs would hun.. " What most didn't know is that )'011 had 10 whisUc in G or D. Maybe A, or C. Any· thina clsc, and you'd hear I little QUiet tinkle while it tried to find the key, and that'd be it. Yoo 'd never draw a bead on it; it'd be so quick and quiet, and it'd Slay hid, 100. I'd carry a pitCh pipe, 10 keep myself right. 1 gOl. that last one that ~y.

" It hung ove r the fron t door. on the porch, but the wasps kept building in it, buning against the strings, making my .... ife think it was the phooe. She burned it in the $lOve, winter o{'36. Couldn't even save the strings. ~ I!I

THEY DULCIMERS

for Quali ty Sound and Craftsmanshlp • Erll".ly hlndc,"I!ld by GEORGE ORTHEY

..........;,

Send S2.00 !of catalogue ,efund on ~rsl 0<00'

a N.u.... h./dwood of Af>lM1.<;h,.

DR GEORGE F. ORTHEY BOX l4A,. R.O• • I. NEWPORT. PA 17074

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Dear Readers: Welcome 10 volume 13 or DulcUnu Players News. I have absoIulely 110 quaJl1llI about the number 13. In fact. I consider our 13 10 be special aM growing. You're going to IIOlicc some changes in this issue. Prot:nbly more chances than I want you 10 soc. A liu1e I!is!ay is in ookr. About four)'C3l' ago I bought an Osbane computer speciflCll.ly to handle the DPN mailing list. A few months later a friend IOId me about a typesetting service that would be avaiJable if I bought andlcamed 00w 10 us: a modem and typesetting codes with the computer. I did and I did. That was noc an easy IaSk. Susan Por&cr of Uma. Ollio Ilappened to visit about then, and sIIe llelped me through many a fruSUllting rnomenL Somehow vol 9 110. 4 came rogcther and a new venu.atl was Wldcrway. As I learned a lillie about type f:EC$, I changed the formlll somewll:lt and n:aI ly enjoyed the new still But Jnlblems cropped up. One concerned the time fattar. Intcrgraphics (the typesetting service)was al!llClU 100 miles rotnI uip away from lIS. Invariably rd need 1M minute typc::!ettina and each issue meant at least one I-o-n-g trip 10 A1ex:mdria, VUiinia. I'd hold my brcatll, IIoping that Illadn't made a serious mistake on one of lOOse last minute U5UaIly late night lypeseWng sessions. Then the phone lines began 10 take their toll I'm sa= our rwaI Iocalion IIad 9(JmeIhlng 10 do with it. but I began to get g.arbIed uansmissions back.. One time a phone glilClI mUSl llayc II:lppened in the beginning of the file, because the default on the computer at the other end toOk over. A file c:osting more than $75 WBS vinually uscJess. I've been hearing more about Desktop Publishing, and now I'm involved. I can sec wll:lt'J going 10 llappcn on the screen before il comes OUt of the printer. Those of)'OO who know computen migllt be imen'.stcd 10 learn that I llave a ~iac:inlOSh Plus with the Pagemakcr ~ and can run my work orr on a l.aserWriter. This is going 10 mean several things. FIl"Sl of all, much of the paste-up and lay-OUl will be done on the computer, saving a klt of time. But firsl l have 10 learn how 10 use the matlline and the software! This Wue will be dirrerent, as I learn my way around. FlI"St of aJ.I. I coukIn) figwc OUt how 10 gCI R. P. Hale's link ink and pen illustration al the beginning of this !cuer, so ii'S missing this time. No doubt othef things will be missing or changed this time. One thing is the justirJed Iefl and rishl margins J like so much. Pagemaker is coming out with an upgrade at the end ~ the year thai. .... iII pul in hyphens 90 the justirlClUion will look right (110 huge gaps inbetweel words). Until that time, well go with a ragged right margin. I gOl the computer and progouns a few days before leaving for performances in the Pocinc Norlhwest at the end of October. During the king plane rides I studied the books and underslOOd a 1iuJe.. However, I anived home late on November 11 th and Ihis issue goes 10 the printer on November 28th. I don) I\a\"e time

to visit with folks at Artichoke Music in PonJand and Dusty Strings Instruments in SeauIe. Robert Foroe and I sang a rousina "Home On The Range" with the player piano 10 his wife and sons early one morning in Port Townsend. IIiSlCtlCd 10 great suteI music with Mick DOOerty and friends in Pot\Iand. Pam and Phil Bouldina: of Magical Suings and I had some magical friendship moments. I came home greatly enriched. If )'OU've ne\ltl" been to the Nonhwest. go! Don~ believe them; it doesn) rain all of the time (jUSI most) and Mown Rainier does exisL I saw iL •.once. The changes we began with DPN in the fall continue. This spring, Carrie CromplOll will begin editing the What's New and Reyicws columns. We l\ave a few more columns 10 come.. In the o(flCe there will be more changes thai. I hope will simplify my communicaJ.ions with)'OO. Thcfe will be form letten, but at least you won~ be dangling without answers. Being able to lay OUt DPN pages electronically instead of....-orking with galleys will enable me 10 ~ject contents d future issues TrJOrt quickly. nl know how things an: going 10 fit early 011. In the spring I hope 10 have a lIOlice of things happening in fulllte issues. At least I'll know more fOf v.';tcrs and arrangc:fS. One Last appeaI before closing Ihls Ieuef. If)'OO know compulCfS and WMI .......arb with the Mac:imosh, I need a suggestion. for a good managemenl program for the mailing list. For now, I1l be using the Osborne, bul I must become a one COOIputer pmon. The DPN mailing list must be able 10 son, of course, and w«.d OUI names of people who don) renew (sh:une. sIwne) when the new labels are done. I know several of our subscribers are COOlputer whizzes: help me if you can. Here's 10 you! Happy,lIappy 13th year. We've done it, and

thai'S gre3L

Oukimerrily,

Madeline MatNeil, EdilOf DuJ.cimu Players Ncws

for. lot of c.xpcrimcnloaUon. Speaking of Washington and Oregon. the area is beautiful! I did a few intaviews wlli!c Lhcrc and my spoc.w photograpber friend Dale Blindheim tOO1c. pcwres for fwure issues. The music and musicians in the NMl\W(St are wonderful. I had the

opportunity 10 meet folks involved with Victory Music, a musician's coopemlive in the Seattle·Tacoma area. There are many ilccdiblc local musicians, and people in their lone area get 10 IIear them. 1 ...as greatly imJll'CSSCd. I had opportunities Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Twles

from Europe by David Moore

Gerard Lomenec'h and the Medieval Dulcimer The French innucnce 00 popular music is considtl1lble. The modem love IOIIg, ballad, and dance song all have roou in Medieval Fnnce. The lyric poc:lry

oflh3t era tel 10 music was ccnsidet'ed hlgb 1ft and ftounshed for ~IWO OCRtunC$ II the apu of the Middle Agcs. The CItDtuDft de RoU:wI. is perfIaps!he best known eumplc of dlis &J1...lt is the We or the life. and (:\'0111111 dead! in baule with the Saracens, an TIS. of Roland. a nephew of Ch:JJlernqne. The tJadition of these songs remains vcry much alive lOday: modem French II'fWin Gemd l.omeocc' h is one of a nllmber of players. Gmtd bepn to play the Appalx:hian dukimc:r dlling the French and Bn::u:n Folk MUSIC rtviY1.l of the early Seventies. He heard Mary Fallh Rhodes play in I local pub,Kloz til ~I. in 1974 and was Mcharmcd.MHe says. Mllhoug.hl that this dehgtnfullJ\SU'\lmeftl would !!ewell suited provide ICOOfIlpanimenlS 10 !he okIlnI-

ditiooal Breton ballads Ilcamcd from my Gl1l1ldmother. In common with most ol the European Appabchil\ll dulcimer playc:rs, he never look formal lessolls. Records aoll cooceru of OLher performers formed the basis for his playing. For instance , Roger Nicholson'. style of playing taught /I,m thai the duleomer "-d lOOK pouibililIt$ than he h3d originally imagined: h.s first impresstOn of Nicholson'sNDIIWICIl I~ Ou/d lJltr was that the artist was playing • meullwp and not • dukuncJ! 0b1Ird plays Ilhtee-Aringt:d il\Sl1Umenl and favors a lingerpickin, playing M

H,.

Styk. varied repertOire is drawn from !he Medieval French U'OUbaOOurs. 16th Cenlury IUlCnislS,!he dancuof!he French composer Rameau, 18th Century Irish harpers, and songs from modem poelll. Ue si ngs and plays in pu b!;, youth hoslCls, and festivals. He has pcrfMned on !he " France InlCr" Nati0n31 Radios)'S!em. illS ,nlCrest.n utho;r· like in:slnlmcnl.S also funllshes hiS livelihood, for he is employed by the Depanrnental Musial Oelegauonlo CO from school 10 school 10 help populM'ize Ihis family of insuumcnlll (commonly foond in ~ of Europe before the 19th Cenwry}. ln addition 10

!he dulcimer,lIe plays lheel~ (a Hunpian fretled l ilbel"),1he ~tU da V()J,tS, and \he bowed. psahcry_He aim expresses intereSt in Ihe Su-adivarius dul · cimer. The plans of !his ulJIrul'nenl, known u IheArpa do Tal'OI/o Of TIIbk Harp. ac:cordilglO ~ranl. are 10 be found in the SLradivariU5 mU5Cum in Cre· mona. IUlly. II was apparently played on the !able in !he slyleof the French Epi~lIt.

Suinged insuumenlS of the M,dtlle Ages, such as theGodl.k harp, psallery. hutdy·curoy, and rehee, all had bCllu-dOIl or drones. The music of the ume lOOk advanta&e oflhis and !hIlS lS ~II SUlled \0 the more modem Appalachian du\c:uner. Purely secular music in !he 13th and 14!h Centuries was still monophonic: basic melody lines ~re omamc:nted only .... i!h dronal ac:companiment (polyphonic twmooy came laler). The scad. songs of the Nonhero French lrovirtr were mekldies.set 10 highly tophiJllCated and formal poetry. Moniot d' Anu. a FrcndI u,out.dow ....1Io lived and played. the beginnong of the 13th Ccnwry iltyptCa1. The dioc:esc of AmI! from .... hich he came .... as a eenta- of lyric: poetry and musIC. His tuneful eclebnllion of the,oJS of Spring, "Ce Fut en Mai~ , acxompanoes Ihis aniele along .... ith tablature by Gtrard. Spring festi ... ities, in both court and ...11lage, eenlerin, around May Day orltn featured both music and dance. The pe0ples of these times eelebrated the retum and hope of lighl and life IS the eokJ daft Winltrcnded. The pica is SCI for alhree strine dul· eimtt wnc:d It) any scandard MlJ.oIyd.Llr1 Iunina (00-501-00). The SWIdard nw· I,on is in t.he ke)' of D-Ma,or. 10 pta)' \he son! IS written tune Ihe dulcuner \0 D-A· D. "Ce Fut en Mai' is linger·picked. Readers ... i~ing 10 kno .... more,boot Medieval music in general eoold consult Mtditval MlIJic by Richard H. Hopp,n. published by W. W. NMon ,ntI Company, New Yen (ISBN (}'393-0909O-6)"nd liS comp..n;(Jn,ltrultolo.~ of Mcdi~ MUJic also by Richard H. Hoppon, and publIShed by W. W. Nonon ,nd Company, New Yen (ISBN (}'393-09080--9). They are .....Uable from any good bookseller.

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Spring 1989 ,. 2 S

CeFutenMai

Monlot d -Am\s

DOlle Medel

(Reverdiel

MlxDlydlan of 0 (D-A-dc!)

fc.

rut - en ... e - le

Jaal - ~.

au )0 -

Arnlnged by (;tram

doua - ten. i:ai que CF - .. -a - 11li Ln

~nech'h

,. u -

• 2.

,.. .......

b. -

(0110 -

'e.

••

r..

un -

'Rr - sier Clo. d -Ill - elcn - 'er dan - eier UD cbe ?1l - lier

0 Eo

- D.

n -

D.C• • , FIn.

"r -e

La - u

- n

da -

mol - se

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

,r..

Folk Harps From Folkcraft

._ ...., ..... ......

.,....with ~-

........

0.:. DPN:

11)"- MIIIC willi U $lflDp. IKIIIcIrs dispI8J ...... and

A speciaJ program of music and dialogue was ",cpilcd for !he 2(Wl

tuDin8 W1tIIdI.

rooordcd Annual Conference of the Church

5370

of the Brethren held in JW1C 1986 in Norfolk, VitJinia It was a comparisonkooll1lSl of Lhc lives of John BlUIOo'n of Harpcr's Ferry, WV fume and EIdcf John Kline of Broadway, VA.

~-_Uil

....

Hammered Dulcimers, Too

.'. 8riIIiam _nd III IIIIIIIIark 01 thl!: ~1IItftC. IUdt from 1IoIdu1lll

. . . . .y,nlnut_.14 tI'ttIIi! COIIn8 turwd lor Uys 01 D. 0, C, """ F IJ .... _ .... OUM

lor Rrs 01 G, C. F, _lb.

S4S0 (Jlowol ........ _ U I hIIIIN ~ IIIC _

...

n'"

- I1S

lito ..u AppalJchlaa DukIIam

16 ....), IrblI ... CtD: . . .. IIowtd

IIIIII'IIIIdN ...,.,. ocbtr ,.. ltd lia .... ..tI.ure.

...

DoIIdIIm.I~

""Itt.

Irlsb .. ScoabtI5pKIaIiJu TIn' hbllfs, COIImtlnas. ,,~ IIId CaIIfIbd I'rKIIrf o-tn, SIIaIII'Ipa I/Id MiIIwy PIps I'IDII mIIIpW mIItctIon 01 Iwp .ad du.Id.rI' boob and rK'OnII

BodhtMt,

...

SnII I I (~) ""_~~

~l olkmU

instruments ~

0 10K 80'0 . ,~, ConIKllcvt 06098

...

(lOJ)J79098S7

Donald Dumbaugh, a noted 8retlutn hislOrian and Modeflnor of this year's toofcrcnce, wrote the ICJ(\ for Lhc program. Alice Parker, a chorallllT1lllgtr from New YorIc, arranged S hymn tunes and lelUS from !he Brt'Jrru,'s Tillie tlnd 1Ir-r BDoI; ~lishcd in Singer's Gkn. VA and Dale Cil),. PA in 1872• TVoV of the arr.IfIgcments were for m;ltM dOllS and hammered dulcimer. I pta)'I'.d !he hammer dulcimer KCOmpallying the BridgcwaLCr CoIkge Concert C10r for the pcrIIaperformance June 29th. II was p;lf1 of the evcfIllIg poognIITl "'hich was auc:ndod by '"ptmmatcly 5.00> people. I abo 5el the mood for the pre5CIll3lion by pbying • medley of rllldle tmc:s IIId hymn wncs for the: offertory. Don Hom A1Ianu. GA Dc.- DPN: I had the pleasure or spending a whole week playing music in one of Sam Ri7.7.cua·s elasses It the AugUS1D HcnQge Workshop at Da\'is and Elkins College in Elkins, West Vifginia. Davis and Elkins was particiJl3ling in the EIderIIosICI program in which participantS from all over the tountry rould spend a week on campus and lake part in the octivitics. They would usually apcnd ...-.c time in each elass observing people learning ~ Of pIa);ng !OITIC kind of ~na"

IltiWf(anIIftd \'" ornpIfOI ....... ......

1lIiI_ rNiI_ II .......

............ lItwlort;

One aftcmoon near the end of the week JCveraI of them wandered into our hanuncnld duldmer tbss. 1beir ho9.ess said -0.. EIdcrs have kind of wen "Su,;pc GirlS" as their ravo1lC song.

We 1I'CrC 'NOI'Iderini: if )'011 could " 'hack !hal off for us.. S3m said, · We don't normally call 'AiI;u we do ..·h:tckltll but we will play Ibe LutIC for roo.. When everyone sroppod laughmg ....e llappily pL:ayed !he SOIIj; for lhem. AI !he erd of the ",'Cd; we PfCSCIlIOO

Sam With a CIJl"1lS bI& 10 carry h IS supplies in. On the ftoot we h3d .... nlltfl, WHACKING is MY BAG. If anyone sees him c.'I/T)'ing It around Ihcy will trnow wh.al il means . Tennis has "I locketS" • golf Iw · Ouffers". and dulcimer playing has "Whocters. "

D.:ar DPN:

My name is Ouis Gambill. I am ~ginally

from Elkm. Nonh Carolina..

small I0'I011 in ~ fOOl.hil1s of ~ Blue

Ibdge Mounums, PTt:sclllly my wife and are 83pust IIISSionaocs here III Tai ..... A few)"C3fS 11&0 I decided IhaII ~ 10 k3m 10 pby. dukilTlef. I

bought one in kll form, built II. and

taught mysclflO play IL II CIJfItInUCIIO be a great s()u''CC of fun and s:lIisfactm r~~

When

we came 10 TIU....an III

Dcccmbcl" of 1985 I Il.atlnlly brought my dulcimer with me. In the year that ....'C have bcc:n hen: I have been lSked wnc and time ag:un 10 play my dulcill"C for a rn.Jmbct of dilTcrem groups, both ClmlCSC anti American. For the Amcrican5 I guess it is IllOUCh of home, even ir there \\'C/'C ro dulcimers ",here they came rrom. Everyooc likes my dulcimer! Curiousl), enough, the OIil"lC3C thll1.k my dukllllCl'" 5OUtld5 almost tlke an ancicnt ChillC5C instrumcnL They an: CQUIllly cnthll!JiastJc about hearing me play iL II II.so is a good way for me 10 be able 10 shale a hlUc about my own cullulC and TOOlS back III the moonl:1lll$ of Nonh Carolina.

2 Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

ens R. Gambdl Tllpel. Tllw:III

The Music Exchange column is for people U)'ing w rmd arrangemcms of favorite soogs and tw1es and sourt;es of

old music remembered from childhood. II can also include requests for out4-print alooms, musical accessories !lid anything clse applieable to this magazine. from Fall 1986 DrN the fall 1986 issue, Julie ElmanRoc?e asked for information on a tu nc, ' Chinese Breakdown." One \'crSion is found in the easily oblained Mel Bay Publication M~I Bay's Old Tinz MaJUlclin Solo1 (MB-93653). It is shcr,o,'n in Sland:lrd notation with mandolin tab. Somewllatlikc: a riddle Ufle arrangement, I can't make it sound like the tune I know as "Otinesc Breakdown.· The version I first learned is also easily found in a 2 rccortI aloom by Columbia Records MOlher Maybrll~ ]n

Cor/~r~.. JI1Os'/y

AWOMrp (CG-32436).

John A. Murray 9304 Atademy Rd. Philadelphia, PA 19114

"rOll1 Summer 1986 DPN Waitoo Johnson Page, Jr. said he

was very inlCfCSted in Indian lIld Persian music for the sanlur and wan\lXl information on instruments and performers. I was able 10 alteIKI a concert some months ago by Parodi! SIIiI'kumar Sharma, a very fine Kashntiri saotur player. "Pand!'" is a title of I'I':SpXt

implying mastery. I booglll one of bis rooords after the conc:en. The record was produced by the Amcer Khusro Sociely of America, 6 Ool{:liester CoWl, Bolingbrook: , IL 60439. Other rocords and casselles wm avaibble, and I gather this organization exists 10 promote in the US just the son of music and culture which Mr. Page is interested in. I expect they can provide much helpful information. Also, since he Jives in the WashingtOn, DC area, he should visit the House ol Musical Traditions in Takoma Patt., MD, phone 30 1/270-9090. They have a large selection of etlu1ic as well as American traditional instruments and recorded music. and offer lessons in many tr.lditionaJ instruments. Pete Bcn500 7505·0 Weather Worn Way CoIwnbia, MD 21().J6 Sorry to be th.at late answering the question of one of your readers about how to get a glass harp. There is a very interesting book about the glass harp writLCn by the-ma)'be only--playcr of this instrument in the world: Bruno Hoffmann. Ein Leben fur die Glashatfe (A life for the glass hartl), published 1983 in German by Helmut Michel Verlag "UnliCr NicdcrIand", Backnang/W. Gcnnany. ISBN 3-923947-06-2. This ilIUS1mtcd book gives a 101 of historical information and also lells how Hoffmann buill his inSlrument himself, We IlJe aflllid thm Rain Emert will have to go the same way ... Wieland UIrichs Editor MusikbJoll Gottingcr, West Gcnnany

As for inf()llll3[ion on glass harmonicas. Ben Franklin ...TOle a letter

BOOKS ror ~fOU:o.TAIN UULC IMER by TOM K,,);IIR • NEW TUNES/OI .I) fRn::'''IDS ..S-&.9!i [' Sonlt~ and [)anca. lnd udlng Old JM CUuk, SoIIIi,,.,· WildW(NH/ FIoM·t,.

J""

• " I'I_EASAl\T ADOI CTION..$S.95 Z8 OancH . nd Sonl'!. lnduding llru't ,,, WtJdilf, . Our Iltt Waitt/lilt. N,,,, C'If'wry.

'Ir,

• SPECIA L., ROTII ROOI(5 ... $IO.00 ppd , rrom II OGfIJ)OI_E PRF.s5 " ,"" IIll1,ria St., LA".u. ,\I.... DI6.jl

10 a friend thaI contained a detailed description ()II how to build one. II could still be done, but will require a skilled glassblower, I QIfI't remember e.uctly where I saw the letter reprinted. It was in a book on musical instruments. A search through a good music library ....ould probably I.tI1oCOvo:r iL 1'hcte is also an antique glass harmonica in the Coming Glass Museum in Coming. New York,

D:lvid Shucavage 402S Middle Sound Loop Rd. Wilmington, NC 28405 MusicallfIJlrwnenlS Made To B~ Played (Dryad Press) by Ronald Robens was

mentioned in the fall 1986 DPN. The book is OUI of print, bul has been in SIOCk at Intem:l1ional Luthicrs Supply, Inc., P.O. 8m 580397, Tulsa, OK 74 158. BobHange

CryStal River Suings 1595 N. NighlShadc C/)'Stal River. FL 32629

The Scottish Harp Society of America welcomes anyone who has an interest in the Scottish harp (also known as the clarl.a;h) UI' Sooubh

I1IU~.

Founded in 1982, The Scottish Hrup Society of America is a non·profit organization dedicated 10 promoting the small hatp. Membership in the Sociely is open to all who cnjoy the harp, whether or not they play or h:lvc SCOttish heritage. For infarnation, contact The Soouish Harp Society of America, OIristina Tourin. Founder and exa:utive Director, P.O. Box 575, WattrtltJry. VT 05676. 8Q?-/244-814 I.

hammered & fretted duldmers, harps, banjos. mandolins. kits & instruments, records. books ~ FREE lIll]ill[}o !lG:la.. CATALOG ~61 2-92J-4709 R.R. 4 , Red Wing, MN 55066 ' 'H.ISIc can _ ~

l Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

IM~ '

and Sellli<e Sinu 1968

26 W Duldm~ Playenl Ne......

Came CromptOn has published two col· lections of Medieval and Renaasance musk arranged for the Appalachian dul· dmer. Early M.wcfor J·$trill: Dwldmtr, and Rt,.aSSlJ/lct Dwlcimu: COIUI aftd CalUllry Dallas. Both are published by Mel Bay Publicalions, Pacifie, Missouri. I have found them SIOCked al Dusty Suings.. 3406 Fmnonl Avenue, North, Seattle, Washington 98 103; Folkcraft Instrumenl!, P.O. Box 8070. WinslCd, ConncctiCLIt 06098: and at House of Musical Tradi· lions, 7040 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland 20912. I am sure they ean be fOLllld dsew~ tOO. ~ are 100 many recorded colJcction! of Medie,'llI and Renaissance music to list I woold nx:om. mend reoortIed lute musk!l.!l a good source of approaches to playing the tunes. As always, readers in Eurnpc are wei· come 10 send tunes and suggestions to me at HochriesstraBe 3, 0·8206 Hcufeld., West Germany. Have ajoyful Spring and we'U meet again in Summer. II!

The

Answer Column by Sp(kenardo HIlm·Stroyt Wtll. Gtntlt Rtadtrt. lhis WIIfl'S CallUM is gallll fQ ka bil aj a dtparnuYt. OWr 1M ytllrs aj_ilinl lhis CollUM I Mvr JllVf!d up a llrun/)(!r of qutstw/IS thaI I ftlt 1 couldll'l halldlt adtquatt/y. BUI btfOI't disctudinl IlItm tlllinly, lihought I worJd p't· still tlrtst qutSllOIIS 10 lilt only ptrSCII who mi,h/ knew Iht IIl1SWtrs, lilt rec:/usiw, intVMIWfIil( dulcimer schDWr and mechanic. SpiJ:tlllU(/Q lIifm..strayt. Mitor l/ilm· Slrayl has "lIciclU/y collSt!lIltd 10 faY: palUtfrom a blUY schtdult 10 It'"l'Orarily laU owr my collUM and allSWtr IlrtM vaaliolU qutrits. Stiicr llilm-Slrayl would befM roo modtst 10 tllumtrtllt his mall] dulcimtrif; Cl'tdtll/wlt. So. J mUSI maU some mtlllioll of his bad,roiUld tu a bil ajilllrtJdut:fioll,jlUl in cast lhut is all)'OlIt oUlllltre NJ/ olreadyfamiliar ....i,h 1M Good Stiler's work. Most o{you, of COIVM, rtCo,niu tltefamily _ as OM tyIICllymolU ..."h IItt rurly hislOryofl1tt dulcimers. Throu,hout/Itt ctlllurks Ilttfamily has cOlllillutd iu Iradj· 110M as dulcimer mtcMllics. AII/toU,1I1I01 widtly knewlI III)(' sll/fIl;luu/y rtsptcttd in olMr poru ajlltt world. IItt Good Miloi' is coIISWered a MliclWilrrasurt III his Itomt provillct.lIt lias studitd IIQroad at lilt University ajSllangri·/a-lo whtre M was re, ipitlll aj lllt DipfolftlJ M«hanismo Dult:itMr(U! (DMD). Wr//.I have tI p/tlM III ctllcll. So withoutflUllltr tMJc, I pass)'Ou 101M capablt ptll aj SrMr SpiUIIIU(/Q. SR

So Long. Sam. So long. Yankee.. 11Ianu for leaving me here witll senseless leiters from OPN. There he goes 10 catch plane. Vacationing in \TOpics on prollts from writing cryptic answers and lIiring me at pittance 10 do dirty WOfk. I'm still not getting proper rtSpIXt in Amcrica Anyway, Spikenardo. he solve aU your problems. He mlCh into Ixt& for ill'S! misernble letter ...

D tU1l

.uoo oo

IYI~

$.4~ OO

tlardelrl C~ $100 00 <'Jti!OO o5JO 00

"~" $1000

$l OOO

P.O. Box 228 Hampton, Tennessee 37658 (6 15) 725-3191

ear Sam. Whal Is the grealeSt duldmer of ai/lime and who made ff? SI{Jned. SaUy F.

First of all, don't call me Sam. My lI3fTIe Spikenardo. This is very I*)' question. My foc:lings hun Ih:II Senor Ri:actta could not answer this. Greatest dulcimer made in La·u· do dynasty by my great anccslOf, Randylcooa Hitm·Suayl. She handcarvcd solid tim. bers of Wood-of·the-Gods (XyloDeus grambfolium: ed.) into 3 pouM, 11 OCtave. mkrotonic dulcimtl'. This instrument. known Itistorically as 'The: Boss." was \nIgicaily lost during the Polyrhythmic Revol ution. Wood-of·1he-(Jo(b IrCeS were round \Q be b1igluod by CCfUlin typc$ gI' $O\Ind pollu· tion. The last one was tnIIIsplanted 10 a shqJping mall and succumbed 10 Muzak before lhcsc environmental hazards were fuUy undcfstood. Thus, proper wood no longer avail· able and no longer can great dulcimers be c~u:d. Hitm·Strayt family forced to use sec· ond rate imported woods like Fir Mita tree (FormalinllS malodornw. cd.) and family reputation in decline. Of course. dulcimers were invenlCd in my cOlimry. you know? But. WII', another answer. I save it for Sam. Soc if he know.

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Spring 1989 '¥ 27

ear SpOcenardo, Could you seUle an tmportarn tssueJor me? My SigntficonL Other says the best dulctmer makers are In Michigan. I Say Co.Iifomta.. Which oJ u.s Is right? A steak dinner IS r1ding on !lOW" answer: Signed. Ferd Q.

Hey, Ferd, my man! You 00( paying Buention! Is no besI makers in America. Not eYen Kalamazoo! Didn't)'Olllead answer no. I above? You have no Wood-oi·Ihe-Gods (XyloDeus gflllldifo!l· um, ed.). Besides, only way 10 make good dulcimer il with squinch bracing and viper spit varnish, secrets known only to my family, in old country. What kind of xanthous belly, rili zop/Iagous American ask question? Has Spi.lr.enardo SII:t you straighl? You both eali ng toM

sue"

ear Serlof" H ttm-5troyt. IfoWYlI.hls Flr Mfca hammer dulcfrner In a tUlle lmport shop. I thought If looked neat, '(hough U cost me a real bun· dle. I Uke playing U at tralnln{} camp. Bui now U buzzes somefhlng JII!f"Ce whenever I try to play. TIlel""e's a lexluredflFltsh oJ what looks to me lOre gen. ulne viper spu uarntsh that's.f/aktr¥J qff In pku::es already. The Formaltnus malOdDroIa-lamlna sound· board Is wcuptng and when I look inside Ihere .seems to be sane sort oj squinch bmce armngement coming loose. Could I.hls be the trouble? Man, I'm (JOin{} cmzy wllhout some soothing strains from the dulctmer"l I could beat on somebody, ya d(g? M. 1),json

Spi.lr.enardo has no .ir.nowlcdge oC such things. So sorry Senor Tyson. Address inquiries to Rizz.tttl. It sounds Ii.lr.e one of his. Ne~1 misetable leiter ...

ear Mr. DuJctmer Column. I have a lovdyjret1ed duldmer made by my grandfather. Lately u has bem sounding rather dulL I noticed thallhe Sfrf11gs have goUen preUy ru.sfy. They make /Jtejrets squeaky and myJl1'l{Jers brown. Is /Jtere somethtng I should have done? SIgrUd.. J..J.

Ah. My dear J and J, )'OII have come to Ihe righl person, SpiJr.e.. nardo the dulcimer mechanic. Sure,)'OII messed up. You forgO! tocbange theString oil, am 100( right1 Ofcoune! Spikenardo right. WI"Ien strings come frol!l factory, haVl:l nice, fresh , clean

String oil But arler B few hundred tunes, B few tbousand limes through MA\IIlI Rhody,M and bingo, the string oillhe contaminaled with fingerprint oil! Rust IlOl far behind, eIIl Here's whal. you do. me dulcimu 10 neighbttbood dulcimer mechanic (Porsche or BMW mechanic OK substiwte). Have suing oil changed. If )'011 have a cheap dulcimer you may not find the necessary filler plugs at Ihe nUl and saddle. Your mechanic wiD know how 10 inStIll these. Or you can do-it-yourself and savc B lot of money jf you have B few simple IOOIs. drill bits. adjustable wn:nch, 5IeafTI drill. gloves, dark g1aues, pcmaps a lillie vioo. A stand:l.rd 1/4 x 20 filter plug is ins\.llllcd al both nul and saddle. When replenishing oil il most impor\llnt tnatoil not IOUCh strings directly; place oil only in filler: IOW40 for IIot WIltS in swnmer, IOW30 fOf all season. all tem?O, OK_Ultmperature should fall below IS degrees F, straight lOW should be ustd. But then you playing slow airs with gloves, righl? Ha, ha, hal Spikenardo ma.ir.e joke. Use fresh oil only. In a pinch when away from home and fitsI: blush of rust StIfling. it OK to U9t salad oil. OK 10 use whole salad dJessing. Creamy l\.IIlian or Gree.ir. Goddess very good. Roque:lon 100 lumpy; Jlussian poor quality, wrona; color. By the way, if the oil so bad lllat strings ~ rusty, you should have a 3O,(XXl1IOIC choc.lr. up while dulcimer in the shop. You mil' have played only I few short fol.lr. WIltS, bul maybe you practice them a lot Shon WrltS, staning and slOpping, IO\Igh on dulcimer. Those 30,000 no&esCIll add up fast. Spi.lr.enardo reach for nex t miserable letter ...

ear Answer Colwnn Guys, IJust got a Inpe of Tony lordache and Geor"ge Zanif"tr. Wowll want to play Wee tha.U What do I do? Mil hammer duldmer Instructor wants me to practice '"Golden Slippers· and "She Bag She More,· but I wan.t to playJost charda.s. Sofru I can get Ihrough !heflTSl hal{Q{'Wddwood Flower" real good.. What should 1 do? Chel A.

SpiJr.enardo tell you !he uuth. Use hammers forchopstic.ir.s and learn to play radio instead. Seriously, I tell you what It's 100 much woO:; 10 play like lordache. SUC.lr. cas:seue player 10 bIc.lr. of dulcimer with piece of sil.lr. plaster (duct tape. cd.). Thm on lordllChe tape, sit ar. dulcimer, closeeytS, and play "air hammer" style (i.e., don'llel)'OUf hammcn touCh the strings. cd.). This very satisfying and Ia.lr.es very lillie practice time. No annoying and repetitive scales. No reading of the music. No wning. Spi.lr.enan10 \ISle this very teChnique: in COIICCrt. BUI never do this in rccormng studio when)'Oll get yout record cootract Stic.lr. compacl disc machine 10 dulcimer back instead. Sound qualily bew:r ror studio. Trust Spi.lr.enardo. cOllljll~d IIUt is$~ ... I mllSlieavc now 10 get to my street comer before some other dulcimer player beals me 10 it. If you are having mort

questiOflS for Spi.ir.enardo, please 10 write me in care orthe Dul· eimer Playen News. Sellool MacNeil will put lcuers DelI l lO Answer Column word processor, yes? Perhaps when Set\cl' Sam returns with Slinburn I havc his job. Hal Spikenanlo laughs! tu. ba, hal l!

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Kicking Mule Home Dulcimer

-- =

----------Mark Nel.oa----------

THE DULCIMER WORKSHOP FIDDLE TUNES AND TECHNIQUES 12 I/a-Hour Leasons on 6 Caseette Tapes Unlike any •• 18I1ng syalem to. 18.e1l11lO Ihe dulCimer, The Dulcimer Workshop IS desiooed to help in-

te rmediate pL'yer, ,a.lll.thel, muSic,1 potentllli. Beginnin g with the 11.1\ 1"5$00. you wlllle"n l unes, techniQues end the I)Kkoraund necessary to help you bec;ome I better mu,lelan, The nlne tee" lunes are seleculd to Illustrate ImpOrU,n t tech nique s suCh IS c rOll lunlng5, humony, simple ,nd complex omamen\.aUon. and more. Each tune Is glyen on tape and

'01110 In tablature; linger poaWons .re gl~en lor sever'l ollhe tu ne • . The locus on The Dulcimer Work. hOP I, to help you dlIYelop. person'l slyle 01 playing. The Inlormation on tun ing . harmony. Chord build ing. ,r,n,poliing and IHlnging mlY be .ppiledlo .ny .Iyle of mu.ic. wh ile lhe sections on sl. umml ng .nd 0'-

rwlmen"Uon will help g ive you. pl.ying the g.l ce Ind drive of I l'ldltlonal fiddle player! Whether you h.vl only recently slarled pl.ylng Ihe dulclme. and can pl.y through II lew songs o. you hawe been playing for yea ... you w;lIlind The Oulclmer Work.1'Iop. ulu.ble telchlng tool The Illped lessons. fhe book. the t.blature . • nd m.ny charts Ind .umples tor . n encycloped ia 01 d ulCImer tec hniques th.l you will return 10 .g.ln .nd .g.ln, The Dulcimer WOrt.,hop II the neJt best thing 10 haVIng a live-in prinle lulort COmpletl set of e Tlpe. in Bindlrwllh eo Page Book . . , .. ". " ." " """",.,., ........... , . . , .. $&5.00 (11 Ofdlled sepa rately , .SIKI.i5}

----------Peter Tommerup----------

TEACH YOURSELF TO PLAY THE DULC IMER 12 I/a-Hour Le • .ana on 6 Casaette Tapes Note- far-Note In.trucUon. for Over 30 Popular Folk Tune. Whelher you are an absolute beginner who hl$ just seen your firsl d ulcimer. or an experience<! pllyer looking 10' soml new Ideas lind tec hnique. , you will enjoy Ih ls lerles olt elchlng tapes. ThlY begin with the basic.: how to hOtel the Instrumenl. In e.cellenl seellon on tuning . and the ~sic strum • . • nd thlY go on Irom there . Step by Ilep. Pete. leads you Ihrough more Ih.n 30 tunes. with note by noll Instructions, You will learn to play by Sirumming . IIngerplc klng . lia lplcklng. playlftQ one string al. tlml • • nd making chord • • • Iong with many olher lechnlques ,nd Ideas that popular performers use to vlry the melodies 10 make them more Interlstlng. and I very solid .epertoire of th e folk lunea mosl widely known . And Peter wtll le~h you Ihese lunes In keys Ihat "e most often used lor Ihem by fiddle pllyers .nd Siring binds so thlt you will be .ble to play wllh other musician. hnme<!latelY without h.vlng to reo le.rn thl tunll in new key. evlry lime you .Int 10 mike music. Every tune Is demonllt"lecI nole lor note . • nd the,e .re ove r ,.0 pages or pflnled lut.nd "b with Ihe melodies liso In conven llorwll nOI,tlon. You will gel chold c harts .nd lingering d l'g'am, II well IS help!ul hlnll • • nd even lOme blank lib Pfope' louie lor notes .nd writing down new lu nes (you Ire weleome to phOtocopy the blt.nk PfoP8r Ind hive I liIeUme supply). Just iboul everything you need 10 lelrn 10 mike Ind enJoy mUSic .IIh your dulcim e r II Include<!. To learn to pl.y Ih e dulcimer. IU you need Ire these la~s I Clsse tt e playe •. a nd, dulc imer. Comple" Set oil Tlpe.1n Blnder.tth lAO PlGe booII " •. " . " .............. ... . .. " .. . .... . ,, " ,, 165.00 lit o,dered ,ep,,"el~ ... $80.'S) eiiiinyone IIpe Of yo\';-;';ciii;"-iilhe 'egula, price 01 JI 2.S:CCAlinYi,me-';;rn1nihl8e mon lh iOTYOUiPU~ [ enl" you m.y complete the 5erles. For 152.50 you w~l receive lhe ,em.lning 5 tlpel with binder Ind ,II I printed m.lerlel •. You r 10 iaL purch"e prICe will ImL be sas. OR buy Ih e whole leI Wilh ou r 111 d.y mone~ : back g Ulrlnta.-vou mlY retUln it lor .n~ r"lIOn fo, I lull refund .

.. _---------- ---- ----------

KICKlrlO MULt: R~CORDS

•

BOX 15 8

•

--------------

A.LD~RPOI~T . CA. 95411

•

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

•

----

(707) 916· 5311

Dulcimer Players Notebook

-- .

. ...........

- ~

~--"':-:--

.1../

,!. . ., . -

-c -____

-4_

Lorraine Lee Rounds are a musical pleasun: roosingers and illSlTUmCfllalisu alike. The ~Iy at roonds in Elir.abeth:ln England is well documented. We still sing many 0( their favorites. oRen wilhout reaiWng the source. "Hey Ho, Nobody Home', for uarnple, was p.iD.

pJeao;ing harrnoo)cs when played simulllUlOOUSly. Drone Wings can present JOme dimculty when scvernl dulcimers join in a round. EYCIl solo dulcimer players find that their unfrouoo drone strings sometimes obscure the notes of a melody. The problem is compc:xmdcd by the number of instrurncnlS. When playing TOlIIKIs be sure that you are emphasising the

lished in England in 1609 in I collection by Thomas Ravcn9CrOl"t called PamntI!/ia, I kamed il in Girl ScO\JIS 350)"C3IS lrucrl The ElizabcIhans were food of combining various instrumenu and singer1 in impromr-u ensembles. One of my favorire ways 10 arran8(llOOnds is

melody. Listtnearefully. If your drone strings are 1oocIer!han the melody, th3nge the angle or your pick slighLly. When roo slrikc the strings, uy 10 suike the

... ith different insa'umcnu w.ng each part.. Dulcimer, flute, guitar arid fiddle

strike the drones.

aeale a pleasing combination and I often add a tambourine OJ finger cymbal for

if the drooc:s tOr\nict ..... ith the implied

""""""'The melody of a good 1'0II'II1 is

aeau:s a pBSSing disson:lnce thai. tomeS 10

composed of phrases .... lIich result in

a quic:k, satisfying resolution, but

melody 'Irin& $lighLly harder than you

A srx:ond diffICUlty sometimes arises

harmony of the round. U5lI:llly this

sometimes I

dlOOSe 10

""'"".this

FCI" wimer issllC I h:JVt made up a liUle fouc-JllrIl1)I,Ind about the ....-arm pleasure of browsing throogh the seed catalog while the bim:r wi~ howl III Ihc window. I suggest thai dulcimer ensembles play the entire round 00 the melody Siring fLtSl before introducing the drone strings. I ollen begin and end a round this way. outlining the Sll'UCture of the melody in thill delicate single-llQ(e fashion. Lhcn bringing in the dfamatk dronc:!I and eliding. apin, with single

"""

The mekxly is written out in the key of G. The fret numbers are appropriate for any Ionian wning. ] tune my own four suing dulcimer o.G-d-d.

,-,

~h4~; dreaminJ ,the warm fire

pl:Jy a chon!. 10

lessen the dis;onanl innuence of the

Ijltt

5 Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Brad, cell us about your latest project? I had in mind a project that would use musk and a bea\ltifu! U'1KIitional sailing vcssellO increase the appreciation and awareness of a beautiful body of waitt. I live on an island on Puget Sound in WashinglOn State. Puget Sound is an eighty mile inland sea surrounded by tWO mountain ~ges. The Sound is home IOOrea whales, seals and porpoises as wtll as over two million human beings. I was aware of the SllCCess or ~Ie Seegec's work on the Hudson River .... iib!he Clcarwatec Orpnization. Oearwaacr has had UttIlenOOus success in drawing auenlion 10 issues rJ wmcr quality on the Hudson by wing people 001 on the river in a hiSlOl'ical boat and Lhrough waaerfront celebrations. Th us inspired, some friends and 1 formed the Pure Sound Society. Along "small is beautiful~ lines we built a replica of a small sailing and rowing vessel lIIal is hislOric to the Northwest. Our boat is built afltr the survey launch carried on board Captain George Vancouver's ship "OiscoveryM who filSt aplored Northwest waters in 1792. The MHMS Discovery'sM Launch is 2S feel long. She canie.s two sails, ten oars and no engine.

Brad

Wetmore an fnIervfew by MadeUne MacNdl Strasburg, VIrginia

We use the launch 10 leach school children about the history and ccoIogy of the Puget Sound region. In the light wind conditions common along the Sound, the launch is usually powcml by yOl.lng IIl'lIU and songs with many ~ The Pure Sound SociCly aoo produced a performing artS program of songs alld improvisational theatre which focus 011 regional ttlcmcs. As a musicallrOUpe known as the Pure Sound Players, we have perlonncd at local festivals alld for schools. When the l3unch was lirst put in the water we invited none other than Pete Seeger to come OUt and help pull an oar on her maklen voyage into Seattle. He generously aa:epled our invitation and sang and rowed his way into the hcans or Seattleites. We Still sing some ofthc rowing songs he taught us.

Wha.t is your musica.l ba.ckground? My dulcimer playi ng began after watching Bruce Coc~bum perfonn with one In Canada around 1975. While most dulcimer players will point 10 Richard Farina and Jean Ritchie as their main in8uerlCe, I would say that my OIVII playing eYOtved from the sounds of BruceCoclr.bum and Claudia Schmidt Over time my bigg~ enjoyment in making music hascome from jamming witll other musicians and singing lots of harmony. As a result of playing with clUSters of musicians al l standing upright I developed a stand-up playing style that keeps the instrument flat lilr.e a dobro. I did not stan performing until recemly and I still do not perfonn. great deal. I'm afraid thai becoming a fu ll time professional musician would take all the fun 001 of it Recen tly my dulcimer has inlTOduced me 10 some extraordinary e.-o:pericnces. On the island whelC I live. I work for a community ans center whicll produces sevenl performances and classes.. Last wintcrour ac:companist for the ballet classes quit on shon notice. With longue in check I suggested I could lill in on dulcimer-aod they rook me at my 'NOfd! So there I was playing far live classes d ballerinas--ÂŤlinitely new territory for me. Also last winter a traveling Russian theatre IrOUpe including 11 rock band Stayed on our islaod wllile lOUring in the Seaule area. One night I invited the Russian band and several island musicians over for a musical Clcllange. We bad a great deal of fun. They sang some beautiful traditional Russian follr. ballads as well as some Bob Dylan. As the evening progressed lhe language barriers betwmn us evaporated. Sin:e then, the Seattle Sister City Committee between Seaule and Tashlr.enl- a eily in the USSR region of Usbekistan-has IIfTIllged 10 scnd 30 Nonhwcst musiciaN over 10 TiWllr.ent !"ItJ:! spring. I've been told they wanllO send along a mourllain dulcimer player and that my name is on their list

Addn:ss

ror Brad Welmore: PO Box 526, Vashon Island, WA 98070. II!

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Spring 1989 ,.. 29

Circles in the Night Thl.slrndlllon a l Russl~m Song was taugh t to Brad Wetmore by S usan Osborne, of Paul Winter Consort

fame. who n ow IJves on Orea!! Island in Puget Sound. It makes a beau Uful rou nd.

Thne DAC

8 -.,

". ,..- ", s

J, J'I U9h~.

""',

4 5 b

14 1n F videl t.he

~.-

11"..,

1¥

J, 1'1

tor t.he

" " "" • """ t., ~

2 3

B 8

.1"9-

''''

2 3 2

J J J I Z Jl~ I J J J J I J II lu,r., "' ""- "'" c.ir- " lei '" "" nl9hl.

Tweetw a ter Prodllctions music from the heart of Ohio ... "Flavor«!. with ...SwtETWATER", SW('f!twater's fll1t ~I.'<l$e Is a patpourri of tro· dltlonal American folk muslc, Celtic 5Oll!p a nd tunes plUl an origi nal compa· sftlon. "F1avore<!. with ... SWEETWAnR" hlghUghts the group's versatility with the lap duld mtr, autohorp ond guitar and Indudes two of their ttademark a capella plec:es. S9.SO pp "HEATHER ROMP" is a coUectIon of traditional and contempamry songs and tunes, ht'<lf\feJt ballads and Qlnluing ditties from Imand. Scotland and Eng· land. Drawing from perwl'lCll memories and Imp!tiSlons af their visit 10 the Cel tic lands, Sweetwater', "HEATHER ROMP" is In many ways a mus\('J:I.! past. card, filled with memories for them and hopefully, for you as well. $10 .50 pp

New

R~I~ase

·ON TH E RIGHT TRACK" Fealurin9the mountain duJdmer mastery of Phil Cll ebe. Hlghll9hted by two of Phil's original compas.\tlons this alllrutrumen· Iai tape has both American and Celtic traditional melodies. Phll', unique style Is QC~n!ed by SW('f!twatK's multilayered arro ngl'ments Wl1n9 the mountain dulcimer, guitar, autoharp, con~ntna. hammtl1!d duldmtr, pennywhlstlt and bodhran. $ 10.50 pp Cassettes Only Send ordel1 to; T_rwater Productions cIa S. Stevens · 643 E. Euclid Avenue · Springfield, OH 4SSOS

DEE) LIKE A RIVER A un i qu. b l .nd oJ p lu e ~ .d / r .thd J ut ei .... , . tr i ng bo •• , .ynth • •

•• 1' . P'''JI' ..g

Gnd

i~ .

.. , Gn d

o ... g ..... ,

S~ot.l l r; . h

.&tod;& ••

r ro. tiu&r l .. r~ Mw.'e, e .... . ft. o n l y.$8.98 plw. $ 1 .50 p o. hg •• P.O. 8 0 " -f 008 1 , M•• phi.,m .38 17.,. Th& . ... ie ,. 9&ntl ••.• j ... t lilt. Lo r lo' n .

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

SELF STICK Return Address LABELS DE S IGNED WITH YOU IN

MIND . o., lgn colo,. : blu', gr •• n, r.d, bl l ek or gold . Addr . . . ' I In btu; iI, U p to

20 ' e tt e r. e nd . p.e •• pe r line , up 10" IIn .. . Sp l cily d',lgn, c olor e nd q ue n ll t, . Pl •• •• add $ 1 per I t e m

for fi rs ' cl ••• p os llge ,

225( , 11. 1)

17. 95

450 ( l Uk e) $10. 50 1,000 (, like ) $1' . 50

.. . . !_. _ 1'.011 _

..... t ·.......... -~,...

c- Folk Her p

D- T re bl e

C 'el

NOTE'ABLY

' •• 5

YOU~S

Sc u ll RO l d

Dl pl . e

Nu, Clrlls ' l , OH 4 53 44

The Answer Column Sam Rizzetta Th is qutSlion a nd answer colu mn deals " i lh buildin g, playing and ca rin g ror hamm t r ,lid rr t llt<! duldmt rs. QlllSlions II rt in"i led. I"k_ x nd I,",m 10 T he Answtr C olu mn, d o Riu elllo M usic. P.O. Box 510, Inwood, WV 254211. Nott thai limitat ions c( space In d limt may make it im pClliSi ble to r espond to 1'1'\'r,. inqu iry. Questions 0( gtntm! interest to 1M rt adu'ship "ill gel priority.

In lilt pasl ),ou',-t j;iI·u lips for luni nj; p iM Iha t ""rrt 100 Ioosf. Ou l my hlImmt r dukimrr 5t'tntS 10 ha'·t Iht oppmilt problem. Tilt luning pins art lighl a nd slicky and d ifrlcul l 10 lum just a li ul~ bit for (jilt tuning. Is Ibfrt 50ftldhin g I should put on Illtm 10 lubrica lt Ih em 50 Ihal lhey lurn mo« usily? In the long run. most tubricanll> will do ITIOIt Iwm than good. shMcnilll the useful life of the pinbloeks and , therefore, your duk:imer. lei us fIlM look at the way in ",i1ich IWling pins are installed. A hole is drilled inlO the wood of the pinblock which ;s slightly snuller than the di:uncLCf of the tuning pin. The wood itself is compressible, but a bit rlcxiblc and pLlslic. Thus. when the luning pin is inserted inlO the hole, !he wood ghu 3nd ex~ a little 10 accommodate the lUning pin. II is aIso Ilcxibie and has:l II"ICfIlOfy. il is Ilying 10 return 10 ilS original size and sltlpe. By doing so. the wood excns a tJ'"CSSWC and friction on the tuning pin. preventing the pin from turning eytn when a string is exerting a COIlSidc:mb1e force 10 rowe the pin and sbck the string IU1d ill> luning 10:1 lower pilCh. However. the wood f1cxibility and memory IIIll not perfect. If the tuning pin is witMrawn from the hole. the wood will spring back 10 make the hole smaller, but it wiUIIO! mum all the way 10 ilS original size. If we install the pin again. it will go in more easily and tum more easily. II will also be pulled out of tune more easily. The importallt thing u 10 get evay featun: wor1cing togcthct in the most ideal compromise, tuning ruther easily while holding IUnc adcqu;uely for the desired string u:nsion. There IIIll three common WlIYS of instaJling lUf1ing pins: driving them in (as with a hammer). pressing them in (with an arbor press), or screwing them in

(the pins do have:l fine thread Ililov.·ing

them 10 be screwed into or oot of a hole). Usually string.<! are inst.alkd so th:lt when )'Otl are tiJ: htening the string, )'Otl are 31so s<:n:w ing 1M tuning pin further into the pin block wood. You are, thus. !l:re""ing the pin inlO a "fresh" part of the hole and doeper inlO the VoOOd. The gre3IeI" frictioo will make the pin tighter, harder 10 tune and, perhaps. stickier. I kllOW th:ll yoo may read other methods for insull ing wning pins, especially in regard to pianos and harpsichords. But aner 20 plus years of elpcrimentrlg, this is the method that I like. I bore 3 hole in the pin block th:lt provides a ",!her tigln fil. bill not so lIght as 10 risk. Splitting the wood. [tIlen press the pins halfway in. Nexl I I"OllllC or "s<:rew" the pins in at a relatively high ralC of speo:I using either a hand brace Of a power screw driver. lbe pins are !l:rewed deeper into the hole than they will ever go in xtual tuning.:mtI then they are b3Ckcd out 10 the com:ct height for the string-·about 5116" between string hole anti pin block surface on my dulcimers. This prt-cJ!pands the hole for ilS fuJI working length. It also crealell some heat which gives me a hole surface thaI grips the luning pin so it has 10 SUly in tune well while tuming :mtIluning $fTl()()!hly. In an already completed dulcimer. such as )'Oln which is apericncing tight or sticky pin problem!, here is lhe fust thing to try. Loosen the tight Ilin anti remove the string. Tum the tuning pin into the wood. s<:n:wing it deeper th:ut II will go in ramal use. If the string hole goes down to the pin block surfoce, !hat'S fllf enough. Note that the hole may be Sl tight that merely Iwn ing the pin clockwise J1l3y not drive it into the ....ood an)' further. In that case it will be necessary 10 acrt a downw.uu fOlnl, pcrha~ a considcnlble fom:, while turning to crICOOI1lge the threads to "bite" into the wood anti drive do ....nward. Be

I Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

30 'i' Dulcimer Players

Circle Dance e 1981 Seth Austen

â&#x20AC;˘" r

r r- r-

= ,

r r

f r

U r

â&#x20AC;˘ I

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

that your dulcimer is ck:$igncd 10 take !his heavy downward for«. Most IUC, but not all. Then back ~ pin ou. and IC$Ulng. If wmng l$ still too light, then the I'IeXtl1XOUl3e is 10 dnUthe hole out larger. l'1Us might tx;;,t be IdtlO a compctenl buikk:t or repGirpc:rmn. Odd size drill bils l1\3y be required and they may not be av;W.abc III. your QJI"I'Itr Sears Roebuck or IwdVo'llRo SUR. KooA'Cvt:r, you can proc.ccd safdy on )'OIl' own by test drilling and fitting tdes in '" scrap piece d wood tII3l malChcs the wood t)1X: and h:lrtIncs5 of your pin block. In othc:r 1II'OIds, if your pin bkx:It: wood is sup maple. do your ltSling in • p~ of sugar maple. not in walnut! Diffcmu woodi liave diffC'fCflt pin holding cli.1nlctcrisucs I\IId I use diffCfl:f1t si7..e holes in different woods. Also, bminarcd pin blocks,!IS used in better pianos and dulcimers., require slightly larger holes. You would need 10 test in an identkallamin:lIC. Some nave thinner bminalCS. are curW under diffmm p!\l$SUJtS. and employ differing wood spcdes. IIU d which do nW:e slight differrocu. If you are llarting a new dulcimer

SIft

from !Cl'IIdI, choose pin

block;

wood thai

is denJe, s&abIe, non ring porous, and dll:mically inactive with ~ tuning pins. Sugar maple is trlIditionally an ucdknt thoic:e. Lamina&od maple or bctch is cven broer. <AI: was commonly used IfI 19th ocntwy pianos. But it in ring porous wood that splilS more easily and CUlWM acids that can COI'I"Ode tuning ".... 1'bal: is another potcnliaI murce of uooblc besides the hole in the wood, and that is with ~ wrUII& pin ilSClfl Comlsion can occur on ~ pin, even on II raIhcr new dulcimer. E\'CII if the pin kloks okay above the pin block, it may be corroded rough !IS • rasp 00"'''' in the hole where it counts. lust remove the pin and have. look. If you .:e lUst, throw the pin away! If It IIppearJ 10 na ve just the slightest dusting of fi.e lUSt, you can. in a pinch, cle3n il with Steel wool , wipe clean and reuse. Swab OUt the wood hoJc with a dry Q-Tip 10 rcmove any gross amounts of rust scale. If the hole is loaded with hW\ks of hard 10 removc IUSl, iI may nave 10 be reamed out wllh a driJl bit of the corrcc:l size. Be VCf}' cardul hcrc and go slowly IS reaming orten makes the hole 100 kxlIe. In this cue. ICC the Answer Column of a couple of issues IgO in which we ck:aI with holes that ~ 100 1oo!Ic!

One rtrolllOle. If your dulcimer came from a manuf3CtuJCf or proCessional builder, check rUSt with Lhem. They might nW:e soch repairs under WarTllIItcc. WOfklng on it younclf may void the

In making r~lItd dulcim~ I ha,·t used iHJr1 rOf' lilt DUts aDd saddles ,,'hkh looks Vtli and eivtS Vlttlltnt .souod traOSrtr. And it ts tnidilionally u5td for llitst ItelDli in othtr tuthe..,., SU(h as c:las!ikal guitars. Bul DOW that the prolilHrine in i'vr1 is t ndangtrinl _ species, 1 would I1Ither not Ulit it. 1',1' tried USinl bont, such as bur bootS from Iht markel, but bOlle Sttms morc porous a nd eets dirty· Iook;n!: a ft er II whilt. Any sU~l'!it ions rur non ·inwy nuts and SlIdd les?

Bone 1¥'Orks okay, but docs i0oi: dingy alief a while. You can ~ a finish over it, but rvc never been lOt:lIJy happy wid! the resultS. l..cry much like 10 ",uk ",ith a lIImin:ne:d plastic: called Micana. II is avnilable in lIIin sheets COflll'enicnl for nUl and saddle making and ollcn can be found in colors that look ILke ivory and bone. In fact, many eraftSpOOplc arc u.sins it for modem scrimshaw work. It cuts and worts much like ivory, is vr:zy h3fd and uansfcrs IOUnd vr:zy weU ",'ben used as nut or saddle. It docs not WCIIher 10 the "diny" look th3t bone SIOmCIimc:s docs. Another matc:riallh3t I Jove 10 use for nulS and sack11es is aluminum. II SIlWS and files c:wly and kloks vay auractiyc when like! 10 shape and then sanded 10 a smooth, dull paline with about 320-grit sandpaper. It can abo be buffed 10 a mimlr·likc shine. Its combination 0( lighl weight and hardness provides goOO IDI'IC, yel il is soft enough 10 1K)I. eUI or IIbnidc the strings. Other metals can be used with diffctinglOnc effects. BIlISS looks attmCth'C and, while it .seems 10 lessen volume or loudness, il can give a SWOCI, Jonser SUSlIlincd tone. For aluminwn and brass, check hIlrtIwIIrc and building supply 5U:Jn::!I or old· fashioned hobby SIOrcS lhal CIIIT)' "rca/" model boals, IniiM and airplanes that work (and noc just plastic: IO)'J and macrame kits). For Mic:an.a look in the Yellow Pages of large cities ror plaUics supply 00IIIpanics. They sometime5 have

a scrups bin whc:te )'OIl might find enough material on SIlJc 10 do dol.cns of nuts and

"""...

On a fiN! note 10 readers, I want 10 tnCOIJf1lgc your ~ions :IIId panicipalion in lhis roIUIlln. I do Wry much welcome your kucrs and questions. Oespilc the cbsclaamer II. the bead of the column, I do endeavor 10 answer cvety sin&Je inquiry. If you nave additional infOl'l'll3tion 10 5Mrc or would like • topic covered in greater depth, please do "'Tire. Sam GNJ C"rM RIztdI4 IU1J bouy p/ayulf ........, fJlpi",/.r. cnjbfmu on4 ... ctIfICat

1 1 _ d/JrilN:;,fr_ Wrr IVar Vit, ....... (Uc~ ",.....",,-pk..,IttJ

-w...

mjoJ1Mf_-.ttd aM a~ D/Wu

An ad didn't arrive on time, so this SJXM was empty. Rather than Pli Dpic:1Urc i~ all of the area, I dccilbllO chat a liUlc about this issue. now th3l il Is alrt106l ready 10 go 10 the ~nter. It is cvly 'ilw1ksgiving mcming ( I a.m.), and I haYe spent a rat1II:r frusuaina: cvenin& with the OOfTIPlter. Most of the f~ camc fron my incxpcril:nce with this system. I've oenainJy Icamcd a 101 in two wedu. It only gal frighlcning II the last mlllllc: .... hen ccmmandJ didn't teem 10 wort and my deadline "'3$ strangling me! I ka,'C for Newpon News, VirJinia I(IfTI()flOW IIfianoon ror tWO days or pcrf~ing. This OllIS. be in the m.:lil 00 Friday momi",. rm knee deep in JXlPCf! I've Ml alnit 300 sheets throogh the printer getting the: 36 JXIgCS for the issue. Somdlow I mUSlIcam 10 oconomize. The paper is rutkr expensive aM somewhat dimc:uh 10 obtain. Dear DulciMer Playtfl News friclllb, I am thankful ror you and for this maglUine. There are times when I'd give the map;cine 10 the fim pc:rson wllO!IppfOQChcd me carrying a lypewr11er and a duleimtr.

are

more tilTlCJ that rm gnareful for the friendships, the Cllring, the music and the Icami~ I've C.lpcl kneed in the past few ye:an;. I hope you enjoy this issue. Giyc me a fcw issues and nl nave this COIIlpulCf down cold. Wdl, at least itllld I will be betra' friends. Good night. Soe you in April.

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

10 IIII'UCtlWd Crutft. The CidDo. Wild Rost Oil/lit )fOWl/aU! and O/htr SUit of

JM.... The WhIc'. New column provides f~ 1J.sunp for new .J1uns. IapCS. books and ocher dulcimer products. 0W:r folk mUSiC materials of gencraI inlCn::Sl will be

IisI.ed on • SJ*'HvWable buis. ~ Infomw.iool for thill column dilec::uy 10 DlIlcimtr P/aytTS Ntws a 10 CromplOn who will begin working with the What'. New UJd Reviews columns in early 1987. came's address is 11 9 C10ver Rd .• StaIC College. PA 16801.

came

SD01Ifbke 11 ruk~"lII'Randy Zombola, o.ncina Suings MasX:. II I" Bcrglind Ra.:I. O*ndo Spmp. CO 10918 • This album (abo avaiIabk 00 casae Iape) axui.ns Celtic, American InC! classical music 00 the haInmcrt.d dukimer. Rcaxdcd with the Irish band Blarney Pilarim. tunes include

HaJe. Criuon Hollow Stringband. Dan Duggan. TnIpczoid InC! Mwpret MacAnhur. The lvailabit 1985 t'IpI:S include John McCutchoan InC! Paul Van

.--

Atm. Woodv.ub, P.O. 8o.K 218, Brookston. IN 47923 · A Slep-by·stcp book featuring how'lOS for buildm of

£I~.

hammer dulcimers. ClWtlttl "'rom Aug ustafSCS. 1340 WtS.lrvin& PIfk Rd .. Soile 202. Cbicqo. n. 60613 · Concert tapeS flOfll the 1986 AUJUSIl Heritage Arts Wcwksbops in Elkins. WV Hilde dulcimer perfonnm Sam Riucua. RP.

Miamon Miller (violin) and Sylvia Woods (CelIlC hatp). Ikt Wft"ll

TIlt Wa In" & Tht

Wind!Hcidi Muller. ('"....rha MUSit • P.O. Boll 9$84. Scaltk:. WA 9814S ·

The lIa mmtr Dukimtr Book: 11010' I Build The Thin p'Olarlie

SlItllGlldooJl FlIllJIFrtfIClt ·s Rut, Suus CJIId S/rlpu FlNC\IU. Blind Mary and FUI'

C.rotan's COllaae/Jocmy WIlson. I>.lrpon MISic. P.O. 8o.K 189. Bultlook. CA 91 S03 • This album aoo ClWCUC IIIpC is subtitled MUSic of Turlough O'Caroian on !he HammctOO Dukimcz. Vol II. Jot'my is joined by members of the carolan Coruon: Anisa Angaroia (guil!J). Danilo I..olJlno (n ucc).

!'ta in Uro\\'11 WnlpperfRobin Mdllln. I...al:dnoI I Dr.. Sunnyvale, CA 94aJ9 . This taS!lCOC !ape Robin on mounuin dulcimc:r with YOCIls.. Seloctions inc::lo* The QIINII$ Wtl~

rcawn:s

Heidi leaChes rrttled Ikllcimer lillie Dusly SlIinp shop in SeauIc and pcrfcnns in the Pacine I'«thwcst.. Her casseue IlIpe fealures guiws, Ixuljo. pcnnywhlStle. bass IlIld vocaJs on original songs by Bill Slaincs. Bruce Cockburn and others. lIu rtd:'lIltel'Jerry Read Sm,th. Tom Fdlcnt.um and Don Jackson,Song of the

Wood. 20] Wes SIaE SL, Bbet Moootam. NC 2if11 1 • An.Jbum.., ~te !ape 0(

iMtnll!lmW mll$ic

_-........ _,,-, ..,- .-............_-... ........... ,..... ...... -,-........ . ...-"-. .. -.-.. . . .. ......... ... -....,-_........-......,'-" ....-.. -,-.........,....._....,........ .'_ - ....._..__ ..---_. ",, - .... -,,-.._ -... -

DoIIVID JAI1ES .............. . . . _,...,..

_ .,

'" ..." - '" - " "0 .. "_. _ _ • - ".~ . . . . . , ..,. . - " " 0.-. ' -._ ' . _ _ _' . ." _ . .. , .... '" - -

-.. ... _,...- ,--._ ......_.. ....... .. ...._ . -...._ .. --._. ... ._.....- . . ..... . ....... -........... ..... .._.. ..... . .. _ ....... _ ._ -_ . .., "-.,,..'---,_ ."'''M -_. __.. ........ ...., .• -,_......,,_.......... ... _.._.. _. _ _ _ ._.... .. . -"_ - ..... _- .." - ,,,,,. <-.. ",_ L - "....... , ......

• ' ..... , .. .. , _ ...... _ _ n .. ... . ",,,_

.... " .

- .. __ . .... _ " .... , ..... n ... .. _ _ ." .. , ... _.... __

-,"

, , " ,,- , """ , ,-"

,,,-

'- ,,. ,

...

.......

T UNER

, -.

I Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Spring 1989 ~ 3 1

•r.J •

•

f! • !J1

I~ J

..l J

0- l'ffEfA

,J •I JJ j dI J I j •I J ,.J.,I•I :1 II .. ~

•

II Guiwisl Seth AuStell has seycral solo and group rceordings 10 lIis credit "Circle Dance.~ arranged for hammered dulcimer, nute and cello. can be heard on IftUl"r's E(J#. a rcearding by his wife Maddie MacNeil. The complete score for " Circle Dance~

(full score plus individual pans fodUlln~ dulcimcror guitar, nute and cello) is available for S IO from Seth Austen , PO Bo.l

2S4, SInISburg, VA 22657.

CONGRATULATIONS! to GARY GALUER w hose unIque fl.t -plc klng style has made

nim IIIe 1967 N. tlon.l Mounl "" Dulcimer c n.mplon In IIIe con test at Walnul V.lley ne 1'101 only won • McSp. ddetl dulCimer, but al$O chose to plly one In Ihe competi tion TH ANKS. Gary' On G. ry·1 casselle album CROSSED ROADS, you "".11 be able to hear Ihe h.ppy com bln.tlon 0 1 l'Iis nimble lingers an<l Mc Spadden MOt.lnta.n Oulc"ners For concerts 0 ' Ollie. OOol"ogs. """10 10 Gary Glllier P OBox4 922GS Sp "f"lgl iOld. 1.40 65808

- I.ee b<ocnure-

CII.' ogue S I

McSpruUfcn Musicaf InstnlrTIt'l1t.s 0. __ E· Of'N

Hogllway 9

~I"

MOUN1 ...IN ~IEW ... R 12560 PI"io~ (501) 269-43 13

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Hammer Dulcimer Column by Unda Lowe Thompson

When I first swtcd playing dulcimer, I just played ~bones tunes.11eamed one after atIOIher until I could play most of the tunes I !)eard in jam sessions around here. I was looking fOl"'lo1lrd to being able to play the tunes in a "fancier" version. I was tokl that the time for adding things was right when I was bored with just the tune. I had also heard dul cimer used as a back-up instrument, btlt I'd no particular desire to do that when I was first playing. WeU, one weekend at a dulcimer festival in Binglulmton, New Yon clwlged aU that.. For one thing , about that time I became technicaUy proficient tnotlgh to begin adding C.l.tra notes to the mtlody. But, also, lhey didn'/ know /~.wmt' /UIII!s! I WlL'l back to not being able to play ak>ng in jam sessioru because I didn' t know the melody. ! realiu:d. in almost an inscant, that knowing the chords that went . long with these tunes was of primary importanCe to me. I learned on a gut \evel what I had always known on an intcllectuallevel. I 'd told myself that, one day, I would learn where all the chords were. I already knew some bil about chords - but it WlL'l all tcchnical, inte Ucctual. Well, after that weekend, learning the chords mcaIlt freedom 10 do what] wanted with the dul cimer. In many ways, that 's wilen my dul路 cimer playing began. Much of the music you see has liule letters up above some of the measures. These give chord suggestions. For the next few columns, we're

going to be working with a few of these chords. I'm only going to address one key, at the pn:s.cnt, and deal with only a few chords in thaL key. We have to Start SDmtrWhur. and th is is as good as any. Very often wllcn I approach lcaching chords, students groan, as if I were offering a nicc,juicy dose of castor oil. Well, I'm a mother. ! can take this kind of abuse. This is good/or )'Ou. You want 10 Icam 10 play " fancier,ft to embellish your tunes? Guess where you find the notes with which to do thaI.! In the chords. You want to play in the jam session and don 't know the tunc=? Guess what you can play! Right again. Chcx"ds. These diagnuns show the Iocalion of the chords with which we'lI be dealing. We're going to be in the key of G. Th:u scale goes: GAB C 0 E FII G. You can also call the G chord the I (one) chord. It startS on the first \OI'IC of that scale. We 'll also be dealing with the 0 chord. NOie that it can also becalled the V (five) chord and that it starU on the fifth woe of this scale. The C chord is IV (four). The Em (E minor) chord is the VI (six) chord. The G chord is made up of the notes G, B. and D. As Gertrude said, a rose is a rose is a rose. AJly G, any B, any 0 on your dulcimer is part of this chord. Play lIM:m in any order you want. Check with the luning chart provided by your dulcimer builder and see how my chord chart coincides with the luning of your JIlrIiculll1 dulcimer. You may need to adjust accordingly. For instanCe. my d ul路 cimer has some extra notes al the bottom

that J can also use in playing Ihese chords. Keep your specific tuning in mind and uli路 1i1.C it. Now. hete's what I want you 10 do with these chords: I want you to play them. Play them over and under, up and down , sideways. Say the name of the chord OUt loud as you're playing it. While playing thesc chord patterns, altcm:ue righl and lefl hammers. J) Imagine thai your dulcimer is divided horiJ.ontally intO 3 sections: high, medium, low. Get in the middle section of your dulc imer and play a G chord using all of the Gs Bs and Os you can find ~ thllt area. Say ''Oft and "1 (one)H10 yoursclf. Now. without moving to another section, find a 0 chord , play it and say " OMand " V (five)~ to yourself. Do the same with C and Em. Learn 10 go back and forth between tIM>se four chords in thai one section of your dulcimer. 2) Now, do the same with the high section of your instrument. 3) You guessed ill Now work at the bonom of your dul cimer. 4) Now, run a G chord from the lowest G chord note to the highest G chord noIe on )'(HIr dulcimer. Start with the lowest G on tile bass bridge. (On my instrument.! could start with a 0 loW(lr than the G shown on this clwL) The most obvious thing, 10 me, IS 10 play 3 01"4 nottS on the bass bridge, tben go over and playa couple of notes on the right side of the treble bridge, then proceed 10 finish up wiLh the top of the left side of your treble bridge. S) Do the same with the C, 0 , anti Em

,,,,,,,".

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

feawring hammered dulcimer, boW'.ouki, fJddlc, guiw, nute, whistle, mandolin and keyboard. Seloctions inc:llllk The Road 10 Logall, Tom's Nrt, and Stall Ryall's ligffhe SUU' if MIM!/l!ilt,.. On Tht Flurrtnft.1agical Stnngs, Aying FISh Rocm1s. P.O. ~ 4086. SeauIe, WA 981()4 · Pam and Phil Boulding's new album and caw:ue tape fC31Ut'e original and uaditional instrumcotais on hammer dulcimer and harp. Selections include The SUlirs, Grace N14Benl, Mlc~l O'Co.'III()I" and FaJryTUM,

Vktory Music Re,'Ue, VoIs. I and lJVicfJ:Jry Music, P.O. Box 7515, BoMey Lake, WA 98390 · Victory Music is a 16 yt3I" old musicians' coopcmtive, a non·profi l, all·l'Oluntcer support org,aniution for altcmative musics. These albums and tapeS fealUle Northwest songwrittts and rTV.JSiciaJu such as Heidi Muller, Baby Grarnps and The Ferryboat Musicians.

Dulcimer aJ ewelry • Qold In

Ht ar Tht Whippof"\\ill SinglPam WcckJ., RR I, Box 2714, West Paris, ME ()4289 · Th is cassette tape features instrumentDls and vocals with AwaJachian dulcimer, banjo, melodeon, pcnny whistle, fiddle and guiw, Scloctions incllllk WhishJ Bt/ort BreaJftMI, The LaktJ of PoncMrlrou. and The Maid Behind The BoT/Amelia's

New ProdllCts The Entertainer Hammtred Duicim erlEd Dale, Crystal Wind, 808

Old Stafford Rd., Tolland, cr 06084 · This is a new 3-1/2 OC\.llvc, fully chromatic, limited edition dulcimer. Crystal Wind has also introduced a new line of hammers in bf1lss, wood, Ica1bcr and piano fell

WalIJ.

Through T ht Months In

SongfAdele Abrnhamse, Del Songs. 714 L.ocUSI Ave., Charloucsville, VA 22901 • This book oontDins songs using the pcmalonlc scale and activi ty suggestions for home and sclv:lol. There is musical notation for melody lines, but no tablature for Olhcc instnuncnts.

All addres.ses in the Wh.ru'J New column !hose of the individual artists. Editor for this column, beginning with lhc spring 1987 isslr., is Carrie CromptOn, 11 9 Clover Rd., Suuc College, PA 16801. ale

Autoharp Worksbo plDrow Smith, 529 Artimon: Rd" Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423 • Rlr our Autoharp fans, Drew has produced a bookJct/cassclte tDpc series. Lesson one lias basics for absolute beginners and a foundation course for the inlClTTlCdiate level.

Blue Lion Musical Ins truments Authon.tM buil"",., of thr Jr.n Rilr hir DuldIMr and tIM: forcc ·d'()g,rhE Sh Slnnl Dukimn. Handcn fted ,Ui llrs and d utd~ of t'X(plion.1I qualilY prrferrM by fine musicians indudin,' hniu !b~tr . Anna !bIT)'. Carhy Barton. Lark in Bryl nl . RO!Oll mond Campbrll . Carrie Crompt on, Ntl l Htlfnu n. Jay Lribovilz, Wade Hampton Millrr, Mark Nr!.wn , Jrln Rilchie. Sally ROltrs and olMrs.

Blu e Lion 4665 p.,lhlll R.,.,d Slt.nla Marlartta, CA 93453 805 / 'lI-Un

Write for more information

AAl

~1~ Pinc Ridgc Designs M&~P0 :Box 544

.1~"""'1'-'" n:tor-thfidd , €thio 44061

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Spring 1980 'W 33

KeyqfG

I-G-~ ~

V-D-

D 5

F' 7

E G

A 2

VI-Em- E 6

G 1

B 3

COnciulon I guess il wouldn't be 'Aix ror me 10

pronuse Ihat playing these chords until !hey were JeCOnd nature would make )'OIl a gentleman an:I, ~hoIar, But, iI will pUl you substantially rarther down \he road IOward finerdulcimcr playillJ. I'm rather p!OOd of my ..vancing years and was recel1l.ly bragJing about ""~in8 reKhcd!he 8dvaoced. or 44 . My father quietly pointed oul "MiddIe qe is wben you know 1lilhellWNClS, but DObocIy evtt Mks you the questions.I welcome your reQUC$l5, questions, JUUtStions, Send Ihtm directly 10 me II IS 17 Llurc.lwood, DeMOn, TX 16201. I!

HANDCRAFTED. SOLID WOOD MOUNTAIN DULCIMERS FROM 5159.95

BOOKS and TAPES WALNUT · CHERRY · CEDAR SITKA SPRUCE

SA TlSFACTlON OR MONEY .ACK FREE BROCHURE · PICTURES SEND S.A.S.E. JOE SANGUINETTE

301 Cliff 0 .....

B,...- . Mi..ouri6S616 • (4171334·5388

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Fiddlin ' Away on the Dulcimer by Erik R. Blomstedt with Mark Biggs allow the bow 10 won:: well (frec.ly) over the bass., l..a5t.ly, we must consider player position, With the violin, rather free arm travel is possible alklwing II full dnlw on the bow and more susmincd sound, Mog. players bow Lhe dulcimer while seated which limits the arm's rodr: and forth tnlvel Some player! place the dulcimer on ~ Ulblc, approximately waist high, and can then give the bow a full

'"'..

Mark's irteresr. in bo""ing the dulcimer bep as he was prtparing 10 record his rUSt album, NOl Uc~d YCI. and was looking for II Renaissance sound. He then thought of bowing the dulcimer and began CJl.p:Timcnting with 00ss, ccllo and violin bows, He has used bowing on his rocordings and in his concertS ever since, especially for the h:lunting, mclancholly sound thai il adds,

Mn'" now uses a 31J (siudent stu)

M(Ui:. Biggs (liSil!8 3/4 silt bow) You've probably seen one fillTlOUS violinist« ~ n:ceiving a SUlIlding 0V3li0n. Cssting a glance at YOUT beloved dulcimer, you woOOcr.••"Where is my fame, gby and/or Carnegie Hall7" Well, lucky youl Read on for what may bocome your road 10 fame (and then again, maybe not!) Bowing the dulcimt"r {jISt interested me when I $8W a phow of Leah Smith bowing her dulcimer in Jean Ritchie's Dulc:i~' 800/£. Then I booghl Mask Biggs' album Staw/l Of The Dream and was delighted 10 fmc! that nine of the songs contained!Oll1C bowing. In a telephone inlCMcw with Mllrk, IIeamc:d Ihat he is the 1984 N.:uional Mountain Dulcimer Champion al WinrlCk!, KS. He is doing graduate woR at the Univtrsity of Olicago as well as It3Ching dulcimer :II !he fillTlOUS Old Town School of Folk Music. (You can gel further inform:ltion

about Mark in an inlClView in the Spring, 1984 OPN).

Before grabbing thm bow some com~

with violin bowing arc in ortIcr. rlfSt, the dulcimer is not a violin. You will not get oom(XU1lbk volume since the top of !he duicimtt, having a rited fn:lboord, is not as flCC 10 vibm!c as the lOp of the violin. The duJcimcr also lack.! the violin's soundlJOS' LIInl

uansmilS sound vibrntions. The dulcimer also has a flot bridge as opposed 10 !he violin's arched bridge. This means thai only \he brass and melody strings can be bowed individually on the dulcimer, On the other hand, th is leIS you bow all the strings at once on the dulcimer giving you a rith dod 1IOOIld, 'The insuumcnt's shape is of considern~ also, 'The hour glass-shaped dulcimcr WCl'ks best as it is narrow enough 10 allow the bow 10 "''oR. A tear-drop shape is usunlly 100 broad 10

violin bow, He feels this gives the right distance for bowing in the seated position he uses. He finds the n:gul:lr siud bow 100 long and some of the simpler medieval style bows 100 shoo (OOwever, I have socn UO Kn;:\7,ncr use a shoo bow very errectively in coocen), Before he plays. Mark rosins the bow with 6-1 sweeps of a good rosin soch as w. E. Hill &: Sons that he uses. lie has also considered using eello rosin, especially for a beginner, since it is stickitl' and has better gripping quality. He bows the bass string (cello·lite sountf) or the melody string (viola or harmonica·like 5OUnd).

Sometimes he triple stopS the !\rings (chcnls) and plays across 1111 the strings giving a porutive chord organ or hurdy gurdy type-sound. He lias used bowing with many different stylc:s of music ranging from Renaissance 10 Gershwin and the Beatles, although be rarely uses it on very fast:lOnp. [n his eonceru he

finds that a couple o f minutes of bowing in II song is 1W311y surrlCient and that no audience can be held solely by bowing. As he plays he uses jusl II'le weight of the bow, sometimes applying a litUe arm pressure, Be careful as 100 mllll:h pressul'c will gi\l1 you a squealing sound, "I hold the bow just aoo..'c the 'rrug' (chis is the device that holds and tighlCns

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Duldrner Playe... N~

The Enigma of

Paul Clayton by Erik R. Blomstedt Joliet, Illinois

Paul Clayton al his fann in J 959

In his book on Bob Dylan, No Dirurion II~. Roben She-lIOn writes that Paul Oa)'lOl'l was M. goenUe.1ost. e.mest folk singer, whose knowledge: of balladry was wide. H()\1IIeVQ", despilC:!iOITIC 20 albums 10 his credit and being called "the most m:onIed young folk singer in Amer· il;a.M Clayton was not wellitnown. Dylan encOlltD&ed Shelton to....n1C: about ClayIOn as he felt it WMII 't fair that he was so unknown. Paul Oa)'tOO Worthington was born on Marth 3, 1933 in New Bedfonl. MasSlChu$Cus.. His mOther played the piano and his ralhcr the banjo. His grandmother, Mary Hanly, came from Prince Edward IsWld in Cmada and sang songs orher horne rtgion. His grandfather, Charles Hardy had OIIlfiuod whaling vesselJ and Iea.rnod the songs of the New Bedford whaling men. This _ . strong innuence on Clayton'sear-Jy inlC:~st in folk SOIlgs. He a.1so liStellod 10 records of Carl Sand· berg (whom he late!" met). Lelklbelly and John JItCOb Ni les. At the age of II , Clayton received a guitar and SUU1ed 10 learn and pllly the songs from the records menUonc:d as well as those ol his f,,"Uy. At !tiC 1.5 he got a job II a local radio staLlon and did. 15minulC: tolk song prosram that later eAp3ndl:d tu 000 hour. He 11150 had pr0grams on Stations on Prince Edward Island (while visiting) and while a student at the University of ViJ&inia. On his pr0grams he perfOflllCd on theguiw and expanded his searches for ok! folk songs.. Aflel" his freshman year of collcge, W

Clayton left for Europe and searched for folk songs on the Continent The major· ity of this year (1950195 I ) was spent in England where he made aelevision appearances and he also made 28 pr0grams for the BBC. He completed his BA in English in 1953 with honors (Phi Beta K1Ippa) and continued with gradualC: stud· ies III University of Virginia. His work progressed under the renowned folklorist Prof. Arthur Kyle Davis, Jr. Using materi· Ills from his time in England, Clayton wroIe his master's thesis on 9 rare. traditional ballads of British origin found in VirginiL M\er completing his graduale work, he \11Iyclled extensively searching for folk 5011g5. This inclOOctl a hilChhik· ing uip from Virginia to the West Coast. a trip to CUM and a mum uip to Canada. At this time he lived in a log cabin in Cedar Mountain, Virginia. ClaylOn abo composed songs includ· ing the famou.s "Gatta Travel On" which was recorded by the Weavers, Burllves, The LimelighlCrs, Harry 8e.IDfonte and many others. OwinS the period 19~8 to 196.5, he recorded over 300 songs on $Cv· eral labels all or which were carefully researched. In addition he 1II.'lO made recordings for the Library of Congress and the Helen HarlrM:ss Flanders Ballad

Collection in Middlebury, VT. Bob Dylan's song MDon' t Think Twice. It's All RighlM _ based on ClaylOn's vetllion of the folk wne "Scarlet Ribbons for Her

Hair." The IXIIItroYet$y _ $CtUed amica· bly 0111 of CO\IIt and Dylan regarded Clay· ton as one of his favorites noting that he was "a scnollw and romantic ... who want· cd to live his (lid ballads." Clayton accompanied Dylan on his cross country IOtlrin 1964. Feeling tl"Iat the folk songs ~tage of lIis native Massachusell$lIad been neglected, ClaylOn resean::hctI and issued several ruords. The first was "Whaling Songs and Bal1ad.s (Stinson, 19~5) which was based on his sean:hes at the Whaling Museum and the FnlC Public Ubnry of New Bedford. Laltr recordings fcatUlt:d lumberjack songs, seafaring tunes and follt songs of the aru. Owing this time, o.yton was al50 giving many toneelU.. A 1953 concert arti· cle notes "For some of his older ballads he will play tis own aca>mpaniment on the 3 string dulcimer... tlle dulcimer is said to be the oldest known string instru· ment" Anot.her review mentions that "the dulcimer is well suited as an accompanying insuumell for his singing of the melancholy &:oui.sh ballad.s 'Bonney on the Maury' ard the 'B31Lad of Mary HamillOn'.MClayton's interest in the dul· cimer began afte!" he heard it played by Virgil Sturgill at the Virginia Folk MlISic Festival in 1950. He then bought a dul·

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

the bow hair aJ the heavy end ollhc bow). [ hold it when: the babnce of the bow bc.sI suits my siuing position and [ allow the weight of the bow to produce the desired pressure 10 sound the strings. You may apply a little down ....ard P'CSSUfC to ;llCrcallC \<tIIume, but too muc h (or too litlle) downward force will mae a piercing (X" squealing sound that even your dog or eat will hale! Yoo will need 100 of pmcticc and CJl:perimclll:l1ion 10 bring the bow I.lIIder oonll"Ol. Unlike the \\.TIst position when suumming (J stress a stnun from the elbow with a level wrist), bowing from the seated position requires )"01.1 10 arch your wrist shaJply up and down as yoo move through the bowing s...up. Vibrato (a tremolo effect) can be ~occd by tightening the mllSCles in your upper ann (especially behind the elbow) to crealC a COIItrolled jiggling or shaking motion in the forearm This, in tum, will vibrate the bow. AauaUy, the bow rTIO\·CS in a very small sv.-ccp--in effect the bow is held in one position and the 'uembling' of your arm ert:ltcs the vibr.l1O sound of the bow hair on the string.- Mark's instructions will really make sense as you apply his "practice and experimenl9lion" suggestion..

My own

Hr51 attempts aJ

bowing

came through the purchase of a violi n bow from Sears. This did not prove \0 be a successful venture and [ relurned the bow. A fcw years l.:ltCJ" I bough t a bow from Jean's Dulcimer Shop. II is a short, medieval style wood and honchair bow and has served me well. After bowing, I use String Care Cloth to remove lhe

rosin from the strings. Otherwise your strings remain S1icky---nOl a great feeling if you fingcrpick! Here are Mark's thoughts 00 buying a bow. "Pbn on spending S40-SSO on D. decent bow if you gel serious aboul bowing the dulcilTlCf. The bow's weight and balance are crucial and th is is the price Il\tIge you need 10 hit 10 get a Qualily bow. If aJ all possible, try out the bow in person. That way you can eVlllU3le the ",,-eight and feel of the bow. You can g~t a fine bow from mail order sourt:CS (see end of article) and inquire about return/exchange pri viledges. Until yoo're commiued, why not borrow a friend's bow (X" build your;cl f a cheap one of wood and horsehair strings." We hope this short article will gCI yoo started in exploring another dulcimer pbying technique. For further reading I

would recommend Mark Biggs' book Comp/tle DiUcilner Book. (Mel Bay Publications (984). There is an accompanying cassetle (same name) that II3S ninc!Dl1gs bowed 00 iL The book includes a sectioo 00 bowing the dulcimer along with pOOtos 0( bowing and bowing positions. Anomer excellent source is Lois Hornbostel's AMhoiogy For Tite FUlled Ou/timer (Mel Bay Publications 1982). Ib book includes sevcrnl pages of excellent inslruCtions with phOlOS and a few tUllCS lltTaIIged for bowing. Following are some dcalCl"S you might contact for bows, rosin, etc. Elderly Instruments P.O. Bo~ 14210 umsing, MI 48901 Lark In The Morning P.O. Bo~ 1176 l\.1endocino, CA 95460 Jean's Dulcimer Shop P.O. Bo~ 8 Cosby. TN 37722 Yoo can contact Mark Biggs at 5532 S.

Kenwood, ApL 103, Chicago, IL 60637 for more infonnnLion about his records. books and conccn appcaranccs..

LUTHERIE

HANOCIAfnO DULClM(RS S' '''C( " 76 n

L .1aClt

5 Hammered Dulcimer Models r ' a son from lightweighl beginner to fullsize professional. Stands, 51001s and custom cases. J !VIountain Dulcimer J\.'odels from shon-Ka le backpacker !o full· size professional. Also Mountain Dulcimer krts and competitive prices on books, records, dulcimer accessories and supplies. FOR fl U BROCHURf WRITE: R.t. TACK & SON DULCIMER CO. 7BO Curd Ro.od • Ha~,"gs, MI 49058

•

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Sprtng 1989

cimer made by Jethro AmbuJguey of Hindman, KY, which was frelled only under the melody suing. This was com mon 10 older dukimers including those of Amburguey II1d J.E. Thomas. He learned 10 play il mainly on his own although he souglll the help of Mac PresneU of North Carolina and others. Georxe and Gcny Armsuong introduced him 10 the ccuning dukimer and he also sUldied the $tyles of John Jacob Niles, Andrew Rowan Swnmen and Jean Ritchie. Oayton used his dukimer in con· ecru. radio and TV appearan<:eS and in nightclubengagemenlS, playing a variely ofstylc5 including jazz. folk, blucgnm and old liddle Illra. He came 10 the atten· tion of A.W. Jeffreys, a respected builder of dukimers. He was intcre:sled in making the inSll\JlTlel1t hetll:J' known and e~pand ing ils possibilities by placing full frets across the frctboard permitting the player 10 use chords. The resull was an hourglass shaped walnut and spruce. 3 suing dul · eimer, Dr. Jeffreys SUlICS thalthis was among the first ten instrumeru he made.

The dulcimer was used on ClaytOn's record "Dulcimer Songs and Ballads." In the record 's noteS, Oayton writes thaI " I have uicd 10 dcmonstrale the versatility of the dulcimer and show il capable of a varicl:y of moods and effeclS... tIlere have been no technical IIIgmcnl8tions." The 21 Illnes and!Ollp are detailed in the noICS and be aJJo gives a short introduction 10

playing lhc dulcimer inchding chording. Jeffreys encouraged Moses Asch of Folkways 10 make the recording, ev-cn offering 10 buy enough of the lirst pressing 10 pay for the production costs. &cause of his

oona:n commitments, Oayton spenl several years in recording the album but be

was very pleased with the fuJI frel! as chording "can produce a full rich sound." He felt thai excessive usc of chord! reduced the distinctiveoessof the dul cimer. His folk!Ollgs rescan::h continued together with concc:ns. He mainly used the guitar supplemented by dulcimer, banjo and IUIe. orten he would bring a recording mach ine 10 a concert and invilC members of the audience 10 contribute

songs from tlleir families. His firstJeCfreys dulcimer _

SlOiIcn during a concert

al a Ncw York coffee howe and a $OCOOd instrument "'"IS made fOf Claylon by A.W. Jeffreys.

MIny people....-ere shocked 10 learn ofClayton'sdeath on M.-ch 30, 1961. He was found electrocuted by I wire in the balhlub of his New York apartmenL His death was ruled a suicide and police refused 10 diJclose the contenlll 0( the note thai was found. In the Dylan book already mentioned, S~lton I10ICS that Oayton used drugs 00 the 1964 lOur and he feels the death was a combination ol proressional frustrations and drugs. Oayton's mother donated his penonat papers and recordings 10 Ihe Southeastern Massachusetts University Library in 1967. MBIly research papen. recordings and photos are included.

Of his p.vticular attraction to the du!ei tner, Clayton wrow: Iet me Sly thai lhc dulcimer has been a good friend 10 me and that it has made itS best music in the company of good friends and for them.M m M •••

a season of fresh beginnings a contempor8ry apptoach

DULCIMER

10 8n 8meric8n

tradition

Affordable· Sturdy Easy to tune & play 3 strings· 2 octaves Hardwood fret board Durable cardboard resonator box

m ountain dulcimers by Mark Tindle

p. O. Box 3181 Aubum . Ma '""

04210 207· 786·8890

ONLY $30 unassembled kits available PROJECT JOY· 301 w..t Av• . Elyrl. , OH 44C13S (21$) 3n·2n7

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Sitting in with The Dance Band Glen Morningstar Pontiac, Michigan

1109 S .W. 36th $1 LoYeI.nd. Coiofado 1IOS37 (303) 667-«70

Playing for dancing can be an enjoyable Clpcrience. Seeing)'Ollr favorite tunes come 10 life on the dance floor gives them $pl'ICial magic. A good way 10 prepare yourself for playing in a dance band is by sining in with the house band at dances. Since these people ~ · folk musicians" they are usually happy 10 have you short their musk. Here are some pointers th:lt will help you be welcome lO.si t in: AIWlIYS aU: AsIc lhc band Jcadcr if you can sit in with the band. Uusa[]y. sil-ins are welcome, but don', be offended if !he answer is no. Sometimes !he house band has a delicate balance tIw might be tIvown off by !he addition of certain instrumenlS. Sometimes !he Ieadc:r will allow ooly certain iU!;llw'lClllli 10 join in. 000\ be disroutaged from trying again at another dance.

Builder oIlhe Cluiclmllls _rde!! as G'lnd p,Qe during the , 965 & 1986 CoIor.oo Sille MtuTllfl Otkomer

CompeI~ion5

OuIomers • Psalteroes • K,ts IfI!Il".C:I,on . Repa, W,ne I", F' .... Ssoel>ure

li ang back and lioilen Make

sure you know !he tune as the house band knows it (or at least be sure your vtnion is comp:uible), then join in onl] at !he beginning of on A pan or a B part, ne~'CI' in the middle of a phrase, Once)'Oll join

• , •

",,~

•

in, iI'S best if)'Oll keep playing and don't have 10 stop and swt up again. It makes !he rest of (he band nervous.

Don', play in my ear! Please. don', Mand wiLl1 your il1SU'UlTltnt w ear level of other band membtts. II may no! seem loud 10 you 00' fer the persons

trying to hear their own instnJmenl, it may be overwhelming. If most of !he other band membtts are siuing, it's probably a good idea 10 be seau:d also,

Conantr,l lt on tht up btal The most impCl'll1m differtnCC between playing in a dance band and accompanying yourself for singing is the lifl needed 10 compLimem !he d;uv;e, The accent is 00 IDe Iq1btlJ/ for mytlun and some of !he melody instruments. Tty dancing to a band accenting the oo.mbcat. I,'s exlremCly tiring. The only people

who should ~ on !he downbeat are the bass playtt, the piano player (left hand) or, shou ld neither be available, the guitarist. The guitarist Itlcn ha<; his \\'Of1r Cllt out for him as he then lias 10 provide a loud, steady do"Wl'lbeat while still accenting the upbeat Shhhh! Dwing!he callets darn instruction , the only noise tOming from !he Ixu>d shovld be: Iooi", noiiiC and L11Cl1

il should be done quietly. Boisterous talking can be very disuaaing for !he caller who is U)'ing 10 LeaCh a dance 10 200 people. This courtesy is problbIy !he most igl'lC)R.d by us musidl\f\S (being hyper 10 begill wiLl1) and !he most common cause of riffs between !he caller and the band. Have a Ian! Give the caller a break and be ready 10 go ...-ben the

"""'" =. Jla"f a good tim e After all of these poinlerS become routine, let )'OUISelf go, Melodies, harmonies, singing, orctlestrotion·-tllere's a variety or SI)'1c:$ that you can have fun wiLl1IO make !he same tune a new ueat every time you play iL

elm Mur.w.,$1U U pwt rfllw R~t7 SIru..,baNi ill Midtip. Rwffi-tr Nu "" r>/bMno ct>IW

~1ir;hi,1U\

12 Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

WinIer,

Profile...

Northeast Dulcimer Gathering Iktrll Trllu Is Q fnn~d du'dm~r p/aytrlJHrformu from Bt lhtf, C()1fflU ticUt.

Sht

organiU-r aM dirtctor 0/ lilt Norfht lUl Dlllcimer SJmpo:rillm

aM netn/I, spoilt Wilh us tonu rnJ"lthc ~QrlJ latht""" \Vba' prompted you 10 bqln tbe Northfa5t Dukimff Sym p05lum?

Tom MacKenzie suggested thallhe Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts in Blue MounLlin Lake, New York mighl be inrerest.ed in hosting NOs-nl. They werc, l!Id so I moved the Symposium 10 the Summer Solstice and expanded illO n full weekend.. The fifth Symposium was held in 1986, the third one in Blue Moonrain Lake, I!Id we hope there will be many more..

FREE CATALOG Mail Order Folk M USIC Center TUNElnd INSTRUCTION BOOKS

II)! .......... P

some a

Where and bow did )'tlll btgin? The rltSl Symposium took place on the rust Salurtlay in October ]981 in Woodstock. NY. To keep things focused there was a theme 10 unify the event, "En.9:mble Playing. ~ The coocert rel'JcclCd ttIat as well. All of !he ~ leaders shared the SlagC as a single group. The other unUSG3l aspect was • group discussion with all the pIII1ic:~ts and the scaff aclir1r; as an 3d

""'_.

What change occured wben you

ex panded 10 a full wH kfnd? We WtIe able 10 add a ~ t:OnC:ef1. Beyond that. it allows ITIMo time for eYery\hing-eoncentration on the insuumenu I!Id on informal networking

~cs_

.... ith other dulcimisu .... ith a minimum of negative distractions. I say negative

distractions bocause the beac:h u a distraction aboul which no one complains. The essentials were there from the beginning and haven't changed. An W"ICJIpcct.ed plus that rc:suItcd from the move was the recording of the conctItS for the National Public Radio series, Blue Mountain foil: Festival. Over thiny percent of thc NPR afJiliaLeS broadcast thc series. so if you II!e intert:Sttd, contaCl thc NPR station in your area for the !lChcdule. The setting is ideal. Blue Mountain u a lakes>dc resort and we are there j ust one week before tOWisI season moves inlO high gear. A number of Symposium participanu !lave gone boc.k just 10

Where do Jou go from her e?

Thc ~ YeM _ calla! "Tools alld Tricks 0{ the Trade" and was held in NcwIOWll, ConnccticuL Tutorials were added in response 10 suggestions made the rltSl year. TuloriaIs are Iimiltd 10 about

four participants and essentiaUy

the)'

revene the usual workshop ~ whc:ze the leader COV'CI$ • panicu1ar lOpic. In the tutorial the leader IIIlSWef! questions posed by the particiJ*its.

ComlN11

".,. ,.......

SELECTED INSTRUMENTS' KITS Personal, dependable, last servIce. Telephone Orders (S2O Min .) (518) 165-4 193 VISA/Me PO Boll 307, ~ Rd. 1JDort111.Yllte, NY 12188

YlICIItion and a few of us slay on a day or IWO to wind down each year.

From there bow did the Symposi um d evelop?

IlUIU<

* RECORDS OF TRADITI ONAL I FOlK MUSIC eallloQ _

I ancndod many gatherinp and was frusuaJed. They all wm offering do1.ens at workshops and had ClIcellcm SUlfTs. but it was dirrlCUlt 10 come away with much 01 lasting value. In any given W'OI1cshops ihc:n: was not enough time and overall there was not enough focus. J rdt the !!eM things ~ happenina behind the scenes. Rather than just complain I Ihought I should <qani7.e an event thai wooJd provide at least what I thoogllt was missing.

"""

banIO J\o'P , _

reca_-concen--. _ ~.

The wtd;en!.I SymlMiium rods fine 11:$ it is. We aim at people who II!e serious about their insuumenl We could $WId to grow by ,liUle, but not 100 much. The Strength of the eVCIu is the intimacy. Rather than alter thc wecl:eoo , I'm organiring other Symposium event$.. "Thcze will be an inlCflSiyt \Ir"'OCk courx of study trior to the 1987 NDS-VI weekend.

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

by l..omJIne Lee Brooklfne. Massachusetts Lively rounds seem especiall y ~lJ suited to the springtime. This charming one is an anonymous composition daled 1680. I enjoy arranging roWllh foc seven! dukimer playeR. Perhaps you have noticed Lhat the volume of Wlfrettc:d drone strings sometimes overwhelnu melody no&e$ even wilen only a single dulcimer is playing. Group playen must make a special effon to avoid obscuring the melodic interweaving of the separate pans ofa round. Here is one

Dulcimer Players Notebook

of my favorite strategies for arranging a four·part round to be played through four time5 by four dulcimer players: Fina have each player in tum (circled numbers indicau eath entrance) play the round Lhrough freuing and sounding only the melody sui ng (no drones 11 all). The melody fret numbers are written above the noIeS. Now broaden the anangement by playing the melody on the founh (bass) siring. Tuned an OClave below the flf$!. string, the fret numbers for the melody are the same on bolh. I inuoduce thedmne sound by striking the unfreUl::d .ruings lightly all I play the melody. Next play the complete arrangement written in the four wing tab. Finally, again sound only the melody string. TIle sequence builds to a crescendo, then finishes as it began with the melody being stated simply. The key of G tuning provides man y ocher possibilities for twmonies IlI'Id varied arrangemenl5. Be sure WeJL:perimem .... ith volume too. I ~ you enjoy this easy, picasanI round. I!

The Magic Dulcimer

Handcrafted Dulclmers 6 Hammered Duldm .... Models available plus stands, stools aoo cwcom cases. 3 Mountain DulcilM"T Modds available ph" Mountain Dukim .... kits. Tapes, records, duldlM"T !!Ones Ind supplies. Smd

soc

fo< Co.""",

acC6-

I<><

ItL TAO:: &. SON DULCIMER co. 72JO Gurd Road !:C-;"'" MI 490S8 i dulcimer by

",,20

, p.•

YEU..OW MOON PRESS p.o. Box 1316 Cambridge, MA 02138 Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

~.L. ·

la,,,, ~

. son

Dukimer- Co.

- - --

----_.

Sprtng 1989

The Hart, He Loves the High Wood , , ,- ,

Anon. 1640

(L T~e

11>

Hart, the hiSh Wood , loves , he 0 0

<i I'D '

I»'

®II'

ne Hare, he o • 0 , 0

the

,•

'-'

ne,

HITf

.---,

•

isht. J.1e

., .,

•

•• 5

. ..

.... _ 3

,, ,

00 ~

•

3- -

loves her ~

, •

•

Wi II . 3 - -

, -, --

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Do , '011 hl! \'t details on That'!

Supplies for Dulcimer Makers From Folkcraft FoIkmlft i,}'OW _fee for insu\lrnenl nukiDllUppl~. AU wood is catcf'vlly dri~ bKQ.t.ida.. Ind fin~rbotrds .rt landed 10 aact tolcnnca .nd IlUItCIxd... You'lIllbo rind qUIIlil)' IICCUIOril'l t.nd Slrinp, and quid ddiYCI'}'. !tam within die _ alleJOrY IMy Ix combuxd (or qlYntil), discouDtL Eump~ " walnut bKQ and 2 cbr:rry t.cb, 1M: 6- 11 priC'r; for eacb. OrdHS for 50 or mou pta:a in dlr AIM ClI~ re«ive I 10'IIt .sduioMl d.lCOUnt from d lC 12 and uppricc.

.nd seuoned. T opt,

!IUltlfllEI IACU _ , .w "" . , .

M_ ...... ,0-

... .....o. ..••o. ••...".• ..

OUl(lIllEI TAIl ILOCU _, ., . J

..••,.,. ••,.,. •••• .. •• o. •• •• ---'. ---,. ,,, .... -,. .. .. ....... _1. ..•• •••••••• ,,.. -- .... ---_ _---' ...,. ". --.. .. .. _110. .. I .W- . "110"' .. _ _ .."

""'-

.LL llL

"_'.

•• •• •• •• •• ••

. . 0:0-,1. Ia_'. *_1.

tll _ _ '",

m ~. _ _ N' __ ~--

1"1:"

", ""

~' .. II :I& .. . , " I I . II . . .

' . '. .... .... .". ...""" ...,. ..,. •• ,,, .. ,-,. •••• "' .. ,-,.. '" •• •• •• .. •• . ..., _,1," •• ••• --"" .. .. •• • *-, .. •• ••

' ' ' ' _ _ 1. Ill_'. iI'

'''~

'" •• ••

_lOUHOlOARDI • •N •• R

_ " 'I_ "" _ 111 111 "'Utlll 11-".... I ..

" "

... , . _ ' . .,

" ' .

1M .' _'. ~.~_I

.._v~.

1:1&_

~-,

------_1_----_..... . _1_----

1II.rL.C'.U SIll( W I

.1".

,,- o. o. o. ,. ". o. o. ,. o. ,. ,

'. ,. . '. '.

" ' .

lJtll

sr.'lIu 0VuII $11'1$.... _ MCAU IOJ _ '-SIlHOCIOIUT_" ""'5 _ lIN

",. _

................ 8.....

,._

,0 0 l I I _ lII • • _

II.

......... '10.. .. ,I..

16.

-. •• •• •• 'lIfT WIll '" _ ....._ , t _ •• '" o. •• f\lI5EllGAIDI •• ",' , DUlC'MU CASU CH' ''W. _ N __ •• •• '0•• ,•• _ II,,, ."" " $'\." ••••o. ,•• ,. N._ o. •• _ 111-'" " _ __ I •• •• •• 11111 • • " . 1""" •• •• •• "•• ..IIIlT,It.. .... . fllfT nOli "(-'UT n " " ." ~--

.. . .. ... . '--' ---

... -

_'11'

•• ••

~-~

MI _ _

~-~-

I I . I " ....

~_"'1 "

_ , " " . Jill"' ..

F O~

...

I II . . .

__ " ,., , HII _ , I ,I . )!tll

111 P'\.UTIC !lUT' U IGCf I TOCI TO fTT Alon

DUltI M(R I'U HEAOI

-- '.

t<M

_ , "". '''' ... H

,1I'1r! _II U _ ... _

I ' .....

•••

Ii.,.

....••,. ,.,••. ,.,.,,.. ........ ... _- ..... .. _-_ .... ...•• ..•••• ,••. ----_ ....... Wme ror ..~ ..... 'T~ .. _ .... It

Oookl .. u , H ........... OOOk .... n .... Be ...... hlilery!

SH IPPING _ _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ .... _

••

~'"

dukimer. Enrollment is hmned 10 $iA1CtfI pBI1ic!pllllS lOr ellCh 1I\SltIIITlCPl.

Participants ",ill gel e.ghlem hours of classes and 1\10 fMy-five minuse pnV3le JeSSions. 1bcn: ",,0 be: evening eYeIllS, both sxial ... inslnTttive,lnd it will all end with the rcpbr Nonhc::ast Dulcimer Symposium ...cckcnd. For details or regisuation f~ the NOS-VI ",-c:ckcnd or full wed:, peq!1e can contact me at the following ~ Barb Truex, NOS·VI, 24 South SIrOCt, Bethel, cr 06801 ~ call me at 203f144·7 166, 00 "011 ha\'t anyThin g t~ )'011

would like 10 SII)''!

IIHO

UICTIOII1"I:6S _ t - . v .... STEWUI-M,uDDIIALO fl'l't·STU DULCIMn 1"I:6S

* .. ,-,,,

_ , .»

o•

o •

DUlt lMU IUMI1I6

• • •• o.•

o• o• o• o•

Ycs, the scalY ",III be: Doug Berch :nI Bob Wey for hammered dulcimer wuh !\.tlrl: Nebon :Ind myself for mounwn

0 . - .... 1' .... _ _

I am thrilled ~I the rapid change in !he dulcilllCf tOIMlURuy. 1llcn: 1m: an ClltnlOltlirwy number of woodcrful playcH coming along, The lIXhrucal prorlCicncy is climbing'" the Iq)CI1Oire is Cllpaodlng. The lOpic for NOS-V_ "Building the FUIIlIC on the Past", and chat's ....hat l warlllO kccp doing,

Sometimes Isccm 10 be: "anli-folkie." rm IIOl anli·."ytlufl&. I lITO, 1Iowe~, ~growth Pd pro-d'versity. OulcimlSlS have 10 I1lOYC 001 mlO the ICSl of the musX:al world.. We carlt talk in code 10 one another (Is th3t a mlM)lydian or dori3n 1UI111l11) and Cllpecl the world 10 beat a path to ow door---<Jr kave lIS aIont for thai m:llltr, I "'3Il11O heN hammen::d dulcimen droIg Sieve Reith and SIeVe Sondhclm an.1 mounl3Jn dulcimers dulcimctS do:ng new ace jazz and rot'k 'n roll. The evitlcnoe of the Symposium is thai I am not alone. I h.lve had ...ondcrful support from It lot of people 10 make !he Symposium pow 10 ..... hal il is lOOay and I wanllO thank

... _ .... _ _ . . - .... ...-011'0' ....

"" ••

-..

Bo.. "7. Wiallcd, CT HOt8 (2G:J) 37t.t157

VISA AND MUTERCAIIO ACCEPTED ON PHONE ORDERS

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

them,

Oul\:\mer PlaYCIll News

Problems with Frets by Merv Rowley RoseUe Dulctmers. Roselle.

nUnots

If there is one lhing on which builders and players of me mountain dulcimer can agree it is the importan<:e of properly inSUllled frets on the fing<rlloard. Many a IOurisI has bougllt a ~apie dulcimer from a bac:kwoods buildcronly 10 discover Ia u.:r thai fretS arc inrorrcctly located. loose Of not level. The same problem arises with many inSl1llmcnts wllich are assembled from oommerdal kits. where fret installation mUSI be done by the pun:ha.ser- with only mlAimai il\Slnl(;tions or tools available. Kil suppliers often advertise hqw simple il is 10 build a dulcimez- and then neglccllO provide a fingerboard with frets aJready installed. Professional dulcimer buildel'! generally do allcast an adcquatejob of fret installation. particularly in regard 10 proper lret 1()(:IlUon. ThiS aspccl.l'Iowcver. is only part of ourconcem. We must still deal with the problems of frets whic h an: not level initially. or which later loosen. raiseor even pop oot with \:lunges in temperature Of humidity. Evm the mosl reputable builders arc oflen ~agued wilh problems 0( this kind and find it is routinely necessary 10 level !he row of fretS by filing and polishing 10 eliminate buuing strings. Take a dose look at your own duldmcr and chances arc that you will see that a number of freu have been filed doWli for this reason. This condition doesn'\ necessarily mean thaI the builder has dooe c:areless woO; in installing fret.s. It simply means thai he (or she) is trying 10 \:opc with the everyday problems inherent Yo'i lh the use of lhat modem invention known as ru\:kelsi ll"Cr frelwire. In foct, luthicr supply houses today can provide all manner of 5ilWS. Ilammc:rs. filecs. frel planc$. waighl edges, pliers and polishing materials designed 10 facilitate ihc freuing of stringed inSUU1TlCn1S using this Iype of wire. 'IlIey can also furnish variow kinds of epoxy and pa'lte fillers and special glues 10 help repair the damage wused 10

the li ngerboard when il beeomes necessary 10 pry 001 a worn fre l for replac:cment! It occurred La me quite a few years ago that !he many nuisances involved with the usc of conventional fretwire far ootweigh any blessings or advan~es I could determine. Why TIOl try 10 eliminate al l these fret problcms rather than expend so much time and effon trying to correct them? It was in 1980 when I first began experimenting with alternate fretwire shapes and materials. The IWO basi\: objectives of these experiments were (I) to eliminate the IlCCd for sawcut.s in the fingerboard and the S\feSSes caused by wedging f!\lts into such CUIS, and (1) 10 seal the fret.s in or upon the fingerboard so that they were perfectly level. firmly attached, and y\:l easily replaceable. Effons along these lines were quic1rJy rewarded and resulted in a system of installation shown in the accompanying u\:I\:h. A delailed report of the tooling and installation proc:edure was published in the journal of me Guild of American Luthiers.·

1be new system is really quite simple. The grooves in the face of the fingerboard arc semi-i:ircular in shape and are fonned by using a router mounted in a special jig. The groove is formed by a 1/8 in diamctercarbidc veining bil The replacement fretwire material. initially. was hard-dnlwn alwninum alloy (in the form of commereial siding nails). More recently. an even harder and more wear resistant material has been used. nus is a lIigll·strength manganesc bron7.e wire wll ich is prodl,lCed commercially as brazingmd. F.o;U are firmly ecmcmed inlO the grooves using yellow aliphati\: glue (Franklin Titebond. e.g.). This forms a bond whid is strOnger than the wood itself. Worn fret.s can nevertheless be easil y replaced simply by touclling the tip of a soldering iron 10 the frel surface. AI

about ISO F the glucso/"tcns and the fret can be nicked OOt with the fingernail. leaving a clean. smOOth groove ready 10 TttCive the new frel Assuming thlllthe face of the fing<rlloard is perfoctly filll before the inSlalLllliOn or frelS beginS. the end result is a perfectly leve! fret surface. More than 150 dulcimers have been bui!t in th is manner withoul the necessi ty of filing down a single fret! Naturally. frelS never come loose either. II was satisfying 10 have accomplished me main objectives of myexper· imenlS and 10 have elimillllla1 all the old problems of i:1Stallation. A furthet surprise was in stOre. however. when il was discovered lhllme higher frets (1/8-in diameter) resulted in an instrumenl wllicll was much more playable in ICmIS of string action and finger placement along the fingerboard. Several notable players (Jerry Rockwell in partkular) have mlldc this same observation. While lcafing through some back issues of OPN recently.! discovered a brief ar1icle by Roger Nicholson." in whi\:h he comments; ... .. I·ve JU:n dlLki~ wi lh all Iype.~ of frctwire ... and for playing wilh a noter. this (lhe t)'peor frelwire) is 001100 \:ritical...But use the fingers and the differer-.ce is immediately noticeable; small frets now make the strings sluggish and evcn the \OfIO loses ilS darity. Conversely. larger frelS make for a snappy action as the strings leave them faster. the feel is more positive. and the sound improves due 10 the angle of the string being more acute when pressed down ... During the past months. I've been experimenting with differenl gauge,,; on various duldmers. Finally I've settled on a 2.8 mm high crown gu itar fret as soiting me best; it lias also reduced mistake,,; in pillying and cased di fferenl pioces. I hope this will be d interesllO other playctS and especially makers. and that il will leOO 10 some replies in the OPN.~ It is interesting 10 rote that the 2.8 mm (O.tIO in) fret dilTlCll$ion 5I;1o;:1r(I by Rog« oompares almost exactly with the a1u· minum wire nails which I have been using (actual nominal diameter orO.114 in)! Perhaps this anide will serve as a belated respalSC 10 Roger 's request for romments.. Wilh all the advantages which

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

I I

Two Fugues for Fretted Dulcimers by Paul Furnas The fugue, a sqlhisticated and free-spirited cousin of Lhe common roulld, is ooe of the: ITIOSI enjoyable of all music:ll fMnS. If you don~ already know what a fugue is, try \0 imagine the Three Bears singing a round. It won't sound quite like wml you are used \0 because Baby Bear will be Singing in a lIigh treble voice, Papa Beat will be singing in a low bass voice, and Mama Bear will be singing somewhere in between. Imagine: funhet" LMIU!e Three BC3CS are ja1.:t musicians who like \0 improvise. Then they IIave sung just enough of the orund for it 10 50Und familiar, they will suddenly head orr in their own musical directions. Every now:mel then however, one of them will sing the beginning mekxly again as II rcmiJVJer of where they swu:d. The FugUt! Or! Fl'tft Jacq~$ is Ilf1 (::I:ample of how these ja1;: singing ~ might introduce a beginner \0 the world of fugues.

Recommended Procedure For Ltarning The "'ugut' on f 'rr.n jocqUtS I. All playcn should begin by playing !he bass .~.• The example below shows how simple the bass ~is. II's really one short fragment of music played twice in a row, with a slightly diffc.cm

llCquc$" !heme should begin again. This

type of lislCning is really one o f the great pleasures in playing fugues. 2. As soon as everybody is oomfMnbIe playing the bass ~ shift 10 !he middle ~ and prxbce it for a few minutes. Tim id beginners ll\;Iy drop OUt along Ihc way, blll don't be surprised if some beginners readily learn !he middle mG. 3. When scveral of you art comfortable willi the middle mkc, IIY playing both the middle ~ and the bass~ IOgethcr as a duet. A good way 10 begin practicing !he duct is for one pl3yer (or group) to play the fi rst nine IIOIC$ of the middle ~ and for the other player (or group) 10 play only the rust nou: of the bass ~ The trick m is for the bass ~ 10 play ilS note lit !he right time. If you listen =fully. )'OUr car will help you know wren the 00ss llliI:£; should

ending the second time. EVCCI compltll: beginners can learn \0 play il afler ooly a few minulCS of practice. Tha'e is one slightly tricky note, but it is lricky only because you're not used 10 hearing it in Lhc familiar version of the round. After you have p:lCticed it a few times it will be very easy. Notf: Some players occasioIIally play 100 few (or too IIlIIIIY) olthe slow, bell· like nou::s. These bell.like notes will be moch easict 10 keep tmc:k of when all three xaiw of the fugue art playing together. If you listcn 10 !he other vojccs while you art playing !he bass ~, your car will ~Il you when !he bell should stop ringing and the 'Frere

play lIS fllSt IIOIC. When the bass players nre secure about ..... hen: their first noce begins, play both.miw together all the

way IlIrougl"l. 4. Now let your most skilled pl3}"crs (and nn)'Ol"lC else ..... ho wants 10 join in) try playing the treble ~ As soon as at least one player is corllfonable pla)'ing !he ucble~. prnctic:e the beginning of the fugue until all three players (or groups) recognize where they art supposed 10 enter. When everybody is secure about their entry poinlS, pL1Y the entire fugue OVt:T and over. S. After )'Oll h:l.ve mastcn:d the Fwg~ 011 Frere JocqlltJ, fo llow a simil3r procedure 10 learn the eftay Quill Fwgwt. beginning with ilS trebIe.mia;. 6. LeaminJ the tcmlS and conceptS on page 18 will add 10 your enjoymcnl of

fugues.

tr ic.k'l "ote

;

5~ ~

F FII,£ ·II. ;'-IH · qtJILS , O~ . "'~z. vov!I

P flU · fl.E l"" c.· Qve~. DoR, ' MIE1

•

o o

vou')

15 Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Fugue on Frere Jacques WriUen for Mkhael A. Lombardi,

who turned an unemploJ~ musicologist into a corporal of industry llJN1NG; 1lae tWO fugues can be played on ..,y suntan:! tullin, (D-A·A. O-A<. D-A-d, CIC.). If you am na: a11tady tuned 10 T unina-4 (D-A-A). you do.D!l need 10 ~IUnc. The treble I'oice men:ly needs to play its IablaulfC on !he middle suing instead of on !he treble w ing. This Poce is easy enouj.h that elpelicllccd beginners who know it can use it 10 introduce new bepnnm 10 the pIcasun:s of playing part music on dulcimm. It is also I gentle initiation inlO the I".aJciNling world eX fugues. Boch of these fugues are suil3ble. and recommended, for d.lkimtt club sessDts. See page rlfteen for mote dclaib.

by Paul Furnas

•••

It--.:tt====:~~~~~ IZO:2

p 0

I I

• " • p

••

,~ " " "

p ,ItU'

:TIIC~\I'<;',

OO"M'L YO"'''

C 1985 l'lIul Furn llli

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

have been lis~ for th.is fret system, both in terms of simplicity of installation as well as in improvement in playability, it is hard \0 imagine Ulal then:: won 'I be a great ~ of rtader comment. " anyone OU! then: listening? II

Cardboard Dulcimers

' R_Iey, M, "Dolcima Fteu My wtq,"

AMERICAN LUnIERlE. No. I, Mar, (l9U). P 40.

,,..

" OtaIcima I'Ilycn N~..., Foil L980, VIiL. 6. No. 4, We make ..".dy, inupenoiu ilU"'" m~ftli.

ideal for

b~,innin, ploY~fI,

schools and campin, tripl. Our kill

lite

ckiilLncd for nO"ice builderl. AU puu are

plO-CIIL AJs.embly takes two ~uira no Ih.ofp or llllUluallOOli.

WhaiSNew

houri.

\lie solid wood fr~tboards, ' .... ed tUllen, lOundbo~eI of die..:..t. 200 Ib. Itren,th COrTUILU~d c.rdbotrd. No plywood. Eun IlrinlLl. rainh, and pI-rinf; m-w included. Perfect p-1:Itft for :fClUIl&S1aI G' muskal friends. Pritts: $24 - $44, plup diIOounli I~ailable..

From Humble Beglnrlinll Sally Hawley,42S 9th Ave., SL Albans, WV2S 117 j&. 45 ammgemeills ortraditional wnes in standard notation with guitar chords.

(book)

Fre,h BeltnnJng' {Of the Mountain Duklmer Mark Tindle. P.O. Box 3181, Aubum. ME 04210 (book,oUpe) '" The tapec:onsisls of eighllTadi~lar tunes and four originals on solo fretted dulcimer. The book gives anangemcnl5 of fiveoC the tunes on the tape, and three others.

Hcarin, is lIocLie~inlL' 10 W~ offeo OPN ruden. JO.doy &co trial. W~ll even pi)' the rer.um lhippi", if you 1mI't saUsf.....

Shepherd', WUe', walta Oukimc:r Dan and the Blue Skies Band, Dan Gilvany, 605 Riverview Dr., Raleigh, NC T/610 (casseue) j&. Traditiona] lunes for l\amm~ dulcimer, fiddle, Hute, banjo, guitar and bass. Includes "Ragtime Annie," "Flowers of Edinburgh," and "Mississippi Sawyer."

Wri\e

fG'

I _

CltaIo,: DPN

Trial

Offer. 8.:kyord Millie, P.O. Bolt 9047, New Hlvel\. cr 06S12 or <:all 203,14(1). 5756 from 7 un.' \ \p.m.

Early WOfU Dave Neimrll, Dukimusic, P.O. Box 12, Cambridge, MA 02139 (casscuc) '" MWieval, Renaissance and Baroque music ananged for hammered dulcimer, with violin, cello and harpsichord. Includes works by Vivaldi, Bach,

David Cross

Telemann and PraeIDrius. EncOfe Carole Koenig, 2477 Cheremoya Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90068 (cassette. CO) j&. Oassics by Bach, HaDdeI Pnlelorius and Anonymous on hammered dulcimer, with guitar, violin, viola, keyboards and percussion. Chrlltmu Thyme Jean Simmons Jennings and Pam Simmons, Dancing Doll Music:, Box 68, ML V!Cw, AR 72560 j&. Frelled (lulcimers, vocals, guitar, mandolin and fiddle on Christmas selections such as ''Go Tell It On The Mountain" and ''Carol of the Birds." Uving The Aluka We 11::ri Tibbett, Migration Music, PO Box 2-I07B, Juneau, AX. 99802 (cassette) j&. New folksongs from all over the north counuy. Voc:aJs with (relted dulcimer, guitar and p18JlO. Uncle Carl', Dulcimer Club 9575 Peach Ridge. Spana, M149345 (casselle) j&. Uncle Carl's Dukimer Club is for players 10 get IOgether and enjoy music. This I8pe features 28 hammered dulcimers. 5 guitars, I bass, 21T1QUf1w n dulcimers, I aulOharp, I pair of spoons, I pair ofbocles and I piaoo, all being played by club memben. 1I

,•

~.U-~ . ~ ' ''''''''- .

I •

••

i•

mountain dulcimers· bowed psaltries

I• •

28 Dunsmore Ave., Black Mountain, NC, 28711 704/669 - 5162

•

IUtk ,.1 1)1; __,," Dwlcl_ra 1100 W. _

THRtt

",,<0 @;

Or. • 0

•

...... EO'

'WAY

-" • •

VA 'f»2'

nUtAT0

- ...

•

:3>

-....................

. . . " $IT1WM;T_ . . .

j • J• •

J•

, I

• ~ • - . . . . • ~ • - "..lui • •

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Crazy Quilt Fugue This fugue is somewhat more <:hallcnging, bul it is also a kll of fun 10 play. Fugues are a

type of mllSicai game in themselves, bul this particular fugue includes another musical game as

well. The main theme. or ~ of this fugue is Ilert! COInl!S IIu! Brjtk . but most of the COJlllCrpoint consisIs of fragmcnlJ from other familiar melodies.. "Qoodlibct" is the JXOPCT term for a piece which combines familiar melodies lh:It can hannonize with eac:h Olhcc, btu Crazy Quill sccmcd like a kss intimidating name. For more quodlibets see Susan Portcr's list of Partner &ngs in the DPN 1986 summer issue, {Xlge 4.

, ,•

F ME-RoE

3 3

I' I

:3 3

I' I

Y\.it. e.

S'l ., S 6

Londo n

HSRE COMes THIE' 8l1uo£

'n(E 5RIDE

ll'I..-e t: B li l'\d

The. Old Gn.y 11a. ... e. ~

HfllE COI1IES 'Oil" BRID('

c.oHI!~

er id~e. "I s

full i n~ down

How Df'J t C 1985 Paul .' urnas

11 Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Crazy Quilt Fugue This fugue is somewhat more <:hallcnging, bul it is also a kll of fun 10 play. Fugues are a

type of mllSicai game in themselves, bul this particular fugue includes another musical game as

, ,•

F ME-RoE

3 3

I' I

:3 3

I' I

Y\.it. e.

S'l ., S 6

Londo n

HSRE COMes THIE' 8l1uo£

'n(E 5RIDE

ll'I..-e t: B li l'\d

The. Old Gn.y 11a. ... e. ~

HfllE COI1IES 'Oil" BRID('

c.oHI!~

er id~e. "I s

full i n~ down

How Df'J t C 1985 Paul .' urnas

11 Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Terminology for Fugues Just as knowing SUItId3rd

~s and can wid 10 )'OUr enjoyment of games. knowing a few special tenm and COlCeplS can add 10 )'OIa' cnjo)mtnl of _,~

fugues. A good IemlIO start with is ~ Sane card games are classiflCd as ~

biwI!:d. Cour-bj1J1!kd, etC., depending on how many players an: required for the game 10 I'I'tYk. Fugues are similarly labelled as !hrce-YOjce. COIJ[-ypjce. etC., depending on how many players are required. The word -mG" is used even if the JX1rticipanu are playing insrrumcnts IlILhcr than singing. Most fugues are for four ~ but three-voicc and five-V'Oice fugues are also common. Both of these fugues are for three~. Several other useful terms are ClllO:'. ~,and cx!lOljjtion. [)oo', panic! they arc very easy conceptS. AI nny

given moment in. fugue ehller (A) somebody is playing the main theme, Of

(8) nobody is playing the main theme. [f (A).IOI'I'Icllody is playing the main theme. !hen Ih:u segment of the fugue is called an mu;:x. If (8) oobody is playing the main theme, then Lhat segment of the

fugue is probably an~. There can be many tIII.Cia.. and many cniv\e:l in a given rugue. There also can be very few. The Fwg~ 011 Frere JQCq~s has only one ~ l I me beginning of the botlOlTl half of the page, and the Crary QIliIl Fugue doesn"llave any !':!'!jsor!ros at all Fugues always begin wilh a series of ~. in which each mit; gets 10 play the m:tin theme once. This series or I:llIlig is cnlJcd the "exposjtjon" because il exposes or reveals SignirlC311l

informruion about the fugue. The is like a stUe card thai!ells

CJQ05j!jO!!

you how many playas, or ~, are ICamCd up Cor this particular fugue. It

also gives)'Ol.l several Chance$1O hear the

main Ihemc: SO that you will be able 10 rttOgniuo it and follow the:action blCT on as it gelS pasted from ~ 10 nIG. Finally, ~SlIl!i芦l' is the proper ICm1 for the main theme of a fugue. Seven nou:s from Frtrt Jtu.qutS are lIllCd as lhe .IUhjcg for ~ Fl4gut on Frtrt Jtu.ql4ts. The fll'Sl four noces of Iftrt Cornu Tlit 8ridt are the.lUhjcg of the Crary Qwlil Fl4gut.

G""""

SUBJECf: The main !heme of II fllgllC. VOICE: A p.\IticipaUng p1aY(7 in a fugue. ENTRY: A segmtllt of II fugue where one of the ~ is playing the Slhiw. EXPOSITION: The beginning of a fugue, in which the.sJ.iltil:g is played once by cach of the miw. EPISODE: An internal segmcllt of a fugue when:; the aili.it1l is fIOl being pbyed.

~oinc . Hammered Dulcimers and Kits ManyCholce5 ! 1. U.dc).more fbuer cost) We..dQ路more (easier to bUild) 2. More Strings fmore p:!Wer) less strings (eaSier to h.me) 3. Two

Basic

Models

both with Pillno grade spruce sound. board, lIii路 maple lamlnllted plnblocks. hardwood trim (bu t路 temut, cherry, wainut). pIiIled tuners, CIIrrying handle, instNCtIon book. tuning wren;h.

,j m

I(lOII A'

II lb5. Side tuning Optional CoveT

We app reciate your help in m::aking Lsrki,, 's Du/dmtr Book Ute new s land::ani in self'ins truction me th ods. Now in its s ixth prin ting, it has helped many thousands of peop le learn to pla y the mountain dulcimer in an informalive and enjoyable way . Availab le from your loca l dealer or by mail

181bs.

o rder, the 103 page spiral bound book is st ill on ly $9.95.

Top tuning Optional CoveT

the 74 minute companion cassette S7.98 and the book-Iape combo SI6.95. If you o rder fro m us, ple3iiC add SI.50

I",

sh ippi ng and include pay ment, TIIDflks DgD;,I!

6" .. ~." !

R.R. 4 Red Wing, MN 550 ...

l rory PoltICrs Musk 114/ Spottswood Ave. Mtmphu. TN 18/1/ 90// ]21-1509

11 Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

FREE WITH YOUR PAID SUBSCRIPTION OIJr graulude and our prOfT"06e \0 proouce the best dulclm(H quaflerly In the known UnIV8ISII

1 Year, S12 ... 2 Years. $22

Dulci mer Pl.,. . ... N. w . Post Office Box 2164 Wancl'lesl&r, VA 22601

and bV the way, wouIdn', II be funny \0 see

ONE OF THESE!

I'OST OFFICE OOX 11 604 WINCHESTER. VA 11601 (701)465.49;; Com/tl8 tbls spring

Heart's Ease a n ew inslrumerztaf rerordlrtg by Madc/.lne MacNeil /emuri118 hammered dule/meT wIIh guitar, fliolin, cello, Jlure, burpsfcbortl and plaM o n

Good

ror the Tongue Fernando Sor

Heart'S E.ase/I.il1ibu!cro

Tr.lditionll.l

Turlough O'Caroian

!-Iewlett Sona!:> in G

Melchior

Dawning 0( the Day/Pllnxly hw inJO'Caroian's Dr;lf\

C.hic-~a

J S. [lath

Invention in Am

Tudough O'Carolan

Circle Dance

Seth Aw;tcn

NOl'ICSuclVChi ldgrovcJAlmainJMiss Wh:mon Duff/WlIlsh·s llornpipc

Anticipated release 0 1'1 cassette tape and W tnpaClll fsc; • May, 1989

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Jean's Dulcimer Shop P .O. WX II, HIGHWAY 3Z

COS BY , TENNESSEE 11122 Phone : ( 615 ) 487 ·55 0

SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE FOL K AND HOMEMADE MUSIC WORLDS OOR

We 'J>6<"bli! e I. f.euN and ha_rN dlllci ... u and eurythin. for t"'" •• Ht . and finllhN Instrusents by severa. ulu., builders' luppllu, acce ..o.iu . and nea.ly every JOnC and pl.yin •• !nsrruo::tloft bool and • ..cord a lbwo in priM fe~turlftR ei ther kind of dulcl ... r. OUr e",.lulu play\nc·..,tbods and sonc book·ll.t , ,,,,I ud es a (1111 line of titles for other .. ind and $trlncN foi l iUtNMnts, and our le l..ction of r ..cordin,s of old·tl.., and tnditl on.ol fOil ..s ic Is one of the laTlut 10 be found anywh ... e. A ,OO<Ily varlely of fGIk . toy. and hand c r.fts for ,1ft 0. ho.e lise II an laportant part o f .... r ... rc~.'ICIlle. It ' l all lIlIN In OUr cata lOI .. jun l e:Id $1.00 ( .. lII t h we'll refund .. lth you r flnt order) t o tOve r the coo t of p.in t ln. Ind post a.e. We se rve 'he retail and

~hole .. le

P!WO UCTSI

I1AWoU1:[O DlLCI KII " J.. n.~l.. [ .... p'I .... ' .... IV' ...... '[1.111' ""'d,

•.. plo

pili

'n<i..... u.....u< ...

"O< ~ ~

!it"IIUn, 1,."".,ly &.. lyt~J. In",ui br l< l~, . Hor.

,,,.n,,,.

'n,", t oU.. I.""""., blrc" ..... ,".1111 """'". • ........ , U'"

f_.,.d1.

u • • '"' .. , .. , ...... . " ....."'1 0)11 . , .

_I.~

, ." , .. (11J ".bl, 'OIl"" "' '"'" (I I ",I" . . . .,II

U .. , ....... of

,w i

,., ~., __ .. ... .. ,I .. I"n'". ,n" Ptl<o: IJlS.OO pp.

,od .... , ...... WI"I 0.-1,.,

,ft"

,1..,. (111

(21 ''''.1> ...... ru b, lo ••• ". _"ubi. ,., ~, brld •• blo<h 0' • dltt."., «lIar ,_ playlna _ "'ddhloft,1 " " " 011.. UUd 'n u •• l...

...., ~ ..

IIOWflI rsAlT\ltY. au.,lI.11y ....",..1,•• , n' 11.,1, 1III I'"d. H'" ",.plo pi. blo<t , <1101 .. 01 "'I" ... I"u~ 'prO<l, 'odot, p . d .~~ , .. ",. pl •• !;M.II.n, "",~ . . . .nd ....... " h .. 1O ... ,. ,• • ~a ,h ... pu,lold po. hl... <101 . . . l tII • • at. u.'" , ..... F IHtIG .. .. Idd l•

.KC>ftd A . ......... I. " • .e.

,.d

na,.

,h. ..h.. ,Id..

"~I .......... dl,ploy

'~.'

.e ••

D' . ,,,,,, ,u l. on .... ,'d . . .. I!h ,h<tp.

1.,ld.. _ .".d; t~n'., .. ".ch; ."" Prl .. : 11-1(1,00 pp.

...... d"" 'r'.' _.

... I~ Inau.

.. hl lr

"" " ,

'",.,

Dealer Inquiries are 'OVi I N.

POI2.TA8t.£· ADJU5TAGLE ' COLLAP5AGLE

HAMMER DULCIMER.. STAND FEATU12.ES '

·A1J.-.fi~

r..gItt fa' ~"9

uJI.r,. ~"""""91!' #<rn~

·c-,p.r.r.,. "'-""'.. ... ~, I<W ... t.. d"o... .JO .-...dO

for~r~~

· Ot ...~ _....J ,.,t:u lJ ... ;.. ,........ "'~~ (flu ,..

...irc..-)

· 't><";'

·L.~r-glit

· ..e..6h-r

E-<,-. Lup

cI.4r:,_ -.c..",

· ~ r...cW ~ ""~ !r'P fo.' """""'''9 ~'fIot DDj"$""""r

Unda Russell The Good Old Colony Days

~IFICATION!I . ..

5of'" _, _,_......, n""

. $'ul ,*,,-1 "...)..",r~ . ~I,')

~ ~'{4' 1 ~(.kd· H·. J)'z'. Y . Pr"'J"'9 ~ogI. r ('"

w_f-i

'.s". , U"..tgIo . P""_' ""/I,h 1i!'("'.' ....(4), S,tn.og·"''flo) .• 2" ~o{&..k;-?':k'_"

,.......u.nt l"'IoooW: -,bid ..... ......u.c......_ , ,, _

lin .. _

j,f . ... , ..

ffl

' 1'fDy<"!I ""!Ie' IO~' frr:- ' - i...

album $9.50 ppd.

!Wl

w.t F.-hIJl. ana

ctG<_.CtJ.

11( 4 )t:n- 'ln

\lIIO ......,,_" _ _

ballads, bro adsides and dance tunes 01 early Amer ica

(..,

"1"

11.0

-'''- --

, $20 I....It_ ....... _., . 11 .....

Prairie Smoke Records, 250 w. !I9t~ 51. I8C New YOlk, NY 10025

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

Bulk Rate

U.S. Postage PAlO Win c heste r, VA Permit No. 107

MaiL to:

1'0 uo.2164 • ''1nc_.".. VA2WOI Add..,.. Cornd_ ~'''''''ro t"t1wanllnf. 1'boII,.... C""""'I<'O'll

S ub ledbeu : Ir yo ur mailing libel II dated 4 / 1 / 1989, thlt m ean l your lubserlptlon endl with thla lnue. Time to re n ewl To keep your DI'Ns comlnp. wllhout interruption. send us your renewal before June 15. 1989. l.abeLs dated 1/ 1/1989 mean you hrl\"e one l!'Iliu e :lfter lhi~ one. Iknewtng early Is Just find

Has

DP .............

ilflybody seen/III' briiHiflge? Where 's Ihal confOUllCkd b"d,.?,

WeTI' wonderin g why a 51ro ngc spoce on Som et hing

/ Ihink I found il! Yes! IR," "',', no/the Confounded· . iI 'S Ihe Infernal!

H ury! There's a stronge miSI risillg!

Gu/tl be IRIS H AIRS!!

"hew, what is IhOl st uff?

Please do not reprint or redistribute without permission. Contact dpn@dpnews.com

'V:

•,