Strings for Mountain Dulcimer?
Jim Baranski
accidentally broke one of the strings.
Where can I find some new strings suitable for a mountain dulcimer?
I presume that there are some standard strings that can be used on an MD,
guitar strings?
What ways are there to string a MD? This is apparently a three string model,
but I have seen some that were four string, and some that were strung with one
or more of the strings doubled (two strings in the same place).
What ways are there to tune a MD?
Music? Learning Books? Suggestions? Ratholes?
Jim Baranski, Vax Systems | It's Not Easy Keeping Vaxen Working ... Underwater!
Analyst, Naval Underwater | BARA...@VEAMF1.NUSC.NAVY.MIL 203-440-6510, 889-4968
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Daniel Veditz
>Where can I find some new strings suitable for a mountain dulcimer?
The guitar/folk shop where I got my last set of strings sold a
"mountain dulcimer" set of strings, but they're really just standard
light-guage steel strings.
>What ways are there to string a MD? This is apparently a three string model,
>but I have seen some that were four string, and some that were strung with one
>or more of the strings doubled (two strings in the same place).
>
>What ways are there to tune a MD?
>
>Music? Learning Books? Suggestions? Ratholes?
It's a folk instrument--there are lots of ways to string, tune and play
it. D-A-D is a common tuning and one traditional way to play is to use
the lower D-A as a drone and play melody with the high D string. Playing
chords and even fingerpicking is perhaps more common now depending
highly on what style of music you play. There are even some "jazz"
tunings that result in lots of Major 7th chords.
Just about any music store with a "folk" section should have
some dulcimer books. I have found a "case-sized" chord/tuning book to
be very convenient but you should also look at the books that explain
some of the traditions of the instrument and styles of playing.
-Dan Veditz
Ed Marchewicz
> I recently 'inherited' a Mountain Dulcimer. While playing with it, I
> accidentally broke one of the strings.
>
> Where can I find some new strings suitable for a mountain dulcimer?
>
>
>
> Music? Learning Books? Suggestions? Ratholes?
The nice thing about fretted dulcimers is they're all so different and
individual. Stringing them depends on the length from nut to bridge,
the tuning you want to use and the method of attachment (ie loop
or ball end).
My preference is to tune to the nearest string to D, the middle one
to A below that and the bass to D below that. This is a very
flexible tuning especially if you have the 6.5 "extra" fret fitted
between the usual 6th and 7th frets as it enables you to play in the
keys of D, G and Em without retuning. The "traditional" tuning is
to tune the nearest 2 strings to A and the bass to D below this.
Most 4 string models double the 1st string, a few have 4 separate strings.
There are also 5 string models which double the 1st 2 strings and
6 string models which double all 3.
For DAD tuning I use loop end banjo strings with guages of (I think)
.010, .017 and .024(wound). (These are like guitar 1st/2nd and 4th strings)
You may need to use heavier guages if you strings are long, lighter
if they're short. For AAD try 2 guitar 2nd strings and a 4th.
There are an enormous number of possible and useable tunings, the more
useful and popular ones include dad, aad, dgd, cad, gad, cgd.
As for books, by far the most comprehensive I've seen is
"Dust off that dulcimer and dance" by Bonnie Carol. I also like
"Early music for dulcimer" and "Renaissance music for dulcimer" by
Carrie Crompton as the arrangements are nice. Most of the other
books I've seen are very basic and aimed at beginners.
The "dulcimer book" by Jean Ritchie provides a good introduction
to the instrument including an interesting account of it's history.
I'm keen to hear from any other fretted dulcimer players by Email,
keep in touch and happy playing !
Cheers, Ed
gordon e. banks
Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI,
Stewart-MacDonald in Athens, OH,
or Mandolin Bros. in NYC
All will have Dulcimer strings.
Elderly will also have books on how to play it.
--
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Gordon Banks N3JXP | "I have given you an argument; I am not obliged
g...@cadre.dsl.pitt.edu | to supply you with an understanding." -S.Johnson
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Toby Koosman
Elderly Instruments
P.O. Box 14210
Lansing, MI 48901
(517)372-7880
They will send you free catalogs. Get them. They have excellent prices
for instruments, instrument accessories, books, recordings, etc. and are
very pleasant and friendly.
Toby Koosman
University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee USA
Internet: koo...@utkvx1.utcc.utk.edu Bitnet: koo...@utkvx.utk.edu