Hammer Dulcimer for a music beginner?
Murphy
I'm hoping to get some advice regarding starting a musical instrument.
I am in my 20's and aside from some forced piano lessons at age 5, I
have no musical training. I want to learn an instrument. I was
thinking the piano but then became more interested in the hammer
dulcimer.
I am truly a beginner. I can't even clap to the beat of a song. I'm
not looking for miracles. I'm not looking to play at parties. I just
want to entertain myself and feel the accomplishment of learning
something. Is this possible? Has anyone ever heard of someone learning
to play an instrument in adulthood, after years of musical ignorance?
I've read that the HD can be self-taught and know there are a lot of
resources for such learning. This appeals to me over taking piano
lessons. In addition, my small house would become even smaller with a
piano. I'm really starting to lean toward the HD.
What I do have is patience and persistence. Whatever instrument I do
choose will become a part of daily practice.
I hope to get started on something in the next 3-6 months. Any and all
suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
-Murphy
Noodle Noggin
About a year ago, I was in your exact situation. I had taken piano
lessons as a child, but had no other musical experience. I decided to
take hammered dulcimer lessons, and found out that playing is easier
than I thought it would be. The hardest part for me was learning how to
use the hammers and learning the layout of the notes. The one
disadvantage that the dulcimer has is that unlike the piano, most
dulcimers are not fully chromatic. They work great for folk music, but
some of the more modern music is awkward to play - some notes are in odd
locations or completely missing.
If you haven't already done so, I would suggest that you attend some
workshops at a dulcimer festival. They have them all over the US, and in
several other countries too, so there should be one relatively near
wherever you are.
Carl Cochrane
I know how you feel. I never even tried to learn an instrament but
always enjoyed music. At the age of 42 I saw a lady demonstrating a lap
dulcimer to another customer. Watching her I decided that I could learn to
play it. So I bought it.
I've enjoyed it now for 25 years. Am I good enough to play for others.
Yes, if they don't mind my mistakes!:-) I enjoy playing for myself very
much. I am a member of a dulcimer group that meets once a month and enjoy
it.
All to say, YES you can learn it. Do it and enjoy yourself.
--
Carl in "The Land of the Sky"
Murphy
To Carl and NoodleNoggin:
Thank you for your replies. You have given me much encouragement. I
think I have pretty much decided to go with the HD, and the thought of
it really excites me. I wish I could go out and buy one today! All in
due time, I suppose. The thought of ever being good enough to play for
someone else is beyond my spoke of imagination at this point. I've
been trying to find more music that features the HD. I've downloaded
some tracks from audiogalaxy and just love how the instrument sounds.
What kind of music do ya'll play?
-Murphy
Chris Hushak
lessons as an adult, I heard a hammered dulcimer at a renaissance
festival. I had to have one!
I bought an inexpensive kit, built it, and quickly got frustrated trying
to keep it tuned. I traded it in on a MasterCraft 16/15 Chromatic, found
a local teacher, took lessons for a year (every 2~3 weeks) and never
looked back.
Learn the notes, NOT the tablature - too inconsistant between books for my
engineering mind to deal with.
Just play around, getting to know where to go to get the notes you want.
Learn all the duplicated notes.
Personally, I think you can get an excellent start with Madeline MacNeals'
'You Can Play a Hammered Dulcimer' book and video tape.
By the way, I play Celtic, Classical and renaissance music.
Good luck, jump in and have fun!
Chris
Bob Widmann
for about a year and a half I would greatly appreciate it if anybody had
any ideas about where I could find it.
L Tromater
web site.
"Bob Widmann" <bwid...@cruzers.com> wrote in message
news:3BC60F9B...@cruzers.com...
Murphy
dulcimer. I was going to be practical about it and wait 3 months but
now may purchase one sooner. I will be traveling to the Dallas/Ft.
Worth area in a month and hope to look around there. Any suggestions?
I read online that Russell Cook is in Arlington and that he makes good
instruments. I'm afraid I can't even afford his student instrument,
though. I am looking to spend no more than $400. Less would be better,
but I don't want to sacrifice too much in quality. Any suggestions?
-Murphy
Chris Hushak <chu...@raytheon.com> wrote in message news:<3BC5CC71...@raytheon.com>...
Fixzera
Try looking on e-bay. I just got my first hammered dulcimer for 255.00 and I
love it! I didn't want to spend a lot of money for a first dulcimer. I am very
satisfied with how it sounds and looks (it is brand new). I found that the most
frustrating thing about it was tuning it for the first time, LOL. I got some
great instructional books on e-bay that have made tuning and learning to play
EXTREMELY easy! I spent more time on that first tuning than I did learning my
first song :-) Get yourself a good chromatic guitar tuner and one of the little
"stick-on" pick-ups for acoustic instruments, works like a charm. I am finding
learning the dulcimer much easier than when I was learning guitar. It is a lot
of fun and a beautiful sounding instrument! Have Fun!
Marlene
Maynard R. Johnson
after sales service. Aiside from ebay, you might look at Elderly for
used instruments.
If price is an issue, you might look into Chris Foss' Songbird
intruments. I think his beginner hammered dulcimer is still going for
around 250 - 300. We have used them for students, and they seem to hold
tune well, and sound very good for an instrument in that price range.
Volume is less than with more expensive instruments, but not many
beginners want high volume. Riversong Music carries them. There's a
list of Dulcimer and Folk stores and sites at Kitchen Musician http://members.aol.com/kitchiegal/dstores.html.
--
Maynard Johnson
Kitchen Musician WWW Site
http://members.aol.com/kitchiegal/
Jink and Diddle School of Scottish Fiddle
http://members.aol.com/kitchenboy/jink/jink.html/
Murphy
> Russell Cook does make good instruments and has a good reputation for
> after sales service. Aiside from ebay, you might look at Elderly for
> used instruments.
>
> If price is an issue, you might look into Chris Foss' Songbird
> intruments. I think his beginner hammered dulcimer is still going for
> around 250 - 300. We have used them for students, and they seem to hold
> tune well, and sound very good for an instrument in that price range.
> Volume is less than with more expensive instruments, but not many
> beginners want high volume. Riversong Music carries them. There's a
> list of Dulcimer and Folk stores and sites at Kitchen Musician http://members.aol.com/kitchiegal/dstores.html.
> --
> Maynard Johnson
> Kitchen Musician WWW Site
> http://members.aol.com/kitchiegal/
> Jink and Diddle School of Scottish Fiddle
> http://members.aol.com/kitchenboy/jink/jink.html/
>
Thanks for the links! I think I am leaning toward Foss' Songbird
instruments. I like the Wren but think I will start with a Meadowlark.
I figure I better start cheap, see how I progress, and then upgrade in
the future. From my Internet exploration I seemed to find the best
deal at the following site: http://folknotes.com/HD.html I found it
through the the Kitchen Musician Website. Anyone do business with them
before?
-Murphy
Maynard R. Johnson
>
SNIP
>
> Thanks for the links! I think I am leaning toward Foss' Songbird
> instruments. I like the Wren but think I will start with a Meadowlark.
> I figure I better start cheap, see how I progress, and then upgrade in
> the future. From my Internet exploration I seemed to find the best
> deal at the following site: http://folknotes.com/HD.html I found it
> through the the Kitchen Musician Website. Anyone do business with them
> before?
Glad you found one.
We used to sell Kitchen Musician music books to Dennis DenHartog, but
haven't for a while. I notice that their website doesn't list any
books, just instruments.
Incidentally (plug plug) we have an "absolute beginner" book - in our
Square One series. http://members.aol.com/kitchenboy/books/square1.html
Bunches of stores carry it.
Murphy
>
> Glad you found one.
>
> We used to sell Kitchen Musician music books to Dennis DenHartog, but
> haven't for a while. I notice that their website doesn't list any
> books, just instruments.
>
> Incidentally (plug plug) we have an "absolute beginner" book - in our
> Square One series. http://members.aol.com/kitchenboy/books/square1.html
> Bunches of stores carry it.
Thank you for all of your help and suggestions. I will definitely keep
your place in mind when looking for music books! I sent off a money
order for the Meadowlark from Dennis DenHartog's shop and couldn't be
more excited about it. I'll let ya'll know as soon as it arrives and
how I take to it.
-Murphy
Murphy
than I thought it would be. It took me a long time to figure out how
to tune it, even with an electronic tuner. It was quite an
accomplishment for me, and I figured if I never learned how to play it
at least I learned that much. I've been playing around on it all
evening. I've learned to play several tunes and am very encouraged. I
don't know how anyone can play and not look at the strings, though.
This is so much fun but my back is killing me (been sitting on the
floor playing it). I'm going to have to buy a stand for this thing.
Bottom line is. . . if I can learn this thing, anyone can.
-Murphy
Chris Hushak
time between playing the dulcimer, eating, sleeping and working....not
necessarily in that order.
I purchased a stand that can be adjusted for a sitting or standing
position. It cost a little more, but the versatility may come in handy
when I appear on the MTV 'World Tour of Dulcimer Players'. Ha Ha.
Seriously, though, I found tuning 'from the bottom up' works best for me.
I tune the base (right hand side) courses, then go back and start on the
bottom of the treble (left/middle) courses. I asked my dulcimer teacher
how she tunes, and this is the method she uses. There are probably
thousands of other equally valid ways to tune. I used to start at the
middle and work to the ends, but I quickly got out of rhythm with how much
each string needs. This method (start at bottom) means that each string
needs a little less adjustment all the way up. My hand gets 'calibrated'
after the first few strings, so I can predict how much to tweak.
Let me anticipate the next question: What happens on the treble side when
my A is good but the D is flat/sharp? It's going to happen. Don't adjust
the bridge. Try moving your thumbs under the string near the treble
bridge, one thumb on either side of the bridge. Gently, gently lift the
string up ever so slightly. This evens the tension between the left and
right parts of the string. Recheck tuning.
Remember the old joke about dulcimer tuning:
A spectator comes up to a dulcimer player and asks how long it takes to
tune. Their response is "I don't know. I've never finished."
Maynard R. Johnson
>
> Glad to hear you like it.
>
> Seriously, though, I found tuning 'from the bottom up' works best for me.
> I tune the base (right hand side) courses, then go back and start on the
> bottom of the treble (left/middle) courses. I asked my dulcimer teacher
> how she tunes, and this is the method she uses. There are probably
> thousands of other equally valid ways to tune. I used to start at the
> middle and work to the ends, but I quickly got out of rhythm with how much
> each string needs. This method (start at bottom) means that each string
> needs a little less adjustment all the way up. My hand gets 'calibrated'
> after the first few strings, so I can predict how much to tweak.
>
Interesting. The maker of a couple of our dulcimers advocates tuning
all the As, then all the Bs, all the Cs (sharp or natural), etc.
regardless of which bridge. The idea is to spread the tuning stress
change more evenly across the instrument while simultaneouly drumming
into your head the location of those strings/notes.
I doubt that the uniform stress change idea makes much difference except
when the instrument is first strung up.
Sally Whytehead
I tune from the top of the treble to the bottom of the treble, then the top of
the bass to the bottom of the bass.
Advantages, the main one is that when I start on the bass bridge I always feel
I on on the home run, it just gets easier from there!
A handy side effect is that I find that if anything will move after tuning, its
on the treble, the top more than the bottom (e.g. sliding accross the delrin),
if I do this first, it gives it time to adjust. When I have finished I play
scales to check the sound, and also some arpeggios. Then I make final
adjustments.
if the instrument has changed a lot due to temperature / humidity, then things
can also move back after tuning. This final check / adjustment is always
necessary for me (I'm quite picky about tuning accuracy).
The tuning all of every note etc. is a good one to learn the layout. Sometimes
in my final check I'll pick out all the Ds, then all the Cs etc. It helps to
check these are in tune, but the arpeggios check also give a good indication
too (and its a good thing to practice!).
Sally
"Maynard R. Johnson" wrote:
--
Sally Whytehead (sa...@ftel.co.uk)
Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Ltd, Birmingham, UK
Telephone: +44 121 717 6041 Fax: +44 121 717 6014/6018
Murphy
tuning to the pitch of my refrigerator the first time. Now I want one
of those clip on tuners.
Sally Whytehead <sa...@ftel.co.uk> wrote in message news:<3BE13D73...@ftel.co.uk>...
Chris Hushak
1. Take a trip to Radio Shack and get a 6 foot audio cable with a 1/4 inch phono plug (not
stereo) on one end. (or both ends... then cut one off)
2. Get a medium size alligator clip (something that will fit around the tuning pins).
3. Strip back the other end of cable and attach BOTH, yes, both wires to the alligator clip.
There is usually a screw connection on the clip to use.
4. Coat the connection with some shoe-goo, epoxy, rubber, or something to provide a strain
relief for the cable.
5. Plug the 1/4 inch plug into the jack on your tuner. Clip the alligator clip somewhere
near the center of the dulcimer. You may have to move it near the strings being tuned,
especially towards the top.
6. There you have it... a clip-on tuner without spending $18-20. Happy tuning.
Chris