@hdunagan@SrRochardBunson
I bought one as a gift for a good friend who confided that he’d always wanted one but wasn’t sure he’d be able to learn it. When he opened the present he admitted that he’d meant to say…a recorder. 🙄
@SrRochardBunson I first saw one at a festival in the mid 80's. Finally got around to learning the instrument myself about 12 years ago. I saw some other players mentioned; Bruce Hornsby also plays dulcimer. 🙂
@SrRochardBunson Oooh, favorite songs to play on dulcimer? I don't play a lot of traditional jam tunes, but if I was choosing in that genre, I'd say probably Southwind, John Stinson's #2, River, and Rosin the Beau. I'm more often arranging tunes I can sing with - most recently Caledonia (Dougie MacLean), Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen), and Summer Fly (Cheryl Wheeler).
@SrRochardBunson Yes - I played one on a trip to the States, once. In a little guitar shop in Sedona. When I got home, I bought a kit online and built one. It's currently awaiting re-stringing though. 😊
@SrRochardBunson It was a fun project to build, too. My woodworking's improved now (though my playing hasn't, lol) - I'd love to give another one a go someday.
@SrRochardBunson They’re nice. I had one years ago, and may at one point get another one, or one of its European cousins. The most surprising place I came across one was being played by Cyndi Lauper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5ikJcGm7ps
Edit: Only just spotted my very obvious grammar mistake (now corrected). I blame writing that response in the middle of the night. 😅
@SrRochardBunson good friends founded the Armadillo Dulcimer Company in normal, IL. We had 2 of them with carved curled up armadillos at the top. We were big friends of NFOTM (New Friends of Old Time Music) in the 70’s.
Mostly German and Polish heritage, some Czech. I guess we do have a share of Scandinavians, especially Norwegian, given how close we are to Minnesota (and the Minnesota Vikings, dontcha know?)
@SrRochardBunson@Bette
Oh duh I know what you're talking about. There are a lot of variations of that around the world. I just see mountain dulcimer and I think of it being plucked.
@SrRochardBunson
Pick you up one! They're really cheap on shopgoodwill.com. Then go look up "Bing Futch" on YouTube. He does lessons. @nathanlovestrees
@SrRochardBunson yesssss! One of my favorite musicians is Tim Eriksen, who often blends folk and punk elements in really interesting ways! I really miss making music like that...
@SrRochardBunson his solo stuff is what I'm most familiar with (really gritty but beautiful traditional folk tunes) but for the punk stuff make sure to check out his band Cordelia's Dad 😎
Sidebar: Do you know anyone that I could pay to #wood#lasercut my avatar like this beauty, to be part of a #DIY Mountain #Dulcimer that I'm dreaming of?
I should also mention that this thread was definitely inspired by AJ Roach's thread about his cigar box guitar and making music for the first time.
"This is the little cigar box I've been noodling on. It's cute. It can get loud enough, but I can also play it quiet, which is nice for sitting on the porch as the sun sets and plucking out tunes that are really just for me." https://retro.social/@ajroach42/110717886154187808
@SrRochardBunson yeah! I remember trying to find ways to play all the chromatic notes that were missing haha, made me explore really cool tunings. Excited for you
(I used to play and teach Oboe, by the way, and I remember how weird it was to first learn a string instrument. But once I figured it out it felt so natural to me)
I had one for years but all I taught myself was a couple Celtic reels, Dueling Banjos, and When the Saints Go Marching In🤣 I would get a certain level of inebriated and pull out the dulcimer and play them like a broken record.
@SrRochardBunson
I can remember lots of people playing them. No one in particular is a favorite. My favorite memories took place in a place in Knoxville first called The Jubilee Center and later Laurel Theater. One of my old college roomies started his career as a luthier making those in the edge of The Great Smoky Mountains.
It's a musical instrument; practical doesn't matter. I play (or used to before I buggered my shoulder), amongst other instruments, a full size double bass.
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