2012-01, Dulcimer Players News, Vol 38, No. 1 by Dulcimer Players News

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ulcimer D layers P Volume 38, Number 1, Winter 2012

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Since 1974

CD/Video Included

First Time Ever ideo Instruc tional V

CD!!!

on the sampler

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The Mysterious Red Hills Dulcimer

g e n i n l Tim

Tuterna

John McCutcheon

:These Days

Joell , m n u r I n Landr

u iddings, Da o y Judith G by

d us an d i p a L

Ste

ifert e S n phe

Featuring:

Dan Landrum l Stephen Seifert Rick Thum l Sarah Morgan Maureen Sellers l Nancy Johnson Gary & Toni Sager

April 13-15, 2012 Central City, KY in Beautiful Muhlenberg County

For more info, contact Joyce Stevens, j.stevens@muhlon.com l 270-754-1365 or Carmel Rich, Central City Tourist Director l 270-754-9603

Dulcimer Players News, Winter 2012

Dulcimer Players News, Inc. Post Office Box 278 Signal Mountain, TN 37377 (423) 886-3966 Email dpn@dpnews.com Web www.dpnews.com www.everythingdulcimer.com Editor Dan Landrum Circulation Angie Landrum

Contributors Mary Boardman Paula Brawdy Judith Giddings Janet Harriman Joellen Lapidus Debbie Miethig Dale Palecek Nathaniel Samsel Stephen Seifert Mark Shelton Ralph Lee Smith Bill Troxler Mark Lee Webb Libby Wilson

Subscription Rates (Four issues) United States $30; Canada & Mexico $44; all other countries $60. Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, checks drawn on American banks, cash and money orders accepted. Payment should be sent to the above post office box, or charged online at www. dpnews.com. Subscriptions are only refundable prior to the mailing of the first issue.

Index

Sampler CD Index

Editor's Letter

Readers' Letters

Music is Timing

Tune Your Internal Timing - Dan Landrum

Making Sense of Rhythm - Judith Giddings

Fascinatin' Rhythm - Joellen Lapidus

Don't Strain. Strum! - Stephen Seifert

Dulcimers in School - Libby Wilson

HD Technique - Mark Shelton

Guitar Journey - Nathaniel Samsel

Composing on Commission - Bill Troxler

John McCutcheon: These Days - Dale Palecek

The Mysterious Red Hills Dulcimer - Mark Lee Webb

History Repeats Itself - Debbie Miethig

Finding Treasure in Evart, MI - Paula Brawdy

My First Dulcimer Festival - Mary Boardman

Diamond Joy - Janet Harriman

Music and Book Reviews

Dulcimer Festival Listing

Index to Advertisers

Sheet Music and Tablature Are You Sleeping?

The John B Sails - arr. Giddings

Al Jesaki - arr. Lapidus

Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife - arr. Landrum/Seifert

A Simple Exercise for Hammerers - arr. Landrum

PAS Flam Exercises

Accomac Roots - Troxler

Alan's Waltz - Ward DPN 1

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CD Sampler Index

1. Tripping Feet: David Mahler, who won the Winfield Hammered Dulcimer Contest in 2004 at the age of 14, contributes our first cut. This exciting and beautiful original tune is from his new CD, Greenwood. Read about it on page 60. 2. Barlow Knife: Mark Gilston contributes this traditional tune from his new album, Grandpa's Favorites. Read about it on page 48. 3. Unknown Lullaby: We didn't have as many CD and book submissions as normal this quarter, so I stuck this on the sampler as a bonus. This is an original tune, written and recorded by Stephen Humphries and me (Dan Landrum). It is from our album Landrum/Humphries. 4. Mother's Tongue Medley: This Shaker tune medley is from Bill Collins. It includes the songs, "Mother's Tongue," "The Ancients Song of Mourning," and "How My Soul Is Now Read." I accidentally left it off a prior sampler CD, so with Bill's permission, I'm including it this time. The track is from the CD Sum of the Parts, which Bill recorded with Nina Zanetti.

by Contributing Musicians

5. Sally Garden: Jess Dickinson contributed this traditional cut from his new CD, From Dublin to the Delta, which he recorded with his band, Bluegass Appeal. Read about it on page 48. 6. Whiskey Before Breakfast: This traditional tune was contributed by Martin Moore, from his new CD, Welcome to the Music. Read about it on page 49. 7. Accomac Roots: Learn more about the process of creating this tune in Bill Troxler's article, "Composing on Commission," on page 32. Correction: On the Fall 2011 Sampler CD, the tune "Castle of Dromore" should have said it was submitted by Nina Zanetti from her new CD, Beside Still Waters, which was also reviewed in the Fall magazine.

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Editor’s Letter courage your friends & fellow club members to subscribe, and if you can afford it, purchase gift memberships. If you're a dulcimer builder or vendor, please consider advertising, and perhaps offer a sample Dulcimer Players News magazine, or subscription with every instrument! Contact us for more information about getting started. Thanks again for being a subscriber and for any help you can provide us in keeping the costs down for everyone. The response has been tremendous. Here are a few of your replies:

reetings fellow dulcimer fanatics. In late December, Angie and I sent an important email to as many DPN subscribers as we could. Since we also have many readers without email, I'm reprinting it below: I'm sure you've all seen the concerning news about the condition and future of the US Postal service. The postal system isn't likely to disappear, but it is most definitely changing and becoming more expensive. Dan and I have absorbed quite a few postal price increases over the past 4 years. This, combined with rising paper and printing costs, has definitely hit mom and pop publications hard. It might seem like the simple solution would be to raise the price of subscriptions and ads, however, we recognize many of our subscribers just couldn't afford it. We're doing our absolute best to not raise the price and believe the best solution is to find more subscribers and distribution channels. You see, the more magazines we print, the lower the cost of each magazine printed. With your help, we can take advantage of the economy of a larger subscriber base. Our subscription base is holding steady, so that is good news, but we need to see it grow in order to keep covering the rising costs of production and distribution. We're asking you today to please help us find more subscribers. En-

Hi, I printed off your message. I’m the president of the Springfield, Ohio Dulcimer Club and will take this to our next meeting. I love the “News” and the great work you two are doing. Thanks. Becky Jarvi I have only gotten Dulcimer Players News for the past year but just LOVE it. I will pass this on to my good friends that are also players. I was thrilled to find Dee Dee Tibbits arrangement of Infant Holy in the most recent issue. I wish it had been included on the CD. I am from Michigan so I am a little bias. Thank you for all your work and beautiful publication. Mary Frye Have you thought about putting Dulcimer Players on the computer and sending it to the suscribers? The Autoharp Quarterly does that and I love it. It's an option for those who have a computer. Debra Sanders We are definitely exploring electronic publication options, however this actually adds to the cost of the publication, rather than subtracting from it. There's no doubt that the future of magazines includes an electronic component, the hard part is going to be balancing the transition. Increasing the subscriber base would help on both the electronic, and print fronts. Just a thought - maybe reduce the quality of the printing? I'm not complaining, I think the DPN is an excellent publication, and the quality is fantastic. I have

Dan Landrum

absolutely no concept of the publishing business - but the wonderful quality printing and the thick stock might be reduced without the quality of the magazine being lowered appreciably, and without any degradation to the quality of the contents. I'm sure y'all have thought about it. I, for one, would not consider dropping my subscription if you decided to save some money on the physical characteristics of the magazine…. Just my two cents worth, Chris Downing Thanks for the suggestion Chris. We are exploring paper quality options as well, though that doesn't address the primary rising expense which is postal cost. Thanks for the message. Do you sell copies to stores for individual sale to customers? We have a bookstore on Chincoteague Island and we started carrying a small selection of magazines this year to see how they sold and they’ve been doing pretty well. Our inventory includes Acoustic Guitar and The Fretboard Journal some British music magazines. Not really sure what the demand would be for DPN here. With our other magazines, we started out with three copies and then adjusted quantities based on sales. Anyway, just thought I’d throw the idea out and see what you thought. Have a great holiday. Jane Richstein Thanks Jane. This is exactly the kind of avenue we're pursuing. We'll be in touch, and hope other stores will contact us as well. I will be passing the word about DPN when I go to a dulcimer workshop in January!! Also, I wanted to pass a note to you & let you know how much I am enjoying the Fall 2011 issue!! "My First Dulcimer Now What"? It is great!! I have only played a mountain dulcimer for 2 years, and this issue is geared more for beginners & brings inspiration & helpful advice!! Thanks! Julia Tate

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Letters ways” it is gratifying to see that that new-fangled computer would carry such an important function and still facilitate human contact. Of course, it was still the goodness of the dulcimer players that made it actually happen. Judi Ganchrow, CA & Israel

Hi, good job. I am learning how to play my hammer dulcimer now that I have retired from the Navy. Alfred E. Sculthorpe, MA

I enjoy the magazine and I’m always glad to see what’s inside when it arrives. It seems to me that at times, there is more hammered dulcimer TAB than mountain dulcimer TAB. (Just a plug for us mountain dulcimer players!) Barb Godfrey, MO

DPN is the best music magazine on the planet. Thank you super loads. Irene Tukuafu, IL I love the DPN and the CD. I love the articles, the festival guide and the music. Thanks for your wonderful donation to the dulcimer world. Peggy Broussard, LA I enjoy the magazine very much - it has improved so much since I first started getting it. Love the CDs, and the articles from people I have met along the way. Keep up the good work. Julie Wilderman, MO Still loving this magazine since 1999! Sherry D. Knight, LA Please renew my subscription to DPN magazine. I really enjoy every issue including the CD! Steve Long, TN What Goes Around Comes Around: Picture a volunteer living in Israel thinking “now is the time to learn a musical instrument, but what?” She cruised around on the computer and decided the lap dulcimer was the most beautiful thing she’d ever heard. She found me on the computer and my note to our list of dulcimer owners in the country turned up a nice dulcimer someone was willing to loan, but it was in the desert and she was in the north. No problem, another desert dulcimer player took it on the train with her one day and the volunteer got to the destination train station and picked it up swaddled in a blanket. We recently met at the Autumn Sde Boker Mountain Dulcimer Retreat and she took to that instrument like a duck to water. While some of us dulcimer players like to stick to the “old

I renewed online so as not to miss an issue. Is it possible to make an inclusive list of the songs and artists from all the CDs? Perhaps a list each year. Thanks for the magnificient magazine and CD. Thanks for your consideration, too. Frances Garrett, FL Really enjoyed the article on “Musical Giving” by Judith Giddings. Judy Vanderslice, CO Just a New Year’s thank you to you [Angie] and Dan for your seemingly unending energy at keeping the music alive! I was able to share some time with him at Swannanoa a few years ago – he is not only energetic in his teaching and performing, but energizes all around him to explore moving beyond traditional boundaries. The DPN demonstrates both your energies I am sure, and for someone a bit distant from any other players, I am so thankful for the continuing connection to knowledge, new music, and learning from others. Thank you so much! Carolyn Hudnall, WA Thanks for providing the dulcimer community with such a beautiful and informative magazine. I usually read it totally the first day I receive it. I especially like the CDs, the spotlights, the music presented and the whole layout. Judy Jackson, FL Hi, Dan! Hope you and your family are doing well. I really appreciate all the effort you put - in so many ways - into supporting the dulcimer community. Your work is always top-notch. Keep it up! Cindy Stephenson, SC

Please renew my subscription, and thank you for reminding me by email. You produce a beautiful magazine. I look forward to each issue. Paul Harvey, MO (84 years young) I love your magazine! Please keep putting things in it for beginners. Diane Northern, WA Beautiful graphic arts, great articles. CD is a wonderful bonus. Fred Stephan, IL Great magazine - you probably don’t charge enough for it! Maureen Mylander, AZ Corrections Musical Giving in the Fall 2011 Dulcimer Players News: The article contains a sentence that inaccurately states that “there are no standards for volunteer training and certification.” Actually, there ARE standards for volunteer training. Although the standards are not written into federal law regulating hospice programs, they are part of the Medicare State Operations Manual and all hospice programs must comply with them to receive Medicare funds. Volunteers are required to participate in training that focuses on issues surrounding terminal illness and provides guidance related to the volunteer’s specific responsibilities. Fall 2011 Festival Listing: A last minute change caused a formatting error which resulted in all of the festival dates being blacked out. We deeply regret this error.

I love this magazine! First, I read it cover to cover - then try the tunes. Great inspiration to practice and hope to sound like the CD someday! Nancy Turner, FL P.S. - Thought I could do without it once - but I was WRONG.

by DPN Readers

Dulcimer Players News PO Box 278 Signal Mountain, TN 37377 (423) 886 3966 dpn@dpnews.com www.dpnews.com

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IS Timing (with a capital T)

Contributing Authors: Judith Giddings, Joellen Lapidus, Dan Landrum, and Stephen Seifert

Tune Your Internal Timing by Dan Landrum

ood timing is like good story telling. The magic happens when the listener experiences the story, rather than the delivery of the story. Musicians use phrases like "in the groove," and "in the pocket," to describe a similar experience, but what do they mean? This is most certainly a subjective thing, and music that feels groovy for one person may not for another. However, the basics of timing are the same for everyone. It requires a pulse. Pulse Matters Timing is all about relating to a pulse. This is how we determine when to strike, strum, pick, pluck, bow, blow, press, etc., our musical expression into existence. The mechanics of reading note values and playing an instrument are secondary to finding and relating to a musical pulse. Without this skill, a musical instrument is just a noise maker. Fortunately, we all have an incredible, 8

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built-in, starting point for developing our pulse awareness. It is our own heartbeat, and we're going to use it as a reference tool in the following exercise. You, the Human Metronome Ready? Here we go. Place your hand on your neck and find your pulse. Take your time. Once you've found a good spot where you can easily feel it under your fingertip, just relax, close your eyes and be aware of its consistency. Focus all your attention on your heartbeat and then ponder the following questions: • Is it speeding up? • Is it slowing down? • Can you alter your breathing and affect the speed (tempo)? • What happens if you tense your muscles? Referring to the graphic in the upper right of the facing page, think about each heartbeat as a quarter note. Four heartbeats (quarter notes) represent

one measure in this exercise. Since your heartbeat is a steady stream of pulses you must determine where the first measure begins. This may seem like an overly obvious point, but the pulses leading up to the downbeat (an accented beat, usually the first of a bar) of the first measure are just as important as the downbeat itself. All too often, student musicians begin a song like they're being pushed unexpectedly off a diving board. Instead, anticipate the downbeat like a skilled diver anticipates the launch: step-bounce-dive = three-four-ONE. Listening to the Voices in Your Head While keeping one hand on your pulse, close your eyes, remain relaxed and completely still, and count internally along with your heartbeat: ONE-two-three-four ONE-two-three-four How long should you keep this up? Continued on Page 20

Making Sense of Rhythm

Beat -- the steady pulse.

a study guide by Judith Giddings

Tempo -- the speed of the beat, fast or slow, or number of beats per minute (bpm). Meter -- the way we group beats together into measures. Each measure is separated from the next with a vertical bar line. • The first beat of each group is usually the strongest (downbeat). • The last beat is usually the weakest (up-beat). • When a melody begins with an upbeat instead of a strong downbeat, this is called a pickup. For example, in ‘The Star Spangled Banner”: “Oh, Say can you see.” “Oh” is the pickup and “Say” is on the downbeat. Rhythm -- timing and duration of the notes within the framework of a steady beat. Rhythms are created by subdividing the beat into shorter durations or by adding them together into longer durations.

Half Note 1

Quarter Note 1

1 &

2 &

3 &

4 &

1 E & uh

2 E & uh

3 E & uh

4 E & uh

Eighth Note

Note duration -- the length of time a note is held. • Whole Note: has four internal beats. We hold and count a whole note as “1,2,3,4.” • Half Note: has 1/2 the value of a whole note and is held for two beats. We count a half note as “1, 2.” • Quarter Note: gets one beat because it is 1/4 the value of a whole note (which gets 4 beats). • Eighth Note: There are two 8th notes in a quarter note, four 8th notes in a half note, and eight 8th notes in a whole note. Eighth notes have a flag attached to the stem. Beams connect notes with a duration of an 8th note or less that occur with the time of one beat. • Sixteenth Note: Two 16th notes = one 8th Note. Four 16th notes = one quarter note. A 16th note has a double flag. Dotted notes: The dot is musical shorthand, a way to show that a note should be held longer.

Whole Note

Time signature -- defines how many beats there are in each measure and Sixteenth Note the value of the note to get one beat. • Top number indicates how many beats there are in a measure. • Bottom number indicates what kind of note gets one beat. • There must always be the correct number of beats per measure as indicated by the time signature.

Note Values in one measure of 4/4 Time

Rest: an interval of silence during a song. There are symbols that stand for specific rests. The counting for rests is the same as for notes. Rest Values in one measure of 4/4 Time Whole Rest = rest for 1 measure (4 beats)

Half Rest = rest for 1 half measue (2 beats)

Quarter Rest = rest for 1 quarter of a measure (1 beat) Eighth Rest = rest for 1 eighth of a measure ( 1 half of a beat) 16th Rest = rest for 1 sixteenth of a measure (1 quarter of a beat)

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Stems on Tab Numbers Give a Clue About Note Values

•

A dotted note is 1 1/2 times the length of the same note without the dot. In other words, the note keeps its original length and adds another half of that original length because of the dot. The dotted quarter note = + is worth 1 1/2 beats. A quarter note is worth 1 beat. The dot, therefore, is worth 1/2 beat.

Tied notes: the only way to write a sound that starts in one measure and ends in a different measure. • Tied notes are written with a curved line connecting two notes. • Notes of any length may be tied together, and more than two notes may be tied together. • The sound they stand for will be a single note that equals the length of all the tied notes added together. Triplets: When a beat is divided into thirds, a triplet, the number “3” is written above the notes. Other time signatures: • In 4/4 time, there are 4 beats per measure and a quarter note gets one beat. • 6/8 time (Jig): 6 beats per measure, and an eighth note gets one beat. [Editor's Note: Be sure to read the article by Joellen Lapidus on page 14 of this DPN issue for an in depth exploration of 6/8 time.] • 3/4 (Waltz) time: 3 beats per measure and a quarter note gets one beat. • 2/4 (March) time: 2 beats per measure

and a quarter note gets one beat. Final thoughts about time signatures: The value of a note (how many beats it gets according to the top number of the time signature) can change, but the relationship of one note to another remains the same. • A quarter note would be worth one beat in • 4/4 time and two beats in 6/8 time. But it always takes two quarter notes to equal the value of a half note, two eighth notes to equal one quarter note. For example, in 3/4 time, a measure can have any combination of notes and rests that is the same length as three quarter notes. -Judith Giddings

The normal rule is that for any line of music, the notes and rests in each measure must add up to exactly the amount of time in the time signature, no more or less.

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Fascinatin' Rhythm

Understanding 6/8 timing by Joellen Lapidus

6/8 rhythm has 6 eighth notes per measure. For the mountain dulcimer player, most likely this means 6 strums per measure.

Dividing 6/8 into 3 groups of 2 Want to have even more fun with 6/8 time? Instead of dividing the 6 beats into 2 groups of 3, or triplets, we can divide the 6 beats by 3 and get 3 groups of 2, which for lack of a better word we are going to call duplets.

Most of us are familiar with the sound of 6/8 in Irish jigs such as "The Irish Washerwoman." In my tablature I use an up arrow to indicate a strum away from the body, i.e. that goes across the melody middle and bass strings in that order. I use a down arrow to indicate a strum going the other way. The curved lines beneath several arrows indicates that the strums included above it are grouped together. The symbol “ › ” tells you to put an accent, or additional oomph on that beat.

Instead of counting this rhythm as 1 2 3 4 5 6 we are going to count it as: 1 and 2 and 3 and | 1 and 2 and 3 and

A pleasant aspect of 6/8 time is the shifting of the accent from the front to the back stroke on the 1st and 4th beat. It feels relaxing and balancing, like a pendulum swinging back and forth.

So let’s play the first part of "The Irish Washerwoman," and get the feel of the 2 groups of 3 with their alternating accents.

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This sounds a bit like a waltz if we whisper the “ands”. We create different rhythms with the grouping of strums and where we place our accents. 6/8 divided into 2 triplets puts the accents on the 1st and 4th beat. 6/8 divided into 3 groups of 2 puts the accent on the 1st, 3rd and 5th beat.

We can not only make a song more interesting by how we ornament or improvise upon the melody, we can also vary or improvise upon the rhythm. So here’s a song in 6/8 that uses the 2 triplet version of 6/8 as well as the 3 duplet version. I learned this beautiful delicate song, “Ai Jesaki,” while studying Indian Music (from India) at the Ali Akbar College of Indian Music in the late 1970s. It can be strummed or fingerpicked and is equally beautiful. “Ai Jesaki” is an early morning Raga. For Indian music the word “Raga” means both a song and the mode in which the song is written. “Ai Jesaki” happens to be in Raga that is the same as the Ionian mode, so we can play it in that tuning.

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Improvising the Rhythm In 6/8 Here is an improvisation I made up for “Ai Jesaki.” The melody is the same, I’ve changed the rhythm patterns. Use it only as a suggestion to encourage you to try some ideas of your own.

Joellen Lapidus is one of the pioneers of contemporary fretted dulcimer playing, songwriting, and instrument construction and is the author of the dulcimer instruction book "Lapidus on Dulcimer".

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The sheet music on the facing page is the version of "Merrily Kiss the Quakers Wife" that I was taught. I mention that because a quick YouTube search of the tune title, which I hope you'll do, will result in quite a few different versions. It is included here so you have another song on which to try out your 6/8 skills as taught in Joellen's article on the prior pages. This is a great jam tune. Thanks to Stephen Seifert for tabbing it out for mountain dulcimer. -Dan Landrum

Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife

traditional

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Tune Your Internal Timing

continued from page 8 your anticipated downbeat. Be mentally silent for the next three beats. This may be harder than you think. For the half notes think: • ONE-----THREE----For eighth notes you'll need to add the word "and" between each heartbeat: • ONE-&-two-&-three-&-four-& • ONE-&-two-&-three-&-four-& For sixteenth notes, we need 4 sounds per heartbeat. We do this by adding two more sounds: • ONE-e-&-uh-two-e-&-uhthree-e-&-uh-four-e-&-uh • It is a good idea to get used to saying your e-&-uhs out loud, too. Yes, it sounds silly, but it is an important part of learning to count music. Finally, try imaging triplets–three beats in the space of one heartbeat. Think about it this way: • Trip-uhl-let-Trip-uhl-let• Trip-uhl-let-Trip-uhl-letThe "trip" part aligns with your pulse and the "uhl-let" makes up the rest of the beat. You will feel 12 even beats over the

Probably the rest of your life! Developing a keen sense of the rhytyms within and around us is a life long effort. It is also a lot of fun when you begin to see progress that shows up in your music. When you get good at counting comfortably along with your pulse, you may notice your heartrate dropping a bit - an added health benefit! Once this becomes easy for you, try the following: • Adjust your breathing to be in time with your counting. • Focus on breathing naturally so that the timing of inhales and exhales is not in time with your counting. This is harder, but it approximates what happens when you keep time while focusing on playing an instrument. • Choose other numbers to mentally emphasize: ONE-two-THREE-four one-two-three-FOUR, etc. Now you should be ready to count some of the other simple divisions on the opposite page. For whole notes, try to think only the ONE on

Exercise> 2

course of our four heartbeat measure. Imagine all these exercises in cooperation with, rathing than working against, your pulse. With each exercise, also imagine yourself playing these divisions on your instrument while still using your pulse as a metronome. If you find this kind of focus difficult, go easy on yourself and try again, when you have some free time. If the time isn't right for you, then the timing won't be right for you either. I've also included a simple (insert your favorite smiley face here) exercise below for you to try on your instrument after putting yourself through the mental paces. Try to memorize this exercise, rather than just reading it from the staff below. Make sure to use a metronome, and set it well below 50 beats per minute. If you don't, the 16th notes will bite. I promise. There's a video demonstration of this exercise included on this quarter's sampler CD. You'll need to stick the CD in your computer in order to play the file. - Dan Landrum

A Simple (yeah, right) Exercise for Hammerers

& c .. & ..

œ #œ

œ >

œ >R

œ >

œ >R

œ #œ

>œ

œ >

œ #œ

.. ..

>œ œ œ ># 3 > œ œ >œ œ œ >#œ œ œ >œ œ œ . œ œ œ .. œœœœœ & . œ œ œ œ # œ # œ œ œ > 3 3 œ œ œ >œ œ > > œ œ >œ œ œ >œ œ œ >œ > 3 3 > 3 3 >R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R 11 >œ œ >œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .. & .. œ œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ > > œ œ œ œ > œ œ œ œ> > > 7

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R L

L R L

R L

R L R L R L R

R L R L

Don't Strain. Strum! by Stephen Seifert

Exercises for Brain and Body

he 5 examples below accompany the teaching video I made for the DPN sampler CD in this issue. You'll need to put the disc into a computer to watch the lesson. In the video, I show you how to get your brain and body ready to accurately play a huge variety of rhythms, using an alternating strum and improvised accent patterns.

Ex. 2 - While alternating your whisper strum, improvise heavily accenting various beats (1, 2, 3, 4). You will only be accenting out strums. Go as slowly as necessary to do this well. Improvisa-

Ex. 1 - Playing along with and apart from the video air strum, using an alternating strum. Go out on every beat (1, 2, 3, 4) and in on the and (&) of every beat. Eventually change from air strumming to whisper strumming where you'll hit the strings as quietly as you can in both directions. Go as slowly as necessary to get this smooth and accurate. For this example and all those that follow, do not stop alternating.

tion is the key. What is written here is just an example of what your improvisation might produce. Strive for variety, accuracy, and emotional content.

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Ex. 3 - In this exercise, you'll be improvisationally accenting only the ands of each beat. I've labeled each "and" with an ampersand (&). Each of these will be done with an in strum. Make sure you start each measure with a whisper out strum. The trick here is to learn to feel the downbeats

even though your accents all fall on the ands. Again, what's written here is just an example of what you might do. Remember to constantly vary what you're doing inside the context of an alternating strum.

Ex. 4 - For this exercise, improvise accenting beats and ands of beats. This one is gold. It's especially helpful to feel beats one and three with your upper body regardless of where you're placing the accents. Keep the alternation

smooth and constant. You will feel the need to studder strum especially when accenting ands that aren't preceded by an accent. Practice this at various speeds. It's the key to developing a killer right hand.

Ex. 5 - Here's just one of the many advanced rhythms your new training will help you with. This is an 8-beat classic bossa nova rhythm. On the video, I play "Bile Them Cabbage Down" a couple different ways using improvised accents. You should be doing this same kind of thing on songs you know really well. It will be hard at first to depart from what you're used to. Strive for a right hand that is never stagnant. It's very much worth the effort. One more thing for you to try. Now that you're placing accents well, improvise some of the whisper strums back into air 22 DPN

strums. To be more clear, look at the bossa nova rhythm in example 5. Alternate your right hand like you have been all along, but only let the pick hit the strings on the accenting notes. Everything else will be in the air. Ultimately, whether you're using whisper or air strums, you're improvising where the accents fall while alternating the right hand to the beat. I believe both you and your listener crave an exciting and surprising right hand. Take your time with all this and work hard to apply it to what you already play. Always play from the heart. Many ears will thank you. - Stephen Seifert

Dulcimers in School

by Libby Wilson

"I really like the dulcimer. I love playing it, even though I'm not very good at it. I prefer the mountain dulcimer. I've tried playing the other kind and this is the easiest."

arrington Grade School was one of 13 schools to receive a fine arts grant from the Illinois Arts Council/Illinois State Board of Education. Farrington is a small, rural school in Southern Illinois located northeast of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, in Jefferson County. The school district was established in 1956 after the consolidation of nine one-room schools. During the years that followed, the school's enrollment numbers have been as high as near 90 and as low as 43. The current enrollment is in the low 60s as Farrington School continues to keep its door open while other similar districts in the surrounding areas have been closed for several years now. Pastor Rodney Mellott began building some dulcimers and giving them to the children of his church. The principal of Farrington, Monte Jo Clark, who attended his church, saw what Mellott was doing and decided to buy some kits. She asked Mellott to work with the students to build the dulcimers so they would have an instrument to learn to play. This was something another school was doing.

In the spring of 2009, twelve dulcimer kits were purchased from Musicmaker's Kits. Mellott worked with the seventh and eighth grade students to construct the mountain dulcimers. This involved cutting, gluing, sanding, staining, and stringing. The students were given the opportunity to chose decorative rosettes for a more personal style. Twelve dulcimers were built and remain at the school for students continued use to learn and perform. The time frame for building the dulcimers was about 4 weeks, with the students working a certain period of time 3 or 4 days a week. In March of 2009, The Thursday Night Thunder dulcimer group went to Farrington to play for the students so they could hear how the instruments they were building could someday sound. I was asked by the principal to come to the school and teach a couple of Christmas songs to the seventh and eighth grade students so the dulcimers could be used in the Christmas program.

The eighth grade students at that time were the seventh graders who helped build the dulcimers. The 8th graders picked up the dulcimer they had worked on the previous year, feeling something special for that particular dulcimer. In the school year 2010-2011, a spring project was to build 6 strumblies from kits, again working with Mellott. That same spring, I came back to the school to teach group lessons with the idea of the students performing a mini-concert during the school's art show in May. The students learned several traditional songs, the first being "Bile Them Cabbage." This became the song they played any time they had a free moment. They not only learned to play the first part of "Bile Them Cabbage," but also the second part during that first group lesson. The group met for eight 30-minute classes. During this time of preparing for the concert, students were allowed to take the dulcimers and strumblies home to practice and some took their

"I like the tone of the dulcimer. I enjoy playing this but I need some time to practice on it. It is very fun to play." DPN 23

"I like it because the tune is old fashioned like this township. The worst thing about it is it's hard to tune it and to string it."

dulcimers to church and played. About a week before the art show, the students went to Green Tree, an assisted living facility in Mt. Vernon, and performed. This was their first time to play in front of an audience and they considered it a trial run for their upcoming mini-concert. They were very well accepted at Green Tree and later that evening, their teacher overheard a couple of women talking about the dulcimer players who entertained them that afternoon and how much they enjoyed hearing the kids play. There was a retired music teacher in the audience and she had many positive comments to make about the group, which made the students very proud, especially since it was their first time to perform. It is now school year 2011-2012. There are 9 students in the combined class of seventh and eighth graders. Just recently three of those students performed at the Jefferson County 4-H Achievement Program in Mt. Vernon, and last year, one of the students, who is a 4-H member, took his dulcimer to show. On November 18, 2011 a field trip was taken to the Cedarhurst Center for the Performing Arts in Mt. Vernon to attend a program, "Folk Songs of Illinois," given by Chris Vallillo, an award-winning folksinger. A hammered dulcimer from the 1800s was one of the instruments that he played. After the program, students were encouraged to go up on stage and play the scale. Farrington's seventh and eighth grade students, some much more eager than others, all gave it a try. 24 DPN

In March I will return to Farrington to start teaching some traditional songs to the group. During this time, the sixth graders will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the dulcimer. I was not involved in the building of the dulcimers but came on board much later. I do know how proud the students are of their dulcimers. It has been a wonderful opportunity for the children and will continue to be in the future. Elizabeth "Libby" Wilson is a retired first grade teacher who started taking dulcimer lessons at age 60 before she retired. She is a member of the Thursday Night Thunder dulcimer group that meets in Okawville, IL, every Thursday night (a drive of about 40 miles one way) and she meets with a group from Salem, IL (Rusty Strings) on Tuesday nights when she can. Libby has started a small group of beginners in Mt. Vernon, which practices every other Monday night at Green Tree. "I have received much enjoyment from playing the dulcimer and have met many, many wonderful people, and hope to continue to meet many more." ~ Libby

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HD Technique - Flams

he flam entered my life in elementary school band. Whether using sticks, brushes, mallets, bare hands, or dulcimer hammers, this percussion rudiment has been an important element in my musical vocabulary ever since. The flam can be used in a variety of musical situations on the hammered dulcimer and a few simple steps can move you toward more consistent flam tone and technique. The flam consists of two separate sounds, a grace note and a main (primary) note. Although any instrument capable of producing two distinct levels of volume (including the human voice) can execute a grace note to a main note, the term flam is generally restricted to the percussion family. The grace note is played at a significantly softer dynamic level than the main note. This softer note does not receive a strict rhythmic value; it strikes shortly before the main note. Part of the flam art is being able to place the grace note very close to the main note (closed) or allowing more space (open) between the two sounds. In drumming, the grace note of the flam can function as an accent aid, an ornamental stroke, or a broadening element. Since many drums have a short sustain, the inclusion of a grace note can give a lengthening effect (broadening) to the main note. Sustain is seldom an issue on the hammered dulcimer so the grace note of the flam is generally used to provide extra emphasis (accent) and as a decoration to the primary note (ornamental) in dulcimer performance. When used in a decorative manner, the grace note can be played on either the same course of strings as the main note or on a different course. When used in the latter fashion, the grace note can be used to provide harmony to the main note. The standard flam only comes in two flavors: the right flam and the left flam. With the right flam, the grace note is produced by the left hand and the right hand plays the main note. The left flam contains a main note in the left hand preceded by the right hand grace note. (Remember: The flam name comes from the main note hand.) One of the key elements in playing the flam is positioning. Position-

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ing refers to the height of the strikers hands (or sticks or hammers) to the striking surface (drumhead, cymbal, dulcimer strings). Much of my knowledge of flam positioning came from the teaching of Gray Barrier and Marty Hurley during my college years. Once I incorporated these simple methods, my flam technique improved greatly. Let us begin with the positioning and playing of a right flam. Basic Right Flam Notation LR Notice that the grace note is represented by a much smaller note than the main note. You can probably imagine the flam sound by looking at the notation. However, the notation is also a graphic depiction of the hammer positioning.

Position your grace note hammer (L) very close to the strings since the volume level is significantly softer that the main note. The other hammer (R) should be positioned higher in order to produce the velocity for the louder main note. You can now see how the hammer positioning relates to the notation. Your hammers look like a flam is about to happen. You are set up for success. Waitâ&#x20AC;Ś before you bring those hammers down for the flam, let's focus on the grace note. Practice dropping the hammer onto the course and returning to the original position (producing only one sound, no multiple bounces). Notice that I used the word, dropping. Do not think about using force to move the grace note hammer but merely drop it onto the string and immediately bring it back to its original position. The sound should be soft but audible. There is a tendency to wonder if there is significant volume produced by dropping. Trust that there will be plenty to achieve the desired grace note effect.

by Mark Shelton

Now that you have control of the grace note, return to the flam positioning and get ready for both hammers to move. Think about the sound that you want to achieve; the grace note sounding softly just before the main note. With that sound in mind, bring the hammers down to the course. With correct positioning, the hammers can begin moving at the same time with the grace note arriving at the course first because of the shorter traveling distance. As each hammer strikes, bring it back to the starting position. There is usually a tendency to pick up the grace note higher than needed. This wastes motion and contributes to inefficient technique. Form a habit of bringing the grace note hammer only as high as needed for the required volume. Think: Grace note stays low. After achieving a consistent right flam, move on to the left flam. The positioning will be reversed with the right hand playing the grace note and the main note handled by the left. As with the right flam, make sure that the hammers travel back to their starting position after each flam to prepare for the next.

Along with successive flams using the same positioning, there is also a need to use positioning for alternating flams. Start with the hammers in the right flam position. Play a right flam but instead of returning the hammers to their original positions, bring the grace note hammer up to the main note position and hold the main note hammer down after striking so that it is in the grace note position. Check your positioning and when correct, play a left flam and bring the hammers into position to set up a right flam. Continue to alternate and think ahead about where the hammers will be repositioned after each flam. Practice this slowly and precisely all the while listening for a good flam tone. Use an direct up and down hammer path

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when practicing the alternating flams. Avoid the tendency to use a sweeping sideways motion. With enough practice, muscle memory will make this process less robotic and your hands will begin to travel to these positions with a more natural flow. Trust me, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been on the flam train for a while. Once you are comfortable with the flam positioning, begin to incorporate flams into your playing. Find places in the music where a grace note seems appropriate and experiment. Try noodling around with flams; it might inspire your creative juices for a composition. Learning the correct positioning for flams allows you to move into other flam rudiments. The Percussive Arts Society International Drum Rudiments chart, a portion of which is excerpted on the facing page, contains a section of flam based rudiments. The flam is the first cousin to another rudiment, the drag, which uses two grace notes. The flam positioning method can also be applied to the drag, giving you extra bang for your practicing buck. All of these rudiments can be applied to the hammered dulcimer to further enrich your musical vocabulary. Try practicing the flam positioning away from the dulcimer. Use your hands on a table, hammers on a mouse pad, or sticks on a pillow. You will be able to hear the subtleties of the flam without the ring of the dulcimer. Practicing on a surface that will not produce as much rebound as the dulcimer strings might be beneficial in the initial stages of learning this technique. -Mark Shelton From the early days of his career in the North Carolina Visiting Artist program to his current activities as a percussion soloist, clinician, sideman, and entrepreneur, Mark Shelton has created programs, products, and educational services for a variety of ages. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life was never the same after his wife built that hammered dulcimer. www.marksheltonmusic.com Watch Mark's video, Flam Positioning at: www.percussionhowto.blogspot.com

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Guitar Journey

absolutely love playing the mountain dulcimer and will never stop playing it. I love the dulcimer’s sound and history, and the people from the dulcimer community. However, I am not someone who believes the dulcimer is the only proper instrument to play. In fact, I am very open to learning new instruments. A few years ago I really wanted to play guitar, so I asked for a guitar for Christmas. Lo and behold, my grandpa got me a guitar. I was very excited. Shortly after I got the guitar I found an instructional book and started trying to learn. But after a couple of days, I began getting discouraged because the fret board and the strings were so thick, and with me only 10 years old at the time, my fingers were short and weak. Along with the physical challenges, I was very confused about learning how to play with 30 DPN

three more strings than the dulcimer I was comfortable with and a completely different tuning than I had ever used. After a couple more days with the traditional tuning, I gave up and tuned it D-A-D-D-A-D, (like two dulcimers) and played it flat on my lap. I could play it that way! Soon the novelty of playing the guitar like a dulcimer wore off, though, and my guitar has sat in my room with all of my dulcimers since then and has rarely been touched…. Until a few weeks ago, that is. I recently thought how nice it would be if, when I record someday, I could have some backup guitar behind some of the songs on the CD. I thought it would be really cool if I could play behind myself on the recording. Beyond the recording aspect, I have always thought it would be good to have some knowledge of the guitar because it

by Nathaniel Samsel

is in so many music stores and other places where dulcimers are not, and it would be nice to be able to play something at those places. Plus, it’s simply a cool-sounding backup instrument. So I decided to give the guitar another shot and try to learn back-up playing. One big advantage for me as I began really learning the guitar was that from playing the dulcimer (for nearly five years now), I know quite a bit about rhythm, strumming, and picking that people first learning an instrument haven’t yet learned. Therefore, all I needed to learn to play pretty good back-up guitar was what to do with my left hand. The first step I made toward learning how to use my left hand was looking up on Google, “basic guitar chord chart.” I found a chord chart online for all of the basic guitar chords you need to back someone up in a major key.

After memorizing all of those chords, I realized that the only chord progression I actually knew was for the key of D. I knew how to back people up on the dulcimer, but I didn’t really think about what chords I was playing. And I didn’t really know how to figure out what the main chords in different keys were – which I sort of needed to know in order to play back-up guitar. Then one night, while lying in bed, I remembered some music theory about chord numbers that I had heard in a dulcimer class a couple of years before, but didn’t know what to do with at the time. That made everything make sense about how to figure out the main chords in any key. The next morning I went back to Google to make sure that I had remembered correctly about how the theory worked and found that I was right. So, with that knowledge I figured out the main chord progressions to every major key and wrote them down in my computer for my reference. I am amazed when I think about how when I went to that

dulcimer class and learned that theory, I had no idea how I was going to even use that knowledge for the dulcimer. I surely had no clue that a couple of years down the road I would be able to use that knowledge for learning the guitar. I have now started memorizing the basic chord progressions for a different key every week. I am amazed at how much easier the learning has been this time than the first time. That’s partly because, having played dulcimer for several years now, I know much better how to hear the chord changes in a song, and I know a lot more about rhythm. It’s also easier because my fingers are much stronger and longer. I have also been amazed at how many great resources there are online for learning a new instrument (or learning more about the dulcimer), and I would encourage anybody wanting to learn something new to see what you can find online and to give those findings a try. -Nathaniel Samsel

About Nathaniel Samsel Thirteen-year-old Nathaniel Samsel of Clarkesville, Georgia has been playing the mountain dulcimer for five years. He is the current Southern Regional Mountain Dulcimer Champion. He also won the Colorado and Georgia state competitions in 2011 and finished third in the nationals at the 2011 Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. Samsel enjoys performing and teaching and has had opportunities to teach dulcimer workshops at a handful of festivals. His interest in learning other instruments took, what some might consider, a scary turn last year when he purchased a bluegrass banjo. His music practice time now includes lots of finger rolls!

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Composing on Commission

ew of us have people beating down our doors to write checks for the tunes we create. But, all of us have occasions for which a unique piece of music would be a special gift. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, memorial services and other important moments punctuate our lives. Each of these events is made better by the gift of original music. Some composers of event-specific music simply follow their muse and slap an appropriate title on the finished tune. While this approach is used more often than not, it is both an easy way out and misses the point of the event. A little thought and planning can dramatically improve the results of the compositional effort. Planning to compose an event-specific tune relies upon two guiding principles. 1. Define the subject A thoughtful rendering of an eventspecific composition begins by distilling the subject of the composition into a short list of salient, emotive characteristics. Take care in this step to get to the heart of the subject by listing features that would be immediately recognizable to anyone familiar with the subject.

The best features for these lists generally originate in the first thoughts that come to mind. The key point to keep in mind is that the finished composition should evoke feelings and understandings shared by many who know the subject. Divide the list into primary and subordinate features. The primary features are those whose absence would render the definition of the subject incomplete. Keep the list of primary features short. Think of each primary feature as the topic of a movement in the final composition. If you are writing a tune in A-B form, the list of primary features should contain only two items. It helps to select primary features that differ significantly from each other. Consciously selecting contrasting primary features will ensure that the movements of the composition will be distinctive and that the overall piece will have clarity. Once the short list of primary features is set, review the list of secondary features to select those that best support the primary features. Discard the rest of the secondary features. While you are not yet ready to compose, this is the time to begin exploring the musical motives that will drive the composition.

Insert 1 Musical Motive A Musical Motive is a short musical idea that recurs throughout a composition. A motive may be melodic, harmonic or rhythmic. A motive is the smallest subdivision of a theme or phrase that retains its musical identity. The Irish waltz South Wind is an A-B tune in which each part has sixteen measures. The three-note, rhythmic motive of South Wind shown below appears in sixteen of the thirtytwo measures of the tune.

About the Author: Bill Troxler is the founding president of Common Ground on the Hill. He is a member of the trio 3 Sheets (www.3sheetz.net) and teaches hammer dulcimer on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Bill is a Fellow of the Washington Academy of Science and president emeritus of Capitol College.

32 DPN

by Bill Troxler

2. Allow the subject to set the structure and guide the composition Once the lists of features are settled, allow these descriptions of the subject to set the compositionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s form, tempo and style. It is best not to begin by forcing the composition into a specific form. An anniversary event is not always best served by a waltz. A memorial service does not always require a slow air. Imposing structure and style at the outset limits compositional options and creativity. Let the content drive the choice of structure. An Example of a Commission rofessor Richard H. Smith is Chairman of the Chemistry Department at McDaniel College. In addition to being a hammer dulcimer player, one of Dr, Smithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adjunct interests is genealogy. In pursuit of this interest, he founded "Accomac Roots". This is an organization created to serve as a resource for researching the genealogy of African-American families on Chincoteague Island, Accomac County, Virginia. From 1810 to 1850, free blacks and slaves comprised roughly fifty- percent of the population of Accomac County. Little data has been compiled about those families. The website for "Accomac Roots" (www.accomacroots.com) explains the project in great detail. In an email exchange with me about music, Dr. Smith wrote this:

Maybe dream up a little HD theme music for the "Accomac Roots" website sometime? They were hard working, basically poor folk who made amazing progress given their slave roots. Must have had dreams of this island being the ancestral home for their descendants - dreams that drifted away as they left the island and their land gradually passed into white hands. Dr. Smith may have been dreaming about a theme, but I took on his dream as a commission. On the next page I'll show you how the three-part tune, "Accomac Roots", was created using the

DPN 33

34 DPN

Guiding Principles two guiding principles.

1. Define the subject of the composition by making a list of features that describe the emotive core of "Accomac Roots" Primary features Fiddle tunes – African-American musicians performing at plantation balls The trauma of slavery contrasted against the ascendancy of AfricanAmericans African-Americans as THE defining agents of American popular music Secondary features selected African rhythm - Rhythmic complexity – polyrhythm - hemiola African melodies - pentatonic scales Musical form of ragtime Secondary features listed but abandoned Unknown ancestors Disturbed, lost, unmarked grave sites Out-migration – leaving home Subsistence living – barely making it Discrimination Soft shoe dance rhythms Musical forms of blues, rock and roll, jazz, soul, hip-hop, rap Duke Ellington, Pine Top, Robert Johnson, Billie Holiday, Dr. Billy Taylor 2. Allow the subject to set the structure and guide the composition In order to express the three primary features identified in the lists, the composition had to be structured into three distinctive parts. Each part is described below along with an explanation of how the three unique melodies were composed. Part A: A fiddle tune This movement is a bright, upbeat dance tune intended to recall that African-American slave-musicians supported southern balls. A major key is appropriate and a 4|4 meter was selected. This common-place setting of Part-A makes the subsequent parts standout more prominently than they otherwise would. Composition of Part-A was entirely intuitive. Part B: Trauma and ascendancy Part-B is the physical and allegorical center of the composition. This movement employs melodic, harmonic and rhythmic tools to express the never resolved conflict between trauma and ascendancy. Six techniques in this thirteen-measure part help to establish the moods associated with the descriptors on the features lists. • Part B changes tonality to B-minor from D-major in Part-A. This is done to get the listener’s attention and darken the message of the composition. The change of key recognizes the second member of the primary feature list.

Hemiola A metrical pattern in which two bars in simple triple time are played as if they were three bars in simple duple time is called hemiola. For dulcimer players a hemiola often takes two measures of a 3|4 figure and plays it as though it was three measures in 2|4. Dulcimer players commonly call this playing “3 against 2”. It sets up tension that is resolved when the meter returns to its original state. Hammer dulcimer players often perform hemiola by playing the 3|4 figure in the right hand and the 2|4 figure in the left hand. Very often the left hand will play a pentatonic scale while the right hand will play an ostinato between two tones of the supporting chord.

Rondo Rondo is a musical structure in which a principle theme alternates with one or more contrasting themes. The principle theme is called "the refrain". The alternative themes are called "episodes". The structural patterns of the rondo form are many, but common forms are: ABA, ABACA, ABACABA. Parts A and B contrast with each other. Part C is most often written in a different key than parts A and B. The classic form of a ragtime tune is a type of rondo that begins with a brief introduction and proceeds with a structural pattern of AA BB A CC DD. The term rondo originates with the Italian word "ritornare" which means "to return". An example of a classical rondo is the theme music to the PBS series Masterpiece Theater. An example of a classical ragtime piece is Scott Joplin’s tune The Entertainer. That piece was the theme music for the popular 1970’s movie The Sting.

• Despite the sad and dark tonality of B -minor, in all but one-and-a-half measures (18 and 22) of this part, the melodic movement is upward. This upward motion against a dark harmonic background adds tenDPN 35

sion while expressing the idea of ascendancy. The change recognizes the second member of the primary feature list. • Recollection of African rhythmic complexity is achieved in measures 14 and 15 and again in measures 20 and 21. Note the meter change to 3|4 and back to 4|4 in these two sets of measures. This is polyrhythm, or hemiola, and addresses the first member of the secondary feature list. • The harmonic movement of Part-B is intended to keep the listener on unleveled ground. The piece appears to be in B minor, but in measure 15 a C-chord is the harmonic background. The listener is immediately, but briefly, thrown into a D-mixolydian harmonic structure. The very next measure brings the tonality into a harmonic minor tonality with the F#7 chord. That chord is the V chord to B minor and implies a harmonic, rather than a natural, minor scale for the melody. The relationship between C and F# is that of the deeply unsettling tritone. Part-B is full of harmonic uncertainty. This expresses the trauma characteristic of the second member of the primary feature list • The final four chords at the end of Part-B execute a modulation away from the Aeolian Mode (B minor) an toward the Ionia mode (D). But, the modulation is incomplete. Part-B ends with an open cadence ending on the A7 chord. The harmonic movement at the end of Part-B allows the listener to regain lost footing and find the way back to the original tonic key of D. • The final two-and-a-half measures are an upward scale suggesting a rising-up that remains incomplete. Stopping on the V chord leaves the ear craving a return to the I chord. This makes a return to Part-A, and the original tonality of the key of D, most welcome. The melodic and harmonic rises express the ascendant characteristic noted as the second member of the primary feature list. 36 DPN

Part C: Celebrate the musical contributions of African-Americans For me, ragtime is the seminal contribution of African-Americans to our nation’s music. In its day, ragtime was a cutting edge art form. It’s acceptance by mainstream America began a long redefinition of American popular music. Sheet music of ragtime tunes could be found in genteel parlors where proper, young ladies played culturally-edgy rags on the family piano. The provenance of a rag was often ensured by the image of a black performer on the cover page of the sheet music. Ragtime music opened the door for America to embrace the blues, jazz and rock-and-roll. Ultimately, these music forms shaped American popular music across all of its manifestations. There is no form of contemporary American popular music that has not been shaped by African-American creativity. The tune "Accomac Roots" had to end with a short ragtime-sounding movement. Prior to the decision about the nature of Part-C being made, the form of "Accomac Roots" was unsettled. Committing to Part-C as a rag set the overall form of the composition as a rondo. One pass through "Accomac Roots" would be AABACC with Part-A serving as the refrain and Parts -B and -C Rondo serving as the episodes. • A signature of rags is that they often contain the V9 chord of the key. A 9 chord is spelled 1-3-5-7-9. Because Part-C modulates to the key of A from the original key of D, the V9 chord of Part-C is E9 • There are two distinctive elements that often appear in the melodic structure of a 19th century ragtime piece. The first is an arpeggio beginning on the minor 7th of the chord. The ragged arpeggio in Accomac Roots starts on the tone D. In root position the E9 chord is spelled: E-G#-B-D-F#.

Meaning in Music

“…..it is difficult enough to say precisely what it is that a piece of music means, to say it definitely, to say it finally so that everyone is satisfied with your explanation. But that should not lead one to the other extreme of denying to music the right to be “expressive. ‘”

Aaron Coplan

The second element is that the arpeggio rises to the 9th tone and then falls back to the root tone. The arpeggio in Accomac Roots is D – G# - B – F# - E. •

The intrigue of a rag comes largely from the V9 inversion and the feel of a broken rhythm. That is, a meter “in rags”.

The Overall Composition "Accomac Roots" expresses each of the three primary features of the subject: 1. fiddle tune dance music, 2. trauma and ascendancy, 3. a celebration of the music contribution of African- Americans. Final Questions 1. Did you really compose "Accomac Roots" this way? It is fair to ask how much of this article about "Accomac Roots" reports on the composition effort and how much is an after-the-fact analysis of the completed work. The answer is that the tasks of composition and analysis cannot be untangled. Even intuitive composers analyze their work as it progresses. It

may be that the analysis is subconscious or done by trial and error. But the fact is that composition, whether intuitive or not, is a rolling analysis. The truth about "Accomac Roots" is that I wrote it using the two steps of defining the subject and allowing the subject to set the form of the composition. The composition decisions made along the way all tied back to the lists of primary and secondary features. My understanding of polyrhythms, harmonic movement, structure, and pentatonic scales informed the composition but did not create it. The tools of composition are necessary but by themselves they are insufficient to produce a quality composition.

2. Is there one best way to compose tunes? Absolutely not. This approach presented in this article is one of many ways to go about writing music. Professor Joel Lester explained this best in his book The Rhythms of Tonal Music: “One of the most tempting fallacies of any discussion about music – whether formal or informal- is to generalize a particular viewpoint into a universal law.” While this advice is certainly true, a commissioned work that is relevant to the subject of the commission starts with a thorough understanding of the subject. Make a list! Then compose. -Bill Troxler

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Dulcimer Fingerpicking Basics Instructional DVD

by Sue Carpenter • Comprehensive workshop • Suitable for all playing levels •

• Ideal visual complement to Sue’s Patterns and Patchwork book •

Various camera angles and close-ups of both hands.

• Right Hand Fingerpicking Techniques • Fingerpicking Patterns • • Dynamics and Tone Quality • Lessons progress from simple exercises to arrangements of • Patience Corner • Summer Solstice Waltz • Southwind • • PDF files for the tab/music included on the DVD • Approximately 75 minutes • $20 plus S & H

For more information about Sue’s DVD, CD’s, tab books, and dulcimer straps:

www.suecarpenter.net sue@suecarpenter.net DVD produced by Home Grown Music Studios

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DPN 39

John McCutcheon - These days

sat down with John McCutcheon in between sets at one of his concerts a couple of years ago and taped an interview for Dulcimer Players News. Somehow, time flew by, and the tapes were lost. Recently, in cleaning out a wardrobe filled with music books and several lost items, I discovered the missing interview. DPN: John, you grew up in Wisconsin, an area not normally known for producing folk musicians and hammered dulcimer players. What got you started? Was it someone in your family, or did you hear someone who influenced you?

watching television. Watching it was a very un-motherly like thing to do, she never watched television, especially in the middle of a Saturday afternoon. She was watching the march on Washington on television. She said come here and watch this with me, and I overcame my anxiety about missing baseball practice because my mother was inviting me to watch television with her. It was something that was the opposite of

music was popular then, it was on the radio, there was the Hootenanny television show, the Smothers Brothers would be there a few years later, so it was not unusual for people to be singing folk songs. I went to the library and checked out records. The only book they had was the Woody Guthrie song book. I didn’t know who Woody Guthrie was. It was the only folk song book in the library, so that was how I starting learning how to play the guitar. I was going through the Woody Guthrie song book and it was set up alphabetically, so I did not know until I got through ¾ of the book that this was the guy who wrote This Land is Your Land until I got to the T’s. It was a great way as a writer to appreciate the fact that you could write about anything, and Woody wrote about everything. He wrote kids songs, love songs, topical songs, historic songs, and some of his songs were diaries. He was in the Merchant Marines and wrote hundreds of songs about being in the Merchant Marines during World War II.

"Like a lot of people, I was trying to figure out what hammered dulcimer music was."

JOHN: Actually, the first time I ever heard what was explained to me as folk music was, I was late for baseball practice, little league practice. It was a very big deal. August of 1963 and it was all star part of the year. I was on the all star team. If you didn’t show up for practice, you didn’t play and I could not find my mom. I looked all over the house, I needed a ride. Then, I found her

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her relationship with the television. She never normally wanted me to watch it, and I saw all this amazing stuff. I heard the I Had A Dream speech, saw all of the speeches, and I heard this music that was not like anything I had heard before. I recognized it as being old and yet really contemporary and deep and urgent at the same time, and lyrics that meant something and meant more than was on the surface. So, I started looking around and I did not have to look far, because folk

by Dale Palecek

So, I sorta got thrown in the deep end. I totally missed huge chunks of the folk music revival. I knew nothing about the Kingston Trio or the Chad Mitchell trio. I liked Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Leadbelly, people like that. And from there, it was bluegrass and old time music… real roots music. DPN: When did you discover the hammered dulcimer, and how did you learn to play? JOHN: Well, it came in steps. The first time I ever saw a hammered dulcimer, I saw Guy Carawan play. He came to my college, but he didn’t bring his hammered dulcimer that day, but the guy who was in charge of the student activities called me up. He said, “You know about folk music. Did you ever hear of a guy named Guy Carawan?” I said, “Sure, he is the guy who helped spread around "vWe Shall Overcome.” “Well, he is playing at the college, and we need someone to go down with the college car and pick him up at the Minneapolis airport.” I was going to college at St. Johns over in Minnesota. And, I said, “Oh WOW, a real folk singer, and I will have him trapped in a car with me.” So, I went down and picked him up, he was a real friendly guy. He didn’t have his hammered dulcimer, but he told me about a festival he was going to be at in 3 or 4 months later. It was the Northland Folk Festival in Ashland, Wisconsin at the college up there. He and this fellow Utah Phillips were going to be there, as well as, a whole bunch of musicians from mostly the Twin Cities. Pop Wagner, Bob Bovee and Gail Heil, Mary DuShane, Peter Ostroushko, Bill Hinkley and Judy Larson… all these people that I met in just one mad weekend up there when I was just 18 years old. Guy had his hammered dulcimer with him and that was the first time I ever heard one. I never thought about playing it at that time of my life, I was focused on playing the banjo. If you played the banjo, you were around a lot of fiddle players, so eventually almost every banjo player I know is a closet fiddle player of some sort. I was just picking up instruments. It was the time in your life when you could do anything. You want to try this? Sure, I’ll play the mandolin. Yeah, mountain dulcimer, no problem. I can figure that out. Autoharp. Fiddle. Then… someone

p i r d T ed Moons and Tunes n 2 dd Music and Wilderness A River Trip

with BONNIE CAROL Trip ONE: June 4-8, Trip TWO: June 11-15, 2012 Cost is $ 850, due March 1, 2012

This year’s ﬁrst trip is ﬁlling fast here Nov. 1, so we’ve added a second trip, same river, a week later. We will leave from Vernal, UT, run 46 miles on the Yampa River, then 25 miles of the Green River through Dinosaur National Park, and take out 5 days and 4 nights later. Round up your friends and musical instruments and let’s jam, camp, and hike in unbeatable red-rock wilderness. No river experience is necessary. More information and photos of past trips at BonnieCarol.com.

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gave me a hammered dulcimer. A girl friend of mine went to the Augusta Heritage workshop in Elkins, West Virginia and took Sam Rosetta and Paul Reisler’s instrument building class, and the first instrument that everyone was building was a hammered dulcimer. It is really more like cabinetry than anything else, because you are not bending any wood. Screw this box together and put string across it and she got this thing done and said, “Here, you play a bunch of instruments. I just want to build one, I don’t want to play. Here, maybe you can play this thing.” And, from the instant I sat down in front of it, I was hooked. I was in that learning mode, you try to organize how this instrument works, and of course the hammered dulcimer is very logically set up in the current tuning system that has sort of evolved in the dulcimer revival. There are many different ways to tune a dulcimer around the world, and even in this country, but most people play the 5th across. This one did and did not even have a bass bridge, just a treble bridge. Oh, I see how this is set up. In fact, the following day after I got it, I played it at a festival in North Carolina. I knew one tune. I met up with a buddy. A bunch of friends and I had a string band, if we happened to be at the same festival, we would say OK, we are a band. So, I pulled this instrument out, and they all went OH, this is like a strange drone. I will never forget the first time that I am playing it, there was a crowd gathered around me. There was this one little old lady, sitting out in the front, and she says, “I swear, I haven’t seen anyone play the bureau before.” So, that was how I got introduced to the hammered dulcimer. DPN: So, how did you make the jump from playing a homemade dulcimer with no bass bridge, to recording with Paul Van Arsdale for Rounder Records? JOHN: I started playing like mad, and quickly established connections with a bunch of other people 42 DPN

who were playing, mostly young people. Guy and I never really played together, but through him, I knew of another fellow who was inspired to play by Guy, a fellow named Malcolm Dalglish. I was living in Knoxville and Malcolm was living in Cincinnati. We just burned up the roads, every weekend we would be together. I would go up there, he would come down to Knoxville and it was always: What are you doing? What did you figure out this week? So, we were really bouncing ideas off of one another. I realized right away that I wanted a bass bridge. He was building at that time, and built me my first instrument with a bass bridge. Like a lot of people, I was trying to figure out what hammered dulcimer music was. I was mainly transferring music from the fiddle initially. I was really a frustrated drummer, so my playing was much more rhythmic than a lot of other people. I was trying to devise what a solo hammered dulcimer should sound like, pretty much everybody else I knew was playing in ensembles, or at least had a guitar player or a piano player with him. So, I started experimenting with ragtime piano music and old string band stuff. But, I felt really ungrounded because [how I learned] everything else, I had learned from old people. I didn’t know any old people [who played the hammered dulcimer] so, Malcolm and I took a trip together in early 1977 in Europe and found hammered dulcimer players over there, mostly in the British Isles and in Ireland as well, and we met the amazing Jimmy Cooper, who is possibly the most amazing hammered dulcimer player. Then, I came back and I was playing at the Buffalo Folk Festival that year. I was doing a hammered dulcimer workshop and this guy comes up and says his father in-law plays the hammered dulcimer. And I said, “Wow, how old is he?” “He’s in his 60s I guess. He has been playing all his life and he has a brother, too. They learned from their grandfather.” “OH!” So I stayed an extra day at the festival and I went over and met Paul Van Arsdale at his daughter’s house, and we hit it off, just like that! Paul was the first person I ever met who made everything sound like it was written for the hammered dulcimer. He is a phenomenal player. So, Paul really became my primary influence, because, it was like, here is an

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Bouzouki. Now Available!

Celtic/World instrumentals

Whistle, Guitar, Mandolin and

JOHN: I would like to do a new hammered dulcimer CD. I have not done an all hammered dulcimer CD in over 20 years, since I did Step By Step, where I gathered all those dulcimer players together. I’m not exactly sure what form it is going to take, since I have been experimenting with a lot of different ideas. To me, this is not all linear. Some people start off playing traditional music, then go off and play jazz or something. Or, they play all original stuff and never play traditional stuff again. Everything I do is rooted in traditional music. Somehow, all the stuff I write, it has those forms and I feel at home there. So, yeah, I’ll do some stuff that has some wild ensemble stuff, but I will also do some traditional stuff. My youngest step daughter has been bugging me for years. You have to do a hammered dulcimer CD. She hears me whacking away at all kinds of weird stuff around the house.

that sound. Maybe, just a little on passing, where they sample it and use it. I think there are lots of possibilities. -Dale Palecek

on Mountain Dulcimer with

DPN: Do you have anything new planned for the hammered dulcimer?

with this, you know, with a hammered dulcimer, it would be really cool. Would you come in and do something on a hip hop track?” And, I always do it. They are not connecting this to a tradition, they just hear a sound. And, they want

www.cdbaby.com/cd/HackathornFrodsham

elder, who has been playing all his life. And I went to their family reunions, where all 3 brothers, Phil, Paul and Sterl [were there], when Phil was still alive. I saw Sterl more than Paul, just because Sterl seemed to have endless free time and showed up at all these festivals. It was one of the most wonderful things in my life meeting Paul and his brothers.

DPN: Is there a timetable? JOHN: No, there is not. DPN: What future do you see with the hammered dulcimer for people who are out there playing? JOHN: Well…it has changed a lot, since the small lot of us were playing 30-35 years ago when we were asked endless times, “What is that thing?” The general public is much more familiar with it. I really thought by this time there would be somebody fronting a jazz quartet or something, just knocking people’s socks off and redefining the music, the way Bela Fleck has done with the banjo and Andy Narell has done with the steel drums. And, I think it has tremendous possibilities that way. I live in Atlanta now, which has a community of country and rap and hip hop, gospel and jazz and blues. I get calls from people from totally different genres of music saying, “Can you come in? We are thinking about doing something DPN 43

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The Mysterious Red Hills Dulcimer By Mark Lee Webb

Being the spouse of a dulcimer instructor is a pretty easy gig. Sometimes there are perks such as free food and lodging for the price of performing roadie work. Roadie work such as driving to festivals, loading and unloading hammered dulcimers, mountain dulcimers, guitars, music stands, boxes of tab, and the occasional mic and amp. Not to mention setting up items like CD’s racks and music books for sale in the vendor area. In-between roadie duties I usually find time to drive around the area and photograph local scenes. So it was on a sunny October Saturday in southeastern Illinois during the 2011 Red Hills Dulcimer Festival in Sumner, Illinois that I explored some of Sumner’s nostalgic brick buildings. The interesting architecture of the various structures made for some great photographic opportunities. One building – actually one particular wall – caught my attention. Long ago a sign had been painted on the wall, and other signs subsequently painted and re-painted through the years. So, while Molly was teaching workshops I set about taking close-up pictures of the patterns in the paint. And – just like a song catcher searching the mountains for a rare musical gem, I came across a small gem on the wall, a pattern in the paint about the size of a quarter. A shape reminiscent of an hourglass complete with a fret board: the distinct likeness of a mountain dulcimer rendered in peeling paint! I quickly snapped several digital shots, being careful to get the small textures and details in focus, and then headed across the street to share my newly captured gem with Molly and others at the festival. After the day was done and the workshops and concert were concluded, we headed home with lots of fond memories of the good music, renewed acquaintances, new friendships, and a photographic gem – The Mysterious Red Hills Dulcimer. Writer-photographer Mark Lee Webb lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife, dulcimer musician Molly McCormack, and three cats. Limited edition giclée prints of The Mysterious Red Hills Dulcimer are available from Digital Arts Studio in Atlanta, Georgia www. digitalartsstudio.net or by contacting the artist Mark Lee Webb directly via email webbie.m@insightbb.com DPN 45

History Repeats Itself

istory does repeat itself. The journey you think you are on sometimes runs parallel to others who have come before you. Instead of miles being the measure of the distance between you and them, it ends up being time. I have had the pleasure of getting to know two wonderful people in the dulcimer world; Two Canadians, Alan and Peggie Ward. I met them the first year I took up the hammered dulcimer. I too am Canadian, and we live in Waterloo Region, which is located in Southern Ontario. Just the right age. When Alan and Peggie were in their early 50s during the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s, Alan started looking at magazines that included articles and pictures of hammered dulcimers. He was intrigued by all this and he shared his information with a friend, Bob Johnson. Bob decided that he was going to build a hammered dulcimer. When Bob was finished he had a dulcimer that played well, but weighed a lot. They heard about a dulcimer gathering in Binghamton, New York, called the Cranberry Gathering. They decided to head that way to see just what a dulcimer gathering was all about. When they got there, they were taken in by what they saw. Lots of people, lots of different dulcimers, beautiful music. Peggie talks fondly of people who helped her in learning to play the hammered dulcimer. She particularly remembers Esther Kreek who ended up moving her large RV to the campground they were staying at and then spent a week with them all there. After looking over Estherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dulcimer Bob and Alan decided that they needed to revisit their newly built dulcimer and make some major changes. Another dulcimer gathering led them to Evart, Michigan. It was there that their passion for playing and building really took off. They were introduced to more people. Peggie remembers meeting Kendra Ward and her husband Bob Bence. She chuckles thinking about how she and Alan became related simply by having the same last name.

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Those Retirement Years Alan retired at age 57, in 1986. Early in his career he had been a draftsman with a company in Cambridge. By the age of 30 and after years of working there, he decided he wanted to pursue his real passion and that was teaching. He took the necessary courses, and was able to land a job at Southwood Secondary School in Cambridge where he became the head of the Tech Department. He worked at that school for 27 years. The first winter of his official retirement, they went on the road to Arcadia, Florida with their RV. They met people there who were very interested in their playing of the hammered dulcimer. By this time Alan was also playing the instrument. For years it had just been Peggie. Bob and Gordon Johnson were also there with the Wards. They asked the people they met there if they would be interested in purchasing an inexpensive dulcimer. Many said yes. So that winter, the three of them made 20 dulcimers. They took these dulcimers back to their winter retreat, and sold them for $100 each. The cost of supplies. This is how the Harmony and Hammers Dulcimer Club was created. Now Alan was back at teaching again, only this time to fellow seniors, and his subject was music. Some people had no musical training. They used the 1 through 8 system of playing the hammered dulcimer. Where 1 was doe, 2 was rae, 3 me , etc. Then they started giving these strings names, that is, notes. Before

by Debbie Miethig

Peggie and Alan Ward long they had a group of people eager to learn to play and to perform with others. Peggie and Alan continued their ventures to the sunny south for 17 years until failing health issues prevented further travel. This was right about the time I met them. I started the article out by saying that history repeats itself; this is what I mean. How does History Repeat Itself? I had not been to any dulcimer events as I was relatively new to playing. I was inspired by their ability to play so effort-

DPN 47

lessly, especially Peggie who backed Alan up with wonderful chords. My passion for the dulcimer was just starting. I asked them how they learned to play it like that. They shared with me their story of attending festivals, playing in a group, travelling to Florida in the winter months and playing there. I am not retired; however, I am in my early 50s. I enjoy playing the dulcimer. I am travelling to various festivals and workshops to learn to play better and to challenge myself. I do play with a group of other musicians, and I am anticipating retirement in the years to come. I hope that I, too, can continue with my love and passion for this instrument as much as the Wards.

Alan built those original 20 dulcimers he took to Florida, then 10 others, and then he created the Tinkerbell dulcimer. This one is small in size and I remember him describing it as being the

upper part of the dulcimer with more high notes; the ones you do not normally have up there. He finished them off with a beautiful water colour painting on the face. His grandchildren will enjoy these works of art for

Finding Treasure in Evart, MI I love to wander through the used sales area at Evart. This is where people can bring a used instrument and sell it. You find the most interesting things in this area. As I was cruising through, I saw guitars, autoharps, bass, many different dulcimers and various other instruments. I stopped to play several of the dulcimers. I was drawn to a different hammered dulcimer. I picked up the hammers and played it, and “Wow” what a sound. I have played almost every maker’s dulcimer and I own many different ones, but this dulcimer’s tone immediately grabbed my attention. I played it about 5 minutes, and picked up the phone to dial the owner. A Canadian couple, Debbie and Mike Miethig, came into the sales barn. They told me they were selling it for an 85 year old friend of theirs in Ontario. Her husband had passed away and they had a few to sell and this was the last one! I immediately bought it before it could be swept away by someone else. Debbie called me after Evart and said the owner, Peggie Ward would love to talk to me. I called Peggie and we had a great talk. This is the first dulcimer I have come across that is made by a Canadian luthier, Alan Ward. It has a metal plate on it that says “Hammeron Fine Instruments” Cambridge, Ontario. Peggie said her husband, Alan, heard a dulcimer, and immediately came home and got out the physics books on making instruments. He researched the best wood, advantages of different woods on the soundboard, bracing, and all the factors that go into dulcimer building. He worked months on different bracings. She said he kept improving the sound as he went along. He believed 48 DPN

the secret to great sound was in the bracing. Wood is important for the soundboard and a really tight grain was also key. He ordered quarter sawn red cedar from British Columbia. He wanted a very old tree, with a very close grain for the wood. He added curly maple to the side, and trimmed it in ebony. Peggie believes he made 25-30 dulcimers in total. He also made beautiful harps. It is incredibly lightweight. It weighs 15 lbs. It is a 16/15 size. The sound is very grand piano sounding, full and beautiful. There are 2 soundholes in the top rail, and two in the bottom rail, in addition to the soundhole on the soundboard. They are covered with material, much like speaker material, so the sound comes out of the soundboard in many directions at once. This may contribute to the fullness of sound that I hear. You can see the soundholes in the pictures. Peggie Ward and her husband each had their own dulcimer, and both played. Peggie would play chords, and her husband generally played melody. He made 20 dulcimers and took them all to Florida to the park they stayed in, and sold all 20 to people in that park. They immediately started teaching everyone how to play and had their own instant jam. They went to Evart for years and played with many friends of mine, Bill and Neva Cordray, Kendra Ward and Bob Bence, and Dede Nelson. They have not been there now for at least 10 years, but she had very fond memories of those times. Music helps make the best friends, and connects us to so many people we would never meet otherwise. - Paula Brawdy

DPN 49

called Huron Manitou Dulcimers in Aurora, Ontario. You can reach him at 905-727-6738 or via email at huron. manitou.dulcimers@gmail.com

years to come. Alan also made 3 harps. Alan passed away February 20, 2010. He had just celebrated his 81st birthday. Peggie contacted me in the Spring of 2011. She wanted my help in finding owners for 3 of their dulcimers. It was discovered that she had cancer. She wanted to ensure that the dulcimers sitting in her house would be played by others. I gladly took on this request. Three Hammered Dulcimers to Sell One was sold almost immediately at a house concert I had up at our cottage. A woman in Windsor fell in love with the sound and wanted to start playing the hammered dulcimer. A second one was taken to Evart, Michigan were it was sold in less than an hour to Paula Brawdy of Hasting, Michigan. (see Finding Treasue in Evart, MI, on page 48) The third one is made of ebony, red cedar, and finished off with a decorative flower inlay of Mother of Pearl. As I dusted it off, tuned it up, and played it, I decided that I just could not part with it. The memory of Alanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handy work and Peggieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion for playing will remain with me, and I will remember them, every time I play this instrument. Note about the author: Debbie Miethig lives in Waterloo Ontario. She has been playing the hammered dulcimer since her 40th birthday in 1999. She helps coordinate a group of musicians in Southern Ontario. They hold monthly meetings and rotate the location from city to city so that everyone has an opportunity to meet up with each other. They call themselves SODA, Southern Ontario Dulcimer Association. If you would like to join her and her friends, please contact her at miethig@rogers.com or 519-725-0147. An Addendum Peggie has sold what supplies were left and a few nearly finished dulcimers to luthier, Ian Coombes. Ian has been a builder of fine instruments for over 30 years. He has started a business specializing in hammered dulcimer building 50 DPN

http://huron-manitou-dulcimers.ca/site/

DPN 51

Here I come!

eing a beginning hammered dulcimer player, the idea of attending a dulcimer festival was both exciting and a little scary at the same time. But it was something I had long wanted to do. With only a week left before the ODPC Evart, Michigan festival was to begin, I thought long and hard about attending. After all, it would be a ninehour drive alone, almost six hundred miles. Now I have driven even greater

52 DPN

distances alone heading down South to visit my dad, but I knew the way and had traveled it many times. This was a new adventure, if I decided to go, and I found it a little bit frightening. I knew my chances of going were getting slimmer with each passing year and if I was going to ever make it to Evart, I needed to do it soon. It didn’t take me long to make up my mind. I had long dreamed of attend-

by Mary Boardman

ing the Evart festival year after year. The ads in Dulcimer Players News told me it was the biggest hammered dulcimer festival and, being a beginner, I needed lots of choices in workshops. Evart would give me those choices. With only three days left before the festival was due to begin, my final decision was made. I was going to Evart! My first morning there, I was up early, had my breakfast and headed out to the Evart fairground where the festival is held. With my schedule for the day’s workshops in hand, I excitedly walked up to the entrance gate and instantly was met with smiles and chatter. I felt right at home. The “gatekeepers” handed me all the necessary things I needed and pointed me in the direction of my first workshop. For the workshop, I chose one on chords. It promised I would be able to jam with other players that evening if I learned what the workshop had to offer. I listened to the instructor intently.

We played chords. I played chords. This was great! My very first workshop and I was already jamming with other players. We jammed for an hour. The instructor led the song on guitar, called out chords for us and we played right along. It was awesome for someone who had never played a chord before. I was in dulcimer heaven! If I had left the festival right then, I would have been satisfied because I had learned something new, something I could definitely use. But that was only the beginning. I picked a number of workshops throughout the day according to what I thought best fit my needs. I also wanted something a little more advanced to take home and work on throughout the year (just in case I was lucky enough to come back, I would be ready for a little intermediate work), so I chose one class for intermediate players. I couldn’t even begin to play with them but I sat in the back of the class and recorded it (with the instructor’s permission) so I had something to take home and try later. During the day, I wound up with one hour of down time. I used it to walk over to the vendors’ tent and take a look around. Oh my goodness! There were all types of dulcimers and dulcimer accessories on display. I talked with a number of people I recognized from having seen them in Dulcimer Players News. After all the days’ workshops, I was exhausted, but not too exhausted to take my lawn chair and sit out under the stars and listen to the various bands on the evening’s entertainment stage. For the second and third days, I attended even more classes, filling my brain as full as I could possibly get it. Thank goodness I recorded most of the workshops (with instructor permission) so I could take my time once back at home and work on the concepts from each one. Three days of complete immersion in the hammered dulcimer world is what I call paradise. I was sad when it was time to leave. I wanted to stay another week and soak up the atmosphere, the instruction, and the people. All the way home though, I had new hammered dulcimer CDs to play and the trip back didn’t seem quite so long. Now, when’s Evart this year? I want to put in for my vacation time now!

DPN 53

Diamond Joy

veryone knows that diamonds are a girl’s best friend! Well, diamonds can be EVERY hammered dulcimer player’s friend! Maybe you’ve heard of a “diamond chord shape.” Diamond chords are so pretty, and useful in tunes, and easy to come by (unlike the jewel that you might pay an arm and a leg for). You are going to love playing them! Making your very own diamonds is easy! For one example, simply put your left hand (LH) hammer on the D string to the left of the treble bridge. You will follow that with your RH (right hand) on the A, sort of across from that D, then the LH on the F# below that, and finally the D on the bass bridge with your RH. If you were to draw that shape out by connecting the dots (notes), it would look like a diamond (or kite)—points face to the left of the treble bridge and to the bass bridge. The middle of the chord shape is on the right side of the treble bridge (the A and F#), forming the “fat” part of the diamond. So get a flow going—D down to A, F#, and finally D. Then play back up to the F# and A. It is sort of a 6 count pattern. Accenting beat one, think “ONE two three One two three” (or FOUR five six). By returning to the beginning D left of treble, you have landed on beat one for a new “ONE two three…” count. For this exercise, remember to lead with your left hand (That’s where ladies wear their diamonds, after all!), and to flow from bridge to bridge. Become very fluid. (Notice also that the RH hops from the treble A to the bass D, and back. That movement is side to side, at the interval 54 DPN

of a 5th. The LH hops from left of treble D to right of treble F#. This is also a side to side motion, at the interval of a 6th. If you struggle playing the diamond shape, isolate these two hand patterns and practice them alone before putting the whole two-handed diamond chord together. I personally think of diamond chords mostly as being played down, left to right on the dulcimer, and then back up (right to left). In this manner they can be used as fill and embellishment. However, you

Illustrations by Dan Landrum

by Janet Harriman

can just as easily begin the diamond chord on the bass bridge and play it up (to use as fill and embellishment, or to change octaves within a tune). Just note that when beginning on the bass bridge and going up, you would begin with a RH lead. I'm mentioning this so you are not confused as I stress the LH lead for the descending diamond chord pattern. You can play a LH lead diamond chord on every marked course on the left of the treble bridge (this pattern may

not work on all dulcimers as some do not have a G natural near the top of the right treble bridge). These diamond chords beginning on a marked course will be major (played in root position—the chord being named after the top and bottom notes, the roots)! They all follow the same pattern: left hammer left of treble, two hammers right of treble, RH hammer on the bass. (These same notes on the staff can make a “shed” pattern, in the “box,” but you have to begin the top D note with your right hand, go down to the A, still left of treble, then RH F# and LH D, both on the right of the treble. These are also major chords!) Therefore, you can play the following chords in this diamond pattern: C major (some dulcimers), G major, D major, A major, and E major (if the dulcimer has the low G# and E). Can minor chords be diamonds, too? Certainly! You can begin these chords on the string above a marked course, playing a root position minor chord. For example: Left hand E on the left of treble, B on the right of treble, G below that, and E on the bass. Again, give it a nice 3 or 6 feel, flowing across the instrument. Following that pattern, a minor diamond chord can be formed on the high A above the marked G, the E we

just demonstrated, the B above the marked A, and the low F# above the E. Try them! If you can play one, you can play them all. Just move your hands to a different starting position and go for it! (These minor chords can also be played in the box, in a shed pattern, as explained in the example for the major chords above. Again, you must use a RH lead, from top to bottom, to do so.) Do diamonds come in different sizes and clarities? Certainly. Are you limited to playing only the root position diamond chords listed thus far? No! Take the D major chord with which we began this article. If you play the D note with your LH, left of treble, followed by a B (instead of the A) right of treble, and then substitute a G for the F#, and finish it with a D on the bass bridge, you have changed the chord to a

G major chord (G, B, D). This G major chord is in 2nd inversion—it begins and ends on the 5th of the chord D. Still want variety? By beginning again with the D left of treble, LH, and again follow it with a B on the right of the treble instead of the A of the first D major diamond chord, finishing it off with the F# below, and the D on the bass, you have changed the chord to a b minor! (B, D, F#). Again, the chord is inverted (it does not begin or end on the root, but rather the 3rd of the chord D. This makes it a first inversion chord). Further, you could do the same thing D Major

G Major

B Minor

with each of the major diamond chords listed, and draw conclusions as to what chords you are then able to play in this pattern. But just in case you do not wish to try them all and draw your own conclusions, if you begin with a major chord in root position, you can then make one other major chord AND one minor with the same beginning and ending notes. We played D major, G major, and b minor from that starting note D. (NOTE: The first major chord, in root position, is named for the beginning note you play left of treble. The 2nd major chord you are able to play is named for the string directly across the bridge from that beDPN 55

ginning note. The minor chord you play is one-third above this 2nd note. Example—D left of treble, G right of treble, B a 3rd above that G. It forms a straight line across the bridge, then up a third. This works on all of the marked course diamond chords, to tell you the name of the chord you are playing, varying the “innards” of the original diamond chord. Conversely, we can apply that same principle to the minor chords by playing the root position minor chord, another minor chord, in 2nd inversion, and a major chord in 1st inversion. Let’s play through that: Begin on the E, as we played above for the e minor chord. Now change the middle 2 notes to a C and an A, right of treble, ending with the bass bridge E. You will have played an A minor chord, 2nd inversion, because it began on the 5th of the chord E. C Major, 1st inversion

E Minor, 1st inversion

A Minor, 2nd inversion

For the major chord in this position, play the E left of treble, followed by a C and G on the right of the treble, and the E on the bass. We now have played a C major chord, in 1st inversion (the 3rd of the chord E is the beginning and ending note). So, in what I like to call “Close Encounters of the Chord Kind” (because of the short distance between notes of the different chords, and the small amount of hand movement needed to accomplish the different chords), we have made 3 chords from each starting note of the diamond chords which we began in root position. This is so very cool. All those chords, all diamonds, all played across the strings in that fluid 3 or 6 feel mo56 DPN

tion. (note: The first minor chord, in root position, is named for the beginning note you play left of treble. The 2nd minor chord you are able to play is named for the string directly across the bridge from that beginning note. The major chord you play is one third above this 2nd note. Example: E left of treble, A right of treble, C a 3rd above that A. It forms the same pattern as the marked course chords above — a straight line across the bridge, then up a third. As with the marked course pattern, this pattern works on all of the courses one above a marked course, to tell you the NAME of the chord you are playing when varying the “innards” of the original diamond chord. But now we could run into a problem. What if we were playing a tune not in a meter of 3? Say we have a tune in 4/4 meter, and want to fill in a half note with a diamond chord. We played 6 eighth notes previously, so now we need to add 2 (to make 8 eighth half counts, or two beats). Easy! You will play the chord as above, adding one note lower. We’ll return to the D major chord. We played down: D, A, F#, D. All you have to do is add the A below that, bass bridge, left hand. Then return to the D, bass bridge, F# and A right of treble, and finally the D left of treble (which is actually your ONE count to begin the pattern again). If in 8th notes, you played 5 notes down, and then headed up with 3 notes. The 5th eighth note is the accented note, after the beginning D. Depending on the amount of metered time you are filling, or what division of note you are using (quarter notes, 8th notes, 16th notes), you can think, “ONE two three four FIVE six seven eight,” or “ONE e and a, TWO e and a” for eight 16th notes to fill the time of a half note, or “ONE and two and THREE and four and” to fill the time of a whole note with 8th notes. What have we learned? We can play a diamond chord beginning on all marked courses left of treble, and the course above a marked course left of treble. All diamond chords begin with the left/diamond hand and flow across to the bass bridge (and back up, if you so desire and it fits into the tune). Each of these starting notes can yield 3 chords—2 majors and one minor for each marked course, and 2 minor and one major chord for each course above a marked course. Close Encounters of the Chord Kind.

You could form chords on the course below the marked course. Take the C# below the D we’ve been working with. Cross from that left of treble C# note to the A and F# on the right of the treble. Those 3 notes form an f# minor chord. To complete the chord you would have to go DOWN to the C# (rather than a bass bridge note), still right of treble. Thus it is not a “diamond” chord in its purest form, or any form for that matter. Or perhaps it is a diamond in the rough. Taking that same C# starting note, you can play the A on the right of the treble, down to an E, and then down to the C#. An A chord, 1st inversion. Most likely not used much at all, you could form a c# diminished chord by using the G and E in between the top and bottom C#’s. Any way you cut it, the resulting chord will not look like the nicely shaped diamonds we have been discussing and playing. We also saw that you can add to the bottom of the diamond chords to make the duration longer. Not mentioned above, additions to the top of the diamond chords work just as well. Think of either addition as a beautiful setting to a beautiful diamond. Here is a great exercise to practice for diamond chords turned arpeggios: Begin with the D diamond chord (D left of treble, LH, to A and F# on right of treble (RH and LH respectively), to D on bass bridge with RH. Play it smoothly up and down a few times. Now add the F# ABOVE the beginning D, w/ RH. Play all 5 notes in order down and up a few times. Then add the A BELOW the bottom D on the bass bridge (LH). Play all 6 notes in order, a few times. Add the high A left of treble (LH). Play the arpeggio a few times. Think of what a beautiful setting you are adding to your diamond! Add the LOW D bass bridge, RH. Play the arpeggio a few times. Finally, add the HIGH D, left of treble (RH). Hopefully, by working on this exercise, your arpeggio playing will become more and more fluid and automatic. You should then be able to pick up on any note of the chord to play the arpeggio, be it up or down. Try switching the beginning hand on that first D to RH. It will then become a shed shaped chord, not a diamond. Add notes to the top and bottom, one at a time, as before. Now you should be able to play that D chord/arpeggio no matter what hammer you find

RAINTREE

May 11-12, 2012

Spiceland, IN

MUSIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL

TULL GLAZENER GUY GEORGE AND SHARRIE LES GUSTAFSON-ZOOK TED YODER BRIAN KEITH WALLEN HOLLY SMITH & “Patchwork” DAVE SLATES “Family Band” MYRA DWORSKI JOHN HALL and more Workshops already scheduled include: beginning and advanced hammered dulcimer, all levels mountain dulcimer, mandolin, clawhammer banjo, old-tyme rhythm guitar, blues guitar, steel drum, ukulele, autoharp, singing fun and LOTS of Jamming! THIS IS A FAMILY FESTIVAL. Workshops for children will include: mountain dulcimer, soprano recorder, fiddle and Rhythm&Move! VENDORS APPRECIATED AND WANTED contact: harpanddulc@hotmail.com Up to date festival details, lodging information, registration:

raintreemusicheritagefestival.weebly.com

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yourself using. You have become very flexible at adding chords to tunes. You have used your whole instrument, and are not tied to just the more frequently played notes in the middle. Of course, you will not always be playing a D major chord! So try that same starting D note, but play a G major chord, in 2nd inversion. Same drill, adding notes top and bottom gradually. (Think of the water balloon toss: after each successful toss and catch, you take one step farther from your partner. Keep going until you are the winner!) Of course, you could exercise the b minor chord in this same form. Try all arpeggios in this manner. The benefits are great! Put these diamond chords to use in tunes like “Red Wing.” Add a diamond chord on beats 1-2 (using eight 16th notes) of measure one of the B part — it involves leaving out some melody notes, but the melody will then be picked up 58 DPN

again on beats 3-4 (or 1-2 of measure two, depending on your version of the song). Use the same pattern for each of the chord changes (giving you 3 different diamond patterns on one time through the B part). “Liberty” is another example. In the first full measure there is an F# down to an A, and that repeats, in quarter notes. Instead, fill the measure with eight 8th notes in a diamond chord pattern (beginning on the F#, RH). How about playing “Jingle Bells” in the key of G major, high on the left of the treble. Now for the words “jingle bells” at the beginning of the chorus, play a diamond chord, RH lead on the high B, RH on the G below it (LH), D and B on the right of treble (RH and LH, respectively), and the high G on the bass bridge, RH. This G falls on the word “bells,” on beat 3. Then complete the diamond shape by going back to the B and D on the right of the treble, and finishing up with the G left of treble. The 2nd measure of the tune can be played in the same manner. This adds nice variety, and since most people know that tune, they will never miss the melody, especially if it is the 2nd or 3rd time through the tune! A prime example of a tune where you can add diamond chords on all of the held notes is “The Water is Wide.” You may want to change some hand leads, but it is really pretty as it flows down and up across the dulcimer. (Just so you know, some of the chords you will play may have to follow a chord shape pattern that is a diamond in the rough.) Whatever the melody note is, that is your starting note for the pattern, and you will be going down 5 notes, and up 3, to accommodate the 4/4 meter. You should think of that 5th note as the 3rd beat as you will then head back up your instrument, so give it a slight accent. Also, you will repeat the starting note as a quarter note (since it is tied to the previous whole note that you filled with

the chord/arpeggio pattern) before going on to the next melody note. Finally, if you love Pachalbel’s Canon in D, take the slow melody going down in half notes from F#, to E, D, C#, B, A, and back up to B and C# - then add a diamond chord down and up, in 16th notes, on each melody note. Bring out the melody note while making the remaining 7 eighth notes a soft accompaniment. If you follow a RH lead for all of them (the actual diamond shape begins on the 2nd note of each pattern), it will work out very nicely. Will there be some diamonds in the rough? Yes. And by putting the B and A melody notes RIGHT of treble you can keep the RH lead (it just puts more notes on the bass bridge, so the pattern really does not look like a diamond chord at all any more. It also makes jumping to the RH lead, left of treble, for the 2nd C# a bit more awkward, but not undoable!). The result is really quite beautiful! In summary, when will you want to, and most likely be able to, add a diamond chord in melodies? When the melody note is the same for more than one beat (think “Jingle Bells”), or when you have a held note (think “The Water is Wide,” or “Pachalbel’s Canon,” or “Silent NIGHT”), or when you might have a chord pattern in the melody line (I’m thinking of the beginning of “Soldier’s Joy” — instead of doing the 2 patterns as written in each measure, change it to one longer pattern — a diamond!). Also, if you want to change octaves while playing a tune, you can run down a diamond chord, or up (simple arpeggios) to then play the melody in the other octave. However, you may be playing a tune in a key that is not conducive to the diamond pattern encompassing all three bridge positions. To solve this minor bump in the road, you could change the octave in which you are playing a tune to the higher or lower octave, or change the key in which you are playing so the melody is put left of treble and you are then good to go! Ah, DIAMOND JOY, to the ears, the hands, and the heart. -Janet Harriman

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Music and Book reviews

Greenwood

David Mahler Sascha Groschang Artist Statement: This compilation of primarily original pieces, written and arranged by David Mahler, takes you on quite a journey. David’s music is personal and visual, painting many beautiful settings in your mind. On this album, the hammer dulcimer, with its celtic flair and classical twist, is accentuated by a lively fiddle and soulful cello. This blend offers soaring, thematic melody lines that trade off leading and playing intricate accompaniments. This album is sure not to collect as much dust as your dulcimer does… (because we all know dulcimers sound better a little dusty). Track Listing: Billowing, Greenwood, Waltz for a Rainy Day, Pigeon on the Gate, The Soldier’s Return Home, Cobblestones, The Spiral Staircase, Tripping Feet, Steady Hand, Sure of Love, Afterthoughts www.DavidMahler.com David@DavidMahler.com 817-846-5591

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The Bluegrass Appeal From Dublin to the Delta

Jess Dickinson Joe Thornton, Steve Thornton, Stephen Seifert, and Sherrill Kendall Artist Statement: This CD features Jess Dickinson on hammered dulcimer, Joe Thornton on fiddle, Steve Thornton on bass, and guest artists Stephen Seifert on mountain dulcimer and Sherril Kendall on guitar. The CD includes a pleasant mixture of Irish, bluegrass, gospel, and Delta blues. Track Listing: Shenandoah Falls, I’ll Fly Away, St. Louis Woman Blues, Down in the Sally Garden, Orange Blossom Special, In the Garden, Milk Cow Blues, Send the Light and Power, Arkansas Traveler, Sweet Hour of Prayer, Ragtime Annie, Whiskey Before Breakfast dickinsondulcimer@gmail.com www.dickinsondulcimer.com

by Various Guest Authors

Grandad’s Favorite Old-Time Music on Mountain Dulcimer

Mark Gilston Artist Statement: Grandad’s Favorite is a collection of twenty wonderful old-time tunes masterfully played on solo mountain dulcimer by virtuoso, Mark Gilston. Track Listing: Barlow Knife, Liza Jane, Step Around Johnny, Cluck Old Hen, Grasshopper Sittin’ on a Sweet Potato Vine, Roscoe, Billy Wilson, Sally in the Garden/ Greasy Coat, Breaking Up Christmas, Johnny Don’t Get Drunk, Sweet Marie, Seneca Square Dance, Uncle Henry, Grandad’s Favorite, Ducks on a Pond, Little Dutch Girl, There’s a Brown Skin Girl Down the Road Somewhere, Boatman, Tater Patch, Waltz from Rättvik Mark Gilston 1507 Fall Creek Drive Cedar Park, TX 78613 512 336-8549 markgilston.com info@markgilston.comAre ww

Welcome to the Music Traditional Bluegrass, Folk, and Fiddle Tunes Played on the Hammered Dulcimer

Martin Moore Artist Statement: This project is comprised of fun and energetic bluegrass, fiddle tunes, and folk songs which are popular in the foothills of North Carolina. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed recording them! Track Listing: Whiskey for Breakfast, Big Rock Candy Mountain, Church in the Wildwood, My Homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Across the Blue Ridge Mountains, Liberty, Down to the River, Wildwood Flower, Nine Pound Hammer, Redwing, Foggy Mountain Top, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Home Sweet Home Martin Moore 210 Eldrege Street Wilkesboro, NC 28697 MartinMooreMusic@gmail.com MartinMooreMusic.com

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Dulcimer Festival Listing February 23-25 Southern Strings Dulcimer Festival Hattiesburg, MS Instructors: Dan Landrum, Bruce Ford, Jess Dickinson, Lee Cagle, and more. Contact: Karen Mims, 601-583-6424, kom_dbc@ hotmail.com, www.MississippiDulcimer. com

April 13-15 Dulcimer on the Green Central City, KY Instructors: Maureen Sellers, Stephen Seifert, Sarah Morgan, Rick Thum, Dan Landrum, Nancy Barker, Gary & Toni Sager, and Jamey Robertson. Contact: www. CentralCityKyTourism.com

February 24-26 Illinois Mountain Dulcimer Winter Weekend Chillicothe, IL Instructors: Stephen Seifert and Mike Anderson. Contact: Three Sisters Folk Art School, PO Box 88, Chillicothe, IL 61523, 309-256-9136, www.DulcimerGuy.com

April 21-22 The Dulcimer Gathering Woodburn, IN Instructors: Dan Landrum, Stephen Humphries, Ruth Smith, Steve Smith, and Doug Berch. Contact: www.Folkcraft.com

March 2-3 Mountain Dulcimer Music Fest Albany, NY Instructors: Don Pedi and Susan Trump. Contact: Lori Keddell, 119 Co. Hwy 107, Johnstown, NY 12095, 518-762-7516, Lark119@citlink.net, DulcimerAssociationOfAlbany.com March 7-11 21st Annual Buckeye Dulcimer Festival Ashley, OH Instructors: Diane Hochstetler, Louise Ziegler, Jan Hammond, Dave Haas, Linda Brockinton, Karen McCardy, Chris Cooperrider, Joyce Harrison, Cathy Barton, Tina Gugeler, Cindy Harris, Joe Steiner, Dave Para, and Karen Baab . Contact: Shari Wolf or Joyce Harrison, 4848 Johns Road, Houston, OH 45333, 937-295-5253, buckeyedulcimer@yahoo.com

April 22-27 Augusta Spring Music Week Elkins, WV Instructors: Thomasina Levy, Maddie MacNeil, Karen Ashbrook, Randy Marchany, Wes Chappell, Karen Mueller, Bing Futch, and Jody Marshall. Contact: Davis & Elkins College, 100 Campus Drive, Elkins, WV 26211, 304-637-1209, www. AugustaHeritageCenter.org April 29-May 6 Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Festival at Tannehill McCalla, AL Contact: http:// SouthernAppalachianDulcimerAssociation. org

June 2 PattyFest Morgantown, WV Contact: jkowvrx@aol.com, www.PattyFest.org June 4-9 Dulcimerville Black Mountain, NC Instructors: Tull Glazener, Stephen Seifert, Linda Brockinton, Bill Taylor, Aubrey Atwater, Don Pedi, Neal & Coleen Walters, Lois Hornbostel, Heidi & John Cerrigione, Ehukai Teves, Betty Smith, Kenneth Bloom, Phyllis & Jim Gaskins, Randy Adams, Mike Anderson, Elwood Donnelly, Paul Andry, Flora MacDonald Gammon, Joseph & Marie Shelton, and more. Contact: Lois Hornbostel, PO Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713, loisdulc@frontier.com, http:// Dulcimerville.com June 15-17 Coshocton Dulcimer Days Roscoe Village, OH Instructors: Jan Hammond, Mark Wade, and more. Contact: CoshoctonDulcimerDays. com

June 17-22 Kentucky Music Week Bardstown, KY Instructors: Karen Ashbrook, Guy George, Stephen Humphries, Ken Kolodner, Ruth Smith, Rick Thum, Andy Young, Marsha May 4-5 Harris, Jim Miller, Jackie Armstrong, Janita Rail Splitter Festival Baker, Tull Glazener, Dave Haas, Lorinda Petersburg, IL Jones, Joellen Lapidus, Molly McCormack, Instructors: Molly McCormack, Tull Jeffrey Miller, Sara Morgan, Josh Noe, Aaron Glazener, and Mark Wade. Contact: Jerry Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Rourke, Don Pedi, Jerry Rockwell, Butch Cripe, 18 Deer Meadow Lane, Petersburg, IL Ross, Gary Sager, Stephen Seifert, Wayne March 8-11 62675, 217-632-4551, nancylewis41@gmail. Seymour, Carol Walker, Nina Zinetti, and 11th Annual Lagniappe Dulcimer Fete com more. Contact: Nancy Barker, 502-348-5237, Port Allen, LA May 11-12 KMW, PO Box 86, Bardstown, KY 40004, Instructors: Maureen Sellers, Denise Raintree Music Heritage Festival www.KentuckyMusicWeek.com Guillory, Guy George, Tull Glazener, Spiceland, IN Margaret Wright, Neti Vaan, Neal and June 23-30 Instructors: Ted Yoder, Tull Glazener, Guy Colleen Walters. Contact: Deb Hawley, The Northeast Dulcimer Symposium George, and Sharrie George. Contact: http:// 225-953-0142, dhawle1@eatel.net, www. Blue Mountain Lake, NY RaintreeMusicHeritageFestival.weebly.com LagniappeDulcimer.org Instructors: Rob Brereton, Dan Landrum, May 31-June3 Andrea Hoag, and Dwain Wilder. Contact: March 30-April 1 Columbia River Gorge Dulcimer David Moore, PO Box 358, Annapolis Ohio Valley Gathering Festival Junction, MD 20701, NDS2012@ Louisville, KY Corbett, OR NEdulcimer.org, www.NEdulcimer.org Contact: Judy Pitcock, 502-239Instructors: Madeline MacNeil, Janita Baker, 0700, OVgathering@aol.com, http:// Robert Force, and Scott Snyder. Contact: louisvilledulcimer.org www.Menucha.org/programs/dulcimerfestival 62 DPN

Advertiser Index July 5-10 Dulcimer Week in the Wallowas Wallowa Lake, OR Instructors: Heidi Muller, Bob Webb, and Stephen Seifert. Contact: Heidi Muller, 304-382-9422, HeidiMul@aol.com, WVmusicAlliance.org July 13-14 Indiana Dulcimer Festival Woodburn, IN Instructors: Bing Futch, Butch Ross, Sue Carpenter, Stephen Seifert, Lois Hornbostel, Dave Haas, and Tull Glazener. Contact: IndianaDulcimerFestival.com

Andy Young

Jeremy Seeger Dulcimers

PattyFest

Augusta Heritage Center

Jess Dickinson

Phil Passen

Backyard Music

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Jimbows/Glee Circus

Pine Wind Music, Inc.

Blue Lion Musical Instruments

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Joellen Lapidus

Pinelands Folk Music

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Bonnie Carol

John C. Campbell Folk School

Prussia Valley Dulcimers

Cabin Hill Music

John Sackenheim

Rail Splitter Dulcimer Festival

Carey Dubbert

Joyful Noise Music

Raintree Music Heritage

Columbia Gorge Festival

June Apple Dulcimers

Rick Thum

Coshocton Dulcimer Days

Ken Kolodner

Ron Cook Studios

July 28-29 KMW Weekend Festival Bardstown, KY Contact: Nancy Barker, 502-348-5237, KMW, PO Box 86, Bardstown, KY 40004, www.KentuckyMusicWeek.com

Danny Shepherd

Kentucky Music Week

Ron Ewing Dulcimers

Dave Haas

Lagniappe Dulcimer Fete

Shannon Baughman

David’s Dulcimers

Lance Frodsham

Sing Out!

August 9-12 Gateway Dulcimer Music Festival Belleville, IL Instructors: Mike Anderson, Gary Sager, Rick Thum, Aubrey Atwater & Elwood Donnelly, Charles Whitmer, Janis Huff, Debbie Porter, Tull Glazener, Doug Felt, Danny Shepherd, Sue Carpenter, and Stephen Humphries. Contact: 618-651-8271, gdsmf@charter.net, www.GatewayDulcimer.org

Doug Berch

Larry Conger

Songbird Dulcimers

Doug Thomson

Lee Cagle

Stephen Humphries

Dulcimer Assoc. of Albany

Linda Brockinton

Steve Schneider

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Dulcimer School

Maggie’s Music

Stephen Seifert

Dulcimer Shoppe, Inc.

Mark Alan Wade

String Fever Music

DulcimerCrossing.com

Master Works

Sue Carpenter

Dulcimers on the Green

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Maureen Sellers

Susan Trump

July 19-22 ODPC FunFest Evart, MI Contact: Dulcimers.com

To get your festival listed in DPN, go to www.dpnews.com and click the Festival Listing menu.

Dulcimerville

Missigman Music

Ted Yoder

Dusty Strings

Moons & Tunes

Thistledew Acres

Music for Healing

Three Sisters Folk Art School

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Jeff & Janet Furman

Owl Mountain Music

Wood-N-Strings Dulcimer

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64 DPN

Tales & Traditions A Singleton Dulcimer, and an Article on Dulcimers in American Life

few days ago, I received an email from James Floyd, a Florida resident, which read in part as follows: “I found this dulcimer today and the folks at Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer said you might know something about it. The label inside says WC Singleton-Viper KY-Box 75. It is a single neck 6 string with 3 wooden tuning pegs on each end. I will attach a picture. Any info you have would be greatly appreciated.” A Will Singleton dulcimer! Wow! And a “courting dulcimer,” at that! I emailed James, asking for any details that he could provide. He replied that he had purchased the dulcimer at an estate sale in Pensacola, and that he had no other information about it. Will Singleton (1860-1951) of Viper, Kentucky, was a neighbor of the Ritchie family. A charming description of him appears in Jean Ritchie’s book, The Dulcimer Book, originally published in 1963. Singleton made highly distinctive instruments during the first half of the 20th Century, apparently few being exact duplicates, and apparently all of singlebout shape rather than the hourglass shape of the instruments made by “Uncle Ed” Thomas, which were well known in his area. In fact, Will is the only prominent Kentucky maker of the early 20th Century, who cheerfully ignored the region’s double-bout tradition. He did things his own way, with great results! Lloyd Allen Smith’s book, A Catalog of Pre-Revival Appalachian Dulcimers, describes eight Singleton dulcimers, of which five are illustrated. Only one of them is a courting dulcimer, and all six strings of this instrument are pegged at one end. However, in an earlier book, Handicrafts of the Southern Highlands, by Allen H. Eaton, published in 1937, facing page 138, there are photos of four dulcimer makers, Jethro Amburgey, Samuel Russell, Bristol Taylor, and Will Singleton. Will is holding a courting dulcimer with peg heads at each end. It looks very much to me like the instrument that James bought at the auction in Pensacola!

If it is that instrument, what is the plot of the tale? Who owned it, and how did it end up in that Florida estate auction? One thing is for sure. We are not yet at the point in our rediscovery of the dulcimer’s history, where things no longer turn up in local auctions and yard sales!

by Ralph Lee Smith

Will Singleton dulcimer purchased by James Floyd at an estate sale in Pensacola, Florida.

arrie Brigger of the Cincinnati Dulcimer Society has alerted DPN that the December 2011 issue of the magazine Early American Life contains an article entitled, “Eye on Antiques: Early Dulcimers.” The author is Winfield Ross, a Contributing Editor of the magazine, who writes on many subjects pertaining to antiques. The text provides persons who are not knowledgeable on the subject with a useful introduction. There are a few errors and dubious statements, and scheitholts and dulcimers are sometimes mixed up, but readers of this column will have no trouble spotting the problems and I don’t intend to be one of those crabby reviewers. The really outstanding feature of the article is the color photographs of some great and rare dulcimers, mostly in the possession of the Blue Ridge Institute in Ferrum, Virginia. You will want this article for the photographs. Google Early American Life, click on Back Issues, and select the December 2011 issue. It costs $5.00 plus $2.50 shipping. Get it!

Will Singleton, holding a double-ended courting dulcimer. Photo from Allen H. Eaton, Handicrafts of the Southern Highlands, published in 1937.

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FunFest July 19-22, 2012 mered m a H t s ge g rld’s Lar The Wo imer Gatherin c l Du

Presented by the

Original Dulcimer Players Club (ODPC)

“ Yes. It really is that much fun!”

Our

4y0ear!

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Evart, MI