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  • From: Roy Morgan <k1lky AT earthlink.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Dulcimers, was Tomatoes
  • Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:11:05 -0400


On Jun 29, 2008, at 2:10 AM, Lynda wrote:

No, no, no! Not Madeline the school girl.

Yes the same one who had her appendix out and all the rest of the (12?) girls wanted theirs out too.

Only Madeline the French perfume
will do <g>

Nevah hoid of dat un, Maam.

However, to answer your question, no hammered dulcimer. I have a
mountain/Appalachian dulcimer that my b-i-l made for me.

That is four strings, played in the lap, looks a bit like a skinny violin? My long time friend who's in Poughkeepsie made one.

...plus 2 violins, a Rickenbacker 12 string, a Moonstone, a Peavy, a very sweet little bass, an acoustic and a keyboard.

GOODness, you are all set to equip a band.

However, I looked it up and it is quite interesting.

The hammered dulcimer, you mean? I like the sound of them.. It varies (the sound) quite a lot depending on what hammers you use, and how you play, apparently. I know very little, but I think that each note has two strings. There are two sets of strings interlaced at an angle and presumably it has all the notes in it's range like a piano.

(One of my favorite pieces of music is the List transcription of Beethoven's 6th by Ciprian Katzaris played on the Boosendorfer piano. That one has an extra half-of full-octave at the bass, and is apparently one of the most highly respected pianos made today.)

Did I spell List right? I think not. It's Liszt, I discovered.

Lynda, wondering if b-i-l could make one of those, hmmmmmm.

The hammered dulcimer is little more than a slope fronted pentagonal box studded with tuning pegs and with two bridges and a sound hole or two.

Nothing more.

HAH!

One gazillion links can be found here:
http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/links.php?action=sales

Shown here are models from $400 to $1300, and I learn that some play in only certain keys and some play in all keys.
http://d1328389.u37.alohaservices.net/hamdulc.htm

My guess is that, like a lot of things, a little practice gets you to play some recognizable tunes, and 10 or 20 years experience gets you to being quite good.

Roy

Roy Morgan
k1lky AT earthlink.net
Lovettsville, VA 20180







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