Why Play Mountain Dulcimer

[rendesvous1840]

Why? Because it's there. It ain't edible, it ain't furniture, and the cat can't make a bed out of it. Though she does lay down in the case if I leave it open while I'm playing.
Paul

[kattywompus]

Hey Russ, that sounds like a great reason to play Mountain Dulcimer!!!

Cordially,
Jennifer Ranger
www.SoKattywompus.com

[Nancy C]

Why???... well, because I love drones in any flavor, it's the one stringed instrument that my grumpy left hand can still deal with AND, I've never felt so free to improvise, to play with tones, slides and what-if's... magic in a box.

[kattywompus]

"Magic in a box".... yep, that's it Nancy, you're so right!!!

Jennifer
Kattywompus String Band
www.SoKattywompus.com

[Rahere]

Must be the worst-paid MDs in the business, tho'

[pickinal]

I play the mtn dulcimer because of the other dulcimer players. talking to dulcimer players is a real two way conversation. Many other musicians are so concerned with their own performance that they only talk about themselves. Dulcimer players tend to want to share ideas and learn about others. I think it is all part of being a "folk" instrument. I hope that makes sense to someone besides me.

[recap]

pickinal wrote:
I play the mtn dulcimer because of the other dulcimer players. talking to dulcimer players is a real two way conversation. Many other musicians are so concerned with their own performance that they only talk about themselves. Dulcimer players tend to want to share ideas and learn about others. I think it is all part of being a "folk" instrument. I hope that makes sense to someone besides me.

Makes perfect sense to me. And, I too enjoy this aspect thoroughly as well.

In my opinion, the humble nature of the instrument makes it hard to be too arrogant. If your goal is to become a musical elitist, you would not pick such a a"limited" instrument which cannot change keys without retuning -- the other musical elitists will stare down their arrogant noses at you for using such a horribly "common" instrument.. If, however, your goal is to simply play music that you (and perhaps others) enjoy, the instrument is a wonderful choice.

The musical world has ample place for musical elitists to reign and rule. Frankly, I'm glad that so few musical elitists feel the need to deficate in our little sandbox. That allows the rest of us to share and discuss the joys of the instrument and its music without undue distraction.

Please forgive my frankness. Thank you.

Russ

[kattywompus]

Okay, the bottom line for me is that playing Mountain Dulcimers just plain old makes me happy! I love the sound, the look, the whole thing...it's pretty hard to be unhappy when you're playing a Mountain Dulcimer, at least for me it is.

Cordially,
Jennifer Ranger
Kattywompus String Band
http://www.SoKattywompus.com

[chickman]

For me it is not so much why I play because I don't really play but I like to listen and watch. The early attraction for me was the mystique of the old instruments and their history. Music loses my interest when it is commercialized and doctored so that it is not natural talent you hear but the electronically corrected version of voice and instrument. The early recordings of country and other music represented what came natural in voice and instument. Listening to and watching a jam session at a dulcimer club is a nice departure from the usual present day stage show. Building a mountain dulcimer also is something a rank amateur hobbiest can do. It feels like a connection to our past. Bill

[5kwkdw3]

Lets be honest, there are better sounding instruments.

I don't know if I'd go along with that statement? I happen to love how the instrument sounds. I don't like how the pro's play like they are in a race to finish the piece. It's not a banjo, so you can slow down a bit. I prefer a melodic finger picked piece or just a simple melody with cords along the way. The traditional "old timey" sound. That and it's a lot easier to play than other instruments. I loved playing the organ for church and for myself because it's a full complement of parts and voices, but it is a "multi-tasking" requiring instrument to get a handle on. I finally got comfortable with my three manual, full AGO peddle-board, theater organ when I got a chance to play a 37 rank pipe organ and sure I could whip up a tune since the keyboard and peddle lay out was the same. But this time there were four manuals, a BUNCH of voices for each keyboard and peddle-board, and toe and finger pistons that had overlapping control of various settings. I spent hours just trying to learn the general lay out. One switch turned on an actual grand piano, another ran drums and cymbals and there was now six volume peddles that controlled shutters to the pipe room. I felt like I was trying to fly a commercial aircraft with all the controls I had to deal with. Fun though it was, there is a world of difference between that and entertaining myself with a waltz or hymn on the dulcimer. Kevin.

[mountain_man]

It beats "pickin" my nose!

[Bonnie in Houston]

In my opinion, the humble nature of the instrument makes it hard to be too arrogant. If your goal is to become a musical elitist, you would not pick such a a"limited" instrument which cannot change keys without retuning -- the other musical elitists will stare down their arrogant noses at you for using such a horribly "common" instrument..
The musical world has ample place for musical elitists to reign and rule. Frankly, I'm glad that so few musical elitists feel the need to deficate in our little sandbox. That allows the rest of us to share and discuss the joys of the instrument and its music without undue distraction.

Au contraire, my friend! If I had, say, a guitar or a violin few people, if any, would ask me about my instrument for the simple reason they knew what it was. People see my dulcimer and are intrigued because it is anything but "common". (I have even been asked about the dulcimer pendant I sometimes wear.) As to key changes, my chromatic dulcimers take care of that little difficulty quite nicely. As far as I'm concerned I have no limits.

It beats "pickin" my nose!

Yeah, that too.
I play mountain dulcimer because I love the sound of the instrument and its amazing versatility.

Bonnie,
Musical Elitist