Fingering questions

[DroneAlone]

Hi,

if you play melody on one string only, the fingering on the dulcimer is fundamentally different from bass/guitar/ukulele, as the fretboard is diatonic and you have to change positions frequently. I can apply or adapt a lot of playing technique from bass/guitar/ukulele, but I haven't yet properly figured out, which fingering strategy works best on the dulcimer.

Do you try to use as many fingers as possible, avoiding changes of position? For example using the pinky for the 1st, ring finger for the 2nd, middle finger for the 3rd and index finger for the 4th fret, then jumping to the 5th fret with your pinky, and so on...

Or do you only use two fingers alternating and frequently jumping to different positions?

Which fingers do you mainly use?

When playing a fast sequence of adjacent notes it seems to work quite well with only two fingers (index and middle finger or index and ring finger). When I use three fingers (or even more) on the same sequence, it gets rather bumpy...

I'm not talking about fingering chords here, but only playing melodies on one string...

Thanks.

Peter

[folkfan]

As I was just working on The Hills of Connemara, I wrote down the fingers I was using to play the first line of the chorus for you. Primarily I use my ring/R, middle/M and index/I fingers, occasionally I'll use my little finger, but never my thumb (Arthritis).

So here goes: Fret numbers first.

0=0=2=2=4=4=4=5=5=4=4=0=2=4=2=3=3=3=2=1
U-U-R-R--I--I--I->I--I-M-M-U-R--I--R-M-M-M-R>R

U is Up or hand lifted
R is ring
I is index
M is middle
-> or just > is a sliding motion between notes not lifting the finger. Slide can be up or down.

The R--I--R has a rocking motion of the hand.

The Hills of Connemara or Mountain Tay is a fairly fast song.

[tentmaker]

I use three digits either Ring Middle Index (RMI) or Ring Index Thumb(RIT) with RIT generally on frets 7 and below and RMI on 10 and above and a mix of the two 7-10 but this can vary with the tune and how my wrist feels. (And like Folkfan I will use my little finger if is is closest to a needed fret)
To play the scale from frets 3 to 10 and back down 10 to 5 - I place the 3 digits where they can "roll" across three frets 3,4,5 (example: R-3 M-4, I-5) and then slide up the scale using the Index to a new 3 finger/fret position (example R-8, M-9, I-10) and then roll down 10,9,8 and slide the Ring down to a new 3 finger position (R-5 M-6 I-7)and so on.

The idea is to place 3 digits of your choice where they can roll across three frets and then slide up or down as the music dictates. I started with the RMI combination and then evolved into the RIT combo as it was more natural for the lower frets based on the position of the dulcimer on my lap. The RIT combo also provided me a greater span of frets and some additonal speed and slide opions and easier chord fingering .

Much easier to demo that write down. Just try several combinations and play it your own way.

[FoodEngr]

Hi Peter,

You'll probably get as many variations on finger usage as you get replies. As a relatively new player myself, I've become a staunch proponent of the statement I've seen many times on ED that "there are no right or wrong ways to play the dulcimer." As I had not played any instrument prior to attempting the dulcimer, my learning of fingerings started from scratch. I use anywhere from 1 to five fingers and often a noter. Primarily fret only the melody strings but am starting to do chords occasionally. When playing chords, I look for ways to minimize movement as I go from chord to chord. If the range of notes when fretting only the melody string is small enough, like in Cotton Mill Girls, I'll anchor my pinkie on the lowest note and fret the rest with my thumb. On something like a waltz which has repeated three note phrases, I typically will use ring, middle and index to move up and down the fretboard. If there are large jumps from note to note, I will probably use my middle finger like a noter to move from note to note. I like to minimize movement of my hand so I look for ways I can anchor my pinkie and fret with my other three fingers and my thumb. As I learn new pieces, I experiment with fingering until I settle on what is most comfortable for that particular piece. Not very scientific or organized, but it works for me. And, most importantly, I'm having fun!

Clifford

[KenH]

Once you go from using a single finger to Fingerdancing with multiple fingers, it's Anything Goes (although taking off shoes and fretting with those extra digits is frowned upon). It simply doesn't matter which finger gets to which fret as long as you do it in time with the tune!

[DroneAlone]

Thank you all for your comments so far!

As a relatively new player myself, I've become a staunch proponent of the statement I've seen many times on ED that "there are no right or wrong ways to play the dulcimer."

It simply doesn't matter which finger gets to which fret as long as you do it in time with the tune!

my previous experience with other instruments is that as a beginner, the right technique isn't always obvious and easy to learn. And on the other hand, what seems to be intuitively right in the mind of a beginner sometimes turns out to be an obstacle for future development, and is difficult to unlearn. Sometimes the right technique has to be tediously learned, but pays off in the long run.

When I learned to play double bass, my teacher often insisted that I do things in a certain way, even though it felt awkward at first. It always payed off in the end. From time to time I see bass players who never had these beginner's mistakes corrected. They are able to put their fingers on the fretboard in time with the tune, but they would play much better if they had learned it properly.

How do dulcimer teachers teach fingering technique? is it all laissez-faire?

Peter

[tentmaker]

Double post deleted.

[tentmaker]

[quote="Peter"]How do dulcimer teachers teach fingering technique? is it all laissez-faire?


I offer students the "three finger roll" I described above as "the way I do it most of the time" and faciltate their trying it on for size. Some stay with their one finger and others use it as a basis for evolving their own unique fingering technique(s) and some play it just as I describe. I never insist that they try it but only offer it as "a way" not "the way". If they wish to work with one finger or two, thumb or not, all five fingers or noter (Ken H take note) I work to help them to be all they can be, each in their own way. As others have stated play it your way and look upon all the advice as just another avenue to explore if you so desire.

I use the same approach for fingering chords and offer my way as a way and not the way.

[folkfan]

Peter, Learning to play on the melody string using just the fingers (no noter involved) requires a personal touch. What may work well for fingering for one person may not for another. Some people play using their thumbs for extra reach. Personally, my thumb joint won't take the strain of use, so it never gets into the action. In fact on a bad day, I tend to use my ring finger for most of my fingering. It's the most callused and I just sort of pile up all my other fingers on top of it and slide it like a noter.

One point that I've heard made is that a person shouldn't hold a finger down on one note as they play a higher note. Example Brother John, 3453, 3453 don't hold down the 3 with the ring, 4 with the m while still holding the ring down and then the 5 with the index, holding the middle and ring in place, then lifting both the index and middle to play the 3 which is still being held by the ring finger. The reasoning is that this stretches the string too much for a true note to sound on the 4 and then the 5. Again, personally, I don't have perfect pitch and don't hear any difference if I keep my fingers in place or not. So I do.

Do what works for you and is comfortable and natural for you, because if it is uncomfortable and awkward feeling, you'll probably not enjoy playing.

[WaterPig Master]

Anything goes, really. My favourite hand structure for melody is four fingers on the melody or middle string and my thumb on the bass (my dulcimer is strung backwards). In the past I've used one finger, two fingers, three fingers, all including thumb on melody, etc. The dulcimer configuration and hand structure I've arrived at is the best one for my style of playing that I've found — but won't be for everyone!

Thanks,
Barnaby

[KenH]

How do dulcimer teachers teach fingering technique? is it all laissez-faire?

Well, the good teachers teach "here are some ideas, use what works for you..." Not such good teachers don't have many students (we tell folks not to work with teachers who demand that you do things in one way only...)

"There is no right way, or wrong way to play the dulcimer." There is only Your way.

[rendesvous1840]

"(although taking off shoes and fretting with those extra digits is frowned upon)."
! ed upon? There's no frowning in dulcimer! That's the most unheard of thing I ever heard of! If you can get extra notes with your toes, go for it. I can't get my feet up to my lap without using my hands, but some are more agile than I.
Paul