You should play the dulcimer

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I bet you never had THAT said to you before?
Had a guest from Nashville this morning. He had no idea about our music mecca here. Upon departing with lots of information and wanting to come back and dig his heels in, he said "You should play the dulcimer."
Yeah, sure thing, add that to my morning "song and dance" for guests. Hammered dulcimer here I come!
NOT!
I just thought it was funny.

 

[Proud Texan]

I used to play the guitar well and sing a little bit. Arthritis in the hands prevents playing the guitar and now I only think I can sing (the voice has...uh hum...mellowed with age. Besides, I ain't gonna be nobody's performing monkey.
We plan to have night time campfires when the weather gets cooler and someone suggested that I seranade the guests. Yeah, right that's going to happen.
If they want music, there's a clock radio in their room.

 

[EmptyNest]

Didn't we talk along time ago about some innkeepers who perform "historical characters" for their guests at breakfast....of course the guests didn't request it..it was thrown in as part of the experience
Not something I would want to have with my breakfast. Let me eat in peace and quiet please.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Besides, I ain't gonna be nobody's performing monkey.
Oddly enough i even have the uniform, well the hat. A friend went to Morocco and gave us a FEZ hat and it would work perfectly for the monkey act. LOL
RE to Catlady there is a place in OK that has the hysterical, ahem, I meant historical characters routine. Guests have told me about it and thought it would be a one time "check in" act, but they wore the outfits the entire stay. Maybe one day I will do that just to tick people off. Pretend I am the dead orig homeowner of this house who is buried out back.

 

[Willowpondgj]

He's right! Everyone should play the dulcimer, the mountain dulcimer that is!
It's easier than guitar, 3 strings and you can strum or fingerpick. You can hear it on my website www.myspace.com/laurielester
We do houseconcerts here at the inn, but I don't "perform" for guests at breakfast...
This is one of those things that is a reflection of the innkeepers personality infusing with the biz...we are an art & music themed inn...
Mountain dulcimer is an instrument that really can be picked up at any age and many people with disabilities can play it, even those with missing digits...You don't have to read music to play either, it's read with tablature, so it's kind of like paint by numbers, you follow numbers that correspond to the strings...
check it out! www.everythingdulcimer.com

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

He's right! Everyone should play the dulcimer, the mountain dulcimer that is!
It's easier than guitar, 3 strings and you can strum or fingerpick. You can hear it on my website www.myspace.com/laurielester
We do houseconcerts here at the inn, but I don't "perform" for guests at breakfast...
This is one of those things that is a reflection of the innkeepers personality infusing with the biz...we are an art & music themed inn...
Mountain dulcimer is an instrument that really can be picked up at any age and many people with disabilities can play it, even those with missing digits...You don't have to read music to play either, it's read with tablature, so it's kind of like paint by numbers, you follow numbers that correspond to the strings...
check it out! www.everythingdulcimer.com.

He's right! Everyone should play the dulcimer, the mountain dulcimer that is!
It's easier than guitar, 3 strings and you can strum or fingerpick. You can hear it on my website www.myspace.com/laurielester
We do houseconcerts here at the inn, but I don't "perform" for guests at breakfast...
This is one of those things that is a reflection of the innkeepers personality infusing with the biz...we are an art & music themed inn...
Mountain dulcimer is an instrument that really can be picked up at any age and many people with disabilities can play it, even those with missing digits...You don't have to read music to play either, it's read with tablature, so it's kind of like paint by numbers, you follow numbers that correspond to the strings...
check it out! www.everythingdulcimer.com

Arrgh! I was replying and my window blew up!
Anyway, here is the cd he bought, of American Music Historian Wayne Erbson. I also have the books that accompany it. All orig mountain intruments. You can retail them if you are interested. Here is a link to listen. Native Ground Music will give you a great discount on wholesale to sell them. Cookbooks, cd's etc.
BTW They sell dulcimers at the end of our block. I am familiar with them, just found it odd to be told to play one! ha

 

[gillumhouse]

I do play AT the dulcimer (mountain). I say at because I just mess around with it. It is great fun and as has been pointed out, easy to learn once you get the strum down - and yes there are different strums. The notes are the fret numbers. I read music (playing my bari sax) but I do dulcimer "by the numbers". I have a 5-string with a 6 1/2 fret and 1 other but forget which(meaning I have a capability to do 2 half notes.
I took my dulcimer on a windjammer cruise that happened to be having a wedding taking place during the cruise - and I played the music for the wedding (I picked out the wedding march) and a few other tunes I knew. I had a couple days to practice and it was fun.

 

[YellowSocks]

I got a dulcimer for Christmas...

Is it August already???

=)
Kk.

 

[Proud Texan]

My wife inherited her late father's autoharp. It's badly in need of restringing but we've been unable to find anyone to mess with it. I enjoy making music, I only wish I still could.
We're very lucky to live in an area that has a "fiddlin'" contest every year. It's great to bring your lawn chairs and an ice chest and picnic lunch and spend the day listening to some real music.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

My wife inherited her late father's autoharp. It's badly in need of restringing but we've been unable to find anyone to mess with it. I enjoy making music, I only wish I still could.
We're very lucky to live in an area that has a "fiddlin'" contest every year. It's great to bring your lawn chairs and an ice chest and picnic lunch and spend the day listening to some real music..

My wife inherited her late father's autoharp. It's badly in need of restringing but we've been unable to find anyone to mess with it. I enjoy making music, I only wish I still could.
We're very lucky to live in an area that has a "fiddlin'" contest every year. It's great to bring your lawn chairs and an ice chest and picnic lunch and spend the day listening to some real music.

sidetrack suzie here...
So funny to finally hear the term ice chest! I cannot tell you all the things I have heard besides that - igloo, cooler, chilly bin, freezer (that is where i live now, they say bring a freezer?), ice chest is what I have always called them.
We have a fiddlin contest nearby that attracts tens of thousands. One of the biggest winners last year is a female fiddler who is 12 yrs old and lives in this town, she beat out adults and kids. Galax Old Fiddler's Convention.
Speaking of the autoharp, there is a local group here who donate all proceeds from cd sales to local charities who has an AUTOHARP in the band. I actually like it!
I told the dude this morning as he was mentioning taking up accordian, I have on my bluegrass playlist a group (my cousin is in CA) that has accordian on almost every song, and I really like it! It is funky.

 

[gillumhouse]

My wife inherited her late father's autoharp. It's badly in need of restringing but we've been unable to find anyone to mess with it. I enjoy making music, I only wish I still could.
We're very lucky to live in an area that has a "fiddlin'" contest every year. It's great to bring your lawn chairs and an ice chest and picnic lunch and spend the day listening to some real music..

I did a copy/paste to my rails-to-trails council treasurer this morning. If a Brenda contacts you, this is where it came from. She plays autoharp and has a nice collection of them.