Introduce Yourself!

[Strumelia]

 

Say howdy here to us all, and tell us a little about yourself!

[Yoli Jolliff]

Welcome, I'm new to the site too.  I find these folks are a wealth of information.  I'm in Central Illinois.

[Shawn McCurdy]

Howdy folks. I just joined up yesterday and already have many greetings - what a friendly bunch! Thanks for the warm welcome.

I'm Shawn (a female Shawn) and live with my hubbie in Geneva FL, a small village northeast of Orlando. I was a pianist in a former life (actually a music major in the first couple of years of college). I no longer have a piano and haven't played for years. I miss playing and performing with a group as well. When I saw that there was a dulcimer class meeting once a month in Geneva, I decided to go and see if it was something I would want to pursue. I've been to a total of 3 gatherings and am enjoying it enough to get serious about acquiring a dulcimer. I have been using a borrowed instrument at the classes and was allowed to bring it home to practice this last time! I feel quite klutzy at the moment, never having played a stringed instrument before (well, the piano is a stringed instrument when you get down to it, but a different beast altogether). I want to be good NOW! But I recognize that just like playing piano, it will take time and practice. I have found a wealth of information both here and on other websites. I might need some help wading through all the potential options for what to buy, so I'll try to post that in the appropriate place.

[Ken Hulme]

Istonko, as our Seminole neighbors would say!  Welcome from the Gulf Coast.  If you and your hubby get over and down this way be sure and let me know.  Lessons and jamming fun are always free.  We can even 'sit on the dock of the bay' as it were and have a sundowner jam.    The goof folks at FOTMD can certainly help you answer all your dulcimer questions, just ask.

[Shawn McCurdy]

"The goof folks at FOTMD can certainly help you answer all your dulcimer questions, just ask."

Ken, are you saying that there are a bunch of goofy people here . Thx for the welcome. If we get down in your neck of the woods I'll be sure to look you up. Between my metalworking buddies and now dulcimer buddies I expect there will be people I can visit pretty much anywhere I go!

[Meg Thompson]

Hello, everyone, glad to meet you all and be a part of this place! (Note: I tend to get ramble on, so this is an upfront apology!)
I'm Meg, from Southwestern Ontario (I grew up directly across from Erie, PA, for American reference), and I'm 22 years old. Been playing Mountain Dulcimer for nearly 2 years now, although I spent quite a bit longer pining for one. I've got a strong affinity for rural and Appalachian culture, and have always had music in my life, so a dulcimer just seemed to fit! I took up guitar when I was 8 years old, and later on picked up fiddle, mandolin, and I can get along alright on a banjo, here and there. My husband (who is the owner and player of said banjo), Jon, surprised me 2 years ago when he had a dulcimer made for me by Blaine Horlocker at Smokey Mountain Dulcimer Works, I've been smitten ever since (with the dulcimer, haha).
I tend to stick to old-style noter and chords, I like mainly old time music and bluegrass, but I get a kick out of figuring out other songs on my own, John Prine, Avett Brothers, etc., and write a lot of my own stuff as well, as I tend to sing every waking moment... I have folks over for jams every week, but I'm excited to learn more from others who actually play dulcimer as well (I've only ever met one other player).
Other than dulcimers and other music goodies, I'm waking up at 3am most days to go to work as a baker, and my husband and I are about to celebrate 1 year of marriage in 2 weeks. We just bought our first house, so I spend a good chunk of time fixer-upper-ing, which I do enjoy. My non-music hobbies are cooking (I'm a cast iron fanatic), sewing, vegetable gardening, and chasing around a pesky little critter that I call a Shih Tzu...  That's about it! That's for letting me ramble!

[Ken Hulme]

Shawn - that 'goof' wa a symptom of my Oldtimers Stumblefinger Disease. 

Meg - welcome.  Always good to have another N&D player in the fold.  You're gonna fit in real well here!

[Paul Certo]

Welcome! And Happy Anniversary!

Paul

[cindi perron]

Shawn! Welcome and happy anniversary!!

[Janet Brown]

Hi All,
I live Between the Hills in Loudoun Co. VA. I am a spinner weaver, mother of two, grandmother of four, companion of two dogs and four parrots and soon five hens. I am a genetic Presbyterian and retired Earth Science teacher.
I kinda sorta play MD. I'm afraid to play in front of anyone because I'm still striving to be mediocre. I took it up because I thought I could play with a noter and quill, but all my books make me do chords and finger pick. They tell me the people at the jam sessions will cringe when they see a mountain dulcimer unless do chords and pick. So, I just play to myself. My birds seem to like it. They sometimes sing along.
I'm so excited to find that people still do it the old way. I know I don't really need permission, but one wants to be only so eccentric.
It's raining here on the side of my Virginia mountain, so I'm going to indulge myself in watching you all on your videos. Thanks for being there!!

[John Henry]

Hello Janet, good to hear that you tend to favour noter/drone, particularly using a quill, there are a few of us who are 'like minded' on this site.    In case you missed them when you indulged in a video splurge, make a point of searching out stuff posted by Robin Thompson, Dave Rogers and Randy Adams, all play noter/drone.   And if you want to hear how a dulcimer sounds in a 'jam' (session?) played noter and quill, look for Robin Clark, from Wales !!!   Of course there are others here who use the same method to play their dulcimers, in time you will find and enjoy 'em all, in the meantime enjoy what you are doing !   (birds tend to fly away when I play outside, what am I doing wrong...........?)

JohnH

[R N Lackey]

Janet,

Play it like you feel it and don't let anyone tell you it's wrong!

Rob

[Yoli Jolliff]

Great advice.  Should be a needlepoint pillow or stenciled on the instrument case.