Diane in Chicago's Comments

Hi Diane,

     I either play a chromatic dulcimer as in the tune: Erev Shel Shoshanim, which you can hear on my klezmer band's website: www.extremeklezmer.com or you can play stuff in aeolian or dorian or mixolydian tuning with some extra frets.  That's how I do it.  I also compose klezmer tunes on the dulcimer which makes klezmer conform to the limitations of the dulcimer.  Some tunes you need the chromatic!

  Joellen

I like cigarette box dulcimers a lot better! They are smaller and carry a tune much better while fitting into a shirt pocket.

Interesting shape! Does this shape have a different tone than another shape, say a tear drop or an hourglass? At a glance, it appears that yours may have just a little more cubic inches in the body cavity? Yours looks about the norm as far as the depth goes. I guess I'm saying.... I like it, thanks.

Thank you for the Birthday wishes Diane.

Howdy Diane,
I'm in the beginning of a build, and I just can't grasp this "zero fret" thing. Is there any way you could email me a drawing that delineates this. I would appreciate it immensely. yardbirder@yahoo.com Thanks JL

Hi Diane. Who has been talking to you about my dancing ??? LOL

JohnH

That would be great Diane I would love to see how you put them together. Let me know the next time your through maybe we can meet up somewhere.

Warren is a lot of fun to visit and talk to I haven't done much with DAA but am wanting to try it. I love your cigar box dulcimers you do a great job I was wanting to try and make on I have a lot of cigar boxes I've collected.

Hi Diane, after a lot of searching thro' bits and bobs of info, and some experimenting on false fretboards, I went for some softish wire from a garden centre (called gardener's wire!!, or broom wire) I found that the absence of a strum hollow and my style of playing meant that I needed a higher action to the strings, and therefore higher frets, and I did'nt want too sophisticated a look to the finished instrument. Just my choice really.

good luck with your build
JohnH

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Diane, thanks so much for inadvertently showing me this site! I love it. Also, I just came back from Chicago, what a great town.

Thank you for your comment. I'm glad you like the songs!

I think it looks artistic, and i also like the bluesy sound of those cigar box guitars!

Cool cigar boxes!

hi diane,
professor david invited me to demonstrate old time tunes with him for a couple lectures at kent state,he asked how many could identify my instrument?i think one person knew what it was,he introduced the dulcimer as one of americas original instruments,the banjo coming from africa.the fiddle from ireland.and old time music from applachia

hi diane in chicago,very nice instruments you make,this is all new to me,i'm like a kid in the candy store.i live on washington and thirteenth street,and the library is one of my favorite haunts,especially when my computer was giving me fits.and chestnut hill is a very soothing place for reflections and direction,meditation,i love that area.oh yes, i must ask,do the cigar boxes come made of wood?i quit smoking in 94, and i just don't even look at tobacco anymore.those sure are interesting looking instruments.i go to an old time music jam in kent once a month,i would sure turn some heads if i strolled in with a cigar box dulcimer,i'll put that thought on the back burner,along with many other ideas i'm getting from here.if you do facebook,checkout northeast ohio old time music.
well,take care, and thank you very much for the inspitation
peace.,
jim

Diane in Chicago,

I'm playing the version of Cold Frosty Morning from Lois Hornbostel's "Dulcimer Fiddle Tunes" anthology. The tuning is DGD with a Capo at the 1st fret. It looks like it's in A minor.

Thanks for listening to my recording!

Rob in the Bay Area

Diane, check out this vid, cool sounding instrument " like a fiddle " it`s from Finland. Kind of reminds me of a cigar box with a double neck. Check it out