On 11/7/2010 9:48 PM, Bill wrote:
Swingman wrote:
On 11/7/2010 8:55 PM, Bill wrote:
Stuart wrote:
In ,
wrote:
FWIW, I like guitars..and banjos and fiddles. Someday I'll probably
build something else with strings, besides a kite!

I always fancied having a go at a bowed psaltery. I've seen kits, they
don't look too dificult to make or play. I've heard one, its an almost
"not of this world" sound.



I haven't seen many of those in my musical circles. The closest things
are "mountain dulcimers", which may be a little easier to build because
of the absence of the bow. I thought one of those might be my first
instrument. Technically, it would be my second instrument as I already
built my wife a washtub bass. When I was at youtube listening to bowed
psaltery, I noticed a number of examples were duets between bowed
psaltery and mountain dulcimer, so there ya go. I've read a few books on
instrument building but I'm going to try my hand at building something
with a drawer before I try that! I'm still wet behind the ears. ; )

You want the best in mountain dulcimers look no further than below, they
don't come any better than Lloyd Frank Wright, or his mother, Margaret,
matriarch of the "The Wright Family" ... lloyd was two time mountain
dulcimer champion and one of the best in the world. I had the group in
the studio on a number of their albums, as well as two of Lloyds. Here's
the family web site:

http://www.jerrywrightfamily.com/index.htm


I recognize a lot of the songs on their albums. I learned them under the
guise of 'folk music from Missouri'. The late John Hartford is my
favorite celebrator of that music. 'Hamilton Ironworks" is an album of
his I really like. Others, where he is being a little too whacky for my
tastes, I don't prefer. So don't make up your mind on one song. Though
he did write the song Gentle On My Mind, made famous by Glen Cambell.
Everyone is probably familiar with that one, though maybe not it's source.

My favorite is "Steam Powered Areo Plane", one of the staples of banjo
players back in my bluegrass banjo days. I worked with John many years
ago. One of the nicest guys in the music business in those days. Was
saddened to see him pass away.

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Last update: 4/15/2010
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