Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
I've no shortage of examples I could give of bad hammered dulcimer playing, whole recordings worth, three CDs full I just gave a listen to this week, every track was painful. And yes, I know about compression and how it makes it even worse. This was painful, echoing, low on dynamics, and they had the audacity to also add reverb. There are some daft twits out there fiddling with their knobs.
We also have a history with the instrument, having been in a band where the hammered dulcimer player thought everyone else was his backup, that whether or not he could carry off a dance or even a tune didn't matter as he was 'front of house', 'the man', 'the one','the loudest... He was also the tallest.
I'm admitting that my attitude toward hammered dulcimer in this music and related forms is coloured, but I' like to at least change the hue to something more favourable by seeing if any of you can direct me to recordings that could raise my appreciation at least an iota. Mind you, I do love he Greek Santouri and other members of the family, including as played in Germanic countries and Eastern Europe, but here I'm asking about Irish, Scottish, English and American musics, for dance, the main focus of this site, related forms dominated by jigs and reels and also including swung froms and 3/4 and 2/4 forms... See if you can convert us to a more favourable impression of what results from hitting strings with hammers...
"The most beautiful recording of traditional hammered dulcimer music you are ever likely to hear, by a retired machinist from Tonawanda, New York, who learned his wonderful music from his grandfather. This outstanding recording was produced with help from the National Endowment for the Arts and comes with an illustrated 40 page book describing the history of Paul's music and providing musical transcriptions of the tunes."
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Please look up Christie Burns on youtube. It will probably change your opinion. At least I hope so. I do believe she is an awesome person as well as an awesome player.
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Hello C ! making my day. .. I can only give you a few names you might know of.... Ebor fiddler speaks of Chris Coe... she learned - and played as he played a bit with the Victory Band before his death - Jimmy Cooper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Cooper_%28musician%29
You can get his music on http://www.forest-tracks.co.uk/
(redigitalized LPS)
I used to like very much, in more recent styles, the playing of Malcolm Dalglish... and still like it when he plays trad (he tends to play other stuff, not so convincing IMO). Here's a tune : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtugBBy0DEw&feature=related
And I feel it's not the instrument, but always the player... from what you're telling us, you played with a soloist-minded person... I had that type of experience with a bass player, and also once with a guitar player, who could only back himself... bad experiences, but it never deterred my liking of playing with others.
The problem with HD can be that if the player isn't attentive, he might not hear the other instruments... with HD, the player gets the sound directly aimed at himself, and it's easy to forget the others. I teach my pupils to play softly, HD being so dynamic... Hope you'll get a better opinion of the instrument,
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
ho ho, getting compromising, Dick ?
C, there's an old recording I like : http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=225
of course, it's solo playing.... with Hackbrett we have less problems : traditionnally in switzerland, the Hackbrett is used for backing, meaning the player have to listen to the others...
for 70 free recordings of the then I think 90 year old playing.
- Bill Spence
-Bob Hubbach (whose new recording - Out the Buckhorn Way - just might be the best recording of dulcimer in an dance band ensemble (usually Piano, fiddle, and dulcimer in this case).
There are other fine players that are less in a particular tradition.
Oh yeah, I play HD too, but I would not insult anyone out here by claiming to be a fine player in any tradition though I do play ITM tunes and try to do that in style.
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Thanks cboody for that link, a great collection of tunes from a great player. But his playing of Irish tunes does not sound Irish and here lies the problem. Many of the complaints about dulcimers on this website arise from dulcimer players joining an Irish session but not playing in an appropriate style. Playing irish tunes with an Old Time or Bluegrass feel might sound really good but does not fit into a traditional Irish (or Scottish) session.
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
"but here I'm asking about Irish, Scottish, English and American musics, for dance, the main focus of this site, related forms dominated by jigs and reels and also including swung froms and 3/4 and 2/4 forms... See if you can convert us to a more favourable impression of what results from hitting strings with hammers..."
That was the OP's original statement. I don't think what was asked for was necessarily Irish session playing style. That said, Karen Ashbrook made a living for some time busking in Ireland and there are others too.
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Thanks all, a badly needed chuckle and smile was raised.
I'm sorry I'm late getting back. I knew I could trust this to you all, one way or the t'other. I was looking for more listens and I will chase all these up, with much appreciation of your time and offerings.
I've been distracted by numerous madness including Windows 7 and Microsoft's help in India. It has been a right pain and so far they've tried to blame anything but Windows 7 itself, though the fault windows that won't let us access any files are all to do with "Windows Explorer" failing, not anything else.
"Windows Explorer has stopped working.
Windows is checking for a solution to the problem..."
"Windows Explorer is restarting..."
And everything blinks off and back on again... But, if we're fast we can open a file and get some work done. But we can't open PDFs with anything. I'm not putting anymore software on this till it actually works. At least we can access the Internet and catch some listens, and the BlueRay drive works OK.
Somehow, some way, we will overcome... I finally give in and buy my wife this lovely new laptop and upgrade everything and the new Windows OS turns out to be cack... If I didn't have so much that depended on Windows I'd go Mac, or I'd retire to a cave on an island somewhere, with a few musical instruments of course, my Swiss Army knife and a machete...
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Buy a Mac and use one of several programs that let you run Windows things on it. Best of both, and a way to avoid the "Windows Blues." Now...how did that tune go??
Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
I've no shortage of examples I could give of bad hammered dulcimer playing, whole recordings worth, three CDs full I just gave a listen to this week, every track was painful. And yes, I know about compression and how it makes it even worse. This was painful, echoing, low on dynamics, and they had the audacity to also add reverb. There are some daft twits out there fiddling with their knobs.
We also have a history with the instrument, having been in a band where the hammered dulcimer player thought everyone else was his backup, that whether or not he could carry off a dance or even a tune didn't matter as he was 'front of house', 'the man', 'the one','the loudest... He was also the tallest.
I'm admitting that my attitude toward hammered dulcimer in this music and related forms is coloured, but I' like to at least change the hue to something more favourable by seeing if any of you can direct me to recordings that could raise my appreciation at least an iota. Mind you, I do love he Greek Santouri and other members of the family, including as played in Germanic countries and Eastern Europe, but here I'm asking about Irish, Scottish, English and American musics, for dance, the main focus of this site, related forms dominated by jigs and reels and also including swung froms and 3/4 and 2/4 forms... See if you can convert us to a more favourable impression of what results from hitting strings with hammers...
# Posted on October 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
CD - "Paul Van Arsdale: Dulcimer Heritage" - Folk Legacy 87
http://www.folk-legacy.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=126
"The most beautiful recording of traditional hammered dulcimer music you are ever likely to hear, by a retired machinist from Tonawanda, New York, who learned his wonderful music from his grandfather. This outstanding recording was produced with help from the National Endowment for the Arts and comes with an illustrated 40 page book describing the history of Paul's music and providing musical transcriptions of the tunes."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Van_Arsdale
"Van Arsdale has a nice subdued sound that is pleasant and gets your feet going." - Bill Martin
I've had this one recommendation already, by circuitous means.
# Posted on October 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Dulcimer Players News
Volume 19, #1, 1993 - where you'll find a link to "An Interview with Paul Van Arsdale"
http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/
http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_edition&id=85:Volume%2019%20-%20Number%2001%20-%201993&Itemid=497
# Posted on October 23rd 2011 by ceolachan
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Don't know if these'll make things better or worse, but here's some old boy bashing one in front of his fireplace:
The Braes of Tulliemet, Scarce o' Tatties & Drummond Castle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv57bJanjxc
& here's an apparition playing Limerick's Lamentation in a Castle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqrCUzgN9V4
Cheers,
Dick
# Posted on October 23rd 2011 by Ptarmigan
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Please look up Christie Burns on youtube. It will probably change your opinion. At least I hope so. I do believe she is an awesome person as well as an awesome player.
# Posted on October 23rd 2011 by fiddleK
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
In England, Chris Coe is the egg-slicer player supreme. She plays music to dance at!
# Posted on October 23rd 2011 by Ebor_fiddler
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Check out anything by Karen Ashbrook, such as
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_TdT4pT5fg
# Posted on October 24th 2011 by Jiml
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Hello C ! making my day.
.. I can only give you a few names you might know of.... Ebor fiddler speaks of Chris Coe... she learned - and played as he played a bit with the Victory Band before his death - Jimmy Cooper http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Cooper_%28musician%29
You can get his music on http://www.forest-tracks.co.uk/
(redigitalized LPS)
I used to like very much, in more recent styles, the playing of Malcolm Dalglish... and still like it when he plays trad (he tends to play other stuff, not so convincing IMO). Here's a tune : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtugBBy0DEw&feature=related
And I feel it's not the instrument, but always the player... from what you're telling us, you played with a soloist-minded person... I had that type of experience with a bass player, and also once with a guitar player, who could only back himself... bad experiences, but it never deterred my liking of playing with others.
The problem with HD can be that if the player isn't attentive, he might not hear the other instruments... with HD, the player gets the sound directly aimed at himself, and it's easy to forget the others. I teach my pupils to play softly, HD being so dynamic... Hope you'll get a better opinion of the instrument,
# Posted on October 24th 2011 by Nikita Pfister
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
C I have a video of Nikita himself playing in my kitchen, but I'm saving that ........ just in case I ever need to blackmail him!
Cheers,
Dick
# Posted on October 24th 2011 by Ptarmigan
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
I rather like this recording, which has George Monger on hammered dulcimer: http://www.discogs.com/Eileen-Monger-The-Lilting-Banshee-Traditional-Airs-Dances-For-Celtic-Harp/release/2868047
# Posted on October 24th 2011 by RichardB
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
ho ho, getting compromising, Dick ?
C, there's an old recording I like : http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=225
of course, it's solo playing.... with Hackbrett we have less problems : traditionnally in switzerland, the Hackbrett is used for backing, meaning the player have to listen to the others...
# Posted on October 24th 2011 by Nikita Pfister
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
I have this (An Mhéar Fhada)
http://home.comcast.net/~eile/2005.html#mhear
on tape, which I must admit I bought for the pipes rather than the dulcimer. The two instruments work quite well together, although I imagine a lot of work went into rehearsing!
# Posted on October 24th 2011 by gam
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Steve Coulter and Harris Moore - Vanishing Borders
Steve Coulter and Harris Moore - Northern Lights
Maggie Sansone - Dance Upon the Shore
# Posted on October 24th 2011 by MorganYYZ
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Personally, I like the dulcimer with uillean pipes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwF6xjQcSg8&feature=feedu
Jack
# Posted on October 26th 2011 by dulc1m3r
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Second try. Darn this site for timing out!
Granted there are many hammered dulcimer players that should not be h eard let alone recorded, but that said:
Irish Music
-Karen Ashbrook (who is a fine whistle and flute player too)
-Christie Burns
-David James
-Cliff Moses
-Magical Strings in their early recordings
These last three have won or placed in the All Ireland.
Bluegrass (yeah really!)
-Bill Robinson
Old Time/Contradance playing
-Paul Van Arsdale Check out
http://www.pgoelz.com/paulvanarsdale/index.html
for 70 free recordings of the then I think 90 year old playing.
- Bill Spence
-Bob Hubbach (whose new recording - Out the Buckhorn Way - just might be the best recording of dulcimer in an dance band ensemble (usually Piano, fiddle, and dulcimer in this case).
There are other fine players that are less in a particular tradition.
Oh yeah, I play HD too, but I would not insult anyone out here by claiming to be a fine player in any tradition though I do play ITM tunes and try to do that in style.
# Posted on October 26th 2011 by cboody
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Thanks cboody for that link, a great collection of tunes from a great player. But his playing of Irish tunes does not sound Irish and here lies the problem. Many of the complaints about dulcimers on this website arise from dulcimer players joining an Irish session but not playing in an appropriate style. Playing irish tunes with an Old Time or Bluegrass feel might sound really good but does not fit into a traditional Irish (or Scottish) session.
# Posted on October 26th 2011 by dulc1m3r
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
"but here I'm asking about Irish, Scottish, English and American musics, for dance, the main focus of this site, related forms dominated by jigs and reels and also including swung froms and 3/4 and 2/4 forms... See if you can convert us to a more favourable impression of what results from hitting strings with hammers..."
That was the OP's original statement. I don't think what was asked for was necessarily Irish session playing style. That said, Karen Ashbrook made a living for some time busking in Ireland and there are others too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dooLRWfOlfE
Again not Irish at all, but such fine playing by both musicians.
For another great player (whith a great guitar player) check out.
# Posted on October 27th 2011 by cboody
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
OOOPS. Insert the last sentence before the URL and things will make better sense.
That is "with" too :(
# Posted on October 27th 2011 by cboody
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Thanks all, a badly needed chuckle and smile was raised.
I finally give in and buy my wife this lovely new laptop and upgrade everything and the new Windows OS turns out to be cack... If I didn't have so much that depended on Windows I'd go Mac, or I'd retire to a cave on an island somewhere, with a few musical instruments of course, my Swiss Army knife and a machete...
I'm sorry I'm late getting back. I knew I could trust this to you all, one way or the t'other. I was looking for more listens and I will chase all these up, with much appreciation of your time and offerings.
I've been distracted by numerous madness including Windows 7 and Microsoft's help in India. It has been a right pain and so far they've tried to blame anything but Windows 7 itself, though the fault windows that won't let us access any files are all to do with "Windows Explorer" failing, not anything else.
"Windows Explorer has stopped working.
Windows is checking for a solution to the problem..."
"Windows Explorer is restarting..."
And everything blinks off and back on again... But, if we're fast we can open a file and get some work done. But we can't open PDFs with anything. I'm not putting anymore software on this till it actually works. At least we can access the Internet and catch some listens, and the BlueRay drive works OK.
Somehow, some way, we will overcome...
# Posted on October 27th 2011 by ceolachan
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
Buy a Mac and use one of several programs that let you run Windows things on it. Best of both, and a way to avoid the "Windows Blues." Now...how did that tune go??
# Posted on October 28th 2011 by cboody
Re: Hammering on and on and on ~ the Hammered Dulcimer
"Buy a Mac and use one of several programs that let you run Windows things on it"
It's cheaper to get a PC with the right spec (and it's getting easier to find one) to run OSX - OSx86. You can dual boot the things.
Long live the Hackintosh.
# Posted on October 28th 2011 by Weejie