Smokey Mountain Dulcimer: Not A Strum Stick

[SuperGringo420]

Whats the tuning?

[rpeek]

@SuperGringo420 DAD

[RunescapeAchievemets]

@rpeek whose dad?

[lalablablaification]

@RunescapeAchievemets D note A note D note

[Velkion13]

very good :=)

[Torn80cj]

I love the way you played it. Besides, rules only restrict music in my opinion. I have never had a problem with someone taking the playing of an instrument to another level or style. And I love the style you just used on it.

[piobaireachdjongleur]

just made myself one of these with a cookie tin body! used your fork tailpiece technique from the oilcan banjo. works great!

[rpeek]

@piobaireachdjongleur Sweet... Good for you..

[micmoable]

i have always wanted to build some guitars--maybe even cigar box guitars---ha!

[TheBigMclargehuge]

You're terrible. Terribly good.

[willbobrules]

i make these things

[rpeek]

@willbobrules They're very cool instruments. 

[datfri13]

You ought to hear me strum my resonator five-string banjo like a tenor banjo, while fingering the chords to "Five Foot Two"!! Its MY banjo!!

(Uh-oh...is that the banjo police at the door??....

[rpeek]

@datfri13 hahahahaha..  Another banjo outlaw!

[7johnnyreb]

@datfri13 that is illegal!  haha

[MrThedalaillamaknows]

@datfri13 FIGHT THE BANJO FASCISTS FREEBIRD!!!

[datfri13]

@MrThedalaillamaknows I went to a pickin' & singin' in Greyson GA Saturday night and there was a guy there (along with the 20 guitar players, five mandolins, couple o' banjoes and fiddles and a dobro) playing old timey and bluegrass saxophone!! (Sounded a lot like the "yakkity sax") No hidebound purists there!

[MrThedalaillamaknows]

@datfri13 yeah man, ragtime banjo is really popular, cross-eyed cricket is the first tune that springs to mind, but thats only because i'm learning it at the moment.

[u2poz]

do you play that like you do a dulcimer or is it different ?

[rpeek]

@u2poz The fretboard is almost the same as a dulcimer.. 

[shadowmane20]

Cool. Clawhammer on a stick dulcimer. If you just moved the high string it would sound like a banjo.

[alyinsanfran]

And good on you for not getting 'into it'. It's not about anyone claiming the Appalachian dulcimer, it's about keeping it alive in -any- form for folk to appreciate, research and return to. And this comes from someone as far away from Appalachia as anyone can be.

Fine playing too, cheers for sharing. Reckon I'll have to grab one of these.

[leaheplin]

My 9 year old niece just over heard me listening and proclaimed that you were awesome ^_^

[rpeek]

@leaheplin Cool.. doesn't get any better than that.. haha.

[xSNOWYJOEx]

you sir are pretty cool. claw hammer with a slide on a strum stick... wow

[lazyass100]

i wish you were my uncle! thats awesome!

[stoogemaniac]

The heck with the purists, that was GOOD!

[idezilla]

I'm always lookin' for music ideas. Thanks.

[bleumatot]

j'attend mon drumsticks, mais il va faloir apprendre !! super instrument !

[kohjij]

sounds good to me. to hell with the conventions.

[DavesRiffage]

Cool :)

[Chokula99]

Genious

[SacrakoOda]

soooooooo cooool!! you are genious!

[queenbeebee222]

REally cool!!!

[kitd56]

Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OnlyOneDavo]

HAHA..... I'm a "pure" mountain dulcimer player, and would ordinarily be kinda mad about hearing a dulcimer played like that, but it sounded so good, how could I be?

[rpeek]

Thanks.. I can' t really play a dulcimer, so I beg forgiveness.. haha

[rpeek]

Do.  Thanks. haha

[johnmcnair]

Cool!

[everysinglenamesgone]

Cool!!  These things have so many possibilities.

[Mandolinpossum]

I take it you're a banjo player, judging by that drop thumb? I constantly find myself doing that on everything I have, from mandolin to guitar to well, you get the point. It may not be the right way to play, but it often sounds good anyway ;p

Anyway, Excellent playing! I think I may wanna get me one of these. I'd make one, but I'd hate to destroy my old dulcimer for it. But I digress. Keep up the great music!

[rpeek]

Thanks. Yea, drop thumb gets in there.. haha

[rpeek]

Thanks. I've since gotten a McNalley Grand strumstick, and have found myself making some really lovely melodies on it. After I catch up with myself maybe I'll make a video with it.

[seonachan]

Since you have both, maybe you could comment sometime on the differences in the sound, etc.? Great playing, by the way - and I love how you almost started to get into the whole discussion of the name, and then thought better of it.

[rpeek]

I like the McNalley better. Feels more balanced and the quality if just amazing. Of course I'm comparing the Grand Strumstick with a Rocky Mtn, and and it does cost a bit more. I've never tried a regular strumstick, but sure do like the Grand.

[seonachan]

Thanks - I actually just saw your other video where you play the McNally and comment on it. I've got a standard McNally and am thinking about getting the bigger one.

[rpeek]

How do you like yours? I don't think the Grand is any bigger, just made of different wood and the quality is better, I think.

[seonachan]

I love it. It's a few inches shorter than the grand. I just put up a video if you want to check it out.

[rpeek]

I did. That's awesome. Sent it to my girlfriend. She's learnin' to play and will like that..

[willywonka225]

haha, you make it seem like you aren't musically gifted at all and then you break out with your awesome clawhammer skills! well done!

[rpeek]

Yea, kind of hard to do that drop thumb thing when there ain't no fifth string.  Thought about adding one..

[drewbanjowebster]

That is a really beautiful sound, lovely playing and instrument.

[dhswpea]

Makes me miss you. I love you dad. The little strum stick instrument makes a cool sound. Like the slide. :)

[rpeek]

Yea, it's pretty cool. My girlfriend picked it up, never played an instrument in her life, and she's already almost playing "Amazing Grace" on it and "Do Lord." Seems a real nice way for a beginner to start. You want one?

[KevinCNeece]

Sounds good! Well done!

[brokenbluebird]

Way cool...there is no right or wrong. It gave me the grins...has to be right.