Bowed Dulcimer - Ken Bloom

[OrbiliusVinnicus]

"Gdybym ci ja miała skrzydłeczka jak gąska..."

[Bolognalegs]

Great playing, and I found it humorous that we are all commenting on his clothing. I may as well add that he has a nice blue hat that contrasts with his coat...

[kateybell1]

Nice socks...can i borrow them? nah they go to good with your kilt

[AWSOMEPOSSUM16]

Woooh baby! YOAH!

[Blacksquareable]

Interesting. Never seen one of these before. Nice sound.

[cannibalvector]

that fret board isn't pentatonic, its chromatic

[piobaireachdjongleur]

just found this same guy in another video calling it a "bowed mandolin" which of course is what the rest of us would call a fiddle. dulcimers as i know them have diatonic fretting and this thingy has pentatonic. can anyone get ahold of the guy and find out how its tuned?

[bodhranful]

Wow... a Bowed Dulcimer and skinny man in a mini skirt. ... . and they wonder why I'm not married yet.

[dlite922]

@ZAJAIRA1000

Mark 3:29 : Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.

I deny the existence of the Holy Spirit.

[truthslap]

@dlite922 why do you try to paint yourself into a corner? even the most self-assured atheist would admit that they cannot be 100% certain about their doubts, they normally don't "deny" the existence of anything, they just maintain that there's no reason to believe in something without proof. if you're so sure of yourself that you'd "deny the existence of the Holy Spirit", just to burn the bridge, that seems very sad to me.

[dlite922]

@truthslap

Not only do I want to burn this "bridge", I'd like to bomb it with a 1000 nuclear bombs. :)

As an atheist, by definition I can't be 100% sure there's no "higher power" that created, but I'm a million percent sure it's not your circus-of-a-religion called Christianity by some clown Jew 2000 years ago who dictates what I do with my penis, who I marry and how I make love to my wife. Sorry to be offensive but people need to wake the F up and stop believing in imaginary friends.

[truthslap]

@dlite922 I don't believe in any of those Christian fundamentalist ideas you listed, but I am very confident that you will not be so sure when you day comes, many years from now, to face your own mortality. you will not "burn that bridge", because you are not that courageous, no matter what you claim here.

[dlite922]

@truthslap

How are those "fundamentalist ideas"? How many billions of people believe these?

Whatever. You're right. You know me so well! I'll see you at my death bed.

Until then!

[truthslap]

@dlite922 I only know that you aren't courageous enough to stare into the void, like Nietzsche says, it stares back at you. I don't know you at all, but I know that I've never met anybody courageous enough to pretend to hold the views you do. whatever you say jack.

[dlite922]

@truthslap

You've never met anybody, so SURELY! no such person exists! (lol)

Look up Christopher Hitchens. He's facing terminal cancer and outlook is not so good. He'll be recording his last moments for you to see.

[NightGlass1013]

Let's just be happy there's a dulcimer between us and his nethers.

[piobaireachdjongleur]

i wonder if i could make one with my mountain dulcimer, a proper bridge and viol strings...?

[yahoochiewatchie]

Looks like that strange guy that used to hang around outside my school

[maksphoto78]

sounds like a really rough fiddle

[naterousseau]

Awesome. :D

[p8iy7ushn]

Great sound

[yankeegurl62]

LOVE the Dulcimer, and LOVE THE KILT!!!

[simoncino83]

Stupendo!

[Becpars]

This is one priceless man.

[wx9dx]

Nice socks:)  Jimmy C

[DmitryKrechet]

It's look like hybrid of Slavonic gudok|hudok (depends on language) and Sweden giga or East-European Tombamaryn..

[Waldvogel91]

what a unique sound.

[metalburner1708]

He is wearing a kilt and reenacts a Highland Scot soldier during the American Revolution. A true renaissance man.

[labrialumn]

da gamba.

[shizzle31]

Damn i need a tall gussiness after this one

[kiyo4356]

Best bowed dulcimer ive ever heard =D im more of a fan of the hammered but this sounds amazing and so livly i love it = ) it seems like a very joy full and energetic song its just amazing ^.^

[brandonesterer]

dude has got it together!

shame he forgot about the pants though

[bpitsenb]

Eh, I sit around and play music with my pants off all the time. Nothing odd about that.

[Linguiphile]

But where's his pants?!

Seriously, he seems very skillful. I'd love to see this instrument applied to Bluegrass music.

[SpaceCadetMarty]

I approve of his coat

[TemariSixth]

And his socks!

[marimbulaman]

You are still the greatest Ken and Patty jamed in Cincinnati yesterday with her new bowed dulcimer. The case sure looks great. Thanks for you have contributed to the music world.

[poorventrue]

Naw there B a rl Scottsman!

^_^ (translation: Now there be a real scottsman!)

[johnnyXsniper]

@poorventrue i find that quite offensive

[poorventrue]

get over yourself. I was being funny, don't have a sense of humor, than stay behind your computer and don't ever try to look at something funny.

[deadleg22]

he may be a friend n all but he defiantly farted at 0.15

[GroundedSaugage]

lolz

[TradmanTX]

His name is Ken Bloom

[9436065040]

How did u know?

[MrPatsDad]

I've never heard of a bowed dulcimer before, but I like it! Well done sir!

[HockeyNick79]

HOLY FART-BUSTER! THAT ROCKS.. Jimmy Page eat your heart out haha!

[OnlyOneDavo]

that is NOT a mountain dulcimer, bowed or not... not exactly sure what it is, but I like it!

[cclevans]

that man's outfit makes me want to give him a warm hug!

[Poodlepups]

(to LifeOfLiterature2) No, you have to have that pitch like a cello, so you can play the strings individually. But it does have mountain dulcimer tuning.

[robnoxmah]

Great sox.

[DaveyRhodes]

Stunning

[Ineededanaccount0]

what a goofy outfit but cool instrument

[scriber2b]

thats Ken Bloom from pilot Mountain NC. he can play a dozen instruments with pure instinct. but he rediscovered the bowed dulcimer, makes them, teaches them. amazing!!!!!

[dudesons441]

i want them boots

[thorearnthur]

there sox... XD lol

jk

[IIstKrieg]

Damn fine playing

[lilisalamanca]

como se llama ese violin?

[RadioGreePx]

creo, tengo la sospecha de que se llama "Bowed Dulcimer"

[thorearnthur]

aprendan un idioma mas par de ineptos ignorantes... minimo ingles jajaja

[dave777blaster]

play those spoons

to the old time tunes

to the call of loons

oh the old time tunes

[qwerim]

thats great. i'm also a musician.

[Buanand]

Go Ken!

[lorangz]

what song is that?

[mgwhitehead]

Wow! That's terrific! I don't think folks realize how challenging it is to learn to play with a bow. I've played Mt. Dulcimer for 18 years. I tried bowing a coupula times and it ain't easy, despite the fact that he makes it look that way.

[gretchenman]

Hey, don't make fun of Ken. He is very talented and a real cool guy.

[arthurmee]

Is that one of his gonads hanging low or ids it part of the dulcimer? Good folky sound anyway! salt of the earth.

[shellouise]

Hell, that guy Ken has some nice legs. I feel the opposite of disgusted!

[LunasCraincloud]

Kin From crossed the Little Bend we Irish Dont Bow as much but its a Keen Sound don't you think

[hockeynoah7]

love the sound...but i whish hed put on some pants!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wafferz]

@hockeynoah7 Those are his pants :D!

[ComfortablyStoned]

@hockeynoah7 Screw that!! All great music should be played free of the constraints of pants!!

[LivingDog94]

Some people know how to play and others know where all the notes are. It's like chess - you can know the moves of each piece but you don't know how to make music.

People respond to pleasant sounding tunes ... the audience's lack of response (also see "Hammered Dulcimer Like [sic] You've Never Seen It Before") is your greatest critic.

[FarFromMortalSight]

A good point and well stated: "(T)he audience's lack of response... is your greatest critic." So true. There's not much music in it - but in the fellow's defense, bowing the dulcimer "is like a dog's walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all." (thanks to Samuel Johnson)

[LivingDog94]

To FarFromMortalSight: (+1) well said. But now that I see it again it reminds me of a cello. He might be a cello player.

[Thunderforce249]

wtf this guy is wearing a goddamn miniskirt!

[ViolinIdiot]

It's called a kilt, not a miniskirt. And, I think what he was playing is not a dulcimer. Dulcimers have hammers to hammer the strings. This is a bowed instrument.

[changzhouya]

Haha, but that's one SHORT kilt! Not stately Highland formalwear at all! Gah.

[iain152c2i]

He Is wearing it in 18th Century fashion.

[bloeregard]

nah, it's a dulcimer, just a different kind but still part of the family. and what do you mean by hammers?

[gretchenman]

Actually this is a dulcimer! It resembles a mountain dulcimer. But the mountain dulcimer is much more mellow.

[gretchenman]

It is a dulcimer. It looks like a mountain dulcimer, but it is just bowed.

[Mechanthrope]

It IS a mountain dulcimer. They come in a variety of pitches, especially if he made it by hand. And mountain dulcimers are able to be played with a bow. Just one of the many playing styles.

[gretchenman]

Yes, it is not MEANT to be played with a pick, Ken (this guy) builds these to be bowed.

[aunghous]

Whats a scotsman wear under his kilts?......

Your wifes lipstick.

[blackmofasa9]

when I first clicked this vid I was thinking to myself that chick has some nice legs. I feel disgusted in myself.

[cyberfish101]

Totally Gay!

[lurholm]

I had no idea there was such a thing as a bowed dulcimer! Where can I get one??

[groundsgivingway]

Ah man, I saw the thumbnail of the video and thought 'Ah cool a hot chick in a skirt playing a bowed dulcimer'. Boy was I surprised (and sickened)!! Nice playing none the less.

[Hogie506]

Lmfao!!!

[Hogie506]

Lmfao!!!

[starleaf214]

Great tune, great playing, and great knees... what more can I say? Except that I want a pair of socks like that, too.

Makes me even more anxious to get a bowed dulcimer of my own, and finally join the "dark side"....

[bodhronii]

Boy am I glad his luck charms wern't showing!

A guy...... it is a guy right? in a miney skirt. HMMM?

[hedgewytche]

That's because he had a nice long Dulcimer! The woman on the right was a wee bit curious, cos afterwards he would have removed it from between his legs, which is why the end of the vid got censored!

[sacredsong]

his kilt is a bit too short...

[Timberland1952]

Too many people look at old drawings of highlanders with their kilts rucked up by static or wear. They forget the proper warrent, that the kilts hem is to touch the floor when kneeling at the alter or before the Crown.

[sacredsong]

well, as long as it's on his waist, the hem is not going to touch the ground unless he lays down.

[wfd57fatman]

If he were to move his fiddle, we would clearly see that he also plays the bagpipe.

[sacredsong]

haha cause thats how we roll!

[flossiekat]

HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! I almost peed on myself laughing!

[Oellinikositalianos]

BRAVO very nice alla if you want to sea the greek version type in kemence in the search then you see instrument. alla great performance

[Heliux15]

Is there any particular difference in how a bowed and a regular dulcimer are made, or is it just how the instrument is played?

[acediaslut]

sounds awsome!! could u tel me what tuning u are using

as id love to learn this

[JustAReminder]

Fantastic man! You are a great inspiration, bless you.

[hmrdulcimer]

Ken Bloom not only made the instrument, he is one of the most versatile musicians I've ever seen. He can play just about anything with strings and in any genre. Amazing and kind man.

[mountainmmama]

Awesome!!!!

[hspolomo18]

that's pretty cool. i've never seen anyone bow on a dulcimer

[EOLINNC]

boweddulcimer dot com

[creamofcardstv]

Your video clip is great and I've rated it as awesome. Please check out mine on some 1920's trading cards of musical instruments, including the Dulcimer.

[sandycorgi]

Is he of Scottish origin by any chance?

[jimiller5]

This is Ken Bloom from Pilot Mountain, NC. He is an amazing musician who builds and plays unusual instruments.

[dread66mon]

That is awesome! Not only is he a great player, but he made that instrument? Do you get any other info about him? His name, maybe? I'd love to look this guy up!

[Svitak36305]

he made that by himself???

sounds pretty cool for home made

[HillbillyJ]

Bobby Osborne's dobro made his dobro, at least partly.