Improvization on the Baritone (Three Octave) Dulcimer

[jecyoj]

Hi, that dulcimer looks and sounds great! I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba and I am also interested in learning the dulcimer. I hope you wouldn't mind indulging a fellow Manitoban's question about your dulcimer? How much did you pay to have it custom-made? And would you mind passing along Jerry's current contact information? My email is ramos_troy at hotmail dot com.

[DeviSamit]

Ah! Very interesting. So did you need to widen the slots in the nut and bridge to accommodate the larger-gauge strings?

[roldo23]

Actually, no. The new bass string seemed comfortable with the nut so I left it alone.

You might be interested in another Dulcimer variation I use - on my reverbnation page ( just' 'roldo', no '23') I do a version of 'Tom O' Bedlam on a Zuchovic 4 string ( 1 chanter, three drones) thats tuned with the melody string in Minor (Dorian is it?Aeolian? I can never remember) and the drones in Major. There's two tracks, one strummed and another played with a bow 'cause I don't have a Hurdy-gurdy...yet.

[DeviSamit]

Beautiful dulcimer, and great improvisation. What is the stringing system you're using? And who built the dulcimer?

[roldo23]

Hi! The Dulcimer Is "Marieka3' built here in Manitoba by Jerry Maksymyk (Prairie Wind Dulcimers)

As to the set-up, I noticed Marieka was some bit larger than my other Dulcimers and decided to try a new stringing. I replaced one of the 'melody' strings with the existing bassdrone so that they became an octave pair rather than a unison then replaced the bass drone with a Guitar low E so its an octave belower the melody strings.

Marieka also has an extra '1 1/2' fret.

[ric2211]

coool 5***

[nllleonard]

Sounds lovely! I'd love to see more of your instruments! Interesting stuff behind you there. ~NAncy

[onkelbuke]

that was GREAT!  very cool.

[carrolly2k]

This was wonderful!!!!!!!