Black Is The Color

This song is played with two mountain dulcimers, a bowed psaltery, and a guitar. The dulcimers are tuned CGC. The dulcimer tablature and sheet music file is available at the Everything Dulcimer web site in the tab file section. The url for Everything Dulcimer is listed below.

http://everythingdulcimer.com/index.php

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Black
• Is
• The
• Color
• Mountain
• Appalachian
• Dulcimer
• Bowed
• Psaltery
• Folk
• Music

[6FIDS]

I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know who John Jacob Niles was but I do now. Read his bio and listened to several songs (including Black is the Color) on YouTube. I also checked out your TAB. I have added it to my binder but is too high a version for me to sing along. I had made a very similar sounding arrangement but lower on the fretboard. I liked Judy Collin's take on the song which actually sounds a lot like JJN's; he most likely influenced her take on the song.

[dholeton]

@6FIDS

Janene

I found a Judy Collins video and Judy's version sounds like a lower key (C minor?) and would be great for you. I think one of the tunings for Baritone dulcimers might be AEA, so the tab for the version I provided when played on a Baritone dulcimer would put the song in B minor instead of D minor. Also, tuning your dulcimer to C G and B flat would make the song close to C minor on the melody strings (no chords) in the Aeolian mode. Keep trying, you'll find something.

Dave

[6FIDS]

Dave--I really love this, and the Psaltery, terrific and perfect for this song! I'm working on this right now. Hope I can do it justice, it's such a lovely song. Thanks for putting it together in this manner!

Janene

[dholeton]

@6FIDS

Thanks Janene

The lyrics can be sung in the form of a man or a woman with a true love with black hair. My partner who accompanies me at our playouts suggested we learn this song (his wife has black hair). The melody of this arrangement is somewhat closer to John Jacob Niles version, which you can find on his website. The dulcimer tab file is on the Everything Dulcimer web site in the tab files section. It's a great song and I'd love to hear your version.

Dave

[demetria964]

So very beautiful! Hauntingly beautiful!! I just want to listen to this again and again.......You have such a gift!

[dholeton]

@demetria964

Sandara

What a way to start the day with your wonderful comments!!

Thank You

Dave

[dholeton]

@Bidyyy

Thank You Sarah and Ernest

Dave

[Bidyyy]

* * * * VERY GREAT !!!! * * * *

[dholeton]

@threelegsoman

Thanks Tony

I have gone lots of places musically with the bowed psaltery. There are additional examples of the psaltery and psaltery history at the psalterystrings web site, a site just for psaltery players to share information. Many of the psaltery makers (luthiers) like Rick Long at ringingstrings and the Westmans at westmaninstruments also have great psaltery music examples.

Dave