Making Folk Instruments In Wood Is Good
Good Morning, Y'all & Happy Friday!
A few years ago (in the early 1980s) I bought a book titled "Making Folk Instruments in Wood." I was a music major in college, and Dad had a home workshop, so buying the book made sense at the time.
I've since moved from Ohio, to Montana, then to Indiana - and moved a few more times to various homes in Indiana. And I hauled the book with me - along with a rather large library of other books - with each move. I was cleaning out my library of unnecessary books recently (I finally parted with Beverly Cleary's "The Mouse And The Motorcycle" - from elementary school!), and came across this book:
Since I purchased this book (in 1983), I've gone from being a student, to a school music teacher, to creating an online sheet music store, to finally making folk instruments. In wood. And I still haven't used this book!
The book is visually dated, but the content is still quite good. The author, Dennis Waring, is clearly a genius! He devoted 12 pages of this book to mountain dulcimer. Obviously, he recognized - even in 1983 - the importance of the dulcimer to the world.
I did a quick Google search on Mr. Waring, and it turns out he was the Connecticut State Troubadour in 2003 and 2004. I wonder if he knows Thomasina Levy? Probably!
The information is really quite good and would be helpful for a novice dulcimer maker. I'm lucky enough to have worked with (and learned from) some of the premier dulcimer builders of all time. But Mr. Waring has a "not complicated" way of explaining the building process that makes dulcimer building approachable for people.
So, now I have to decide. Does this book stay in my library? Or can I put it in the stack of "I've outgrown this book" titles? I think I'll keep it. The section on making a slide whistle looks intriguing!
Thanks for reading, Y'all - I hope you have a great weekend!
Richard Ash - luthier-who-will-never-make-slide-whistles-to-sell-but-will-probably-make-a-few-just-for-fun
P.S. The "Making Folk Instruments In Wood" book is out of print, but I found a used copy at Amazon.com.
FOLKCRAFT® DULCIMER PLAYER OF THE WEEK: THOMASINA LEVY
It is highly likely Dennis Waring knew Thomasina Levy back in the day. She was the Connecticut State Troubadour in 2005 & 2006 - the two years immediately following his reign. Your newsletter editor knows (and absolutely adores) Thomasina Levy, too. She spent a life-changing week with Thomasina at Dulcimer Week at the Swannanoa Gathering in August of 2010. The same Dulcimer Week where she met Bing Futch and his fabulous Folkcraft dulcimers. And the rest, as they say, is history.
From Thomasina's website (thomasinalevy.com): "I'm an award-winning, internationally-recognized mountain dulcimer player, singer, poet, and songwriter whose performances weave together the best of traditional and contemporary folk music. I have found that the best way to play a musical instrument is to treat it as if were part of you. I've been passionate about the dulcimer ever since I encountered one in West Virginia when I was 18 years old. My four years of studies and graduation as a Facilitator of Music Improvisation with cello master, David Darling, and Music for People reaffirm my belief that music is in each one of us and just waiting for the right time to emerge.
HELLO FOLKCRAFT® PLAYERS - WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!
While we don't have a new player to add to our online global dulcimer community this week, we are still very pleased to re-feature community member, Thomasina Levy. "Hello, beautiful lady, how's life been treating you these days?"
Who's Going To Write In Next? Keep The Family Growing?
It really is super-easy to join our online dulcimer community. Just three easy steps:
1) Send an email to: newsletter@folkcraft.com
2) With the answers to the four questions below
3) Attach a photo of yourself with your Folkcraft dulcimer(s)
We look forward to receiving your submission & featuring you in our newsletter real soon!
1. How long have you been playing the dulcimer?
2. When did you get your first Folkcraft dulcimer?
3. Where do you enjoy playing your dulcimer?
4. What other hobbies, or interests, do you have besides playing dulcimer?
WE'RE OFFERING A $25 FOLKCRAFT GIFT CARD TO ANYONE WHO ANSWERS THE FOUR EASY QUESTIONS LISTED ABOVE, AND SENDS IN A PHOTO (OF YOU WITH YOUR FOLKCRAFT DULCIMER). IT'S REALLY SO EASY TO DO!
This Week's Featured YouTube Video:
This week, Mandy shows us a fun song to play in DAA tuning - "Skip To My Lou." She'll put the fret numbers up on the screen for you. Near the end of the lesson, we'll do a play-along of the entire song together. Have fun! (In case anyone's curious, Mandy is playing her all-cherry FSH dulcimer in this video.) Just click on the image below to listen & learn.
We have a slew (that's a fancy luthier word for "bunch") of videos for you to watch on our YouTube channel. Click here to see the full list. Be sure to comment on a video, and subscribe to the channel - either action helps us a LOT with YouTube's suggestion algorithms.
SONGS FOR KIDS
by Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson is one of those musicians who can say "Been there. Done that." to practically any musical situation. From a hoedown show at the Grand Ole Opry, to a serious classical performance at Carnegie Hall, it is easy to imagine him in pretty much any musical environment.
Well, here's another venue that he totally owns - the early-elementary classroom. From his decades of teaching kindergarten, he knows what songs kids like, and like to sing. This amazing collection has a slew of young-person favorites. Learn them yourself (easy arrangements!) and teach them to your children and grandchildren! (All songs in DAD tuning - 59 pages)
This book is published by Fingers Of Steel, and is made available here as an authorized, licensed download.
SONGS INCLUDED:
All Through The Night • Baa Baa Black Sheep • Daddy Shot A Bear • How 'Bout A Moose • I Dropped It • The Itsy Bitsy Spider • London Bridge Is Falling Down • Mary Had A Little Lamb • Old MacDonald Had A Farm • Rain, Rain, Go Away • Skip To My Lou • This Old Man • Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star • Who's That?
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