Morning guys I have recently bought for my self of e bay a really nice strum stick and was wondering if any of you guys are learning to play one, not being very musical I am struggling.I have tried to find simple tutorials on you tube to match my musical ability ie non.but failed.On the ordanery three string I have had a little success with Kenni Lee Burges but am really having difficulty with finding some one with the same teaching ability has him.Can anyone help me please Mal
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I'm keen on these things as well very Quirky but fun . There is as much info as you can shake a (Strum)stick at on http://strumstick.com/ do a search on Google for strumsticks and you will find loads of tutorials and music.
It's the fret spacing. You have an instrument that plays Do Re Mi, that's how they make Mountain Duliccmer fret boards ( called Diatonic tuning, look it up).
Browse some of the Dulcimer sites, tuning is often DGd or DAd (depends on the length of the instrument and the strings you use).
Play melody on the two high strings and add a drone on the lowest string
Hi - a strumstick probably has the same scale and fretting as a mountain dulcimer rather than being fretted like a normal guitar so there are no flats and sharps (apart from maybe the 6 1/2). That's the only difference.
D.C. Mansfield said:
Sorry if this is really thick of me.....
All this talk of Dulcimers etc, how is this one different form a 3 string CBG? Is it to do with the scale or something?
Hi Mal - the principle is the same as with a mountain dulcimer except it's a guitar not a lap instrument and you can't really go wrong playng it. I bought chord books and tutorials but found the best way was just tinkering with it. You can find chord charts on the internet - here's one http://www.sksmithmusic.com/virtual_classroom/basic_chords.html - have fun!
I've built a couple of these instruments and I find them fascinating. Excellent tools for many musical styles but I use them for folk style stuff. Great with an effects pedal.
If you can't find tutorials on t'net or utube, try having a look at the dulcimer websites. A dulcimer (mountain dulcimer) is a similar type of instrument and could be described as a lap strummer. On your 3 string razor I guess the tune is played on the top string with the other strings being tuned as drones. The dulcimer is the opposite way round with the melody string being the "bottom" string.
It's also possible to play chords as in yout 3 strong cigar box guitar.
Replies
Here's one I made earlier...
Not sure if these facebook linls work. try this:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1057649540923&set=a.1025...
I built the kneck out of a garden umbrella, glued the struts together, it was nice solid tropical hardwood.
Projects this week include rebuilding a cheap Japanese guitar me and the kids found at the local recycling centre.
It's the fret spacing. You have an instrument that plays Do Re Mi, that's how they make Mountain Duliccmer fret boards ( called Diatonic tuning, look it up).
Browse some of the Dulcimer sites, tuning is often DGd or DAd (depends on the length of the instrument and the strings you use).
Play melody on the two high strings and add a drone on the lowest string
D.C. Mansfield said:
Sorry if this is really thick of me.....
All this talk of Dulcimers etc, how is this one different form a 3 string CBG? Is it to do with the scale or something?
I don't get it.
Apologies in advance,
Duncan.
Hi Mal,
I've built a couple of these instruments and I find them fascinating. Excellent tools for many musical styles but I use them for folk style stuff. Great with an effects pedal.
If you can't find tutorials on t'net or utube, try having a look at the dulcimer websites. A dulcimer (mountain dulcimer) is a similar type of instrument and could be described as a lap strummer. On your 3 string razor I guess the tune is played on the top string with the other strings being tuned as drones. The dulcimer is the opposite way round with the melody string being the "bottom" string.
It's also possible to play chords as in yout 3 strong cigar box guitar.