PLAYING A TUNE BY EAR.By Jess Wilson I had often wondered what it would be like to be able to play a simple tune by ear, having your fingers to be able to fret the strings so that the rosin on a bow or the plucking of a string would bring forth a tune. Then an acquaintance of mine earned appointment in the Peace Corp to, I think, Indonesia. Anyway be brought back some native mahogomy wood which he made into some dulcimers. I bought one and began to practice. As my fingers toughened I made some progress in being able to bring forth a simple tune. Soon I could play any tune I had ever heard. The odd thing was I could not visualize where I should place a finger on the fret board. The fingers seemed to know what my brain could not about where a finger should be for a particular note. Finally A string broke and now the dulcimer is like; The harps that once through Tara`s Hall, The soul of music shed, Now hang as mute on Tara` walls As if that soul had fled.

Jess, The next time you go to Berea, take that dulcimer and get Warren May to restring it for you. He is the expert in your section of Kentucky. I belong to the Monday Night Dulcimer Players here in Georgetown, Ky. We meet on Monday evenings at 6:30 at the United Methodist Church on US 25 and welcome all who would like to join us. Don't ever quit. When I purchased my dulcimer from Warren back in the early 1990s, I said I probably would not be able to play because of my arthritic hands. He encouraged me and gave me a hardwood stick tuner and said I could. This is my second group of players and we have such a good time. If someone has to quit for a while, they usually come back. We have married couples who are players too. We are like one big happy family. Come on Jess, get that dulcimer down off the wall and get it fixed. If you and Ruth are ever over this way on Monday night, join us, whether or not you have the dulcimer with you. I guarantee you will enjoy our group. Love to you both, Maxine Bowling Friedly Your fourth cousin (no times removed) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jess Wilson" <jswlsn@prtcnet.org> To: <KYLAUREL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:48 AM Subject: [KYLAUREL-L] PLAYING A TUNE BY EAR. > PLAYING A TUNE BY EAR.By Jess Wilson > > I had often wondered what it would be like to be able to play a simple > tune by ear, having your fingers to be able to fret the strings so that > the rosin on a bow or the plucking of a string would bring forth a tune. > > Then an acquaintance of mine earned appointment in the Peace Corp to, I > think, Indonesia. Anyway be brought back some native mahogomy wood which > he made into some dulcimers. I bought one and began to practice. > > As my fingers toughened I made some progress in being able to bring forth > a simple tune. Soon I could play any tune I had ever heard. The odd thing > was I could not visualize where I should place a finger on the fret board. > The fingers seemed to know what my brain could not about where a finger > should be for a particular note. Finally A string broke and now the > dulcimer is like; > > The harps that once through Tara`s Hall, > > The soul of music shed, > > Now hang as mute on Tara` walls > > As if that soul had fled. > > > ==== KYLAUREL Mailing List ==== > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list send an email to: > KYLAUREL-L-request@rootsweb.com > In the MESSAGE type the one word .... SUBSCRIBE (or UNSUBSCRIBE) > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.8 - Release Date: 2/14/2005 > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.8 - Release Date: 2/14/2005