Started Jun 29, 2021 0 Replies 1 Like
My nephew began as my new apprentice in March of this year. He had spent the last sixteen years in Japan as an English teacher. His name is Matthew Balaam Long and is my brother's son. I have been…Continue
Started May 3, 2015 0 Replies 2 Likes
Congratulations Donna Malus!! Over 800 members here now. That would be quite a crowd, if we were all in one place at a time.Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Rick Long Jan 28, 2013. 1 Reply 0 Likes
I discovered this great free chromatic tuner app this morning. …Continue
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:00pm 10 Comments 6 Likes
I recently had a great experience building a new tenor psaltery. The great thing about it was, I had the opportunity to work with some extremely rare wood. I was asked to build the psaltery using some 2000 year old black bog oak found in Mississippi.
I had only heard of bog oak from hearing the news of the log found in the UK last year. You can see the pictures of it being excavated from the farmland on this web site…
ContinuePosted on December 2, 2012 at 4:20pm 3 Comments 3 Likes
I didn’t know what empirical meant, when someone mentioned that it describes how I have always worked and designed the psalteries I build. I was happy to find out it meant to experiment and observe to arrive at a solution. A name for my madness.
It was interesting to read Richard’s post on String Theory 101 that was posted the other day. It’s great to share knowledge, especially on this great forum, and I do want to learn all that I can. I wanted to add my thoughts and relate how I…
ContinuePosted on January 30, 2012 at 10:30am 2 Comments 0 Likes
The other day, a friend of mine pulled a small instrument out of a bag and asked if I had ever seen one. This is what he had -
I about fell on the floor, I thought it was the oldest bowed psaltery I had ever seen, the missing link! No kind of markings, other than the numbers and note names along the edges. It's really small, about 14 inches long. It's…
ContinuePosted on November 22, 2011 at 7:00pm 1 Comment 4 Likes
This past weekend I hosted an invitational bowed psaltery gathering here in East Tennessee at Cove Lake State Park. I had a couple of motives for doing this and the way it was done.
I have long thought I would like to see another bowed psaltery gathering, there too few right now. I only know of The Lucas's Down Home Psaltery Festival and the Westman's Bowed Psaltery Symphony. One of my motives was to invite several folks I know, who are as keen on the bowed psaltery as I am, to see…
ContinueAmplified Psaltery with Cello Strings built by Rick Long
This video is a personal favorite because it shows a unique type of bowed psaltery with a gorgeous sound. When I heard it I broke out in goose bumps!
Spring Creek Psalteries - Sharon & Terry Kirby
http://www.springcreekpsalteries.com/
330-323-0618
From the Wood - Wayne Gaydos
http://fromthewoodsinstruments.com/
to see his work visit
http://shop.indianaartisan.org/collections/musical-instruments
Waynie Psaltery - Wayne Simms
http://www.wayniepsaltery.com/
Prairie Psaltery - Richard Celata
http://www.prairiepsaltery.com/
Loon Song Psalteries-Charlie Marshall
http://www.loonsongpsalteries.com/
New Tradition Dulcimers- Dan Daniels
http://www.newtraditionsdulcimers.com/index.html
Psalteries by Dave- Dave Lucas
Jon Williams Psalteries
(386) 853-0944
Westman Instruments - Tish & Greg Westman
http://www.westmaninstruments.com
Ringing Strings - Rick Long
http://ringingstrings.com
Michael J King Instrumetns - Diatonic Psalteries
http://www.michaeljking.com/psalterymaking.htm
Inspired Instruments – Carol and Joe Esch
http://www.windridgefarm.us/bowedpsaltery.htm
James Jones Instruments
http://www.jamesjonesinstruments.com/bowedpsaltery/bowedpsaltery.html
Omega Strings – Richard Spencer
http://www.omegastrings.com/
Master Works Bowed Psalteries - Russell Cook
http://masterworksok.com/
Paul G.Sykes - MS
Located in Hattiesburg
Contact Paul at
pgsykes1@hotmail.com
or call him at
601-583-4115
Gregg Schneeman - California
Contact Gregg here on Psaltery Strings
greggschneeman@psalterystrings.com
Peter Tommerup - California
San Francisco Bay Area
Bowed Psaltery and other Instruments
408-867-4324
ptommerup@juno.com
Celeste Howard Ray
Bowed Psaltery lessons via Skype
347-796-4484
Skype name celesteray88
Maureen Barnes - Illinois
Bowed Psaltery lessons in Bloomington, IL
309-828-7957
dulcimergal98@yahoo.com
http://www.dulcimerdreams.com/
Dona Benkert -
Illinois
Lessons at Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL
Phone: 773.728.6000
& Folk-Lore Center, Warrenville, IL
Phone: 630.393.1247
http://www.folk-lorecenter.com/
Tish Westman - West Virginia
Lessons at Tamarack, Beckley, WV. Wednesday workshops also available for individual classes and to teach at festivals.
Sunday "Jam" 3:30 to 6:00. All instruments welcome, play mostly Old Time, Celtic & Gospel Music, not opposed to trying any tune called, once did a rap on Bowed Psalteries.
1-304-575-0998
tishwestman@yahoo.com
www.westmaninstruments.com
Rick Long - Tennessee
Lessons at Rick's home/workshop in Clinton, 30 mins N of Knoxville
(865) 660-4026
http://www.ringingstrings.com/lessons.html
Karla Armstrong - Pennsylvania
Karla plays a variety of instruments and does workshops as well. Please visit her web site for additional information or contact her via the web site or the information below.
(717) 632-8099
karlaarms@upontheharp.com
http://upontheharp.com
Carol Esch - Kentucky
Lessons in Carol's home/workshop south of Lexington.
606-676-0128
esch@qx.net
http://www.windridgefarm.us/bowedpsaltery.htm
Honey Smith Walls - Florida
e-mail Honey for more info honey@offthewalls.us
Melbourne, FL
http://www.offthewalls.us/Psaltery.htm
Visit Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer
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Wish we had the 'Like' buttons here- I 'Like' your idea for the Bowed Psaltery Gathering!
I used your photo of this incredible Bowed Psaltery as my ID photo- but it insisted on cropping it... Those Bows are just so beautiful! I had to choose to keep them vs. losing the peak of the elegant Psaltery form.
Thanks! I was so swamped and lost a couple of days with a shoulder messing up that I was late applying- then found it so hard to wait to be accepted!
Thanks Rick, I am still practicing, and I remember something you said last weekend about when playing by yourself and learning you tend to play slower and at your own idea of the music, trying to change this, but for some reason, I love the sound of the music at a much slower pace, any ideas to help me besides, lol, to just keep practicing? It was such an honor to meet you and all my new friends at the Gathering, thanks again for hosting!
Hi Rick,
I am a new member who is learning to play on a 9 N. I have seen some of your youtube performances and love the sound of your instruments.( Louellen from Marion , Illinois is in my class and just purchased a tenor from you). My husband and I are making a trip to Asheville N.C. on March 13. We would love to come by to visit your workshop (if you will be around then). I would love to continue learning on a larger psaltery, with deep rich tone. I have tried to get onto your website but the server is always down. Hope to hear from you soon!
...lol lol not just yet....but working on it. Still working on Greensleeves lol and thanks alot for the time....and by the way bought a metronome....it more of an antique than anything else....but for the price ($20) well worth it. Now....the question...do I spend the time learning how to calibrate it or spend the time memorizing Edelweiss? Just kidding.....
Hoping to hear from you again soon....not just to learn more but I enjoy the company. Talk to ya soon.
Rick, I would like to get a Bowed Psaltery. I haven't made up my mind where yet as I am in the research stage. I live in New Brunswick, so there isn't any around.It was the same for my Mountain Dulcimers. I have checked. I am just learning to play the Mountain Dulcumer. It's been only three weeks, but it's coming along.I like to play DAA. I am looking for a BP in a Tenor. I like the lower sounding notes and I find Soprano would be too high of tone for me. I just joined this site and have found it very helpful so far. Haven't found anyone on chat, but that is OK. Tim Smith mentioned that you built him a BP with the notes all on one side like the MD. Would it be easier to play an instrument built this way instead of with the notes on both sides? I do not read music and therefore, I am using tabs with the fret notes.
Thanks,
We had a great time at the Festival. I want to stay longer next time!!!! I love those mountains and the music around that area. I enjoyed playing my psaltery with my new found friends as well. It was very beautiful music with everyone contributing their part. It is interesting what kind of sound you can get with a room full of psalteries. VERY interesting, and beautiful. I might get converted from my fiddle, so watch out FIDDLE.
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