Dulcimer Digest

Issam Houshan Workshop and Performance in San Diego, CA

2010-01-21T11:17:00.000-08:00

TURKU is preforming this Sunday (10/4... - WORLD MUSIC - tribe.net

2009-10-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to a performance from TURKU:

TURKU is preforming this Sunday (10/4... - WORLD MUSIC - tribe.net

OB3 @ the freaky Tiki - OB3's MySpace Blog |

2009-08-18T20:07:00.001-07:00

OB3 @ the freaky Tiki - OB3's MySpace Blog |

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San Diego Folk Song Society Information

2009-08-10T16:03:00.000-07:00

Attention SD Dulcimer players!

San Diego Folk Song Society Meetings
Repeats: Monthly on 2nd Sunday (view full repeat details)
Start: 2:00 pm
End: 6:00 pm
Upcoming: Sunday, September 13, 2009; Sunday, October 11, 2009; Sunday, November 8, 2009
Homepage: http://www.sdfss.org
Contact Name: Tanya Rose
Contact Phone Number: (619) 469-3064

The San Diego Folk Song Society meets monthly on the second Sunday of the month, from 2:00 to 6:00 PM at the Old Time Music Store, 2852 University Ave., San Diego, CA. Our meeting is one time around a Bardic circle with a more open form after a refreshment break. The volunteer song leader picks the meeting theme ahead of time. Guests are encouraged to look up a song within the theme, practice it, and present or lead that song at the meeting. All are welcome to join in the pickin' and grinnin'! (Dulcimer players encouraged no doubt)
Location
Old time Music Store
2852 University Ave.
San Diego, California, CA, 92104
United States

2009-07-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this video of some beautiful music being played on a wonderful and strange 3 necked guitar.

Welcome

2009-07-13T00:19:00.000-07:00

This is a brand new blog page, so this is my call to all dulcimer players and musicians of all sorts to participate in making this a great resource for the musician and music lover alike. Please send links, related blogs, ideas, suggestions, and constructive criticism. Lets make this a great thing for all of us interested in the dulcimer and other ethnic, world and tribal music and musical instruments.

NPR Music: World

2009-07-09T21:22:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already viewed this blog, its certainly worth your while. You can subscribe to their feed (look to the right, down a bit). A very comprehensive World Music resource.

To find it, scroll down to my list of my blog subscriptions on the right, and click on the NPR Music: World link or copy this link into your browser:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10004&ft=1&f=10004

Where are the World Music Festivals?!

2009-07-08T20:29:00.001-07:00

Every year the big music festivals come around, and while they all seem to advertise having a full gamut of musical styles, it always seems to be the same bands every year. Now, of course I am generalizing a bit here, but bear with me. Lets take the High Sierra Music Festival that just happened over the weekend. Hmmm, surprise, surprise, its the usual mix of jam bands tossed in with a taste of reggae and a "bluegrass" band or two, maybe a singer songwriter. Not a sitar, doumbek, djembe, bagpipe, or the like in sight! (or earshot). Nothing against Tea Leaf Green, ALO, Umphries McGee and the like, I love you guys! But I've seen you at every one of these cookie cutter festivals. The same smelly burn-out kids, various Phish heads, and the ever present dead head. I love you too! But...will someone please turn me/us onto some festivals with a real variety of music, including ethnic, world, non-western music?
They have got to be out there. Right?
PS- There is one smaller music festival that has been going on for a few years now that always provides a great line-up of music and musical styles, many from other countries. This is the Joshua Tree Music Festival, in Joshua Tree, California. Definitely worth checking out:

www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com

Music will save the World!

Djembe Passion

2009-07-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia:
A djembe (pronounced /ˈdʒɛmbeɪ/ JEM-bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jymbe, jembe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin covered hand drum, shaped like a large goblet, and meant to be played with bare hands. According to the Bamana people in Mali, the name of the djembe comes directly from the saying "Anke dje, anke be" which literally translates to "everyone gather together", and defines the drum's purpose. "Dje" is the verb for "gather" in Bamanakan, and "be" translates as "everyone" in Bamanakan.Legend has it that the first djembe's were made from the skin of the mythical cross between a giraffe and a zebra, the 'gebraffe'.

Well, I think you have the idea now. Yours djembe comments are welcome here!

Doumbek Delight

2009-07-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia:
The goblet drum (also chalice drum) is a goblet shaped hand drum used mostly in Arabic, Assyrian, Persian, Balkan, Greek, Armenian, Azeri and Turkish music. Its thin, responsive drumhead and resonance help it produce a distinctively crisp sound. Though it is not known exactly when it was made it is known to be ancient of origin.

Please post your comments about the doumbek, darbuka, tablah, simbati, whatever yours is named, which of course depends on where its from. They are all great though, and we want to hear about your experiences. Post your comments, links, etc.

All about Ouds

2009-07-05T21:45:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia:
The oud (Arabic: عود‎ ʿūd, plural: أعواد, a‘wād; Assyrian: ܥܘܕ ūd, Persian: بربط barbat; Turkish: ud or ut;^[1] Greek: ούτι; Armenian: ուդ, Azeri: ud; Hebrew: עוד ud); Somali: Cuud "'uud" or Kaban) is a pear-shaped, stringed instrument, which is often seen as the predecessor of the western lute, distinguished primarily by being without frets, commonly used in Middle Eastern music.

Please post your comments concerning this amazing instrument. Do you prefer Arabic or Egyptian ouds? 11, 12 string? What tuning do you use? What woods are in your oud?

Have a great holiday weekend!

2009-07-03T00:39:00.000-07:00

Here's wishing you and your loved ones a very fun and safe fourth of July!

Watch live music!

The Meditation of Sitar

2009-07-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

For me, its got to be the drone. That all too familiar note, heard so many ways, but yet somehow always the same. Whether its the chanting of the Buddhist monks in the high mountains of Tibet, or the drone of the Aboriginal Didjeridoo proclaiming its message to the Australian outback, its all somehow the same and connected. Its something primal, something that beckons to our core, the indiscribable feeling of ultimate Zen.

The Sitar is the perfect example of this Universal note. As I listen to Ravi Shankar begin his performance, he begins with this drone, the sympathetic note that so defines this beautiful music. He is accompanied during this concert with a Sur Bahar player, which is a deeper bass version of the Sitar, and a Tampura player providing the sympathetic drone . Also joining them are two Tabla players.

After establishing the drone, we are lead on a journey as the Sitar notes play along, like a butterfly carelessly flittering in the wind. The notes just seem to to naturally fall into place, and the bends add a sense of emotion and feeling. Like the Sitar is telling its sad tale of suffering and hardship. It is truly an instrument with a voice.

International Shipping

2009-07-01T02:21:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share my thoughts on International Shipping. I recently added this service to my website business. Being Global Musical Instruments, my goal from the start was to offer instruments from around the world to people around the world. Having checked into shipping rates, I quickly discovered that many of these rates are quite high, and were actually prohibitive. Fortunately, a potential customer from New Zealand discovered that the USPS offers reasonable rates on their International Priority mail service, so this will probably become the most common type of shipment chosen.

Remo Ergo Soloist Doumbek

2009-07-01T01:23:00.000-07:00

We recently tried out the new Ergo Soloist Doumbek from Remo™, which features the Ergo- Drum System™. It has a very comfortable ergonomically designed counter hoop, bearing edge and recessed tuning bolts, which allows for hours of comfortable playing, and the feel of a smooth ceramic edge.
The body of the drum is fashioned from their Acousticon® drum shells. This is a proprietary technology which changes post consumer and industrial wood waste into their revolutionary drum shells. This results in superior shell consistency, lighter weight, and durability. They are hand manufactured from 100% recycled wood fiber in the USA. This commitment for reducing waste and recycling has earned them the California Waste Reduction Award every year since 1998. Way to be green, Remo™!
This doumbek equipped with the awesome SKYNDEEP™ Diplomat® Drumhead, which has the look and sound reminiscent of traditional Middle Eastern fish skin heads. The result is a fantastic doumbek that has the warm sound and feel of a ceramic doumbek, with the tone of a fishskin head. Deep warm doums, and nice sharp tek, ka, and slap sounds as well. While it is lightweight, it does weigh in at 10lbs., so it will stay firmly rested on your leg in the traditional doumbek playing fashion. Check out more here.