Homegrown Music.. .and Musical Instruments

Image Gallery Down-home musician Marc Bristol sings and strums a tune at a local music festival

By Marc Bristol

Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a little do-it-yourself entertainment?

And that's what this column is all about. Down-home music that you can make . . . and the instruments (which, in some cases, you can also make!) to play that music on.

The important thing is th at this is your column. If you like it, write to me and let me know. If you have some ideas for this feature, let me know that. I'm open to any suggestions or information you care to contribute. I'll even try to answer your questions about down-home music . . . butboth for the benefit of all MOTHER 's readers and to ease my correspondence loadI'll deal with those questions, whenever possible, here in this column . . . rather than in personal letters.

Address your correspondence for this column and this column only-to Marc Bristol, 18520 312th Ave. N.E., Duvall, Wash. 98019.

A Dulcimer Directory

Since this column began, I've often been asked to cover the subject of the Appalachian dulcimer. I've waited until now to do so, however, because I wasn't—until recently—either a dulcimer owner or player. Oh sure, I've tried the Instrument now and then, when I ran across one at somebody's house, but I never caught the bug.

In spite of that, when David Johnston and Rose LeClere (of Black Mountain Instruments) wrote and offered to send me one of their dulcimer-building kits—to help me become more acquainted with the instrument—I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

I've since discovered that there's a steadily growing group of dulcimer musicians becoming involved in American folk music today. And many of these "new" artists have been experimenting with—and stretching the limits of—the lap dulcimer's musical capabilities. After all, plucking simple single-note melodies is a good place to begin . . . but chances are that learning such advanced techniques as chording up the neck and finger-picking may prove to be even more rewarding.

So if you've decided to take up dulcimer playing, do think of it as an easy place to get started in string music . . . but also set your sights on the horizon and keep truckin'. You'll find that a lot more is possible with the uncomplicated instrument than playing "Mary Had a Little Lamb"!