Dan LandrumHammered Dulcimer

Cold Roots

2009-02-02T06:34:00.000-08:00

My old hometown of Kennett, Missouri is still reeling from last week's ice storm. It is one of many small towns in similar situations.

According to this report by a Memphis TV station (you'll have to click in the upper right hand column of the page to start the video) electric crews are going to have to rebuild from the ground up the entire city's electrical grid which feeds over 13 thousand homes. The report focuses on a nursing home where my mother lives.

My sister, Lori, sent me the picture above showing the kind of damage which can be seen on every street. Hundreds of telephone poles are snapped in two. Much of the town will be lucky to see electricity restored before the end of February. Nearly every tree is damaged or destroyed.

It is interesting how little national media attention is garnered when small town life is devastated by disaster. The number of effected people reaches into the tens of thousands when you consider the surrounding small towns in similar situations. I think it is simply a matter of the big news outlets reporting on what is easy and sensational. Small town folk just roll up their sleeves and go to work putting things back together again. It isn't sensational, but it is what makes a nation strong.

Hang in there Kennett.

Practicing Drum Rudiments on Hammered Dulcimer

2009-01-21T10:03:00.000-08:00

Ten Reasons
Every Hammered Dulcimer Player
Should Practice Rudiments
Every Day

A rudiment is simply a pattern played with two sticks or hands. Over the years a series of 40 of these patterns have been identified and agreed upon by a worldwide group of percussionists called the Percussive Arts Society. Drummers have been learning to play by using rudiments for hundreds of years, and the earliest written rudiment goes all the way back to the 15th century.

Every hammered dulcimer player is essentially a drummer playing a very complicated melodic drum. Below are 10 reasons why I believe any approach to learning hammered dulcimer will benefit from a scheduled approach to learning the rudiments.

To Practice with Purpose - How many songs have you learned? How many have you forgotten? Great players of any instrument will tell you that how you practice is as important as how much. Rudiments add directed purpose to your practice time. Specific skills, developed in a particular way over a long period of time are the ones that will stick and free you to be the best player you can be. Where you are now isn't what matters. Your potential is what matters.
To learn what it is I'm already doing - You're already playing them so why not master them - The rudiments are not some secret set of patterns that will mysteriously change what you do. You're probably already playing many of them without knowing their names. Committing these patterns to muscle memory will make it easier for you to play what you already know while focusing on the music, rather than the mechanics of playing.
To measure my progress - As you learn to play the rudiments you'll track your progress by marking the tempo at which you can successfully play them. Success means playing with efficient body mechanics (the least amount of unnecessary movement), rhythmic accuracy, and the ability to begin to think about something other than what you're doing.
To play more musically -Two sticks, that's all you get. Mastering the art of stick control is the key to dynamic, musical playing.
To develop my sense of rhythm - many rudiment patterns fall naturally within specific time signatures. By committing the patterns to muscle memory it is easier to recognize, play and move seamlessly between time signatures.
To make my weak hand stronger - rudiments do not know or care whether you're left or right handed. Practicing them forces you to treat them as equals and you'll be amazed at what your weaker hand can learn to do!
To acquire essential improvisational tools - This is one of the coolest unexpected side benefits. You'll find your self simply playing the instrument, rather than playing a specific song. For me, it helps me remember why I fell in love with the hammered dulcimer in the first place. I like the way it sounds. I like rhythm and syncopation. I really like the way it sounds when it all comes together.
To learn to play backup, rather than just melody - As the rudiments become a part of your playing you'll find you're more useful to everyone with whom you play. You'll become a confident, dependable keeper of the beat, not just someone who can only play the melody.
To stay mentally healthy as I age - We've all seen the studies. We need mental challenges for good mental health. Other studies show that skills acquired over steady years of practice stay with us throughout our lives. Rudiments are like little puzzles that increase in difficulty as they increase in speed. Their challenge (and fun) is endless.
To have fun - It is fun to see yourself improve. It is fun to always have a reason to practice. It is fun to have a brain full of patterns that only need to be applied to the hammered dulcimer to create interesting musical phrases that sound more complicated than they really are.

Coming up next . . .

How to get started without spending a dime.

Get Well Steve

2009-01-14T17:38:00.000-08:00

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other peoples thinking. Don't let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
- Steve Jobs 2005, commencement address, Stanford University

We learned last night that Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. CEO, is again quite ill. I, along with millions of other concerned admirers, hope he can pull through this round of trouble like he did in 2003 when he was told pancreatic cancer would end his life in a few short months. His announcement this evening of a 6 month leave of absence from the Apple helm doesn't bode well.

Steve Jobs' vision has greatly influenced the way we view and use technology. I don't have many heros, or think it does anyone much good to put people on pedestals, but I admit that Steve Jobs has been an inspiration to me for many reasons. You can get a taste of why by taking 14 minutes to watch his 2005 Stanford Commencement address via this YouTube video.

Focused Learning in Brasstown, NC.

2009-01-14T05:22:00.000-08:00

TO: Everyone who told me the John C. Campbell Folk School is an amazing place.

RE: You were right.

I loved it. The staff, facilities, pastoral countryside and most of all, my class combined to create a positive, lasting experience. Many of the students traveled thousands of miles at no small expense and I was admittedly nervous about making sure they got their money's worth of advanced hammered dulcimer instruction.

We spent a week hammering out rudiments as defined by the Percussive Arts Society and focusing on the intricacies of striking a string with a piece of wood. We didn't attempt to learn a single song. Increased confidence and competence were evident on the faces and in the hammers of every student by the end of the week. A teacher can't ask for much more than that.

The experience bolstered my conviction that this focused method of learning technique, rather than tunes, works for anyone - regardless of skill level. Thank you to Marilyn, Mary, James H., Helen, Bob, Karen and James for giving back as much as you absorbed.

As an interesting side note, my friend Stephen Humphries spent the past weekend teaching a similar course and method at Kentucky Music Weekend. I spoke to him last night and he too was equally jazzed about how much improvement he was able to see in his students in a very short time.

I'm back in my studio now with a recharged focus as I work to complete my Rudimental Approach to Learning Hammered Dulcimer project. I feel like I have a good grasp on how to teach this method effectively with live students. The challenging part now is recreating that effectiveness on paper and in video, but hey, I like a good challenge. Hammer On.

John C. Campbell Folk School

2009-01-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

I'm headed off in a moment to teach an advanced hammered dulcimer class at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. My blog will be silent this week unless there happens to be wireless internet in the hills of North Carolina. I'm not betting on it.

If you're in the area, I hope you'll attend the Friday night concert. Contact the Folk School for time and ticket information: http://www.folkschool.org

Coming 'Round Right

2009-01-01T19:07:00.000-08:00

Set Your Music Free - Try and think of the music you make as something separate from your abilities and inabilities. Can you remember what it was that drew you in and made you believe you could be a musician in the first place? It may not be one simple identifiable event, or thought, but it probably included some feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction upon hearing sounds that seemed meant for you. Later in our musical journeys it's easy to doubt, or even forget that early meaning, no matter how clear it once was.

Turn around and reflect - If we could go back in time and see ourselves as we began to experiment with our chosen instruments, I believe we would see satisfaction on our faces at even the simplest of attempts at music making. We didn't expect to be perfect and found joy in smaller accomplishments. Isn't that still possible today? This turning 'round and examining life is the subject of the Quaker song Simple Gifts.

Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

Examine In Small Doses - Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I believe this, but too much examination is like expecting learn a subject by only taking tests. You need time to explore and discover, just like when you first started playing. Sometimes we just need to let that beginner player take over. For me, this discovery occurs when I'm practicing exercises or songs that allow my mind to wander. I try to turn my wandering mind to simply listening, as if I'm listening to someone else play. It is in these moments that I rediscover what it is that keeps me coming back to hammered dulcimer. There's something satisfying about the sound, patterns and rhythmic pulse.

Play and listen. Tell the critic to come back later.

Oh Where, Oh Where is my Rudiments Project?

2008-12-30T19:13:00.000-08:00

Now that the Winter DPN is in the hands of the U.S. Postal Office and the busy Christmas gigging schedule is behind me, the Rudiments Project is my top priority. I'll be testing some of the material next week when I'm teaching at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, Jan 4 - 11.

I hope to pull enough of the elements together to be able to offer 6 months worth of lessons beginning in mid February. I am fortunate to have a team of folks helping me put together the delivery system. I'm excited about what I've seen so far and if we can stay on schedule there will be a few other exciting announcements in February too.

So, what happened?

First, thanks for your continued interest. I certainly jumped the gun in 2007 by announcing it's availability! It goes against my grain to leave a project unfinished, and to owe anyone anything except the continual debt to love them - this is why I didn't take any pre-orders, just in case . . .. It turns out I had a lot of learning to do in the process of completing this project.

I discovered that the video, which is very high quality and even includes super slow-motion for clarity, isn't enough, even with the book. I don't want to release something that I don't believe does what it promises. The video does a great job of demonstrating all 40 Percussive Arts Society rudiments on hammered dulcimer. What it doesn't do is spend enough time teaching how and why to play them. Since starting this project I've had quite a few opportunities to teach using this method at festivals. I learned that what most HD players need is intensive focus on a few fundamental rudiments. Even in week long workshops we rarely get past the first few. This stuff takes a lot of time to absorb into muscle memory. Simply successively demonstrating rudiments, which is what I did with the DVD, isn't enough. Besides, if you just want to see and hear what they sound like, go to www.vicfirth.com and they're all demonstrated for free.
It isn't just a simple matter of adding more material to the DVD either. It is full. So, what I decided to do was add a second set of teaching elements that include a book with hundreds of exercises, additional video (which won't be as fully produced as the demonstration DVD), and teaching CDs with audio versions of the exercises in the book and spoken descriptions of how to play them and what they can teach you.
Yes, this is a lot of stuff - but it encompasses a complete teaching method.
I'm not 100% sure how we'll distribute the materials but I think it will end up being a teaching series with the option to purchase blocks of lessons at a time for a discount, much like song of the month clubs. Some of it will be free and web based, that's for sure. I think it would cost too much for most folks if it was only offered as a complete package. (The flip side of that is how much it was going to cost to print and produce all the material at once - I was afraid I'd never break even.)
Again, I really appreciate the interest in this project. I sincerely believe in this method of learning HD. Two hammers - that's all we get - people have been learning to play percussion instruments with this method for a very long time. It won't be for everyone, but anyone who takes it seriously and practices these rudiments will see improvement in their confidence, speed, accuracy and speed of learning songs.

Special CD Pricing for Fall 2008

2008-10-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

We're offering two great CD pricing options through December 25, 2008. Check them out by clicking the store link at the top of the page.

Bryan Bowers at Barking Legs in Chattanooga

2008-10-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

For nearly three decades, Bryan Bowers has been to the autoharp what Earl Scruggs was to the five-string banjo. He presents instrumental virtuosity combined with warmth, eloquence, expression and professionalism. Bower's creativity and talent have won him induction into Frets Magazine's First Gallery of the Greats after five years of winning the stringed instrument, open category of the magazine's readers' poll. This distinction put Bowers along side other luminaries, such as Chet Atkins, David Grisman, Stephan Grappelli, Itzhak Perlman, Tony Rice, and Mark O'Connor. It has been many years since Bryan-- based in the Pacific Northwest-- has performed in Chattanooga. Don't miss him!

"...This man makes more music from an Autoharp than you can imagine from a 12-string guitar and a harpsichord combined. He has more stage presence and charisma than any stage performer in recent memory."
The Washington Times

http://www.bryanbowers.com/
Go to our website for tickets:
http://www.barkinglegs.org/Music/index.html

Workshops and Concert at Wood N Strings

2008-07-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be in Townsend Tennessee this weekend to do a couple of hammered dulcimer workshops at Mike Clemmer's Wood N Strings store. The workshops will be Saturday afternoon at 1 and 3. At 7:00, I'll be part of a concert set out back on the Pickin Porch. You're all invited and it is free!

1:00 - Hammered Dulcimer Fundamentals I (Notes, Hammers, and Motion)
We'll learn how to quickly identify notes and become familiar with that crazy mess of wire. We'll then look at ways to make your hammering natural and effortless so you can focus on making music and we'll end with practice exercises to build freedom of motion around the instrument.

3:00 - Hammered Dulcimer Fundamentals II (Rhythm and Expression)
We'll work on ways to tap into your inner clock and develop the most fundamental of musical skills: rhythm. We'll then see how a few easy to understand, but not necessarily easy to master embellishments can add style and flair to your playing.

The cost is $20 for 1 class or $30 for two. There's no need to register, just show up and have some fun!

Click here for a map to Wood-N-Strings.

Click here to go to Wood-N-Strings website.

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival

2008-06-12T05:07:00.000-07:00

June 20-22, Memorial Auditorium, Chattanooga, TN

Response to this year's Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival has been tremendous. Many classes are at or near capacity, but it is still not too late to register. Tickets are also now on sale through the Memorial Auditorium Box Office for the Friday and Saturday night concerts which feature some of the best players in the nation including several current and past national champs. Come see this show!
Order your tickets online by clicking here.
Read more or register for the festival by clicking here.

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival

2008-01-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

Over the Christmas break, in the middle of a full schedule of gigs and magazine production, we lost our venue for the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival. It was bad news, but we really didn't have enough time to even worry about it. The new year would present a new challenge, but the outcome was worth the hassle.

The City of Chattanooga has offered us financial support and one of the best venues in town! Click here and scroll down the page until you see Sailors and Soldiers Memorial Auditorium. Special thanks go to Chattanooga Education, Arts and Cultural Affairs Director Missy Crutchfield. City officials have high hopes for watching the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival grow, and hope to eventually host the World Cimbalom Congress.

We'll announce the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival lineup when our web site goes live in February. City sponsorship not only means a great venue, it means we'll be able to make the workshops more affordable and the concerts even better! We are also excited to be co-presenting this festival with Bruce Ford of EverythingDulcimer.com. It is going to be a big event and we hope you'll be there too!

We hope the price, timing (June 20-21), and event focus which is more technique than tunes, will make it a stopping point for those on their way to either Kentucky Music Week or, The 9th Annual WCU Mountain Dulcimer Week, both of which start the 22nd. They're both great festivals, and both within an easy afternoon's drive from Chattanooga. Hit the road and have some fun this June!

Time For an Update

2008-01-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

I'll admit at the start that I was a little off in predicting the completion date for my hammered dulcimer rudiments project.. . .

(go ahead, I'm waiting)

. . . OK, waaaaaaaay off. I really believed I could have the book/CD/DVD package done by November. I also knew that if it wasn't completed by November that it would be January before I could give it any serious attention again. That possibility was precisely why I didn't accept any pre-orders.

The bottom line is that as of this date I'm still not quite done. There's editing left to be completed on the video, probably 1 or 2 full days worth, and I have someone (thanks J.A.W) helping me with proofreading the book.

Being unable to complete the project by my self-imposed deadlines almost got me down, but I was so busy in November and December that there was no time for self loathing. I wish I could promise that it will be done by February but this week I hit the road for the Poconos Dulcimer Festival, and a Masters of the Dulcimer concert Sunday night (1/20) in Baltimore with Ken Kolodner, Butch Ross and Christie Burns.

While on the road I'll be visiting several friends from the dulcimer community including Maggie Sansone (to see the cool solar house she and her husband built), Mike Clemmer (to pick up an instrument), and Jerry Read Smith (to talk way too much).

Rudiments Video Update

2007-11-07T05:04:00.000-08:00

I'm still working on my rudiments DVD/CD/Book and we're anticipating a release date of December 1st. I appreciate the requests we're getting to accept preorders but I'm just not comfortable accepting payments until the packages are in my hands and inspected.

In the mean time, my web site has been down for over four days due to circumstances beyond my control. This reminds me how dependent we are on technology and how we can be effected by factors that we didn't even know exist. Read this story from Wednesday's Baltimore Sun for an overview of how a company named Navisite, turned out the lights on thousands of small businesses around the world.

It wouldn't be all that troubling if some piece of equipment had failed and caused the outage. But this all occurred because Navisite did not have the technical expertise to do what they were doing. You have to wonder if anyone, at any point, said, "Wait a minute, what happens if we get in over our heads. What about the customers?"

This brings me back to my rudiments project and why I'd rather wait, than accept preorder dollars. It is exciting to anticipate how this project is going to be received, and I'm convinced that those who do the hard work will become more proficient players. This is my first book though, and I want to be 100 percent sure it is finished and will live up to expectations - mine, and yours.

The List

2007-05-18T04:05:00.000-07:00

I've been catching quite a bit of heat lately for what appears to be child abandonment. The child is this journal, and I've been a neglectful parent. This post is about offering myself a clean slate and hopefully clearing my conscience.

Catching up on all the things about which I'd like to write would take months. Catching up, simply isn't going to happen. There's no comfort in knowing that I'm not alone in my tendency to abandon the overwhelming. I must do better.

I think it was Einstein that talked about how it takes a deeper level of thinking to get out of a problem than the level of thinking that got you into it in the first place. (Why do we always feel obligated to say "I'm no Einstein" after quoting Einstein?) It is time to think my way out.

My immediate problem could be simply defined as a life overflowing with possibilities, most of which I mismanage. I'm trying to avoid saying I have too much to do. The truth is, I could pull the plug and drain the swamp, alligators and all, but it would immediately fill up again. Swamps do that. I must leave the swamp. I have to first identify and correct the unnatural desire drawing me back in up to my neck.

It's right about now where this journal entry could get out of hand. Don't worry. I'll spare you the self-indulgent, self-awareness psychobabble - and its counterpart catch all.- "God solved all my problems and I don't have any problems anymore."

I'm an entrepreneurial dulcimer enthusiast/dealer/performer/composer/magazine publisher/writer/studio engineer, not a doctor/chaplain. I hope you see the irony in that previous sentence. Maybe I should become a doctor/chaplain.

It is time to clean the slate.

Moving on to The List

Look at this list as my way of tossing alligators out of the way as I exit the swamp. Alligators aren't evil. They just do what alligators do and they're in my way right now.

If I had been writing about what I would have liked to write about over the past several months the topics would have included:

The nature preserve in my front yard
Lots of funny gig stories
Missing Missy
Missing Jeremy
Where's Yanni and why I don't miss him
Goodbye Hershey, my friend
It hurts even more than I thought it would
Where did THAT accent come from?
My Granny is approaching 97
Old computers
Huge studio upgrade
Where are my muscles when I need them
Approaching 50
Butch and Christie's house and the state of the trades
Dulcimers sometimes hurt my ears
Things you can learn from the "Moolight Feels Right" xylophone solo
On letting down a friend and customer
Sweet What?
CS3 Suite - wow, I have a lot to learn
Delays make you be on time
Yes, yes I know. You have a studio too.
The Entrepreneur and the Flop-Eared Mule

What lies ahead?

That headline is full of double meaning. The answer is I don't know. Today however I must find time to mow the yard, continue laying out the July issue of Dulcimer Players News and get a few hours editing done on the Signal Mountain Presbyterian "How Great is Our God" CD project which I'm engineering and co-producing with Steve Phillips. This recording project shares a hard deadline with the July issue of DPN. Both must be complete by the first week in June. After that, my daughter Missy comes home after being gone nearly a year. We're all taking a much needed vacation together.

It feels good to have gotten a few words back up on this website. Here's to many more.

Spinners Waltz

2006-12-01T04:40:00.000-08:00

My videographer friend Philip Luckey stopped by rehearsal for the Chattanoga Boys Choir Singing Christmas tree last night. He quickly set up two cameras and caught a couple of moments from the show, which opens today.

One of the highlights for me is performing an original piece with Ballet Tennessee. The song is Spinners Waltz and I wrote it for my daughter Missy.

I wrote this song when Missy was around four years old. She was going through a phase where she could not be persuaded to wear a dress unless we could convince her it had good 'spin value'. Those of you who've had daughters probably understand instantly what I'm talking about. Why wear something as silly as a dress if it doesn't stick out like a ballerina when you spin?

About this same time my son Jeremy was taking Suzuki violin lessons. One morning they were dressed for church and on the front porch fiddling and spinning. I grabbed the camera and used that picture inspiration.

Here's a YouTube video from last night. It is a rehearsal so the takes not perfect but it will be even harder to get video during the show. Enjoy!

Rock City

2006-11-25T05:56:00.000-08:00

OK, so maybe a bazillion Christmas lights is cheesy but a little cheese is good for you now and then, right? Tonight I'll travel down Signal Mountain, across the valley and then back up Lookout Mountain to play a little music at Rock City.

Click their Enchanted Garden link or take a look at my Calendar for other dates.

I've been doing this holiday gig almost as long as I've been playing hammered dulcimer which is 19 years. I don't know for sure when the first time was I played Rock City but I've had couples with young children say they remember seeing me play there when they were in high school. Someone's getting older. It must be them.

There's something to be said for longevity here at the relatively obscure end of the music business. It is flattering and still surprising when someone I don't know asks if I have any new CDs out because they want to add to their collection. "Collection of what," I ask. "Of your CDs" they say. I finally stopped saying "Really?!?," and learned to respond with a simple "Thank you." Which by the way, I really mean.

Doing this music thing is hard and uncertain work. CD sales to an independent artist are like report cards and paychecks at the same time.

Speaking of paychecks, I got a small ASCAP check in the mail yesterday. ASCAP stands for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. This is how you get paid when your work gets airplay or is used some other way around the world. The bulk of this check was for airplay in Taiwan! Yes, I'm big in Taiwan. I think I'll have a t-shirt made.

Zenith

2006-11-23T04:07:00.000-08:00

Check out these videos posted by a myspace friend. The music is a song called Zenith (named after my grandmother) off my CD Turning Point. Click Here

Here's another video by the same poster to the music of Icy Rain, written by Randy Clepper and found on our CD, Hammer On!

Comments Back On

2006-11-22T13:20:00.000-08:00

I just turned commenting back on for my blog (this thing you're reading now.) The image verification should slow down the spam. Give it a try and let me know if it is working properly. Oh yeah, and Brad Bower is a new moderator on the forum. He likes complaints.

Dan

Three Hats - one bald head

2006-11-22T05:03:00.000-08:00

Today will be a test of my juggling abilities. The Christmas gigging season officially opens for me tonight at Rock City. They have a brand new pavilion open this year and from the pictures the Chapins have sent me it looks like a great place to play, and stay warm while "See(ing) Rock City."

The weather is supposed to be nice and warm today and for the rest of week too. Hurray. In years past my first night at Rock City was also the first night in the 20's. We should be in the mid 50's tonight.

OK, the above counts for one hat - the gigging musician.

My second task today involves Dulcimer Players News. If you're just tuning in, Angie and I are now publishing this quarterly magazine. I've been a subscriber since 1987 and it has been around since 1975 without missing an edition. We're filling big shoes here as my friend Maddie MacNeil gets a long deserved break from deadlines to focus on her music a bit more. (Did I just imply that Maddie has big feet? - Sorry.)

Our office all set up now and if you need to contact us about DPN you can either call 423-886-3966, email us at dpn@dpnews.com, or write:

Dulcimer Players News
P.O. box 278
Signal Mountain, TN 37377

We're in the process of contacting all the advertisers and giving them an extension on the ad deadline. If you're an advertiser you can read all about it at dpnews.com

So, today's hat number two - Magazine Publisher (which subdivides into a hundred mini hats.)

The third thing on my calendar begins in about ten minutes as my friend Josh Edwards will be in the studio. We're mastering a Christmas fund raising CD for his group Zamerin, based out of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church.

I love my job, I just can't tell you in one sentence what it is!

More Forum

2006-11-22T04:59:00.000-08:00

I just made a change to the forum that forces registration and signing in before viewing posts. You can of course just make up a name and still log in anonymously. I hope this works and doesn't slow down the flow of conversation. I think once you've logged in once your browser will remember the password and just let you in.

Thanks for your patience while I sort this out. I really don't know much about administrating a bulletin board. You already knew that, didn't you.

Forums

2006-11-22T04:35:00.000-08:00

I apologize to those of you trying to post to the forum over the past couple of days. I clamped down a bit too tightly on the rules over there in order to stop the spam.

There was some really bad stuff posted by spammers a couple of days ago and I almost pulled the forum completely.

I've calmed down now and if I've done it right you should all be able to post again. Anyone else want to get moderator status? I'm serious. I know and trust everyone who's been posting so just drop me an email (dan@danlandrum.com) and if I know you I'll make you a moderator so you can start topics without waiting for approval.

Dan

Dulcimer Players News

2006-11-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

I've been quiet for the past couple of weeks but not because things have been quiet around here. Click this link to be taken to the Dulcimer Players News web site. Make sure you click the Dulcimer Players Podcast link when you get there.

Photos

2006-11-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

PHot
Angie and I are on the road for a couple of days. This morning we are in Kennett, my old home town. This afternoon we'll celebrate my grandmother Zenith's 95th birthday. I'll snap some pictures and post them after we get back to Tennessee. I first wanted to get a few posted from the past couple of days.

The cotton harvest is in full swing and there aren't too many bolls left on the stalk. We pulled off of the road near sunset and caught a great view of a field that will probably be plucked clean by the end of the weekend.

I come from farming ancestry and though I never met my grandfather, I've been told many times that he would have quickly fired anyone who left as much cotton on the stalks as the modern machinery does. My father's family all grew up picking cotton by hand and stuffing it into sacks.

That was long gone by the time I was old enough to work on the farm so yes, I drove a tractor a bit for summer work as a young teen. I have great memories of playing for hours in the big cotton trailers. It was unbelievably hot to tunnel down through the tons of cotton these giant baskets held. It was probably a little bit dangerous too, but we spent hours doing it.

Those cotton trailers are ancient history as modern cotton delivery methods use what can best be described as a giant trash compactor to produce modular bails wrapped in plastic that neither weather nor child can penetrate.

Click on any of the images for a larger version. These are pretty big pictures so it might be painful if you're on a dial-up connection.

The other pictures are a few I took in the yard Thursday morning before our Irish guests, John Carty and Francis Gaffney, hit the road. I'm afraid when we return home most of the leaves may be washed away by wind and rain.

John Carty and Francis Gaffney

2006-11-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

Angie and I were honored to have musical house guests last night. John Carty and Francis Gaffney arrived in the U.S. from Ireland earlier this week. Their tour began a couple of days ago at Belmont College in Nashville. They played last night at Charles and Myrtle's Coffee House in Chattanooga.

Philip Luckey was there with a video camera so I'm posting this bit of YouTube video with his, and our guests' permission.

Here's a link to the rest of the tour.

Two More

2006-10-31T11:03:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple more fall splendor pics. I may be getting carried away, but that is what fall does to me. Clicking on the smaller images will load larger versions.

These are pretty big. I wanted you to see what I saw in the morning sunshine.

These pictures have not been color corrected at all. It was just that beautiful this morning.

Climbing Mountains

2006-10-30T18:46:00.000-08:00

I had a mountain of paperwork to scale in the office today and it was about as beautiful outside as it could possibly be. It was, however, work I absolutely could not ignore. So, as my reward for finally scaling mount administrivia, Hershey and I hiked away the last couple of hours of remaining daylight.

I brought my camera along expecting to see something spectacular. Its funny how when you begin your journey seeking beauty your bound to find it. The first picture of the three I've chosen to post from today's hike was taken from my front porch. No I didn't get very far to begin with. The range of colors in my own front yard could keep me amazed for hours. Hershey on the other hand wanted to hike. So we headed down to green gorge for the trails along shoal creek.

I spent a good deal of time today trying to look at things I'm used to seeing from a different perspective so I was under, over and sideways a lot. The second picture is from underneath a small tree that was showing more shades of red than seemed possible.

The third picture from today's hike is Hershey again who appears to be as happy to see the creek filled with water as I am. Click the images for larger versions.

Hammers

2006-10-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

I'm about to add a new item to my store. They are hammers made by Jill Weimer and they have become my favorites. I don't have all the code together to put them on the store yet but if you'd like to take a look at photos of the hammers and the 'under construction' web page then click here.

Simply Beautiful

2006-10-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

I've been using the word beautiful a lot lately as the color on Signal Mountain is stunning. We've had two days of solid rain and this morning were greeted by blue skies and fall at its best. The pictures speak for themselves. Click the photos for a larger image.

Normalpalooza?

2006-10-28T19:18:00.000-07:00

It's a grass roots fund raiser for Normal Park Elementary in Chattanooga. They had beautiful weather for their annual street fair and big crowds all day today. I was the last act of the day and I had the enjoyable feat of playing solo after a great latin combo that had at least 10 members. I was afraid my hammer dulcimer didn't stand a chance but I held my own.

ZitherjaZ had another recording session Friday afternoon that went quite well. We're on track for having our CD released in January and are getting close to releasing a few more teaser tracks. Don't forget to hear our tribute to Malcolm Dalglish on my MySpace Page. Click the play button to hear the track.

Tomorrow is another busy day as we head back down to the Chattanooga Market. I'll try to remember my camera this time.

A Good Day

2006-10-22T18:29:00.000-07:00

Angie, Hershey and I had a very enjoyable day today which started with a trip down and then back over Signal Mountain on the picturesque Suck Creek Road.

The fall colors are close to their peak and this road winds and twists like something you'd expect to see in a sports car commercial.

Our destination was the Ketner's Mill country fair in the Sequatchie Valley. I played a couple of sets in the brisk fall air, we ate some junk food and let Hershey play in the creek. Hershey's not been feeling too well the last few months and had gotten quite lethargic. We stopped giving her the medicine she was prescribed and changed her diet and she's her old self again, 11 years old which is 77 in people years, so we know we won't have her a lot longer. I was beginning to think that we'd seen her last good days, but I'm more hopeful now that she has a few squirrels left to chase.

I snapped the above picture of a happy Hershey and framed it using Photoshop. Unfortunately the result is a picture that looks as if I've had happy Hershey's head mounted. I promise, she's OK and asleep at my feet right now.

One surprise at the Ketner's was finding a shirt vendor for the 2007 Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival - the tie-dye will be back, but with a twist that I'll reveal later. By the way, we still have a few t's left over from the 2006 festival. You can purchase them by using the store link above.

After Ketner's Mill we headed to downtown Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Market, which is next to a dog park (which Hershey wasn't so sure about) and skate park. The place was bustling with live music, art and people having a good time. We were glad to soak up our share of the fun and were reminded once again why we like living in the Tennessee Valley.

Put down the camera, I'm on the pot.

2006-10-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist posting this picture. I think Tiger Lily was warming her feet in the warm dirt.

I'm back down at the Aquarium street performing this afternoon. Come by and say hello if you're in downtown Chattanooga.

I'm performing two sets at the Ketner's Mill Country Fair Sunday. Ketner's Mill is in the Sequatchie valley which is a beautiful drive no matter which way you get there.

Check my calendar link for times and directions. Unfortunately, the forecast is for rain. I hope we stay dry.

We've had quite a bit of rain over the past few days which is actually very good news. The creeks in the area had gone bone dry, which I don't recall seeing since we've lived on Signal Mountain. Last night, just before sunset, Hershey and I took a hike along Shoal Creek in Green Gorge and the creek was back to its bubbly self. It was like a visit from an old friend.

Summer, Meet Fall

2006-10-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

Leftover summer flowers are facing chilly nights these days as we're just beginning to see the glory of fall on Signal Mountain. Angie and I have been keeping ourselves quite busy with outdoor projects that were supposed to be completed over the summer.

We also gutted and reorganized my studio in preparation for my latest project which I'll tell you about in a moment. In the process of cleaning and rewiring (with the help of Alan Shikoh) we decided that the only way I was going to be able to keep the space organized was to get rid of anything unnecessary for recording and the creative work that takes place down there.

That process made it clear that I simply needed more space, so I added a room for recording drums which is also where I teach lessons now. It has been a couple of weeks since we completed this and so far so good, I'm still organized and I've done several small projects. This feels good.

My current major project is my first hammered dulcimer teaching book. It is based on the 40 Percussive Arts Society (PAS) drum rudiments. I've been teaching bits and pieces of this for years but this is the first time I've organized it into book and DVD form. It looks as if it is going to take 2 DVDs to handle all the demonstrations and I'm glad to have Philip Luckey and Jody Cox working on video portions. They are pros and great friends so I'm anxious to see the final product which is scheduled for release in early December.

There's lots more to write but the ZitherjaZ guys just showed up for a recording session (our CD won't be ready until early next year) and I have to run.

Make sure you stop by the forum and sign my guestbook.

Nutmeg

2006-10-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

Angie and I awoke to a rainy day in New England this morning after saying goodbye to the Nutmeg Dulcimer Festival in Hamden, CT, and many new friends, last night.

From all accounts festival organizer Sam Edelston and crew are happy with their third year and they should be. The festival was organized and relaxed with a great blend of teachers, vendors and performers.

I got to meet and hear for the the first time the faces behind the names of many players I've read about in Dulcimer Players News over the past 20 years: A.J. Bashore, Heidi & John Cerrigione, Cliff Cole, Carrie Crompton, Ron Ewing, Rudy Gabrielson, Carol Lehrman, Tom MacKenzie, David Marks, Steve Miklos, Antoinette Montague, David Neiman, Curt Osgood, Chuck Scheffreen, Susan Trump, Bob Wey and Dwain Wilder.

It was especially great to meet Carrie Crompton. I've recommended her hammer dulcimer solos books for years now. Check them out at:

http://www.carriecrompton.com/index.html

Robert Force and I were the bill for last night's closing concert. Robert is a dynamic entertainer overflowing with energy, wit and wisdom. His resume as a musician and educator speaks for itself, take a look:

http://www.robertforce.com/?page_id=3

Angie and I had hoped to take a walk and do some photography on a New England beach or two but looking out of our hotel room window right now I see it is raining buckets. I guess we'll travel down the coast today in search of sunshine and if it eludes us point the truck toward Pennslyvania where our next stop is to visit Neal and Coleen Walters, Nick and Joanie Blanton and Maddie MacNeil.

I'm going to start a new discussion in the Forum section of this website for anyone who'd like to chime in about your Nutmeg Dulcimer Festival experience. Click on over! Dan

Funky Forum

2006-09-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

My forum isn't working this (Saturday) morning and the friendly folks at Serversanddomains.com promise to correct the problem as soon as possible. If their track record remains true it will be working again quickly. I'm just glad I wasn't the one who broke it this time. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Dan

Home Again

2006-09-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

I'm slowly catching up on dozens of tasks now that I'm back home from my two week road trip of concerts and workshops. In the coming days I'll post pictures and share a few stories but I wanted to share an excerpt from an email I received upon returning home that made my day! I've edited it only to make it anonymous. The writer attended one of my classes at the Upper Potomac Dulcimer Festival (UPDF). While it is certainly nice to hear that people enjoy a class it is thrilling to hear from students that put the techniques I teach into practice:

"(Since the class) I have practiced more hours per day and
use my metronome most of the time. We all really enjoyed the “permission” to play
a little louder and harder than ever before while taking a class.
I have not learned to play one new tune since the festival. But I have
created more music! I can now single, double and triple roll when I make the
choice, a lot of the time and getting better. Your focus on rhythm, so
obvious to me now, was that special thing I went to UPDF to find.

If I may be so bold to suggest a project, profitable for you and a learning
opportunity for developing HD players. If you could create a CD that would
not teach tunes but style and rhythm. Some 2 or 4 or 6 measure licks that
could be used to train listening and timing skills. A listen and play along
CD similar to your approach in the Advanced Beginners Toolbox class.
An opportunity to play along, at some musical aerobic workout level, for the
development of rhythm and timing would be just the ticket. You provide the
metronome, buried in the fun of what people play the dulcimer for. I’ll be
your first customer.

I have spent hundreds of hours learning a dozen or so great tunes but almost
no style or magic. I had learned a small amount of heart but no heartbeat,
no “Hammer Rhythm” only song rhythm. I am now experiencing the fun of
playing the dulcimer I was looking for. You helped me find that.

It is my belief motion and emotion is the basis for most learning. You have
the gift of creating both in a teachable moment."

The teaching CD suggested above is in the works now and will also contain a book and DVD. Thanks for the suggestions.

Your Pet's Best Friend

2006-09-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

I just added a couple of links to the list on the left hand side of this page. Someone pointed out that I had forgotten Stephen Humphries. Oops and sorry Stephen! The other new link is to the blog of an old friend of mine, Dr. Everett Mobley.

Everett is one of the most unforgettable people I've ever known and whom I describe without hesitation with one simple word - genius. He's a writer, radio show personality, actor, comedian, singer, instrumentalist and the most passionate vetinerarians you will ever meet. He recently started a blog when after 20 years of producing a radio show entitled "Your Pet's Best Friend" some knucklehead canceled the show. Check it out, I read through it this morning and the advice is great and free!

Calendar Page

2006-09-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

I got an email from a confused friend who said he didn't see tonight's Carlisle Inn gig on my calendar page. It's there. It is confusing though since the calendar defaults to a weekly view rather than a monthly view. In the weekly view you have to scroll down the page to see the times.

I'd like to find a way to make it default to a monthly vew automatically. For now you can make the default view be monthly yourself. Just click the preferences button on the calendar page and reset the view to monthly.

SSHHHHHHH

2006-09-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

Randy and I played our library gig last night. It was fun to do an all acoustic, literally (pun intended) in the middle of a library. I took a small djembe with me as well so I could accompany Randy on some of his Irish music that I don't play on hammer dulcimer. Playing a drum in the middle of a library was freakishly fun. It was the kind of thing I always wanted to do as a kid.

Library applause is very polite.

Tonight we head to Sugarcreek Ohio to play at Carlisle Inn. Thanks to Lori Miller for assisting in setting up this gig!

UPDF

2006-09-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

The intersection of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers was my home for the past few days as I taught, played, laughed and cried my way through the Upper Potomac Dulcimer Festival.

Here's a link to a discussion about the festival on EverthingDulcimer.com

Here's a link ty my friend Marcy Prochaska's blog about the UPDF

My road trip began in the middle of last week with a sad goodbye to my daughter Missy who left home for a nearly year long trip overseas while I was away. On Friday night during the festival I decided to play a song I'd written for her, Spinner's Waltz, as part of my set. Whether or not it was a good idea doesn't matter now. It was hard and I'm not ashamed to say that I was overwhelmed with sadness and had a hard time making it through the song. Missy, if you read this, please now how proud your mom and I are of who you are, and who you are going to become in this exciting year ahead.

I'm now back on the road headed to Columbus Ohio where I'll begin a series of gigs Wednesday through Sunday. Check out my calendar for specifics. Remember you can click the links on the calendar page for more information about each event.

I'll get back to the forum discussions after I get to Randy's house in Gahanna tonight, which I've been reminded numerous times is pronounced Guh han uh, not guh hahn a.

Right now I've got to get out of this hotel room before checkout time.

MySpace - I caved.

2006-08-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

I've given in. I now have a MySpace account. Here's the link. Ever since the MySpace phenomenon began I've poked fun at the way they use the word 'friends.' Most of my younger friends, and by this I mean people with whom I play music, socialize, go out to eat, go to church, etc., have accounts. I chuckle when they talk about how many 'friends' they have on their accounts. Of course I know that they know when a person you've never met asks to 'friend' you, it doesn't really mean anything, but that's how it works and if you can't beat em, join em.

To entice you to check out my new MySpace account I've placed the studio version of Malcolm's Gift, the ZitherjaZ tribute to Malcolm Dalglish. This is one of the cuts that will go on the upcoming ZitherjaZ CD, due out in January 2007.

Oh, and while you're there, won't you be my friend? Ooooooo that hurt. But seriously, sign in and 'friend' me. I can't have my real friends having more make-believe friends than me. (what is happening to me ---- arrrrrrgggggh)

Promo poster - hot or not

2006-08-22T18:51:00.000-07:00

My friend Brad Bower designed this promotion poster for me for an upcoming concert. What do you think?

Jukebox is Back Online

2006-08-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

I've added quite a few new songs to the jukebox and it won't even cost you a quarter, or a dollar, or whatever jukebox songs cost these days. Give it a test and let me know if you experience any problems. I'm going to go play music for a few hours now. I get to work on my solo show this morning and then rehearse with ZitherjaZ this afternoon. It will be great to get back in the studio as I've been staring at this computer screen too much lately.

My next revision here will be adding new topics to the Forum page.
Any suggestions?

One last unapologetic solicitation. We have about 30 brand new t- shirts left over from this year's Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival. They're 12.98 and will cost you less than $15 dollars when shipping is added. C'mon, you know you want one. Click the store link to check them out.

Dan

Jukebox update

2006-08-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

My jukebox will probably be down for an hour or so this morning as
I'm adding new songs from the Landrum /Humphries and Winter Mix CDs.
Thanks for your patience.

Adding Links Now

2006-08-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Moving Commentary

2006-08-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

I'm removing the the comments section of my journal page now that the forum is working. I haven't completely figured out the best way to structure the forum for ease of discussion but I've slowly realized the comments section of a blog (journal) isn't the best way to talk. This is mainly because each time the blogger posts a new entry, the previous entry gets bumped. The more I entries I make, the quicker new comments dissapear.

I'm also adding a links section to the upper left of this page. This gives a good short term home to links that I want to be easy to find, like the recent YouTube videos.

ZitherjaZ Videos

2006-08-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

Click here to see the videos from our recent Nightfall Concert on YouTube.

Take a moment and rank them while you're there. Every little bit helps. - Dan

Fun with Forums

2006-08-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

It has been fun getting my forum going set up. The new feature is really just a replacement for my old guestbook, which as I mentioned in a previous post, became overburdened with spam.

Take a moment to sign up, and say hello. My old guestbook was not recoverable so I lost hundreds of contacts. So please, make yourself known again!

Audio Samples and a Freebie or two

2006-08-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have finally completed posting samples from every song from every one of my CDs to the store page. Just click on the song title you'd like to hear and it will open in a small player window.

The javascript code I used for this is supposed to be nearly bullet-proof, so give it a try. Of course if you have javascript turned off, it can't open the window. In most cases the song will still try and open in your default mp3 player.

For example, I use a plug-in to Firefox called "no-scripts" which allows me to choose whether or not a page is allowed to run javascripts. Once I tell it that a particular page is OK, it remembers that page and I don't have to tell it again. When I left the javascript option turned off and tried to select samples from my store page, they opened up in iTunes which is my default player.

You'll notice a few songs that are surrounded by stars like ** this **. These are complete songs which you're welcome to download and enjoy.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Press Page and Calendar Page Now Working

2006-08-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

I spent a good deal of time today working on the website again. My press link contains updated information and the calendar link is now working, though I've only had time to get August and September gigs posted so far.

I'm quite sure you can only get to the calendar page from this page as I have not enable the new link on any of the other pages.

The calendar is a web calendar that you can subscribe to if your into such things. I like the way it works with iCal, which both Angie and I use.

Thanks to those of you who signed the guestbook today. C'mon everybody, make yourself known with a quick note by clicking the forum link.

Video from our last ZitherjaZ concert

2006-08-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

If you have a decent internet connection click the title of this post for a 4 minute video from our ZitherjaZ concert a few weeks ago. The song is the opening number from the concert which was held as part of the Nightfall concert series in Downtown Chattanooga. I was joined by Steve Phillips on keys, Matt Broom on drums, Alan Shikoh on guitar, and Fred Gault on bass.

The song is "Split Rail Fences" which is found on my CD "Questions in the Calm."

Thanks to my friend Philip Luckey did all the camera work. The first half of the video is a wide shot from above. You'll get more close ups of the players in the second half. Alan is working on getting the entire concert up for free download. I'll let you know when it is available. - Dan

You can also click here.

Return of the guest book, well, sort of.

2006-08-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

I've been tinkering around with this site again tonight. Those of you who've been around for a while probably remember I used to have a guest book. I had to take it down because of spam. To replace the guest book I've added a bulletin board which works like most any other bulletin board you've used before. If you're new to the concept, don't worry, it is self-explanatory.

The link at the top of the page will take you there. I just set it up tonight so it may be buggy. Please, sign in and give it a try. Also let me know if you have suggestions for general topics and ways to use our new 'community'.

Me and Alfie on YouTube

2006-08-11T04:39:00.000-07:00

PBS stations across the country are now airing "Yanni Live: The Concert Event" in which I performed during the last tour. The show is being used as a fund raiser for PBS and to drum up excitement for the CD release date August 15th and the DVD release of September 19.

I've done on air 'pitching' as its called many times at our local station, WTCI, so it seemed only natural to be there for Wednesday night showing. My friend and band mate Alfreda Gerald came along to help out too. About an hour before leaving my friend Philip Luckey suggested I take my hammer dulcimer so Alfreda and I could perform something in the studio. This was a great idea but we don't actually play any songs during the show that would work as a solo piece. We put our heads together and figured out a simple arrangement of the piano and orchestra accompanied song "The Promise."

Thanks to whomever it was that recorded the broadcast and stuck it up on YouTube!

Updated Store

2006-08-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

My shopping cart is working properly again now.

Check out our August special - order 4 CD's or more and shipping is free.

Making it Easy

2006-08-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

Hello, Dan here. Remember me? I'm actually working on my web site again tonight so if you dropped in to purchase CD's the store link my be a bit wonky. I'll post again when I've finished.

Thanks for your patience.

Sheet Music

2006-06-17T05:27:00.000-07:00

Next week's Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival is a technique oriented affair, but it doesn't mean there won't be ANY sheet music. Click the title of this journal entry for a link to instructor provided sheet music.

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival Next Week

2006-06-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

All of you registered for the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival should have received an email from me (forwarded by Angie) yesterday regarding David Schnaufer being hospitalized due to complications from his battle with diabetes. We all need to keep David in our thoughts and prayers as he works toward recovery. I hate to lose him for the festival, but I hate much more the pain he's enduring.

Winfield Natioinal Mountain Dulcimer Champion Lee Rowe is replacing David in the instructor/performer roster. The Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival web site has been appropriately updated.

http://www.chattanoogadulcimerfestival.com

I received this email from Lee today describing his approach to teaching:

"There are two kinds of musicians, those who know tunes and those who know their instrument. The ones who know tunes can play any melody they learn, and those who know their instrument can play anything at all. My goal as a teacher is to introduce the player to their instrument and, hopefully, to unleash the creative artist within. We'll begin with scales, modes and chords we'll move on to picking techniques with an eye toward expressing emotion with the dulcimer, then finally we'll begin to combine all of these elements to create music and have fun doing it." - Lee Rowe

See you all next week!

Let Summer Begin

2006-05-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

If you're going to be in Chattanooga for the Memorial Day weekend come down to the Tennessee Aquarium and say Hello! My street performance season officially kicks off this Friday under the arches, or the big tent if it is raining, at the TN Aqaurium. I'll be there Friday through Monday for the long holiday weekend.

It will also be the first public place where you can pick up my newest CD "Landrum and Humphries". I hope to have them available on this web site soon!

Click here to download samples from the new CD.

Drop me an email if you'd like to purchase one before I get a chance to place them in the web site store. dan@danlandrum.com

Dan

Festival Update

2006-05-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

We're so excited to be receiving a steady flow of registrations. It'll be interesting to see who comes from the farthest away this year. So far, we have students coming from AR, AL, OH, IL, KS, TN, CO, and CA. I guess it'd be pretty hard to beat California, but we welcome someone to try!

For those of you paying with a check, please make it payable to Angie Landrum, not the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival. Thanks. I'll make that more clear on the next batch of registration forms I print.

Dan is working on the Festival website at this very moment, so check there later today for changes. He's also putting up samples of the new "Landrum Humphries" CD.

Besides Festival planning, we've been busy booking gigs for the month of September. (all summer weekends are already booked up). Dan will be teaching and performing at the Upper Potomac Dulcimer Festival in WV Sep. 8-10. He will be teaching a workshop for a dulcimer club near Chicago on Sep. 17. In between there, he'll be performing at a couple places near Columbus, OH and may do a concert in South Bend, IN. We may also tack on a short tour with his new trio band the first week of Sep. in the Asheville, NC and southern VA area. We'll give you more information about each of these events as the details are nailed down.

So, if you're in the vicinity of any of these events, come see us!

Feel free to email me if you have questions about any of these dates, or if you'd like to add an event to the tour.

Angie
angie@danlandrum.com

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival Web Site

2006-04-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

The Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival web site is now online!
The Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival web site is now online!
The Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival web site is now online!
The Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival web site is now online!
The Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival web site is now online!

Click this journal entry title to check it out. I'd love to have your feedback so look it over and email any questions or comments.

Dan

Augusta Heritage Festival

2006-04-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

Last week was busy but fulfilling teaching at Spring Dulcimer Week on the campus of Davis and Elkins college in West Virginia. The event is sponsored by the Augusta Heritage Center and is under the direction of Maddie MacNeil.

My seven students, Gail, Gail, Pat, Jan, Ken, Bob and Lois made me look good by the end of the week with their hard work in class, practice and determination to 'get it', even if I'm not always the best at 'giving it.'

By the end of the week they were playing II-V-I chord progressions on their hammer dulcimers in three different keys!

They were the hit of the student showcase Friday night and somehow convinced me that I would look even better if I wore a wig to cover my shiny head for the performance.

They were so kind to supply the wig as well. I'm pretty sure they were just getting even. But I think it looked pretty good, wha'da you think?

The whole thing was a blast and we were even joined by Guy George on saxophone and Maddie herself for a little vocal improv.

Thanks to Lois, Jim, Neal and Gail for the photos. If anyone else from Augusta has any potentially career damaging photos you'd like to send me just email them to my dan@danlandrum.com email account. Be sure to destroy the originals after you hit send.

My drive home Saturday was through the line of thunderstorms that pummuled much of Tennessee the prior night.

Chattanooga was fortunate to be spared any serious damage and all the trees around my house were still standing.

Angie and I spend most of the day Sunday and most of today getting the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival web site online.

Here's the URL:

http://www.web.mac.com/danlandrum/iWeb/CDF/Home.html

Just 78 days until the CDF!

2006-04-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

For those of you wanting to come to the Festival concerts only, the cost of the Friday night concert at the MACC is $10, kids under age 10 are free. Saturday night's concert at Signal Mtn. Presbyterian Church is being sponsored by an anonymous donor, so there's no charge!

If you'd like several Festival brochures to hand out at club meetings or wherever, just drop me a note with your address.

Thanks,
Angie

Dan's in West Virginia

2006-04-04T15:31:00.000-07:00

Dan's teaching at the Augusta Heritage Festival this week in Elkins, WV. The beautiful hills offer plenty of exercise, but little cell phone reception. There are also few locations and little time for internet access. So, let me give you an update.

Dan and I worked furiously on the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival website, hoping to have it up before Dan left, but to no avail. If he has time this week, he'll finish it up, but don't hold your breath! Designing anything always takes longer than you think.

For now, let me give you the basic information you need to start planning a trip to Chattanooga.

The dates are June 23-25, 2006.

The location is the same as last year, the Mountain Arts Community Center (MACC) in Signal Mtn. TN.

Workshops start at 9:00am Friday and end around 5:00pm. Same time Saturday.

Friday night's concert will be at the MACC. Saturday night's concert will be at the Signal Mtn. Presbyterian Church and will be recorded for a DVD.

Sunday morning we'll tour the TN Aquarium, enjoy a concert in the auditorium, then street perform out on the plaza.

The cost is the same as last year, only better. All workshops, both concerts, and aquarium ticket for $150. One-day workshops and one concert ticket is $100.

Lunch at the MACC will be sub sandwiches ordered in for $5, both Friday and Saturday.

Snacks and drinks available throughout the day are free.

You can stay at the Marriott Courtyard in downtown Chattanooga for $119 a night, $99 for Sunday night. Tell them you're here for the Dulcimer Festival when you register. If everyone stays downtown, you can get together for dinner or share a ride to the Festival, only 15 minutes away.

You can register by emailing me. I can either send you a pay pal bill or you can mail a check.

If you have questions please write.

Thanks,

Angie
angie@danlandrum.com

Festival Hotel Info

2006-03-25T07:17:00.000-08:00

Dan and I are working on the Festival website this weekend. I thought I'd give you this hotel information now, for those of you planning ahead.

We’ve got an arrangement with the Courtyard by Marriott for Thursday through Saturday nights for $119 (regularly $159). You can stay Sunday night for $99. Just tell them you’re with the Dulcimer Festival when you make your reservation. This hotel is right across the street from the Tennessee Aquarium. Great location! Click here to visit their website.

Dan is almost finished mastering the new CD he recorded with Stephen Humphries. It sounds great and should be available within a week. He plans on having some to sell at the Augusta Heritage Festival, which is the first week in April.

Angie

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival Web Site

2006-03-10T05:34:00.000-08:00

We're almost ready to put the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival Web site on line, but almost means it's not quite done yet. Stay tuned, we're working on it amid dozens of other fun and time consuming projects.

In my last post regarding the festival I mentioned a surprise. Since it is taking longer that I thought it would to get the web site up I'll just spill some of the beans now.

The suprise involves the Saturday night concert, 6/24/06. The first is the debut of my new jazz trio, shown here.

We'll be introducing an album's worth of new material that we've been working on for several months.

I'm joined by Steve Philips on piano and Alan Shikoh on guitar. These guys are great musicians and together we are writing some of the most rewarding music I've ever attempted. This music is forcing me to approach my hammer dulcimer in new ways and our twice-a-week practice sessions are challenging, but incredibly fun. We're getting close to posting some sample audio clips to give you a taste of what's to come.

There's more news to come but it will have to wait. I hope you can too! In the mean time write me or Angie with any Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival questions:

dan@danlandrum.com
angie@danlandrum.com

A non-traditional approach . . .

2006-02-15T20:16:00.000-08:00

. . . to traditional instruments.

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival - June 23 to 25, Signal Mountain, TN

I'm so excited about the lineup for our 2nd annual Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival that I can barely sit still to write. When you see who's coming this year you'll understand.

We've paid close attention to the suggestions and comments from last year's instructors and students, and think a few minor adjustments will make this year's festival even better.

Probably the greatest number of positive comments last year were in reference to our team teaching approach to hammer dulcimer. Students enjoyed having two qualified instructors because they received more personalized instruction and instructors found that having another experienced teacher in the room made it much easier to explain and demonstrate technique - which is what this festival is all about. It is like having a teacher for each side of the brain!

Several students asked for more detailed class descriptions and asked that they be released earlier. I'm in the process of gathering those descriptions now so as soon as I can, which should be next week, I'll post the schedules. This will coincide with the CDF web site coming back on line.

I don't want to wait until then to announce this years teachers and performers so here goes:

Karen Mueller, Butch Ross and David Schnaufer will be our mountain dulcimer teachers. David told me Tuesday that he'll bring along virtuoso mandolin player Butch Baldesari for the Friday night concert. My head is still spinning.

Hammer dulcimer classes will be taught by Christie Burns, Randy Clepper, Dan Landrum, Marcy Prochaska and Mark Wade.

Our guest builder will be Jerry Read Smith, who will bring along a mini version of his Black Mountain, NC store - Song of the Wood.

We are adding activities to Sunday morning this year which will include a free ticket to the Tennessee Aquarium for every workshop participant. Additional tickets will be available at a group discount. Our concerts include Friday and Saturday night shows and a new Sunday morning concert at the Tennessee Aquarium auditorium stage. Following the concert we'll head outside for an afternoon of street performing. Bring your instrument and stay as long as you'd like.

I have a surprise for the Saturday night concert too but I'm going to wait a couple of days before revealing it. Stay tuned for more details and write with any questions - dan@danlandrum.com

Mic'd Up

2006-02-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

I spent most of today installing pickups on my new dulcimer. It is a long process of placing, listening, recording, comparing, removing, staring and finally rejoicing when it all comes out right.

Click here to listen to some samples of the new system

Successful Delivery!

2006-02-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

(Dr.) Jerry Read Smith successfully delivered my baby Monday night. Weighing in at 17lbs., 4oz., I probably won't give it a name but I'll do my best to give it a voice.

Click here to see a few more pictures.

Playing this new instrument is a delight and it is fertile ground for growing new songs. I hope to post an audio sample later this afternoon.

Worth the Wait

2006-01-25T05:37:00.000-08:00

There's a new love in my life this morning but I'm sure Angie will understand.

We returned home late last night after a hurried but at the same time refreshing road trip to Black Mountain, NC. It all started early Sunday morning when upon checking my email, I noticed that someone was selling a nearly new
Concertmaster hammer dulcimer built by Jerry Read Smith.

I contacted the seller, and several emails later ended up on Jerry's web site to do some research.

And there it was.

Jerry, had finally completed his damper system. I'm about to reveal what a dulcimer geek I am when saying that I was breathless. I knew this was going to be good.

Jerry and I have a long and interesting player/builder relationship which goes all the way back to 1989 when I began searching for my first hammer dulcimer. Based on a strong recommendation by my friend Malcolm Childers, I called Song of the Wood and talked to Jerry's sister JoAnn. I quickly learned that there was a waiting list for Jerry's instruments. A couple of days later and itching to get started I settled for the most inexpensive instrument I could find at Pigeon River Stringed Instruments in Pigeon Forge, TN. It was a tiny plywood backed 12/4 which they no longer build. It only whetted my appetite for more and I quickly destroyed it while trying to add more string courses.

As the years progressed I've gone through dozens of instruments and crossed paths with, but never owned one of Jerry's instruments. I'm very happy with my large Dusty Strings D600 and it fits my energetic playing style. But every time I've gotten to play one of Jerry's instruments I've been once again surprised by a consistent unique voice that I can only describe as bell-like yet breathy in the upper registers and with a subtle but pure sustain all the way to the lowest notes. My D600 has a strong, but entirely different voice and I've wanted to add other voices to the choir.

So why didn't I just get on the waiting list and purchase one?

I've made several trips to Jerry's shop to talk about just that but the lack of dampers has stopped me each time. I've become convinced that it is just crazy to have a large hammer dulcimer without dampers.

Installing dampers on hammer dulcimers is not a new idea. Many of the instrument's relatives from around the world like Persian Santurs, Chinese Yang Chens, Hungarian Cymboloms - especially when they are treated as serious instruments - have dampers.

I don't think all hammer dulcimers should have dampers. Smaller instruments don't produce enough low tones for it to really matter. The dampers in pianos don't even go all the way to the highest notes. But I'm convinced after playing dozens, if not hundreds of instruments, that if you want to have a rich sustain at the bottom of a larger hammer dulcimer, you need to be able to control that sustain so it doesn't become overpowering. The problem isn't too much sustain. The problem is a lack of dampers.

Many builders compensate for the lack of dampers by throttling down the sustain on the bottom end. This is like planting a mighty oak tree in a flower pot. While the diminutive tree that develops may be beautiful and interesting, it isn't nearly as grand as it could be when given enough space.

I'll step off my soap box now and get back to describing the newest member of my family.

After seeing Jerry's new Grande Concertmaster with dampers on his web site Sunday morning I called and told him I would be there Monday. Angie, bless her heart, came along for the four hour ride.

Initial Impression

For years I've believed that no one builds a more aesthetically pleasing hammer dulcimer. Just knowing how much time and thought Jerry puts into every instrument he builds makes them all heirloom quality. These are pieces of art your children will fight over when you're gone. Being beautiful doesn't make a great instrument though. It is however icing on the cake and this cake is tasty.

Jerry has continued to refine his building practices over the years and is always excited about something new he's learned from his last build. The new Grande Concertmaster is built with his proven double-arched top with the addition of a pre-arched bass section that allows the lowest notes to fully excite the soundboard with fewer braces than any instrument I've ever seen. Generally the more supports you have to place under a soundboard, the lower the volume that soundboard can produce. The new instrument has a rich baritone voice that I could actually hear swelling after the initial hammer strike as the entire top comes into play.

As you can see from the pictures, the dampers add to the clean design. They are smooth, quiet and easily adjustable to suit varying degrees of sustain. There is an azimuth adjustment (Dusty Strings dampers also have this) which can be adjusted to taste. I prefer to let the upper registers sing out a bit even when fully damping the low end.

The action is smooth and quiet. And since the damper bars are pulled from a single cable in the center, they lower exactly straight down toward the instrument with the smallest possible amount of travel. It is hard to describe but the action is elegant in its simplicity and draws no attention to itself. A system this smooth requires incredible precision in the building process and I've come to expect that from Jerry.

Another at first not-so-obvious advantage to this design is that because they are worked via a cable system that pulls the dampers and the instrument toward each other, rather than pulling the entire instrument and dampers toward the ground, there is no discernible movement of the instrument when pressing the pedal. I'm a vigorous player and even with my sturdy tristander leg support system my D600 sometimes begins to rock. When I first stepped up to play this new instrument I was worried because it was on a wooden stand. I asked Jerry if he had anything sturdier and he told me to just give it a shot. There was no movement at all.

Since I'm used to playing a D600 with a larger string spacing it took a few minutes to get used to Jerry's slightly closer spacing. About the only negative predisposition I brought to this audition was the fact that I'd long ago discovered instruments with smaller string spacings usually didn't hold up well to my admittedly heavy handed playing style. My head started to spin again as I realized that this instrument could take it. It did sound better when I backed off and played with lighter dynamics but I needed to know that when I get excited that this instrument could handle the pressure. That settled it.

I was hooked and even though Jerry wouldn't let me bring the instrument home yet, I bought it. I'm using a prototype of the new instrument to determine where I need to place microphones and pickups and should be able to bring my new baby home in a couple of weeks. In the mean time, if you're serious about having a top notch instrument and are within a reasonable driving distance of Black Mountain North Carolina, you owe it to yourself to call Jerry and check this new instrument out. Be gentle with my baby.

It took way too many years for Jerry to come up with this design. It takes him way too long to build every instrument, but it is well worth the wait. I'm proud to finally own a Jerry Read Smith hammer dulcimer and it will make a wonderful addition to my career. I don't collect instruments. If I don't play it, I don't want it. This will be played for years to come and will be featured in my upcoming DVD.

Surgery, Life, Survival and New Projects

2006-01-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

December through New Year's day was a whirlwind of gigs and rehearsals, followed by one day's rest and a trip to the hospital for some necessary surgery.

I debated about whether or not I should write about my worsening medical condition but wasn't quite sure how to go about it. I mean, just how much do you really want to know about my colon? On January 3, I reluctantly went under the knife for the removal of a 'complex fistula'. You can Google it if you'd like to learn more but I don't recommend it.

I'm quite frightened by hospitals but I'm also quite sure that worry can harm you just as severely as any knife or bacterial growth so I chose to prepare for the ordeal by staying as busy as possible. It worked. Here I am on the other side of this traumatic event. Except for the fact that I can't sit for very long, I'm doing just fine. I've been weaned from the pain medication and have ventured out with friends a couple of times in the past few days. Life goes on and I have some really exciting projects coming up.

We will of course be organizing the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival again for 2006. The dates will be June 23 to 25 at the Mountain Arts Community Center on Signal Mountain. Watch for more details in coming days.

I'm also very excited about my current recording project which is a music video style DVD shot with HD (high definition) camera's at various locations around Chattanooga. Our tentative release date for this project is mid-April. It will contain some new material as well as a few songs from my past projects. I'm also working on a music book to go along with the DVD to help other hammer dulcimer players learn the tunes.

I want to say a big thank you to those of you who ordered my Winter Mix CD. Your tremendous response was encouraging and allows me to keep on making music. THANKS!!!!

Upcoming Gigs

2005-12-23T09:41:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve Dan will be performing at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church on Signal Mountain at the 6pm and 11pm services.

He will be playing at Rock City Dec. 26-31 from 6-9pm. The performance tent has been moved to the front entrance area due to construction. So, come in and enjoy some music before your walk through the park.

Angie

December 9-11 Christmas Gigs

2005-12-09T05:37:00.000-08:00

Come join me this weekend at one of the following Christmas Celebrations!

ChristmasFest 2005

This annual Christmas concert gets underway at 7:30p.m. on December 9, and 5:00 p.m. on December 11. Both concerts are free and open to the public at the Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church. Click here for directions. The program, under the direction of Steve Phillips, includes orchestra, choir, congregrational singing and will also feature several songs from my new CD Winter Mix with Kofi Mawuko and Matt Broom joining me on percussion. The CD will be available in the lobby after each program.

Hunter Museum Holiday Gift Bazaar

If you're looking for unique Christmas gifts stop by the grand foyer of Chattanooga's Hunter Museum between 10 and 4 Saturday December 10. I'll be performing there from noon to around 3:30 and of course have CDs for sale. There's a lot going on at the Hunter that day so check out their web site for more information and directions.

Winter Mix On The Air

2005-12-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

In addition to being able to order my new Christmas CD "Winter Mix" on this web site, it is now available at The Brow Gallery in Signal Mountain and the Tennessee Aquarium Gift Shop in Chattanooga. Thanks to WUTC and WGOW in Chattanooga for adding Winter Mix to their on-air playlists.

Listen to a two minute demo by clicking here. I'd love to hear what you think about it so please leave your comments below. Remember, if you're uncomfortable using a credit card online just drop me an email and we'll make arrangements for you to pay by check.

Liberty Concert

2005-12-06T07:45:00.000-08:00

These are a couple of the many excellent photos taken by Brad Bower at the Liberty Concert Sunday night.

You can see more concert pictures by clicking here.

I had previously posted a link to Brad's pages but his web site was down yesterday. Give it a try again and make sure you scroll down for the audience picture. We were thrilled to have a full house!

Home again, but not for long.

2005-12-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

Angie and I just made it back safely from our concert trip to Ohio. Wow, what a fun show! I have about an hour before I must head off to a gig at the Tennessee Aquarium. I'll have more to post about the concert tomorrow. For now I wanted to post this link:

www.bradbowerphotos.blogspot.com/

Brad Bower took some great photos (doesn't he always) from last night's concert. Thanks!

Dan

Getting Anxious?

2005-12-01T05:08:00.000-08:00

All Winter Mix orders that came in before late yesterday afternoon are now in the hands of UPS and the U.S. Postal Service. We didn't get this first rush out as quickly as we'd hoped but it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying. In the scheme of things the extra couple of days won't mean anything and we're in a position now to fulfill small orders on a same day basis again. Thanks for your orders and your patience!

What is this Winter Mix? It is my new Christmas CD and you can hear a two minute demo by clicking here. You can order your copy, or copies if you're working a Christmas list, by clicking the store link above. We're happy to sign, gift wrap and mail CDs anywhere in the US. Just send me the address(es) to which you'd like them sent and tell me how you'd like them signed.

Please let me know what you think about the look and feel of the CD and packaging and after you've had a chance to give it a listen, drop me an email with your comments please. Here's a couple I've already received:

" I LOVE the CD-- (notice the capital letters and bold face print). It’s my current favorite for holiday tunes because it’s an eclectic mix of cultural sounds, plus it presents familiar songs in different ways. I usually dread hearing holiday music, especially in the mall, not only because malls and mall music emphasize the commercialism of Christmas, at least in my opinion, but because too often holiday tune renditions sound like a tired offering of “more of “same.” Your CD is very energizing. For example, I felt like dancing to “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” I’ve decided that I shouldn’t play it while making beads over the torch because it’s hard for me to sit still while listening to this “moving” collection. Thank you very, very much for the CD. " SP

"ok, got the pre-release CD...
i'm going through it and each one becomes my new favorite.
absolutely amazing." SWB

How Things Should Be

2005-11-28T19:49:00.000-08:00

Over the past holiday weekend I played several nights at Rock City with my buddy Kofi Mawuko. Kofi is a native of Ghana who has lived in the Chattanooga area about 7 years now. Our impromptu Christmas music is very similar to the music on the Winter Mix CD with lots of percussion and rhythmic variety.

Listen to a two minute demo by clicking here.

At one point we had drummed up (pun intended) a pretty good crowd in the performance tent when an elderly group of mostly Spanish speaking folks came in. Their dancing and singing steered our playing into a decidedly Latin feel and before long it morphed into an impromptu and quite rousing version of Feliz Navidad. I had a few extra percussion toys with me on the stage and distributed them among the crowd. Everyone joined in and we were all having a great time when I noticed the faces in the crowd.

The scene was almost like one of those contrived pictures of heaven that include someone from every ethnic background. It hit me that I was here on stage with my friend from Africa singing and playing Spanish music with Asians alongside caucasians alongside . . . well you get the picture. It was one of those moments that is hard to describe but hard to miss. It is how things should be.

If you'd like to purchase a copy of Winter Mix just click on the Store link at the top of this page. If you're uncomfortable using a credit card over the internet just email me and we can make other arrangements.

Making it happen

2005-11-28T19:28:00.000-08:00

The packing, burning, cutting, scoring, folding, stacking, printing, packaging and boxing continues in out little basement factory as Angie, Missy and I are working hard to get all the Winter Mix orders fulfilled. In the midst of all this we're also producing Mark Wade's new Serenade CD. I burned his master disc tonight and will begin burning the duplicates tomorrow. We're already about half way finished with the printing for his CD. We began the day about two days behind schedule but if all goes well we should be completely caught up by the end of the day Tuesday.

This initial rush has kept us very busy but it is a thankful kind of busy.

Winter Mix Now Shipping!

2005-11-26T02:29:00.000-08:00

After a month of nearly nonstop work, Winter Mix is ready to roll out the door. We are now packing and shipping online orders and I had the CD available at my Rock City gigs over the past couple of nights. I had to warn customers that the ink wasn't even quite dry yet on the CD face.

Listen to a two minute demo by clicking here.

Angie and I are embarking on a new venture with Winter Mix. We recently invested in all the necessary equipment to print, burn, and package our own products. This is my fifth CD and I'm in the process of producing two more CDs for other people and have plans for more of my own music. Jumping into production just seemed like the logical next step and while the up- front costs for high quality printers and duplicators was a little scary, we think it will pay off in the long run as the number of CDs in the pipeline continues to grow.

The bedroom-sized office outside my studio is slowly being transformed into a mini-factory and we're pleased with the quality we're getting from our gear. We are using Taeyo Yuden CDs as our blanks. These are widely accepted as the best in the business and our duplicator tower verifies every CD it burns. So far, we haven't had a single failure.

Aside from the normal hassles with getting Photoshop to actually print what we see on the screen, it looks like the jacket printing is going to be a breeze. The most time consuming part of the process is cutting the paper and assembling all the jewel box parts. We're still too early in the process to have developed a smooth assembly system.

The CD face is being printed on a photo quality printer that blends 8 different inks. The per CD printing costs are a little high but the quality is better, in my opinion, than you get with silk screened CDs. The down side is that you have to wait 24 hours to make sure the ink is completely dry or you risk smudging.

We should be completely caught up on orders by Monday or Tuesday so those of you who pre-ordered should all get your CDs next week. I'm anxious to get your comments so be sure and use the comments section attached to this or any other entry in my journal. All you have to do is click on the comments number and you'll be taken to the next page where you can leave your own thoughts. Think of it as a guest book but in a conversational form. The reason my guest book link is still not working is simply a matter of avoiding spam. Spammers have found easy ways to post their junk in standardized guest books so they are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Too bad.

Winter Mix, as with all of my music, is a bit hard to pin down in terms of style. If you went to a music store looking for hammer dulcimer music with a distinctive percussive flair where would you begin? Judy commented that the demo has a definite Old World Christmas feel. I like that description and think it is the multiple layers of hand percussion and acoustic instruments that give that impression. Someone else said it reminds them of the group Manheim Steamroller except with real instruments rather than synthesizers.

Among the 16 tracks and over 50 minutes of music are familiar Christmas tunes like" Drummer Boy", "Silent Night", "Carol of the Bells", "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Sleigh Ride". Winter Mix also has a few not so well known titles such as the Celtic tune "Christmas Eve Reel" and the Huron Indian Carol "Twas in the Moon of Winter Time."

Instrumentation includes hammer dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, guitar, bouzouki, bass guitar, oboe, recorder and a host of hand percussion instruments including multiple djembes, bongos, congas, pandeiro, tamborine, finger cymbals, sambago bells, sleigh bells, agago, wood block, kpalogo drums, guiro, shakers, bohdran and snare drum. I know I've left something out. If it is a percussion instrument and you play it with your hand rather than a stick, it is probably on here.

One day while sitting at the editing console tweaking a hammer dulcimer part that my friend Christy Burns had just recorded for the cut "Christmas Eve Reel" I had Hershey, my standard poodle, stretched out in my lap. As I was listening to the take, my hands were half petting, half drumming on Hershey's rib cage (don't worry, she seemed to be enjoying it). It was a pretty cool sound and we came close to recording it but decided that it might be a little hard to explain that one of the percussion instruments was a poodle.

Other Musicians on Winter Mix include (alphabetical order):

Matt Broom, percussion
Christy Burns, hammer dulcimer
Randy Clepper, guitar and bouzouki
Marc Func, acoustic bass
Hussain Jiffry, electric bass
Kofi Mawuko, percussion
Carey Shinbaum, oboe and recorder
Jay Stanfil, electic and acoustic bass
Trey Wheeler, guitar
Members of the Signal Mountain Presbyterian Choir under the direction of Steve Phillips

The CD Face, and packaging design is by Steven Wade Brown. You can see more of Steven's work at http://www.reddirtdesign.com

I've been planning on producing this CD for several years now and even recorded quite a few cuts for it in years past but none of those songs actually made it on Winter Mix. I know some of you have been waiting for a CD that Alfreda Gerald and I have been working on, but don't worry, it is still in the works and hopefully we can complete it next year.

It is hard to let go of a project like this, to know when to call it done. I suspect every artist, no matter what the genre has the same experience. The hundreds of hours of time invested are worth it though when I'm finally able to confidently put the CD in someone's hand and say listen to this, I think you'll like it.

The CD's are available at the Brow Gallery, Tennessee Aquarium Gift Shop, Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church, through my web site or anywhere I'm performing. As always, if you are uncomfortable purchasing anything online with a credit card, just drop me a note and we'll make arrangements for you to pay by check.

Dan

Winter Mix

2005-11-18T09:17:00.000-08:00

My new Christmas CD, "Winter Mix," is now available for purchase and will ship next Friday, November 25. It is only one week behind schedule so I count that as a huge success!

Listen to a two minute demo by clicking here. I'd love to hear what you think about it so please leave your comments below.

I have to finish my liner notes now and get everything ready for printing so I'll save all the acknowledgements until next week. I hope you enjoy the demo. You can order your signed copy by clicking the Store link at the top of the page.

If you are ordering Winter Mix as a Christmas present please indicate to whom you'd like me to sign the CD. You can do so in the "note" field when checking out.

As always, if you are uncomfortable using your credit card over the internet just email me and we'll work out other arrangements.

Finally, if you would like to purchase multiple copies (10 or more) drop me an email rather than ordering through the store and I'll save you a few bucks.

- Dan

Christmas Concert in Ohio

2005-11-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

DECEMBER 4, in Columbus, Ohio the 'Hammer On!' guys will be performing at the Liberty Presbyterian Church. Go to Mark's website for more details. http://www.markalanwade.com

You can look forward to a wonderful night of Christmas, Celtic, Classical, and Traditional music that everyone will enjoy! Dan will have his new Christmas CD and Mark will have his new Classical CD available, along with all their previous recordings. So plan to do some serious Christmas shopping!

Angie

Christmas is coming!

2005-11-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

For those of you who've been wondering what's happened to Dan, I'll tell you. He's been confined to his studio about 15 hours a day working on his new Christmas CD.

I think all the hard work will really be worth it. What I've heard so far is amazing. Dan is using a variety of other musicians to enhance what he's doing on the hammer dulcimer and drums. Randy Clepper's bouzouki playing is just awesome. The final mix is going to be great.

Dan hopes to put up a sample in a couple days to give you a taste of what's happening. So, keep checking back!

Angie

No Photos

2005-10-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

We made it back safely from our Virginia trip last night. I promised photos from the concert this weekend but found out upon loading them this morning that none of them are useable.

South Boston

2005-10-10T04:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, I need to get back to work on my web site and open the pages of this journal again. Here goes.

Angie and I are lakeside in Clarksville, Virginia this morning after a successful concert last night in South Boston. The venue was the centuries old South Boston Presbyterian Church where Dr. Russell Lee is pastor. The concert was organized by Don Woodward of Colonial Homes.

I met Russell and his wife Marilyn, along with Don and Carol Woodward this past July after a performance in Montreat North Carolina. Don asked then if I'd be willing to come play in southern Virginia and then quickly followed through with making all the arrangements. Thanks Don. We had an incredible time and judging from the turnout and audience response everyone went home happy. I hope we can come back, perhaps with 'Hammer On!' and do a concert in South Boston's new theatre at The Prizery.

We have some pictures that we'll post after we get back to Tennessee. Right now it is time to begin the 8 hour drive.

Dan

In the Studio

2005-08-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

Dan is in the studio this week helping Mark Wade record a new project which will a be a solo CD of romantic classical ballads. Look for it on Mark's website in 6 weeks or so.

http://www.markalanwade.com

Dan's been busy street performing at the Aquarium every weekend this summer. Coming up September 9-11, we'll be in Shephardstown, WV for the Upper Potomac Dulcimer Festival. All the guys from the Hammer On! band will be there teaching workshops and performing in the Saturday night concert.

October 9 Dan and I will be in South Boston, VA where he'll play at the First Presbyterian Church. We'd like to book another gig in the area, or between Chattanooga and Clarksville, if anyone has any ideas-email me. angie@danlandrum.com

We're also planning a trip to Florida in January 2006. If you'd like to arrange a concert or workshop, just drop me a line.

The store link on the website is working now, by the way. The photographs link is next on the list.

Keep checking back!

Angie

Almost Done

2005-08-10T17:06:00.000-07:00

I should be able to turn the links back on tomorrow - hurray! Thanks for your patience this past week as I've been working on this site with every spare moment I could find.

Dan

Working on the site again today

2005-08-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

Expect a few anomolies if you're checking out my site today . . . and thanks to those of you who've been emailing me about the changes.

Many of the links haven't been switched back on yet. I have to complete the overall layout before copying it to those pages. Thanks for your patience.

Jukebox

2005-08-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

My jukebox is now working properly with the exception that it starts to play as soon as the site is loaded. It always annoys me when an audio file starts playing without be instructed to do so. I'm sure there's a way to make it wait for a specific user action. It will have to wait until tomorrow though.

Stop button working

2005-08-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

The stop button is now working on the new jukebox. Enjoy!

Dan

Stop, stop, stop!

2005-08-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

I continue to push the rock (this web site redesign) up the hill (CSS, HTML, Java, SWF, FLA) with the latest major accomplishment being the new CD player at the right hand side of the screen. The only problem is I'm having trouble getting the stop button to work! I'll figure it out, but please forgive me in the mean time.

Dan

Banner Complete!

2005-08-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

Google Site Search Success

2005-08-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

I was able to get Google's site search engine working last night. It will be a welcome element to this web site since my tour journal is quite long, and finding specific events is becoming increasingly difficult. This makes it a snap.

Getting Flashy

2005-08-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

No, the site still isn't working. I just feel obligated to keep posting these notes so it will at least appear that progress is still being made. If you're stopping by here in hopes of purchasing a CD, please drop me a note to:

dan@danlandrum.com

I'll get back with you quickly.

This morning I'm working on the mast head for this page. I enjoyed having the Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival moving train at the top of the page for a while. About three years ago this site had some interactive sounds on the home page too that people told me they enjoyed. I'm playing around with a few ideas those elements. Check back periodically and there may be a beta version of the new mast head in place.

Thanks for your patience - Dan

Still working

2005-08-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

I'm making slow but steady progress with the web update.

My daughter Missy turned 18 over the weekend and got a new camera for her birthday. She took this picture of me at the computer this evening.

I don't think I'll finish with the project tonight but at least I can see it coming together. I'm adding a jukebox to the right hand side bar so visitors can sample my music anywhere within the site.

Up to my ankles in code . . .

2005-08-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

and the water is rising. I'm working on the site again today. Thanks to those of you who've written to tell me it is wonky. I'm using industrial strength dewonkinator on it today as well as a little magic dust in hopes that I can get everything working again.

Tweaking

2005-07-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

It may not look like it but I'm making progress behind the scenes on my web site update. I'm gaining a better understanding standing of how CSS controls page formatting and trying to complete a few unfinished pages in the process. It is hard for me to go at this in small chunks but I'm juggling quite a few other projects as well. Some progress is better than no progress.

It is Saturday morning and time to head back to the Tennessee Aquarium where I'll be playing with Kofie Mawuko. Tonight we go out to eat with friends to celebrate my daughter Missy's 18th birthday! Unbelievable.

Don't start things you can't finish . . .

2005-07-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

I just returned home from street performing at the Tennessee Aquarium and hope to make a little progress getting my site back up and running this evening.

It was a good day at the aquarium as clouds and a weak cool front kept the July heat at bay. Tips and CD sales were both great today!

Time to work on the web site.

Dan

Working on the web site.

2005-07-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

Things may look a little unfamiliar around here for a couple of days as I'm doing some maintenance work on my web site. I have no choice but to scrap my guest book completely due to an invasion of spammers. I think I'll be adding a blog-based guest book which will require people to sign in before they leave a message.

Keep checking back and please email me if you have suggestions or see something that isn't working properly.

Dan

Thanks to All

2005-07-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

A big, big thanks to everyone who helped make the first Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival a success.
Thanks students, for your positive feedback and helpful suggestions. And, for risking your time and money to attend a brand new festival.
Thanks instructors, for doing a magnificient job. It's great to have a group that works so well together.
And a big thanks to the MACC for letting us invade their space.
We hope to see everyone back next year!

Angie

Dan LandrumHammered Dulcimer

Cold Roots

Practicing Drum Rudiments on Hammered Dulcimer

Get Well Steve

Focused Learning in Brasstown, NC.

John C. Campbell Folk School

Coming 'Round Right

Oh Where, Oh Where is my Rudiments Project?

Special CD Pricing for Fall 2008

Bryan Bowers at Barking Legs in Chattanooga

Workshops and Concert at Wood N Strings

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival

Time For an Update

Rudiments Video Update

The List

Spinners Waltz

Rock City

Zenith

Comments Back On

Three Hats - one bald head

More Forum

Forums

Dulcimer Players News

Photos

John Carty and Francis Gaffney

Two More

Climbing Mountains

Hammers

Simply Beautiful

Normalpalooza?

A Good Day

Put down the camera, I'm on the pot.

Summer, Meet Fall

Nutmeg

Funky Forum

Home Again

Your Pet's Best Friend

Calendar Page

SSHHHHHHH

UPDF

MySpace - I caved.

Promo poster - hot or not

Jukebox is Back Online

Jukebox update

Adding Links Now

Moving Commentary

ZitherjaZ Videos

Fun with Forums

Audio Samples and a Freebie or two

More ZitherjaZ Videos

Press Page and Calendar Page Now Working

Video from our last ZitherjaZ concert

Return of the guest book, well, sort of.

Me and Alfie on YouTube

Updated Store

Making it Easy

Sheet Music

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival Next Week

Let Summer Begin

Festival Update

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival Web Site

Augusta Heritage Festival

Just 78 days until the CDF!

Dan's in West Virginia

Festival Hotel Info

Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival Web Site

A non-traditional approach . . .

Mic'd Up

Successful Delivery!

Worth the Wait

Surgery, Life, Survival and New Projects

Upcoming Gigs

December 9-11 Christmas Gigs

Winter Mix On The Air

Liberty Concert

Home again, but not for long.

Getting Anxious?

How Things Should Be

Making it happen