Homemade Musical Instruments
O.K. if a picture is worth a thousand words, this is worth three posts for me. Cool, no wonder the English Professor enjoys that photojournalism so much. All kinda folks come to look at pictures.
Sorry for the light, I gotta get some photography lessons. The stick is the walking stick dulcimer I wrote of last week.
A guy named Richard Strum and ole Dr. B have now built three mandolins, and we have started numbers four and five. The one pictured was the first and my kids have # 2 and # 3.
The mandolin on my avatar is a Montana era Gibson my wife bought for me. If we had a fire, I’d want my wife, the kids, the animals, our pictures, and then my mandolin. It goes everywhere I go. (I knew I didn’t need those piano lessons my folks wanted me to take. It is hard to fit that thing in the car.)
Dr. B
Explore posts in the same categories: Musical Instruments (Pictures)
Dr. Tom Bibey: Stories of the Bluegrass Music Road 
May 29, 2008 at 8:01 am
Y’all make any banjers?
banjobilly
May 29, 2008 at 8:19 am
banjobilly,
I once did a Stew Mac 5 string banjo kit. Later I converted it into a tenor banjo. I’ll take some pictures of it and edit this post.
I knew that last slot looked bare for a reason.
Dr. B
May 29, 2008 at 10:03 am
I always wanted to learn how to play the fiddle. I got the piano lessons because my brother would practice his musice lessons and I would go in after him and play the same thing. I was not the next Libarace by any sense, I have a good ear.
I know it’s not too late to learn. I just have to find the right person to teach me. I know notes alreay. I want to learn by just listening and then playing. Not all of that other stuff that they like to make you go through.
Make any sense?
May 29, 2008 at 10:27 am
Cindy,
You go for it girl! I learned mandolin as an adult by hanging around the music. I do think fiddle is harder but I suspect you are a young’un- it can be done. I agree it is never too late to learn and your piano background will help. (O.K. I admit mama was right I shoulda stuck with it.)
I’ve often said it takes ten years to learn, but kids make it ’cause they are not self conscious about being bad (plus they are so cute people overlook it) and adults get embarrassed. (My daughter said I made it ’cause I had no shame!)
One of these days I might take a music theory class and figure out what the heck I’ve been doing all these years.
Dr. B
May 29, 2008 at 10:39 am
I wonder if they teach adults by the susuki(sp) method to adults. I don’t want to be bogged down by all that stuff. As I say, I know notes. I want to learn how to do the “frets”
I like the emotion that is put into playing the fiddle. You can tell those players are really getting into “it”. Althought I know that other instrument players show their emotion in other ways while they play.
Music is just a wonderful way to express yourself. It can all come out! Happiness, sorrow, love, etc…. I guess I just need an outlet. LOL
May 29, 2008 at 10:59 am
Look into a guy called the Fiddle Fretter in Canada- he makes an inexpensive thing that converts a fiddle fretboard into one with frets- sorta like training wheels.
Dr. B
May 29, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Too cool, Dr. T! I’d love to learn to play a dulcimer. And yours is beautiful!
My Dad’s wife (in her late 60’s) is taking violin lessons because her uncle made her a violin and she wants to learn to play it.
Pretty neat, huh?
Susan
May 29, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Ms. Susan,
It is a cool item, huh? The mountain dulcimer is farily easy to get started on but like many instruments is hard to play well.
The best player I ever heard come through was a guy named Steve Siefert. I was amazed at the sound he could get out of it. I believe he also has instruction material.
The violin lessons are great- someday I am going to try it again. At the pace I am going with everything else it might have to wait till then.
Dr. B
November 4, 2010 at 2:56 am
i take my kids for piano lessons because i want them to learn about playing the piano .
November 4, 2010 at 6:29 am
The piano is the backbone of music. Dr. B