Make a Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer make this GORGEOUS sounding instrument from a 2x4, cardboard, & plywood. It’s by Kiko Denzer, cheap, beautiful, with help and inspiration from & easy-to-build- Ray and Shirley Jacobs and-play. HandPrintPress.com “IN THE END, WE SHALL HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF CYNICISM, SCEPTICISM AND HUMBUG, AND WILL WANT TO LIVE - MORE MUSICALLY.” * Ray’s wife Shirley is holding one of Ray’s cardboard guitars. At her foot is a dulcimer.
* Vincent Van Gogh, to his brother Theo, 24 Sept., 1888 in Arles. Translated by Mrs. Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, ed. Robert Harrison, no. 542. http://webexhibits.org OTHERS BY KIKO DENZER: Build Your Own Earth Oven Dig Your Hands in the Dirt Make a Simple Sundial Hand Print Press
Make a Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer: Build this Gorgeous Sounding Instrument from a 2x4, Cardboard, & Plywood. It’s cheap, Beautiful, & Easy-to- Build-and-Play Kiko Denzer, January, 2013 ISBN: 9780615748931
Published by Hand Print Press (paper & PDF) under a creative commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) You may share, copy, distribute and transmit the work for any non-commercial purpose — but please do let us know! And YES!~ holler if you have ideas for a derivative project. Downloadable PDF available free from www.handprintpress.com: (AND 0RINT 0RESS s 0/" s "LODGETT /2 s s 541-438-4300 Also contact us! about dulcimer kits & (discounted!) bulk paperback orders Contents
Foreword ...... 2 Introduction ...... 3 Tools & Materials: what you’ll need ...... 5 Step 1: The Neck ...... 7 Neck Dimensions (chart) ...... 8 Step 2: Frets: Locating Fret Slots ...... 12 Cutting Fret Slots ...... 13 Get Your Frets in Place ...... 14 Fret Chart ...... 15 Prepping Frets for Glueing ...... 16 Glueing the Frets in Place ...... 18 Filing the Frets ...... 19 Fret Ends ...... 20 Initial Shaping of the Neck ...... 21 Fiddle Break! (Instrument photos) ...... 22 Step 3: The Plywood Back ...... 26 Cutting the Blocks for Attaching the Neck ...... 29 Glueing Blocks to Base ...... 30 Glueing Neck to Body ...... 31 Cutting Brace Blocks for the Cardboard ...... 32 Step 4: Selecting & Cutting Cardboard ...... 34 Glueing Sides & Top ...... 36 Preview: How to Determine the Proper Bridge Height ...... 38 Step 5: Lacquer Finish for the Neck ...... 39 Step 6: Fitting the Cardboard Top ...... 40 Step 7: Remanufacturing Tuners ...... 42 Step 8: Tuners: Installing ...... 44 Mounting Tuners ...... 45 Step 9: Mounting the Bridge ...... 46 Step 10: Mounting Strings & Finishing the Bridge ...... 47 Play your Dulcimer ...... 48 Basic Chord Chart ...... 50 Musical Resources ...... 51 STORIES: Meeting Ray ...... 52 FAME: An American Teacher & her Czech Students Learn About Language & Harmony ...... 59 About Hand Print Press (other titles) ...... 61 Dulcimer Kits & Cottage Industry: ordering & participating ...... 62 MET Ray Jacobs one May in California; he was teaching people to make something that looked like a 3-string banjo out of cardboard and scrap I wood — but it sounded...... amazing! It looked so simple, I thought “shoot, I small selves. could play that!” Ray told stories about 20 It comes natu- years of teaching fourth graders, not just rally, asking so they could make and play these simple, only that we 3-stringed instruments but so they could participate. participate in the world. He put an old V-8 Participation engine in the classroom and challenged makes community, and community them to take it apart and put it together; makes the soil where beauty feeds and he took them to a local pond to squelch culture grows. and splash and take buckets of pond wa- ter back to class, where they put it in split Ray’s dulcimer is the kind of gift that 55-gallon drums so they could play and makes it possible . But to measure the learn when their “other work” was done; exchange only in dollars is like trying to he shepherded 20 generations of kids into grow a garden on concrete. Seeds — life! 5th grade, many of them with dulcimers — need dirt, and dirt came as a gift long they had made themselves, on which they before we divided and converted it into a could all play melody and chords — ex- speculative commodity. Real estate, prop- traordinary gifts! erty, (intellectual or material), belongs to life, as we do. If we make merchandise of I thought, “someone should put this into everything we think, feel, say, or make, a book so every 4th grade teacher can do we enslave ourselves. A free people sing, what Ray did!” I’ve been a “teaching art- celebrate, and share. Ray told me, “if I ist” in the Oregon schools, and know how can spend an hour or two making music, WLJKWWKHEXGJHWVDUHDQGKRZGLIÀFXOWLW it’s a good day.” is for kids to get good, hands-on activities. When teachers are so bound by schedules, This book is published under a creative test requirements, and policy that they commons license: please share the free can’t afford to engage kids in anything PDF. The paperback can be had from QRWVSHFLÀHGLQWKHFXUULFXOXPLWWDNHVDQ Hand Print Press or Amazon; that price outsider to do the creative projects. helps pay production, distribution and, (perhaps) some living and working ex- Life and beauty grow by exchanges of penses for author and family. Ray also gratitude, grace, and peace, by which we sells instructional CDs, insruments, as learn about love and feeling and how to well as his and Shirley’s music. Write belong to something larger than our own them at POB 794, Eureka MT 59917.
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I didn’t ask why the shop was up top, but I admired the stair design, which leads to a tiny landing just below a trap door. On one side of the landing is a small, final step: when you reach the landing, you turn, put your right foot on the small step and launch up into the shop. Coming down is not a simple reversal, but a new dance in which a small mis- DQGEULJKWQHVV²DOORIZKLFKZHUHSDUWO\ step could drop you much FUDIWVPDQVKLSEXWDOVRDSDUWLFXODU faster than you’d want to FRPELQDWLRQRISURSRUWLRQVDQGPDWHULDOV go. Every entrance and exit ²DSLHFHRIÀUIURPDQROGVORZJURZLQJ made me stop and pay atten- WUHHWKDWKDGEHHQFXWMXVWULJKWE\DQ tion. XQNQRZQVDZ\HULQDQXQNQRZQPLOO² WKLQJVKHFDQ·WSUHVFULEHH[DFWO\EHFDXVH HYHU\WUHHKDVLWVRZQFKDUDFWHULVWLFV² JURZWKUDWHGHQVLW\VRLO7KHVHWKLQJV FRPHDVJLIWV DVZDVWKHLGHDWRXVH FDUGERDUGZKLFKFDPHWRKLPZKHQKH QRWLFHGKRZQLFHLWVRXQGHGZKHQWDSSHG
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4 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com TOOLS & MATERIALS: WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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7KHVODQWHGQXPEHUVDUHWKHDFWXDOPHDVXUHIURPWKHFHQWHURIHDFKIUHWWRWKHFHQWHURIWKHQXW I ¼ µ ¼ µ IIII II ¼ ¼ µ IV ¼ IVIVIII VII VI V ¼ µ ¼ ¼µ ¼ µ ¼ µ ;; ,; ¼ µ (22 ¼µ 5 ¼ 8 ”) handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 15 PREPPING FRETS FOR GLUEING )UHWZLUHLVURXQGZLWKDVWUDLJKW´WDQJµWR ÀWLQWR\RXUIUHWVORW/LWWOHEDUEVWH[WXUHWKH WDQJWRKHOSLWJULSWKHZRRG6RPHZLUH KDVPRUHEDUEV VRPHKDVOHVV5D\VD\V WKHPRUHWKHEHWWHUHVSHFLDOO\ZKHQSXW- WLQJIUHWVLQWRVRIWZRRG+HJHWVJXLWDU QRW PDQGROLQ IUHWZLUHIURP(XSKRQRQ&RPSD- Q\RXWRI2UIRUG1+³LWKDVEDUEVHYHU\ µ 6HFXUHWKHÀQJHUERDUGLQDYLVHRURQDÁDWVXU- IDFHDV\RX·OOEHWDSSLQJWKHIUHWVLQSODFHZLWKD KDPPHU,I\RXXVHDYLFH\RX·OORQO\EHDEOHWR GRDIHZIUHWVDWDWLPH6SUHDGDELWRIJOXHLQWR WKHVORWVDERXWWKUHHRUIRXUDWDWLPH 5D\JHWV KLVQHDWOLWWOHJOXHDSSOLFDWRUIURP:RRGFUDIW 16 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com 7RPDNHVXUH\RX·YHJRWWKHVXUIDFHFRP- SOHWHO\JOXHIUHHXVHDVFUDSHUWRUHPRYH WKHODVWUHVLGXHV 5HPRYHH[FHVVJOXHZLWKDÀQJHUDVLWFDQLQWHUIHUH ZLWK\RXUÀQDOÀQLVK³DKDUGZRRGÀQJHUERDUG PD\QHHGQRÀQLVKEXWVRIWZRRGVRDNVXSJUHDVH DQGGLUW handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 17 GLUEING THE FRETS IN PLACE 6HWWKHIUHWZLUHFDUHIXOO\DVLWFDQHDVLO\ MXPSRXWRIWKHVORWRUZDQGHURIIOLQH,ILW GRHVÀOODQ\XQLQWHQGHGGHQWVLQWKHZRRG DQGUHFXWWKHVORW 7KHIUHWZLUHVKRXOGEH OHYHODOOWKHZD\DFURVVEXWLW·VHDV\WRWDS WKHHQGVGRZQWRRIDUVRJRVORZ,W·VDOVR HDV\WRFUXVKWKHZRRGDWWKHHGJH)UHWV VKRXOGEHWDSSHGLQFRPSOHWHO\EXWQR PRUH 6WDUWKDPPHULQJDWWKHIDUHQGDQGZRUN EDFN &XWHDFKZLUHDIWHU\RX·YHWDSSHGLWLQSODFH 'RQ·WZRUU\WRRPXFKDERXWWKHSUHFLVLRQRI WKHFXWDV\RX·OOEHÀOLQJWKHIUHWVWRPDWFK WKHZLGWKRIWKHIUHWERDUGDQGWRPDNHVXUH \RXFDQPRYH\RXUKDQGVPRRWKO\XSDQG GRZQ 18 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com DRILL HOLES FOR STRING ANCHORS :KLOH\RXZDLWIRUWKHJOXHWRGU\RQWKH IUHWVSUHGULOOWKUHHKROHVIRUWKHVWULQJ DQFKRUV8VHDELWVOLJKWO\QDUURZHUWKDQ WKHVFUHZDQGJRLQDWDERXWDDQJOHDV LOOXVWUDWHG filing the frets &KHFNÀUVWWRVHHKRZÁDWWKHIUHWVOLH6HWD VWUDLJKWHGJHRQWKHP$Q\URFNLQJLQWKH VWUDLJKWHGJHZLOO LQGLFDWHDKLJKVSRW 7KDW·VZKHUH\RX ZDQWWRVWDUWÀOLQJ 1RWHWKDW5D\KDV EHQWWKHKDQGOHWDQJ RQKLVÀOHVWRJHW KLVKDQGXSKLJKHU ZKLFKPDNHVIUHWÀO- LQJHDVLHU '21·7ÀOHWKH´QXWµZKLFKLVWKHODVW SLHFHRIIUHWZLUH7KDWRQHVKRXOGEHDELW ´SURXGµRUKLJKWRVWRSWKHYLEUDWLRQRIWKH VWULQJVDWWKHHQGRIWKHLUOHQJWK $OOWKHIUHWVVKRXOGEHÀOHG7KHÀOHGIDFH RIWKHIUHWGRHVQ·WKDYHWREHYHU\ZLGHMXVW PDNHVXUHWKHÀOHKDVKLWLW &KHFNWRPDNHVXUHWKHQXWVWDQGV´SURXGµ KLJKHUWKDQWKHRWKHUVDQGWKDWWKHHQWLUH VXUIDFHLVÁDW handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 19 fret ends 7RPDNHWKHZKROHQHFNDVVPRRWKDV SRVVLEOHIRUÀQJHULQJÀOHWKHHQGVRI WKHIUHWVDWDERXWXQWLOWKHÀOHKLWV WKHZRRGWKHQDFRXSOHRIVZLSHVPRUH WRURXQGWKHP'RWKLVWRWKHQXWWRR 5HPRYHDQ\EXUUVIURPWKHHGJHVRI HDFKIUHWHQG5HPRYHVKDUSHGJHVIURP WKHÁDWVWRR7KLVUHTXLUHVDELWRIFDUH ZLWKDUHJXODUÁDWÀOH \RXFDQDOVRXVH DVPDOOVKDUSHQLQJVWRQHDVSHFLDOIUHW ÀOHRUDQDXWRPRWLYHSRLQWÀOH 20 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com initial shaping of the neck 0DUNLQJDQGWKHQFXWWLQJWKHHGJHVRQWKHEDQGVDZ handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 21 TIME FOR A BREAK! Ray plays his cardboard fiddle 22 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com Shirley Jacobs, photo Here are a couple of Ray’s other instruments: a triangular fidde with a more traditional look, and a banjo built from a gourd. Vibration from the strings gets into the soundbox through the connections at the top and bottom of the gourd, and through the bridge (a piece of brazing rod), which sits on posts attached directly to the cedar top. Shirley did the decorations. handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 23 Jon Crandell, photo Jon Crandell, photo 24 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com Musicians in Madagascar, photos courtesy of Smith bros. Jared Smith (below, L) was the first person to build a dulcimer from this book. He said, “The neck started out as a round doug fir pole, that I attened a face on using chisels, drawknives and a hand plane — no power tools at all! I used a 1-1/2” nail as the nut, three different tuning pegs from the local guitar repair shop, and gorilla glue to hold it together. Other than that, I stuck to the instructions.” Jared later told me about this home made guitar that his brother John got in Madagascar from the boy who made it. He traded the boy his own fancy commercial travel guitar. The body is carved out of one piece, covered by a thin top with a soundhole. The strings are fishing line and bike cables. One broke due to rust, but the boy had apparently planned for that; a few days after he gave John the guitar he tracked him down and gave him a few extra cables (you can see them wrapped up around the headstock of the guitar). It has ta- pered wooden tuning pegs that actually work remarkably well! For even more wonderful hand-made inspiration, look up sothosounds. org, and “landfill harmonic” on Vimeo. handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 25 step 3: MAKING THE PLYWOOD BACK 7KHEDFNRIWKHGXOFLPHUVHUYHVWZRSXU- SRVHV LWUHÁHFWVVRXQGZDYHVEDFNRXWWKH IURQWDQGLWJLYHVWKHLQVWUXPHQWVWUXFWXUDO VWUHQJWK)RUVWUHQJWKLW·VKHOSIXOWRKDYHD ZRRGHQHGJHWRSURWHFWWKHFDUGERDUGVLGHV EXWLQRUGHUWRKDYHDZRRGHQHGJH\RX·OO QHHGVSHFLDOWRROVWRPDNHDFKDQQHODURXQG WKHSHULPHWHURIWKHSO\ZRRGZKHUH\RX·OO JOXHWKHFDUGERDUG,I\RXGRQ·WKDYHWKRVH WRROV\RXFDQVLPSO\JOXHWKHFDUGERDUG GLUHFWO\WRWKHZRRGDQGMXVWKDQGOHLWDELW PRUHFDUHIXOO\2UUHLQIRUFHWKHHGJHZLWK OHDWKHUGXFWWDSHHWF materials 3O\ZRRG ôµWKLFNSUHIHUDEO\SO\/RRN IRU'RXJODVÀURUODUFK ´LW·VJHWWLQ·KDUGHU WRJLWµ 'HSHQGLQJRQKRZPXFK\RXZDQW WRVSHQGRUVFURXQJH\RX·OOQHHGWRGHFLGH RQKLJKHUJUDGHVWRFNWKDW·VVDQGHGRQRQH RUERWK VLGH V /RRNIRUDSLHFHWKDWKDVDV IHZNQRWVDVSRVVLEOH PRVWO\IRUORRNV dimensions )RUWKHVLPSOHUYHUVLRQZLWKWKHFDUGERDUG JOXHGVWUDLJKWWRWKHZRRGPDNHDSO\ZRRG 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7KDWZLOOEHWKHKHLJKWRI\RXUEULGJHSLHFH 38 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com step 5: lacquer finish for the neck $IWHUDOOWKHVDQGLQJLVGRQH ZHYDFXPQRXWWKHZRUVWRIWKH GXVWZLSHRIIWKHUHVWZLWKD GDPSUDJDQGJLYHWKHQHFNWZR FRDWVRIFOHDUEUXVKLQJODFTXHU³ LWVWLQNV%HVWGRQHRXWVLGHZLWK SOHQW\RIYHQWLODWLRQ 'RQ·WODFTXHUDORQJWKHERWWRP HGJHRIWKHQHFNZKHUHWKHFDUG- ERDUGDWWDFKHV handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 39 step 6: fitting the cardboard top $IWHUWKHODFTXHULVGU\ DERXWôKRXUV ÀQGZKLFKHGJHRIZKLFKFDUGERDUGWRS SLHFHÀWVEHVWDJDLQVWWKHQHFN0DUNWKH VLGHVVRWKH\GRQ·WJHWPL[HGXS+ROGHDFK SLHFHLQSODFHDQGFDUHIXOO\WUDFHDOLQHDERXW µIURPWKHWRSHGJHRIWKHFDUGERDUG VLGH&XWFDUHIXOO\ZLWKDYHU\VKDUSNQLIH 8VHWKHFXWFDUGERDUGWRPDNHWZRVOLJKWO\ RYHUVL]HSLHFHVRIZRRGWRFODPSRYHUWKH FDUGERDUG :KHQ\RXDSSO\WKHWDFN\JOXHEHVXUHWR ÀOOWKHWRSVRIWKHFRUUXJDWLRQV5D\JOXHV RQO\WKHHGJHRIWKHFDUGERDUGWRSQRWWKH UDLOV3XWGRWVRIJOXHRQWKHWKUHHVKHOIVXS- SRUWV6TXHH]HJOXHLQWRWKHFRUUXJDWLRQV DORQJWKHVWUDLJKWHGJHRIWKHKDOIFLUFOH 3UHVVLWFDUHIXOO\LQWRSODFHEHLQJVXUHWR SXVKHDFKKDOIFLUFOHWLJKWDJDLQVWWKHQHFN 6HWWKHFODPSERDUGVLQSODFHEHLQJVXUHWKDW QRJOXHVTXHH]HVLQWRSODFHVZKHUHLWZLOO JOXHWKHFODPSLQJERDUGVRQWRWKHFDUG- ERDUG/LJKO\WLJKWHQWKHFODPSVRU KROGZLWKJHQWOHSUHVVXUHIRUWHQ PLQXWHV Be sure not to glue the clamping boards to your in- strument! Back them off the neck at least 1/8”. 40 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com HEY! SOUNDS GOOD! Ray points out that hi-end speakers are made from cardboard. The proof is in the sound box... INSTALL ANCHOR SCREWS FOR THE STRINGS These are 1¼” screws — almost any type will do, so long as there are no sharp threads at the top of the shank that might cut a string. handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 41 step 6: remanufacturing tuners 5D\´GRHVQ·WZDQWWRJHWLQWRWRRPXFK PRQH\µVRKHEX\VLQH[SHQVLYH´LQ OLQHµWXQHUVIURP6WHZDUW0DF'RQDOG DQGUHPDQXIDFWXUHVWKHPWRKLJKHU VWDQGDUGV%HWWHUWXQHUVFRVWWLPHVWKH SULFH,WGRHVQ·WWDNHORQJ 8QVFUHZWKHEUDVVJHDUIURPWKH VKDIW SRSRXWWKHVKDIWDQGZRUPJHDU ZKLFKOHDYHV\RXZLWKQRWKLQJEXWWKH ÁDWPRXQWLQJSODWH 7KHEUDVVJHDUPRXQWVRQWKHHQGRI WKHVKDIWZKLFKLVVOLJKWO\WKLQQHU8VH DYLFH RUDPHWDOFODPSRUSXWWKHDV- VHPEO\RQDVROLGPHWDOVXUIDFHDQGWDS WKHSLQLQWRWKHJHDUZLWKDKDPPHU 0DNHVXUHWRDOLJQWKHSDUWVSURSHUO\ 0RYHWKHEUDVVJHDUXQWLOWKHJDSWKDW KROGVWKHSODWHLQSODFHLVWKLQQHUWKDQ WKHWKHSODWH 42 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com &DUHIXOO\UHPRYHWKHEUDVVJHDUZLWK WKHFODZRIDKDPPHU 5HDVVHPEOHJHDUZRUPJHDUHWF 5D\UHYHUVHVWKHDOLJQPHQWRIWKHWXQHU 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VWULQJVJLYHVD :KHQ\RXSOD\DFKRUG ZLWK 'FKRUG HDFKEHDWRIWKHPXVLF VWUXPDOO EDU OD\RQHÀQJHUDFURVVDOO WKHVWULQJVWRJHWKHUHLWKHUZLWK $OZD\VFHQWHU\RXUÀQJHUWLS WKHVWULQJV DQGE\VWUXPPLQJ \RXUULJKWWKXPERUDÁDWSLFN ÀUPO\RQWKHVWULQJWREH RUSLFNLQJDOOWKUHHVWULQJV\RX SOD\HGMXVWRQWKHWXQHUVLGHRI FDQSOD\WKHIROORZLQJFKRUGV steps! 10 Each fret (except the dotted half-steps) indicates a note, which Ray numbers directly on the neck for ease of learning. The first note on each string is simply the sound the string makes by itself, so “no. 7” is really the 8th note. This is not typical of most printed music. handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 49 basic chord chart 50 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com musical resources 5D\VHOOVDKRXULQVWUXFWLRQDO )RUGRZQORDGDEOHSODQV WKZRFNHGKHUODGOHDJDLQVWKHU YLGHRRQSOD\LQJWKH5RFN\ LQVWUXFWLRQVKDUGZDUHDGYLFH KDQGLWPDGHDSOHDVLQJVRXQG 0RXQWDLQ'XOFLPHU,I\RXZDQW DQGHYHQWVORRNXS´FLJDUER[ RQHVHQGKLP 5D\-DFREV JXLWDUVµ´FLJDUER[QDWLRQµDQG &XWDVWLFN³PDNHDZHDSRQ 32% (XUHND07 DOOWKHYDULDWLRQV\RXFDQWKLQN DGGVWULQJPDNHDERZIRU +HDOVRKDVGXOFLPHUPDNLQJ RI,KDWHWKHZHE,ORYHWKH GULOOLQJVKRRWLQJRUPDNLQJ YLGHRVDQG&'VRIKLVDQG ZHE ÀUH&DUYHDERZODWWKHHQGRI 6KLUOH\·VPXVLF³RKDQGKH \RXUVWLFN\RXJHWDYHVVHOIRU PDNHVLQVWUXPHQWVWRR 0D\EHVRPHGD\,·OOKDYHWKH VHUYLFH FRYHUWKHERZORI\RXU NLQGRIPXVLFLQPHWKDWWKH VSRRQZLWKVNLQDGGVWULQJ³ )RUDJUHDWERRNRIFODVVLF JX\VDWZZZVRWKRVRXQGVRUJ \RXJHWURFNQ·UROO%HHWKRYHQ IRONVRQJVFDOO6,1*287 KDYHLQWKHP:2:,DOVR DQGWKHEOXHV VLQJRXWRUJ 2UVHQG UHFRPPHQG´ODQGÀOOKDUPRQLFµ 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ÀFXOWDQGFRPSOLFDWHG,WULHG WKHWUXPSHWEXWSHRSOHGRQ·W VLQJDORQJZLWKDWUXPSHW3OXV P\ROGHUEURWKHUFRPSODLQHG WKDW,VRXQGHGOLNHDG\LQJFRZ DQG,WRRNLWSHUVRQDOO\,QKLJK VFKRRO,OHDUQHGWRUHDGDELW RIPXVLFDQGSOD\PHORGLHVRQ DUHFRUGHUEXW,VWLOOZDQWHGD FDPSÀUHLQVWUXPHQW0\JRG- IDWKHUJDYHPHDKDUPRQLFD ,ORYHGWRPDNHLWZDLOEXWD KDUPRQLFDQHHGVDJXLWDUDQG YRLFHVWRR:KHQ,ZDVROGHU ,ZHQWZLWKDJDOZKROLNHGWR VLQJ6KHVLJQHGKHUVHOIDQGD ,KDGQRWLPHWRWDNH5D\·V FRPPXQLW\DQGLQGLYLGXDOV JLUOIULHQGXSIRUDIDQF\ZRUN- FODVVEXW,SDLGKLPIRUDNLW WKLVGXOFLPHUVWDQGVRXW VKRSDWDIDQF\UHWUHDWFHQWHUIRU DQGP\IULHQG7RPWRRNWKH IRONVZLWKWLPHDQGPRQH\ VKH FODVVDQGDVVHPEOHGWKHGXOFL- :KHQ,ZDVDNLGWU\LQJWR ZDVDGRZQZDUGO\PRELOHFRU- PHU5D\VDLGLI,KDGDQKRXU VLQJDURXQGWKHFDPSÀUHZLWK SRUDWHODZ\HU :KHQWKHJLUO- KH·GVWDUWPHSOD\LQJ)RUWX- HYHU\RQHHOVH,ZDVWROGWKDW IULHQGFDQFHOHGVKHLQYLWHGPH QDWHO\WKHKRXUZHQWORQJDQG ,FRXOGQ·WFDUU\DWXQHLQD ²VKHZRXOGSD\'HVSLWHP\ LQFOXGHGVRPHRI5D\·VVWRULHV EXFNHW)RUWKHQH[W\HDUVRU GRXEWVDQGZLWKRXWDEXFNHWWR DIWHUZKLFK,UHDOL]HGWKDW, VR,EHOLHYHGLW,WULHGWROHDUQ FDUU\DWXQH,VDLG\HV ZDQWHGPRUHWKDQWKHLQVWUX- PHQW,ZDQWHGWRVKDUH5D\·V LQYHQWLRQDQGLQVSLUDWLRQ 5D\·VGXOFLPHUFRPELQHVWUD- GLWLRQDOJLIWVRIVRQJDQGVWRU\ ZLWKDVLPSOHGHVLJQWKDWDO- PRVWDQ\RQHFDQPDNHLQWRD EHDXWLIXOLQVWUXPHQW²IURP DERXWGROODUVZRUWKRI JXLWDUKDUGZDUHDQGFRPPRQ HYHU\GD\VWXIIWKDWUHJXODUO\ JHWVWRVVHGLQWKHGXPSVWHU$V 5D\VD\V´WKLVLVDQLGHDWREH LQDOOWKHVFKRROVµ:LWKIXQG- LQJIRUDUWVDQGPXVLFDWKLVWRULF ORZVDQGZLWKNLGVDQGDGXOWV KXQJU\IRUSUDFWLFDOWDQJLEOH UHDOSURMHFWVWKDWEXLOGXSERWK handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 53 Jon Crandell photo $EODFNVRXWK$IULFDQQDPHG ,QRQHFLUFXLWWKHWXUQHGXVLQWR JRRGH[DPSOHDQGWXUQVLWLQWR -RVHSK6KDEDODODOHGXV3DXO6L- DFKRUXV DVWDQGDUGPHDVXUH:HGRQ·W PRQKDG´GLVFRYHUHGµDQGIHD- LQYLWHVWXGHQWVWRSDUWLFLSDWH WXUHGKLPRQDSRSXODUDOEXP ,UHDOL]HG“I can sing!” I didn’t ZHGHPDQGDSHUIRUPDQFHWR ²EXWKHEURXJKWKLVRZQWUDGL- QHHGDEXFNHW,MXVWQHHGHGD HYDOXDWH5DWKHUWKDQVKDULQJ WLRQRIFRPPXQDOVRQJDQG FLUFOHRIVLQJHUV RXUFRPPRQMR\ZLWKXQLTXH UDWKHUWKDQ´WHDFKµKHVLPSO\ H[SUHVVLRQZHPHDVXUHIRU ZURWHRXWDIHZZRUGVJDYHXV $OOWHDFKLQJEHJLQVE\H[DPSOH FRPSOLDQFHDQGVDPHQHVV WKHWXQHDQGDVNHGXVWRVWDQG :HOHDUQWRWHOOVWRULHVE\KHDU- *RRGWHDFKHUVEHJLQZLWKMR\ LQDFLUFOHDQGVLQJ+HVWHSSHG LQJWKHP:HOHDUQWRVLQJE\ DURXQGDQGVDQJZLWKHDFKRI KHDULQJRWKHUVVLQJ%XWWRR 5D\VD\VLW·VQRWDJRRGGD\ XVXQWLOKHKHDUGZKDWKHOLNHG PXFKRIRXUWHDFKLQJWDNHVD XQOHVVKHFDQVSHQGDQKRXU 54 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com Every two weeks, Ray and Shirley get together with a group of folks to sing, play, and share potluck. The week my family and I were there, the group came to Ray and Shirley’s. About 20 of us circled up in the log cabin, with Ray’s home-made dulcimers (and guitars), a wash tub bass, wooden spoons, standard guitars, drums, accordions, fiddles, etc. We went around the circle, choosing, singing, and playing everything from old standards, to Beatles tunes, to originals written by some of the group. Ray likes a smaller group — this one, he says, “has gotten a little big.” Rita, one of the particpants, learned 20 songs on the dulcimer, and took them to the Czech Republic, where she started a folkgroup with student teachers of the English language...(see story on p. 57) Jon Crandell photo PDNLQJPXVLF+HEHJDQKLV ZHUHWRRELJDQGÀQJHULQJVL[ IRUKLVNQHHDQGDUHGGUDJRQ ZRUNLQJOLIHLQKLVIDWKHU·V VWULQJVZDVKDUG´:HOOµKH SDLQWHGE\KLVEURWKHU SURIHVVLRQRIIRUHVWU\EXWZKHQ WKRXJKW´,·OOEXLOGDVLPSOH KLVEDFNJDYHRXWKHWXUQHG WZRVWULQJHGLQVWUXPHQWµ+H·G )RUKLVIRXUWKJUDGHUVKHWRRN WRWHDFKLQJDQGWRRNRQDth EHHQEXLOGLQJLQVWUXPHQWVVLQFH DUHFWDQJXODUVFUDSRISDUWLFOH *UDGHFODVVURRPLQWKH(XUHND KHZDVDQGSXWDQHZWRSRQ ERDUGIRUDEDFNDQGPDGHD 0RQWDQDSXEOLFVFKRROV$IWHU DQROGJXLWDU/DWHUKHZRUNHG VPDOOVLPSOHER[DURXQGLW VFKRROKHJDYHJXLWDUOHVVRQV LQDVDZPLOOWKDWSURGXFHGWKLQ ZLWKDVSUXFHWRSDQGDVROLG WRDPL[HGJURXSRINLGVDQG ´VKLPVµVRPHRIZKLFKSUR- QHFNRI[VWRFN+HHSR[LHG DGXOWVEXWKHQRWLFHGWKDWKH GXFHGDQLFHWRQHZKHQWDSSHG ELWVRIEUDVVEUD]LQJURGLQWRWKH ZDVQ·WDFFRPSOLVKLQJPXFK ²DQGZKLFKKHWXUQHGLQWRD QHFNIRUIUHWVDQGXVHGEROWVIRU ZLWKWKHNLGV²WKHLQVWUXPHQWV VLPSOHER[JXLWDUZLWKDFXWRXW WXQHUV ´7KDWGLGQ·WZRUNWRR handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 55 FLPHU´+HGLGQ·WWKLQNPXFK RIP\GXOFLPHUµVDLG5D\´,W ZDVQ·WWUDGLWLRQDODQGLWZDVQ·W EHDXWLIXOµ %XWLWVRXQGHGJRRGDQGKLV NLGVFRXOGSOD\LWVRLQ KHVWDUWHGPDNLQJGXOFLPHUVLQ VFKRRO+HPDGHNLWVDWKRPH LQKLVVKRSDQGWKHNLGVDVVHP- EOHGDQGÀQLVKHGWKHPLQFODVV DIWHUWKHLUGDLO\DVVLJQPHQWV 5D\XVHGRWKHU´IXQµDFWLYLWLHV WRPRWLYDWHKLVNLGVIRUDFD- GHPLFZRUN(YHU\\HDUKH·G SXWDQHQJLQHLQWKHPLGGOHRI KLVURRPIRUWKHNLGVWRWDNH DSDUWDQGSXWWRJHWKHU KHFXW JDOORQGUXPVLQKDOIVRWKH NLGVFRXOGEULQJEDFNVDPSOHV IURPDORFDOSRQG²´DIWHUZH GLGWKRVHSRQGVWXGLHVWKRVH NLGVZRXOGQ·WVTXDVKDÁ\ WKH\ ZHUHWRRLQWHUHVWHGE\WKHQµ +HJDYHWKHNLGVDKDOIKRXUHY- HU\GD\WRZRUNRQWKHLULQVWUX- PHQWV DIWHUDFRXSOHRIPRQWKV PRVWZRXOGEHSUDFWLFLQJRQ WKHLURZQGXOFLPHU%\WKHHQG Rita Colins playing RIWKH\HDUPRVWFRXOGSOD\ one of Ray’s “Onion” FKRUGVDQGPHORG\IRUVHYHUDO dulcimers. This one VRQJV+HFKDUJHGIRUDNLW has a spruce top. EXWNLGVZKRZHUHQ·WDEOHWR Jon Crandell photo SD\VWLOOJRWWRPDNHDQGSOD\ DQLQVWUXPHQW JRRGµKHUHFDOOHGEXWKHDOVR 'XOFLPHUVR,FDOOHGLWD¶5RFN\ :KHQ5D\ZDVERUQKLVIDWKHU ÀJXUHGWKDW´VLQFHWKLVRQH·V 0RXQWDLQ'XOFLPHU·µ7KHYHU\ ZDVZRUNLQJDVDIRUHVWHULQ MXVWIRUPH,·OOSXWLQDQRWKHU QH[WZHHNKHZHOFRPHGDQHZ 0LQQHVRWD/DWHUZKHQWKH86 VWULQJµ %\DFFLGHQWKHWXQHG thJUDGHUIURP0LVVLVVLSSL )RUHVW6HUYLFHJDYHKLPDMRELQ LWWRZKDW·VFDOOHGWKH´0L[RO\G- ZKRVHIDWKHURZQHGDQGSOD\HG 0RQWDQDWKH\PRYHG LDQµPRGH WKHÀUVW$SSDODFKLDQGXOFLPHU KH·GVHHQ7KHQKHPHWDQHLJK- 5D\·VIDWKHUKDGVWXGLHGDELW ´7KDWVRXQGHGWRPHOLNHDQ ERUZKRPDGHVWULQJHGLQVWUX- RIYLROLQLQKLV\RXWKVDQJLQD LQVWUXPHQW,·GKHDUGRQWKH PHQWVXVLQJQRSRZHUWRROV EDUEHUVKRSTXDUWHWLQFROOHJH UDGLRFDOOHGDQ$SSDODFKLDQ ²LQFOXGLQJDQ$SSDODFKLDQGXO- 56 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com DQGSOD\HGKDUPRQLFDZKLFK 5D\SLFNHGXSZKHQKHZDV Shirley with one of Ray’s 5D\·VPRWKHUVDQJDODUJHVWRFN cardboard guitars: the RIVRQJVWRKHUIRXUNLGV+HU cardboard came from a IDWKHU´*UDQSD5D\µVDQJWROG particular brand of bike VWRULHVDQGFRXOGUHFLWHDOORI box which used to be just /RQJIHOORZ·VSRHWU\DVZHOODV the right single-thickness VWRULHVIURP.LSOLQJ$HVRS cardboard, but now they DQGRWKHUV5D\VWDUWHGSOD\- use double-ply — good for LQJJXLWDUDWDQGÀGGOHDW the bike, too heavy for an 1RZKHVD\VKDUGO\DPRQWK instrument top! Under the JRHVE\WKDWKHGRHVQ·WPDNH soundboard is bracing, to DQLQVWUXPHQWEXWPRUHLPSRU- support the weight of WDQWIRUWKLVVWRU\5D\SOD\VD the bridge and dis- FHQWUDOUROHLQDIRONJURXSWKDW tribute vibration. JHWVWRJHWKHUWRVLQJDQGSOD\ Cardboard aside, WZLFHDPRQWK7KH\JDWKHULQ the unique features HDFKRWKHUV·KRPHVDQGVKDUH are the way the neck SRWOXFNDVZHOODVPXVLF:H attaches on top of the KDSSHQHGWRYLVLWZKHQWKH\ soundboard just ZHUHPHHWLQJDW5D\DQG6KLU- at the ends, OH\·VDQGDGGHGDVRQJRUWZR and the bridge WRWKHFLUFOH0DQ\RIWKHIRONV design. KDGRQHRUPRUHRI5D\·VLQVWUX- PHQWVLQWKHLUKDQGVRULQWKHLU FROOHFWLRQDWKRPH :ULWLQJWKLV,UHFDOOHGWKHZRUN RI5REHUW3XWQDPD+DUYDUG VRFLRORJLVWZKRVHDFDGHPLF VWXG\RI,WDOLDQGHPRFUDF\ PRUSKHGLQWRDEHVWVHOOLQJ ERRNFDOOHGBowling Alone+H KDGJRQHWR,WDO\LQ WR VWXG\WKHFUHDWLRQRIQHZORFDO 3HRSOHJDWKHULQVXFKJURXSV &RKRXVLQJE\ODZVGRQ·WPDNH UHJLRQDOJRYHUQPHQWV)RUWZR IRUWKHMR\RIVWUXFWXUHGSOD\ DFRPPXQLW\DQ\PRUHWKDQ GHFDGHVKHVWXGLHGGHPRFUDWLF DQGVKDUHGSOHDVXUHYDUL- DQ\OHJDORUPRUDOFUHHGRU SDUWLFLSDWLRQ+HFRQFOXGHG RXVO\IRUPDODQGLQIRUPDOUXOH SROLWLFDOSODWIRUP%XWWDNHD WKDWWKHSULPDU\LQGLFDWRUVIRU ERXQGDQGLPSURYLVDWLRQDOFR- ZLOOLQJJURXSHYHQDPRWOH\ GHPRFUDWLFSDUWLFLSDWLRQZHUH RSHUDWLYHRUFRPSHWLWLYH:KHQ FUHZZLWKGLYHUJHQWH[SHULHQFH QRWXQLRQDFWLYLW\RUSROLWLFDO ZHFRRSHUDWHZHwork together, DQGDELOLWLHVDQGif WKH\VKDUHD DFWLYLVPRUHGXFDWLRQDODFFHVV ZKHQZHFRPSHWHZHseek QHHGDQGGHVLUHWRIHHGDQGEH RULQFRPHOHYHO5DWKHUWKHSUL- together LQ/DWLQcom PHDQV IHGE\HDFKRWKHUWKHQ\RX·OO PDU\LQGLFDWRUVZHUHWKLQJVOLNH ´WRJHWKHUµDQGpeterePHDQV´WR PDNHPXVLF³DQGFRPPXQLW\ PHPEHUVKLSLQVRFFHUFOXEV VHHNµ .(LWKHUZD\LWRQO\ZRUNV ZKLFKOLNHFRPSHWLWLRQDQGFR- FKRUDOVRFLHWLHVDQG LQWKH86 ZKHQZHall SDUWLFLSDWHQRPDW- RSHUDWLRQFRPELQHVtogetherness ERZOLQJOHDJXHV WHUKRZZHGLIIHULQEHOLHIRU ZLWKmotion RUchange ³munis SROLWLFDOSHUVXDVLRQ VKDUHVDURRWZLWKmutate handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 57 ,ORRNHGIRUVRPHRQHHOVHWR ZULWHWKLVERRN²VRPHRQH Jon Crandell photo PRUHPXVLFDOZKRXQGHUVWRRG WKHODQJXDJHDQGNQHZDERXW LQVWUXPHQWV1RRQHKDGERWK HQWKXVLDVWLFDQGWLPH7KHQ, KDGWRWUDYHOHDVWDQGWKHRS- SRUWXQLW\WRYLVLW5D\SUHVHQWHG LWVHOI,PD\QRWEHSDUWLFXODUO\ PXVLFDOEXW5D\DQG,VKDUH DVLPLODUDSSURDFKWROLIHDQG GHVLJQ 5D\ZLOOWU\WKLQJVDQGKHKH·G UDWKHUÀQGDZD\WRGRZKDW KHQHHGVGRQHZLWKZKDWKH·V Jon Crandell photo DOUHDG\JRWLQVWHDGRIEX\LQJ VRPHWKLQJQHZ :HJRWDORQJSUHWW\ZHOODQG DIWHUKHVKRZHGPHDERXW EXLOGLQJDGXOFLPHU,KHOSHG UHEXLOGWKHHDUWKHQRYHQKH·G PDGHIRU6KLUOH\:KHQWKHIRON JURXSVKRZHGXSWRVSHQGDQ HYHQLQJVLQJLQJDQGSOD\LQJDOO WKRVHWDOHQWHGSHRSOHHQFRXU- DJHGPHWRWU\RXWWKHWXQH,·G EHHQSUDFWLFLQJ,QDGGLWLRQWR P\LQVWUXPHQW,WRRNDZD\ LQVSLUDWLRQ³QRWRQO\WRPDNH PRUHLQVWUXPHQWVEXWWRORRN IRUSHRSOHWRSOD\ZLWK 7RFDUU\DWXQHLWWDNHV³LIQRW DEXFNHWSHUKDSVWKHSURYHU- ELDO´YLOODJHµ³ZLWKGLIIHUHQW SHRSOHWDNLQJWXUQVPDNLQJWKH LQVWUXPHQWVOHDGLQJWKHWXQH DQGFRPLQJXSZLWKQHZVRQJV More of Rays innovations: the neck of this banjo “ oats” above the soundbox (a gourd) connected solely at the bridge. No inner bracing required; the neck provides all the strength needed. 58 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com FAME: An American teacher and her Czech students learn language and harmony by singing and playing… by Rita Collins Editor’s note: I met Rita Collins at Ray’s folk music potluck. She coordinates Arts and Education Programs in Eureka, Montana. In 2008 she taught in the Czech Republic at the department of English language and literature in the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University, in Brno. Her Czech students were studying to become teachers of English language. When she learned that the department head was going to have a birthday, she offered to teach her students a English-language birthday song to sing in celebration. They had so much fun, they started FAME – or “Fun with American Music for Everyone” – which helped them improve their command of the language, and invited them, informally, to share their pleasure and enthusiasm for something much deeper than simply earning a degree or a living. Rita’s account of the project follows. Without free, self-respecting, and autonomous citizens there can be no free and independent nations. 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Unless we all feed the goose, and others’) address the arts of living, there can be no golden eggs! The founders understood that the from making stoves, ovens, and other Latin root of “republic” means “things The arts of living can’t be abstracted. things, to growing food and building of the public;” they believed that every Aristotle said, “what we learn to do, houses, and otherwise learning to citizen shared responsibility for land, we learn by doing.” So Hand Print follow nature’s creative (and chaotic) Press follows the way of the doer, principles. designer, artist, inventor in all of us, who works to fit into her place and his community, to marry beauty with utility, and to restore and enrich the sources of all beauty. exclusive english edition of the best natural building dvd * * Mud, Hands, A House handprintpress.com Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer 61 DULCIMER KITS: HOW TO ORDER I don’t want to deprive you of the op- Dulcimer kits consist of a neck, back, I’m not sure how best to go about it, portunity to exercise your own hands and all the bits and pieces: blocks, but here’s a start: If you’d like a kit, get and wits (as Bill Coperthwaite might cardboard, tuning pegs (already re- in touch with me, either through the put it), but I also recognize that some- manufactured), and strings. All you contact form at handprintpress.com, times, it makes sense to let people do have to do is put them together, glue or at POB 576, Blodgett OR 907326, what they love most, and trade for the them up, decorate, and finish. 541-438-4300, and I’ll put you in touch things they want but don’t have time with a maker and you can figure out to make for themselves. Ray was selling kits for $100 when I the details. met him in 2012, but I don’t want to So — if you want a dulcimer but have start a franchise here, I just want to If you’re a maker, let me know that, not time or space to do all the work make sure that folks who want instru- too, and I’ll add your name to the list. yourself, I know some craftsmen who ments can get them — and perhaps That way, maybe we can hook up mak- can provide you with dulcimer kits (or help a few neighbors who want to ers and players, teachers and learners even finished dulcimers, but I don’t work at home doing what they love all where they live, so they can all really want to deprive you of all the to do. make music together, too! fun!) steps! 10 62 Make A Ray Jacobs’ Rocky Mountain Dulcimer handprintpress.com Here’s a guide for anyone in need of good, affordable instruments suitable for beginners and experts alike. Teachers, homeschoolers, camp counselors, church groups, community minstrels, & all who like to work with their hands can use it to transform ‘just junk’ into songs, beauty, & community. HandPrintPress.com