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Welcome to the Mountain Dulcimer 1-3-5
Comment and Guestbook Webpage

This is a moderated Guestbook. <Click here> email your comments and/or sign up to receive the Mountain Dulcimer 1-3-5 E-Newsletter.

What a great addition to the web library of useful information about the mountain dulcimer!

Wow! I will definitely "keep tabs" on this site! I love the 1-3-5 tuning, having been introduced to it many years ago in Neal Walters' classes. I play many of Merv's arrangements, and enjoy all of his books. Through him, I've been encouraged to explore this tuning and do some 1-3-5 arrangements of my own.

I overheard a conversation at KMW about 1-3-5 but didn't know what they were talking about. Now I do! Thank you, I will be checking the website often.

Hey John and Merv, I don't know you Merv but I do know John (love him) and have seen him play this tuning onstage and LOVE it! Can't wait to play it myself. Great website and Great idea! Kim

Although I bought Merv's book "Songs America Loved," a couple of weeks ago and have certainly been enjoying it, I was unaware of this website until today when a friend mentioned it to me. I agree with your statement that the discovery of this tuning is the most exciting thing that happened in the dulcimer world for some time. Keep up the good work. Best wishes, Walt Rollison.

Merv & John THANKS soo very much!!! I have your first two books and some 135 from Connie Allen and we love it! Lloyd

Thanks Merv , John , and Gail a very good web site I think I understand why the 1-3-5 tuning did not sound very good or even right to my ears when you mentioned the missing drones. I will try again. Thanks again for being so generous with your help and new information Ken

Merv and John, Great website; this will do more to get people to use alternate tunings such as DF#A and FAC than anything else. Appreciate the tab; I just ran a copy of Toyland and will play it soon. Your FAC page is very good; I learned quite a bit about string gauges and tuned one of my dulcimers to FAC rather then DF#A; it keeps more tension on the strings; less floppy. Larry Conger has been messing with DF#A and I told him he might want to have his students tune that bass string up to F and the melody to C. He tried it and liked it; all because of your website. He wondered if going up to F on the bass string would be too much tension, but I did a few tension calculations and decided it would work OK, and it did. Thanks for taking the time and effort to develop this website.

I am delighted to see all the great teaching materials offered on this site! I have recently been trying to get more comfortable with this oh-so-versatile tuning, after many years of being stuck in D-A-d, with an occasional foray into D-G-d. I love Rob Brereton's description of it as "1-3-5, the Almost-Chromatic Tuning". Good job, folks!

I love the sound of 1-3-5 so I bought another dulcimer for this tuning. Some of the cords are beyond my reach (1/5) but have tried to adapt by using an alternate cord.

Since I haven't been playing much since Jim died, I am anxious to try something new. I really want to get back to playing again.

Looking forward to trying out your 1-3-5 tunings. Sounds exciting. The tuning makes sense. I am a died in the wool DAD player, but always willing to try new things. Michael A. Harris, DeLand, Illinois

Special thanks to John Sackenheim for putting on the two workshops in 1-3-5 tuning at the Harmony Harvest Festival. Everyone seemed to get a lot out of them. Gary Sager sold out of Merv's books soon after the workshops ended. I managed to get Beautiful Dreamer, which I am enjoying very much.

This is a friendly, nonthreatening, nonhyped, thoughtful, useful site and I'm going to recommend you to our local dulcimer organization. Nice work. Judi

AWESOME web site! It is very clear to see that a lot of hard work went into this site and everyone involved should be quite proud of it. I will be telling all my dulcimer friends about this one. I am also working on a couple of waltz arrangements right now that I may try composing in this tuning as well. John, you and your workshop material were very impressive at Harmony Harvest - Thanks! Keep up the good work! You are providing a wonderful service to the dulcimer community. In harmony, Jan Hammond

Thanks, Merv,and John, for your generosity. I'm so glad that you are posting arrangements on the web. I purchased your first two books, Merv, and then was motivated and worked out an arrangement of Everybody's Talkin at Me this past Spring and Make Me A Pallet using 1-3-5. Haven't committed them to tab yet though. Perhaps I'll email them to you for posting when I do.

A few years back I ordered the Love's Old Sweet Song book and also the book for the chromatic dulcimer from Merv, and have throughly enjoyed both of them. I am looking forward to coming music in the 1-3-5 mode.

I'm new to dulcimers...I started with D-A-A then switched to D-A-D when I found that's what most people used. I bought one of your books without realizing it was D-F#-A. I tried this tuning a couple of days ago and it really sounds good.

I've already tried all three of the free tab. Great tuning. April Showers is especially nice. A little hard to get used to, but well worth it. Thanks to Merv. And thanks to Gail who always does such a great job with her web site designs.

I am greedy, would like both Ave Maria tabs/notation, I hope in PDF files as I don't have Tabedit. Think I am more familiar with the Bach version but like both. Will have to go find the record I have with it on. {Yep, I still have records, got a stereo that plays records, tapes and cd's!} Am having fun playing with that tuning as it lets me play chords along with the guitars,etc.

I would love to have a copy of both of the Ave Maria versions. This is one of the sites I gave my new students as places to find tab on the internet. Thanks for all your work!

I would like a copy of both Ave Marias, please. Thank you for attempting this. I know it was a big job.

Hi Merv! This tuning is getting more interesting all the time! I have something I have been working on - or trying to work on in my usual dad - and it is not doing too well. Been thinking of trying df#a and see if it will go. If it works - I'll send it to you. Your arrangements of the 2 Ave Maria pieces are beautiful. I would appreciate being able to learn them. Thank you. Elizabeth

Thanks Merv and John there is much to learn , but your books and tabs are great fun, and I think it has opened up my my knowledge of the model tunings as well. Ken Keaton

Merv, John...I am looking forward to becoming more familiar with this open tuning configuration. Now that I've retired from teaching, I have more time to explore the mountain dulcimer more fully. I appreciate the efforts you guys have put into developing this website and the information available to support this tuning option. Please send me the tab to both Ave Maria versions...I don't use Tabledit, so if you have the capability to send PDF files, that would be great. Thanks!

Merv, I have previously ordered your Beautiful Dreamer book and enjoyed the arrangements--it is different from what I am used to which is DAD, but the chromatic options are great and I'm learning. I would like to have the TAB for Ave Maria, both versions if possible. Thanks, Brenda

I really like what I heard. Thanks for all the great effort. When the file is ready to send I wouldn't mind getting it. Thanks John and Merv Darrell

Great site, got sent here off the dulcimer yahoo group. I'm still learning how to play the dulcimer and enjoy finding different ways to play. Please send me the tab for the Ave Maria songs, they look interesting!

Thanks for doing this wonderful song. I have tabledit if needed. I like both songs

I really enjoy these new arrangements, as I do like having the accidental notes available. You are both really working hard for the dulcimer community, and we really do appreciate it.

I really like the open tuning. Great chords. A few of us in the "Jublee Pickers Dulcimer" club are starting to use it. Stan

forgot to mention that this is a great web site. Have it in memory. Also will order books after Christmas.

Continuing to advance the dulcimer world.

Liked what I've seen so far. Copied a couple of tunes, and can't wait till tomorrow , so I can try them.

I just want to say thank you for this wonderful site. Was really getting flustrated with the other tuning (Daaa---Dadd) Now everything makes sense. Really Love the instrument now. Have a great day. John & Lynn Rickard Union Grove Wisconsin

John & Lynn Rickard - 12/22/2004

Just received your book (Beautiful Dreamer) and love it. It makes us sound great and we are just beginners. Thanks Merv: John & Lynn Rickard Union Grove Wisconsin.

Tom Campbell - 1/8/2005

Merv, as always great to talk with you. Awesome website!!!

I have never tried D F# A tuning and look forward to trying it. Thank your for putting tablature and learning aids on your website to make this possible.

Patricia

I like your Web site and I would like to be put on your e-mailing list

Thank You
Larry Sooter

Mike O'Bryan - 3/13/2005

Just took a workshop with Lee Rowe at "The Ohio Valley Gathering in Lexington, KY., on the 1-3-5 tuning. I love the sound in this tuning, and also bought the "New Old Hymns Book" by John Sackenheim. I'm looking forward to a workshop from John in my future!!..

I like your web site, but I'm a little confused about the tab and standard notation for "Down by the Old Mill Stream". Although the time signature is 4/4. the values within the bars are 5/4 and occasionally 6/4. Why is this?

This is a wonderful site. I've heard your lovely 1-3-5 tuning at a workshop. Thanks for all of this great information!

My MD buddy told me of your website. She's interested in playing in 135 tuning & I'm game to try it. I have Anna Barry's Soundings. I wonder which of your other books would be of special interest to us.

Thank you for such a wonderful site! I've been dabbling with the chromatic tuning for a few years and had only found a few songs in it. I look forward to visit the site again. ~Sandra~

I am a new Mt. Dulcimer player and am interested in your book PLAYING DULCIMER IN THE CHORD-MELODY STYLE, however, I am tuned to DAD. Will I be able to follow this book or will I have to re-tune my dulcimer?

Linda Huey 5-20-05

Thank you for this web page. I love playing the mountain dulcimer and this is adding something new! Looking forward to learning more.

Connie Allen - 6-13-05

Great website! I am coming up for air after my first school year as an artist in residence along with performing. Hope I can get more involved in your fine effort. Working on a Vivaldi duet in Dm with promising student

Thanks! this is my first visit to your Web site. There is so little information about DF#A tuning.
Maag

Hi--we're Shirley and Mike Radke. Shirley has played for about 17 years and I started making dulcimers & banjimers in April 04, I just started to play last month. We enjoy the dulcimers because whatever mood your in you can still play music. We are historical re-enactors of the fur trade era 1800-1840, Thank you.

Peggy Spofford-Wallace - 7-11-05

Thanks so much for the arrangements and posting them. I love this tuning.

Paul T Barton - 7-11-05

Love the 135 stuff, keep it coming! Want more older songs, my wifey loved "Toyland". She said it took her back to her childhood.

Debbie Richardson - 7-11-05

I have been enjoying the 1-3-5 tuning and the books! Thanks to all. I really have been enjoying the hymns! Yes, I would be interested in more classical music! Thanks for all your hard work!