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Kick back, cool off, and enjoy the July Dulcimer Players News. This issue is packed full of articles to help you get more out of your instrument, and in some cases - less.

In our Technical Dulcimer section get in-depth advice, complete with illustrations, from Sam Rizzetta on how to find and eliminate buzzes, rattles and other scary noises. Chuck Boody offers tips on one of the most important aspects of playing and enjoying your dulcimer - tuning.

DPN continues its coverage of the dulcimer scene from around the world. This time we head to Australia. Butch Ross interviews three forces from Down Under.

Back in the USA we get a review of the Palestine (Texas - that is) Dulcimer Festival, a funny story involving electric fences and a well known player, an article on playing where you're sure to be appreciated, an artist profile of Michigan player, Bob Hubbach, and Ralph Lee Smith continues his research into the history of the Swedish bowed relative of the mountain dulcimer - the Psalmodikon.

Speaking of bowing, there's lots happening in the bowed dulcimer scene in the US, and much of it centers around the work of Ken Bloom. Ken shares his excitement about this once nearly forgotten wing of dulcimering.

The July "Know The Score" section of Dulcimer Players News leans in a classical direction. Steve Schneider takes a systematic look at a classical guitar piece and how to do it justice on hammered dulcimer. This is followed by a more general article on transcribing classical music for dulcimer by Timothy Seaman.

As always, many of our stories are supported by sheet music and audio on the sampler CD. Click on the Current Issue link at the top of the page to see the track listing for the CD, as well as a larger picture of the cover and table of contents.

Ronald Cook of Coog Instruments has been selected to show his work at the Bellevue Arts Museum ArtsFair,July 27-29, in Bellevue, WA. The ArtsFair is a high quality, juried arts show.

Cook's stringed musical instruments are made using recycled, salvaged and sustainable harvest woods. He is especially known for his one-of-a-kind hand carved faces. To see these great instruments visit his website.

Many internet radio broadcasters are participating in a day of musical silence today.

Ignoring all rationality and responding only to the lobbying of the RIAA, an arbitration committee in Washington DC has drastically increased the licensing fees Internet radio sites must pay to stream songs. If left unchanged by congress, fees will immediately and retroactively (for 18 months) be assessed that far and above exceed even the gross revenue of nearly every internet music provider in existence today.

This matters to us a folk music fans because the internet has become the haven for the music we love. When is the last time you heard dulcimer music on commercial radio?

A bill called the "Internet Radio Equality Act" has already been introduced in both the Senate (S. 1353) and House of Representatives (H.R. 2060) to fix the problem and save Internet radio from obliteration.

I'd like to ask you to call your Congressional representatives today and ask them to become co-sponsors of the bill. It will only take a few minutes and you can find your Congresspersons and their phone numbers by entering your zip code here.

Your opinion matters to your representatives - so please take a moment to call. You can get your representative's phone number by visiting www.savenetradio.org.

If you have access to itunes, there's a very informative discussion going on today at the public radio feed of KCRW. Look in the 'Public' folder in the Radio section of iTunes. It is an hour long feed that is being repeated througout the day today.

Please notice your expiration date!

Packaging the magazine in an envelope to prevent loss of the CD and protect the condition of the magazine has worked out great, except for one thing. Most subscribers throw away the envelope without noticing the expiration date printed above their name and address.

We don't want anyone to miss an issue. So, please pass this information along to your fellow subscribers.

Thanks,

Angie

The July issue of DPN is at the mail house and should go out today. So, some subscribers may receive it at the end of this week, but for most, it will probably be next week. We have no control over when you'll receive your copy once it's in the hands of the postal service. If your neighbor gets their copy and you don't get yours the same day, please don't assume we've forgotten you! It will arrive eventually.