In this DVD you will find a wealth of information that will make you a more proficient and exciting player. The keys to unlocking the mysteries of the Hammered Dulcimer and the infinite possibilities of music making on thisincredible instrument are shown.The information contained in this DVD is essential to any player from the beginner to the professional.

This book was written as a basic guide and source book for all Dulcimer players from the absolute novice to the most advanced picker. With its 53 songs in various modes and tunings The Complete DulcimerHandbook is meant to be used as a songbook a lesson plan book and a step-by-step guide from beginner to intermediate or advanced level.The author's basic premise is that given this instrument's relatively briefpedagogical history 'There are no right or wrong ways to play the mountain Dulcimer only harder or easier means of reaching the same ends'. The stereo audio recording features the author's outstanding performance of 17 tunesfrom the book. Includes access to online audio.

Beginning and Intermediate players who have developed a repertoire of melodies will be walked step by step through the process of arranging their tunes. Lessons provide a detailed explanation and numerous examples of root positionchords and their inversions on the 12-11 and larger sized hammered dulcimer. Simple tunes are provided for the reader to incorporate newly acquired knowledge of chord theory. Descriptions of bounces triplets doubling countermelodies arpeggios scale runs extended chords etc. are included as well as opportunities to create arrangements utilizing these techniques.

Hammer Dulcimer Arrangements For Special Occasions - 67 tunes arranged for novice to advanced players for use at a variety of special events. Most arrangements offer an uncomplicated version for less experienced players and anembellished version for more advanced players. Includes Medieval Renaissance Old Time and Celtic music and some rarely-heard tunes as well as several Dulcimer Duo arrangements.

This book presents fretted Dulcimer arrangements of 58 Stephen Collins Foster classics.Each song is written as a melody line in standard notation with Dulcimer tablature beneath plus complete lyrics historicalnotes and suggested Guitar chords. Cover graphics from the original nineteenth century sheet music publications lend grace and authenticity and songwriters and music historians will find much interest in this book.Thetunings used are DAD DAA DGD and DAA#D. Intended for experienced beginners to intermediate players many of these pieces require a 6 1/2 fret dulcimer and a capo. The author includes an insightful essay on the life ofStephen Foster (1826-1864)-a gifted once successful songwriter whose career decisions and abuse of alcohol lead to personal financial disaster a broken family and an early death. His legacy is a treasury of songsreflecting the social issues and romantic illusions of his time.Contains both well-known and lesser known tunes in notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio that contains 33 of the book's 58 tunes.

This book and accompanying audio present a comprehensive array of ideas intended to add interest and decoration to basic melodies. Mastery of these embellishment techniques will also help in the development of complete arrangements. This project offers some familiar and possibly unfamiliar song titles. The accompanying audio is a valuable tool for learning both the melodies and embellishments containing two versions of each song. The includedtechniques progress from basic to more challenging and are varied to enhance the contrasting musical styles presented across eighteen songs. A variety of styles are covered encouraging the player to apply new embellishmenttechniques to familiar repertoire.For someone who has completed Thomas' First Lessons Hammered Dulcimer (MB20066BCD) this would be a good next step.

This instruction manual and song collection is a well-crafted collection of basic Dulcimer technique and traditional songs that might have been popular in Cripple Creek Colorado in the 19th Century-- plus a few modern daytunes by its current inhabitants. The techniques and songs have been transcribed from the performances of Bud and Donna Ford who have been collecting songs for their favorite instrument for some time. The Fords explain thebasics of playing the Dulcimer including instructions on strumming tunings and picking. Solos are offered in all of the various modes (Ionian Dorian Locrian etc.) in standard notation only with lyrics and chord symbols. Theend result is an attractive yet pragmatic book that offers a solid grounding in the art of Dulcimer playing. The recording features verbal instruction and performances of most of the tunes in the book on solo Dulcimer making learning easy and fun. The recording used tunings which are lower than those in the book but this will not affect players reading the tablature. Includes access to online audio.

This book provides 20 beautiful Anglo-American folk songs field-collected by two remarkable real-life 'song catchers ' Josephine McGill and Loraine Wyman in the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky in 1914 and 1916. Josephine andLoraine the latter accompanied by Howard Brockway a composer and arranger were among the first persons to search for folk songs in the Southern Appalachians. The musical adventurers traveled hundreds of miles on horseback andon foot through an inaccessible world to which radios roads and cars had not yet come. They made friends in isolated log cabins and transcribed some 200 song treasures some of which they published in complex arrangements inbooks that are now out of print and rare. This book contains a selection of the songs presented with simplified musical notation guitar chords and dulcimer tablature. It also includes glowing accounts of their mountainadventures published by Josephine and Howard in long-forgotten publications; a must for all lovers of American folk music.

What could be more beautiful than mountain dulcimer arrangements of Christmas favorites spanning the centuries? This popular book brings the festive sound of the dulcimer to this joyous season. Creative beautiful arrangementson 23 Christmas favorites each with a notated melody line and tablature. Finger positions for each chord are included.

This collection contains 25 beautiful traditional tunes from England Ireland Scotland and Wales as well as five original compositions by Martha Einan. Most of the arrangements include multiple parts formelody simple melody harmony bass and/or fingerpicking. All of the melody parts are also suitable for solo Dulcimer. Twenty-eight of the arrangements are for three-string Dulcimer in DAD tuning and two arrangements are forfour-equidistant-string Dulcimer in DADD tuning. All of the tunes featured in Melodies And More For Mountain Dulcimer are written in standard notation and tablature for intermediate to advanced players.

Bluegrass on Hammered Dulcimer is a collection of tunes commonly found in the standard bluegrass repertoire. Favorite vocal pieces such as 'A Man of Constant Sorrow ' 'Angel Band ' 'Keep on the Sunny Side ' and 'Will the Circlebe Unbroken ' are included along side hot instrumentals such as 'Jerusalem Ridge ' 'Rawhide ' 'Big Mon ' and 'Blue Grass Stomp.' Even traditional tunes that you think you know already such as 'Bill Cheatham ' 'Farewell toWhiskey ' 'Forked Deer ' and 'Salty Dog' are given a new twist when presented as a typical bluegrass 'break.' Intermediate players and above will enjoy the challenge of learning more complicated versions of common tunes andperforming them at the high-speed tempo that is expected in bluegrass music. Players are encouraged to use these examples of bluegrass breaks merely as a starting point. Improvisation is a key component in playing bluegrass styleand players will enjoy experimenting with their own creations. Each tune has guitar chords notated above the music staff. Standard notation only.

With Online Audio-First Lessons Hammered Dulcimer is designed to instruct beginning players on the instrument. The melodies in this collection include a variety of hymns holiday music and fiddle tunes written in standardnotation with instructions on how to read the notation. Lyrics and suggested chords for accompanying instruments are also included. The accompanying online recording offers two tracks for each selection: a performance track withrhythm Guitar and an instructional track with detailed phrase-by-phrase demonstration. The guided audio instruction at a slow tempo will prove invaluable for the 'by ear' player. This method provides a 'private lesson' approachfor success on the hammered Dulcimer.Designed to instruct beginning players.Includes a variety of hymns holiday music and fiddle tunes.Written in standard notation.Lyrics and suggestedchords included accompanying online recording including two tracks for each selection: a performance track and an instructional track.