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Find Somewhere Quiet

by Linda Ratcliff

It is in that quiet place at our center that we hear the whispers of our soul. - Sue Krebs




Find somewhere quiet. This almost seems too obvious to really need to say. But it's important.  Many of you probably have a special room, or your own corner of the living room for practicing your dulcimer. When you have a designated quiet place to practice, you will be less likely to cave in to distractions.

In addition, going to your special practice area helps prepare you mentally for gett…

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Trust Your Practice

by Steve Eulberg While at Camp Kiya at Tehachapi Mountain Park, Steve records the following tip for Habits for Your Healthy Music Habitat.

This is part of a weekly email video benefit that all of our Premium Members at DulcimerCrossing receive.  Subscribe and you can receive it, too!

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Advent Musical Devotions

by Steve Eulberg

HarkCoverIn the busyness of the season before Christmas and holiday celebrations, we can get so lost in the preparations that we lose our focus and feel like the joy of the occasion is lost, and we feel like we've been run over by the holiday.

Once again, I am offering Advent Musical Devotions delivered to your email box to help you take a few moments to breathe and recenter.

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A new feature this year is being able to choose whether you'd like

to receive these musical offerings Weekly or Daily…

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Does My Dog Love My Dulcimer Music?

by Linda Ratcliff

Where there are dogs and music, people have a good time.




I've always wondered if my hammered dulcimer music hurts my dog's ears. When I was in college and practiced piano for hours at a time, my dad would escape to the garage in desperation and hammer nails for a while, and my dog would eventually start to howl.

Today, when I'm practicing on my hammered dulcimer, I play some pretty high tones. But Keyla always sits in the chair right next to me and stays with me the whole time. Do…

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You Need New Input!

by Linda Ratcliff

You don't have to wait for inspiration to hit.  It's easier to be inspired when you're hanging out with other musicians and playing along with them. - Linda Ratcliff




We go to Nashville a couple of times a year, and one of our favorite things to do in Nashville is to visit the Bluebird Cafe.  We've stood outside under their blue canopy in the rain for as long as two hours, waiting without a reservation, hoping to get inside.
Over 70,000 people visit the Bluebird annually, man…

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Live Event! Karen Alley

Karen Alley, 2014 National Hammered Dulcimer Champion, has been on the faculty of the Colorado Dulcimer Festival for years and shared one of her Habits for a Healthy Music Habitat with premium subscribers of DulcimerCrossing.com. This Sunday, December 3rd, she will play a live, interactive ConcertWindow Show for DulcimerCrossing Subscribers! [If you are not familiar with ConcertWindow, this is an internet platform that allows performers and watcher/listeners to connect with each other from the c…

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My Musical Journey

by Linda Ratcliff

You can tell a lot about my moods from my music. So instead of asking how I'm doing, ask what songs I've been practicing lately.




Music has always been an integral part of my life. My grandmother was a concert pianist, and traveled all over Europe giving concerts. She was even invited to play for kings and queens at their castles. And so I was told, from an early age, that music was in my blood, and I was going to be a musician too when I grew up.

Until I was 12 years old, I was …

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Lessons on Bass Dulcimer

LarryElaineCongerBDGSet

by Linda Ratcliff Be adventuresome.  Expand your musical world. Learn to play the bass dulcimer.


We have a new lesson taught by our newest teacher, Larry Conger, along with his wife, Elaine Conger. They make a dynamic team as they present a lesson on how to play an original blues tune written by Larry. The most intriguing part to me is to see Elaine playing the bass dulcimer, and hearing how well the two instruments complement each other. Check out the contents for this lesson here.
Enjoy th…

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Su La Li-New Hammered Dulcimer Lesson

by Linda Ratcliff

Are you tired of practicing the same old tunes?  Try a new tune.  Learning fuels creativity, refines skills, and is satisfying when you finally  "get it." - Linda Ratcliff
We have a new lesson for our hammered dulcimer students called Su La Li. This lullaby is taught by Steve Eulberg, and was composed by Bonnie Light for Music Together, an internationally recognized music program for children from birth through age 7. 
This is a classic example of a “song without words.” S…

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Live Concert/Workshop This Saturday

by Linda Ratcliff

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” - Albert Einstein




Erin Mae Lewis, who teaches Chromatic Mountain Dulcimer Lessons on DulcimerCrosing is giving a special Chromatic Mountain Dulcimer Workshop!
(Erin holding her NEW Chromatic Mountain Dulcimer Chord Encyclopedia)

Chromatic Mountain Dulcimer Chord Workshop with Erin Mae Saturday, November 18th 8:00 am PST | 9:00 am MS…

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