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mountain dulcimer
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
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…
How to Practice Smarter, Not Longer
Seek to accomplish more in less time - and have fun doing it.
- Linda Ratcliff
We’ve all heard the saying, “Work smarter, not harder.” Actually, I’ve been trying to do that all my life - succeeding and making good money with some ideas and losing money in others. But I have never given up. I keep on trying to think up new ways to work smarter.
Could we apply this mantra to our music. Most of us don’t need to practice harder - we are already practicing hard enough. But are we making any progres…
We’ve all heard the saying, “Work smarter, not harder.” Actually, I’ve been trying to do that all my life - succeeding and making good money with some ideas and losing money in others. But I have never given up. I keep on trying to think up new ways to work smarter.
Lessons on Bass Dulcimer
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…
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 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…
“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!
Chromatic Mountain Dulcimer Chord Workshop with Erin Mae Saturday, November 18th 8:00 am PST | 9:00 am MS…
Benefits and Limitations of Different Tunings-Mountain Dulcimer, Part 2
by Steve Eulberg
In the first post addressing this topic, we examined the kind of instrument you have. Now we'll look at the second point: the kind of music you want to play.
Here are some examples that I suggested that reflect the different modes, that different tunings make possible, or easier to play.
In the first post addressing this topic, we examined the kind of instrument you have. Now we'll look at the second point: the kind of music you want to play.
Here are some examples that I suggested that reflect the different modes, that different tunings make possible, or easier to play.
A respondent suggested that I provide sound links for some tunes as examples.
Click on the links to hear and/or see them below:
Ionian (1-5-5, commonly DAA): Joy to the World, Barlow Knife
Mix…
Quirky Preferences
by Linda Ratcliff
I'm not weird . . . I'm a limited edition musician!
When you finally pack your new dulcimer in the bag, load it in the car, and find your way to your first jam session, you're going to find out that not everyone plays the same way you do. As a matter of fact, some musicians' styles aren't even going to sound good to you. And if you're going to a jam or workshop to learn, not everything you see and hear is going to make sense to you.
My style is to play slower tunes with a flowing …
I'm not weird . . . I'm a limited edition musician!
When you finally pack your new dulcimer in the bag, load it in the car, and find your way to your first jam session, you're going to find out that not everyone plays the same way you do. As a matter of fact, some musicians' styles aren't even going to sound good to you. And if you're going to a jam or workshop to learn, not everything you see and hear is going to make sense to you.
My style is to play slower tunes with a flowing …
The Perfect Wrong Note
by Linda Ratcliff
If you ever strum the wrong note, or strike the wrong string with your hammers ... just tell them you were playing the jazz version. - Linda Ratcliff
The Perfect Wrong Note
If you ever strum the wrong note, or strike the wrong string with your hammers ... just tell them you were playing the jazz version. - Linda Ratcliff
The Perfect Wrong Note
My 16-year-old grandson plays the saxophone in his band at school, and he was telling me about trying out last week for the school jazz band. All the kids waiting for their turn were troubled by one note in the arrangement - an Eb. They thought if they could just play that note 1/2 step higher, it would sou…
When I am frustrated with my progress, (or lack of it)....
...This quote from Judy Klinkhammer comes to mind:
"What a curse it is, that the only thing you ever do is exactly what you choose to do."
- Judy Klinkhammer
Judy was an amazing fixture in the community of Mountain View, Arkansas, bringing and treasuring the mountain dulcimer in this northeast corner of the Ozark mountains. She loved equipping absolute beginners AND singing harmony. She was an indefatigable encourager, but as her wisdom shows, she knew that the impetus for playing must always c…
Stop Stopping
by Linda Ratcliff
To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable. - Aaron Copeland
How to Stop Stopping
To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable. - Aaron Copeland
How to Stop Stopping
I think the main reason people don’t get what they want in life is because they give up too soon. You may have given up on something before, but let’s just apply this to your dulcimer playing..
- You didn’t understand what those tabs meant - so you gave up.
- You can’t figure out how to tune your dulcimer - so you gave up.
- Your hammered dulcim…
Busted & Rusted
by Linda Ratcliff
Practice will clean up the rust and put the shine back in your playing. - Linda Ratcliff
Busted & Rusted
Call me old-fashioned, but I love old things with a bit of rust on them. Sometimes we wander into antique stores, and I always gravitate to the instrument section. I wonder about who owned the instruments, how they ended up in the store in such bad condition, and whether or not I could restore one of them.
Some of you may recognize the guitar below - its name is Trigger and it …
Practice will clean up the rust and put the shine back in your playing. - Linda Ratcliff
Busted & Rusted
Call me old-fashioned, but I love old things with a bit of rust on them. Sometimes we wander into antique stores, and I always gravitate to the instrument section. I wonder about who owned the instruments, how they ended up in the store in such bad condition, and whether or not I could restore one of them.
Some of you may recognize the guitar below - its name is Trigger and it …
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