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Don't Take It Personally

by Linda Ratcliff

Don't let compliments go to your head, and don't let criticism go to your heart.




 


In today's culture, people feel free to say whatever is on their mind, whether it will hurt someone's feelings or not.  If you ever get negative feedback about your dulcimer playing, it can feel like a personal attack. Sometimes it's very hard for musicians to separate themselves from their work. (And yes, you ARE a musician.  It hurts because we put our heart and soul into our music, no matter if …

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Squire Parsons new Hammered Dulcimer Lesson by Linda Thomas

Linda Thomas has provided us with a new lessons series for hammered dulcimer players featuring a tune by the blind Irish harper, Turlough O'CarolanSquire Parsons. Linda's introduction and demonstration video is above.

Subscribe to DulcimerCrossing in order to have access to all (15) fifteen videos in this lesson set.

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Introducing New Fiddle Instructor

by Steve Eulberg & Linda Ratcliff DulcimerCrossing is pleased to introduce our newest instructor: Vi Wickam  (Learn more about Vi on the Teacher's Page or click on the video below:

 Vi Wickam is a 3rd generation fiddler from Colorado. He has finished in the finals at the Grand Master Fiddling Championship and has also taught there. Together with Steve Eulberg, he is the other half of the band, Fiddle Whamdiddle. He is also the host and owner of mytalentforge.com which features in-depth f…

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Tuning Hack for Scroll-Headed Dulcimer

by Steve Eulberg

The Snark™ tuner is very popular with mountain dulcimer players, for good reason.  It is quick, accessible, accurate and it's display is very readable.

(This is not an insignificant feature as those of us who continue gathering service stripes in the playing of our dulcimers experience with eyesight that gets weary over time!)

IMG_2445And the handy clip-on feature works very well with flathead mountain dulcimers.

However, players of instruments with the traditional scroll have sometimes str…

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Wendy Songe Premium Concert Highlight

We are so excited to Wendy Songe was able to play a Concert Window show for our Premium DulcimerCrossing Members in February!

Erin Mae Lewis, one of our instructors, is in the process of scheduling the Live Events Calendar for the remainder of the year. 

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My Grass Is Blue

by Linda Ratcliff
Steve is introducing a new series of lessons at Dulcimer Crossing -

How to Play Bluegrass on the Dulcimer.  

I've gone camping to attend bluegrass festivals, and in the evening - all the musicians like to gather around the campfire and jam.  

But, I have to be honest, my hammered dulcimer has been less than welcome at jams.  

People look at me with suspicion until they've heard my backup style.  In this series of lessons,

Steve demonstrates ho…

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Take More Risks

by Linda Ratcliff
The biggest risk a person can take is to not take one at all.




Take More Risks
The great thing about New Year’s resolutions is that you can set new goals to improve yourself. That being said – this year, why don’t you take more risks with your dulcimer playing. Here are just a few ideas.
  • Learn to play new tunes.
  • Try picking out a tune by ear, instead of relying on your tablature.
  • Take a song you already know, and make it your own with a new arrangement.
  • Practice with…

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Advent Dulcimer Devotions return...

by Steve Eulberg

Imagine this:  A weekly email playing gentle music of instrumental ensembles featuring dulcimers, with a message of preparation that is serene, clear-sighted and hope-filled--an anti-dote to the crazed, blurry-eyed busyness of Christmas preparations (that began in some locations back in October.)

Advent is the 4-week season in the Christian tradition that marks the beginning of a new year in the life of the "called-out" people of God known as the church.  While we gather and prepa…

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Prepared to be Lucky

luckyjoesinteriorby Steve Eulberg

Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon, in Fort Collins, Colorado, is one of the places I began honing my craft of performing in live venues at the end of the last century.

As soon as church was over in the morning, I would phone in to get my name put on the Open Mic list for what I hoped would be the prime time after the weekly Acoustic Open Mic began at 9 pm every Sunday Night.

Sometimes I was "lucky" and my name was earlier on the list, so I could listen to a few of the other players, play…

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