Morning Class Descriptions

Choose one class from the list below. Your morning class will meet each morning, Monday-Friday with the same instructor.

Help me decide what level I should be in

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All Levels - Tabledit Tablature Notation Software Immersive - Melanie Johnson

TablEdit is a program designed for creating tablature for a variety of instruments. Many dulcimer arrangers and composers use it because it is “dulcimer friendly,” meaning it understands our diatonic instrument and it understands how to represent half frets eg 1+, 6+ etc.

This class will meet all four mornings, Monday-Thursday.  It is designed to give you everything you need to know about how to use TablEdit, from the basics to an in-depth understanding. It is appropriate for new TablEdit users as well as those who have some experience but are not fully proficient. Even if you have some experience, chances are there are tips, tricks and functions you do not know about.

We will start with the basic setup, make several choices and discuss why certain choices are made. We will review the latest, up-to-the-minute changes and upgrades. We will cover how to enter music directly onto tab lines and how to enter from standard notation. We will also talk about entering music from an image. You will learn how to create and use modules for multipart music.

From there we will learn about entering chords, text, musical symbols and lyrics. Once everything is entered, we will spend time learning how to get a beautiful printout laid out exactly how you want it. We will work on printing to paper and to PDF.

Using TablEdit to transpose is like a little magic. We will cover transposing and modulating. If you are a teacher, sound files for students are very helpful. We will cover how to create them with TablEdit.

We will wrap up by talking about troubleshooting. Over the years I have learned lots by the literally hundreds of questions and problems arrangers have brought to me.

This class will cover the PC and MAC computer versions of TablEdit. It will not cover the tablet version (eg for ipads or android tablets). Please bring your laptop computer to class.

Questions about this class should be directed to melmack2@gmail.com

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LEVEL 1 - New Player Skills - Carol Crocker

Hooray! You have chosen to begin the exciting journey of learning how to play the mountain dulcimer. During our week at Dulcimer U you will be introduced to and become familiar with basic skills for a new or beginner player.

Goals for the week are for you to be able to play several simple and familiar dulcimer tunes and to come away with basic mountain dulcimer playing skills that will allow you continue to play, expand on what you have learned, and add to your repertoire for the mountain dulcimer.

Some topics will include:

• How to hold, tune, and care for your dulcimer
• Basic strumming techniques
• Becoming familiar with basic music reading skills including note values and time signatures
• How to read dulcimer tab and play by ear
• Explore playing basic chords that will help when playing with others (or even in a jam!)
• Explore some left-hand fingering techniques
• Learning about other tunings, DAA, DAC, and DGD

Come enjoy learning to play the mountain dulcimer in a relaxed and encouraging environment…enjoy the music and enjoy the fellowship with other dulcimer players!

Contact Carol Crocker c.crocker0705@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding this class.

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Level 2 – Advancing Beginner Skills – Laurie Alsobrook

 It’s been a good year enjoying and exploring your new dulcimer skills as a beginner. Now you’re ready to take your dulcimer playing to the next level. This class is just for you as you continue your dulcimer journey and expand your confidence in acquiring and playing with new skills.

• Review Level I skills
• Expand left hand fretting skills including across the middle and bass strings
• Continue to improve and strengthen right hand strumming skills
• Explore flat picking and finger picking skills
• Gain confidence in playing two and three finger chords
• Introduction to using a capo
• Playing in other tunings
• Continue to hone listening skills and confidence in playing by ear
• Begin looking forward to the next level as you increase your confidence in playing

Come enjoy playing the mountain dulcimer in a relaxed and encouraging environment, enjoying the music and the fellowship with other dulcimer players! Contact Laurie alsobrooklp@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding this class.

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Level 2, 3, 4 & 5 -Beyond the Tab – The Mechanics of Music – Jim Miller

This class is designed for players who are proficient at playing tunes from TAB but would like to explore how music works on a deeper level. We’ll take a look at the nuts and bolts of music and discover the “whats and whys” of what goes into playing.  It will offer a musical toolbox, allowing the player to gain a greater understanding of the mechanics of playing, and gain a greater appreciation of why we play.

We’ll start with a basic introduction of music theory as it applies to the mountain dulcimer. Covering scales, modes, intervals, chords and chord progressions, this will form a firm foundation for the rest of the class.

Next, we’ll spend some time developing our musical ear. We’ll learn how to recognize musical intervals, melodies, and chords and see how chords and melodies relate to one another. This will provide an excellent basis for learning to play by ear.

Reading musical notation will be the next topic. This covers reading notes on a staff, timing and rhythmic structure, note values and key signatures.

Finally, we’ll spend some time with rhythm, playing different world rhythms and having fun exploring the many and varied ways rhythm can improve our playing.

We’ll conclude each day with a jam session, applying the concepts we have covered that day. By the end of the class, hopefully, you’ll be able to turn off your iPad, throw away your mountain of TAB, and join the jam, playing and enjoying Music.

**NOTE:  A $10 materials fee is required for this class and will be collected by the instructor on the first morning. Jim can answer any questions you may have about this class.  Contact him at jimiller5@msn.com

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Level 3 - Lower Intermediate Skills - Butch Ross

This class is a soup-to-nuts look at playing the dulcimer from the ground up.  We will learn fingering and strumming techniques, chords, improvisation, ear training and even music theory in fun and enlightening ways.

We will do this by stripping familiar tunes down to their simplest fundamental elements and then building them back up to create even more complex arrangements.  You will learn to strum smoothly, expressively and fast (as fast as you care to anyway), to learn complete control of your instrument. Learn to play what you hear in your head.

This is a 3-string class in DAD tuning.  If you can do without a double-melody string that’d be great but is not necessary.  An instrument with a 1.5 fret is helpful but not required. A capo is required.  We will learn to play in multiple keys with and without a capo, sometimes in the same song.

 Learn to play or pick ALL the notes in common fiddle tunes, as well as how to play very sparsely (You’ll be surprised at which one is harder).  Learn when and where to add new notes and embellishments to fiddle tunes without getting in the way of other players.  Learn chords—and more importantly—voice leading.  And finally, learn to make noises on the instrument that just sound cool.

Sound too good to be true? It isn’t. But it does take time, and you will change as a player.  Not all of this can be completed in 4 days, but in 4 days you will have learned the tools and techniques to bring your playing to the next level.

This class does expect you to do some homework, but ample time will be provided in class as well to absorb concepts.  There will be handouts but also bring a notebook of some sort.  Finally, recording devices are welcome and encouraged.  I will set aside some time at the end of class to demonstrate/review what we’ve done, so you can film it with your phone if you want.  Any questions about this class please write me at butch@butchross.com make sure that you include the words “Dulcimer U” in the subject line.

Questions about this class? Contact Butch Ross at butch@butchross.com

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Level 3 & up - Just the Bass-ics! - Elaine Conger & Deby Libby

Prerequisites: bass dulcimer tuned DAd with 1+ fret, ability to perform barre chords efficiently, knowledge of chords and chord shapes.

Would you like to figure out what to do with your bass dulcimer?  The first step is in learning the alternating bass technique which is so needed in dulcimer jams where an upright bass player isn’t available. Those that aren’t acquainted with the technique or who just need more instruction will have the expertise of Deby Libby to further instruct you in a “split-grade class” format. You will also have the opportunity to spend each afternoon getting extra practice on that technique instead of selecting afternoon electives. In other words, your entire week can be “just the Bass-ics” if you so choose.

Even though the alternating pattern is the foundational skill of all bass instrument players, man cannot live with just “boom, boom,” right?  Those players that are ready to take their bass playing to the next level will explore how to make the bass dulcimer play “back up,” meaning in an accompaniment style while simultaneously adding bass lines. For me, this is the beauty of the instrument: it’s only one octave lower than the standard, therefore, it can play lovely melodic lines in addition to bass runs. Participants will have additional bass line accompaniments added to their vocabulary including walking bass lines and patterns that fit genres like blues, boogie, and rock ‘n roll.

The latter part of the week will be spent learning to write your own bass parts. Emphasis will be placed on using notes and patterns that would be utilized by a true bass player in mainstream music. We will also take note (pun intended!) of the “rules” in the music theory world by paying attention to musical part writing techniques, such as complementary rhythms, avoidance of parallel 4ths & 5ths, and the tasteful use of fills and runs. Participants will have the option of submitting their own tablature arrangements to receive coaching in creating a bass part which will be led in master class fashion. Plan to bring your laptops with Tabledit loaded and ready to rock!

Required text:

“It’s All About the Bass Dulcimer, 2nd Edition” by Elaine Conger
Digital download (e-book): https://larryconger.com/product/214739
Physical book, advance purchase: https://larryconger.com/product/214724 (also available in class)

Questions about this class? Contact Elaine Conger at elainekconger@gmail.com

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Level 4 – Upper Intermediate Skills – Mark Tindle

Ok, so you’ve already learned the basics and you’re wanting to move further along in your abilities and creativity. But are you wondering just how to get there?  Mark’s Level 4 dulcimer class will guide you on a fulfilling path of advancing skills and artistic musicianship.  Along the way you will discover the tools to help you play smoother and with greater expression as you develop your own personal style.

First, we will review, refine, and expand the skills and techniques you already know. These will include chords, hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and harmonics. We will also explore a variety of flatpicking styles, such as crosspicking and that familiar “boom-chuck” bluegrass/folk rhythm.

Next, you will learn how to “think” through your dulcimer’s fretboard by being introduced to some basic musical harmony (music theory) concepts. Just a fundamental grasp will help tremendously in using tab as a tool to learn a new song, then enable you to play beyond (or even without) the tab. We will also explore how to develop more interesting arrangements yourself by utilizing all the strings and melody voicing options available.

Then the real fun begins as we apply and expand upon all the above by exploring several tunes from diverse genres with various levels of tablature detail.

The main goals of this class are to help you:

• Play smoother
• Play more expressively
• Develop your own creative arrangements
• Know the fretboard in a more meaningful and productive way
• Follow chord progressions, either written or by ear
• Play without the tab
• Thrive, not just survive at a jam session
• Develop your own playing style
• Broaden your love and appreciation of this amazing instrument!

You will need a 6-1/2 fret and a capo
A 1-1/2 fret is not required, but helpful
Material will be in the 1-5-8, or D-A-d tuning for three string dulcimer

If you have any questions about this class, please email Mark at mark@tindlemusic.com 

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Level 5 – Beyond Intermediate Skills- "Playing Beyond the Notes" - Jeff Furman

Please read this entire class description before enrolling.  No class time will be spent reviewing skills that you should already know as an intermediate level player.

We know you can play…but how do we know what you feel?  Music is so much more than notes!  The main focus of this class will be to enhance the creativity, variation, and expression in your playing, regardless of the type of music you like to play.  Specifically, we will emphasize:

• VARIATION: how to improvise and use techniques to do something slightly different each time you play through a tune!
• EXPRESSION: how to get “feeling” into your music, not just playing notes or playing fast!
• CREATIVITY: we’ll explore using structure, dynamics, timing (including rubato), chord voicing, etc. to tell a musical story!
• STARTING and STOPPING: we’ll discuss different introductions and endings you can use with any music you play!
• MASTER CLASS APPROACH: at some point, be prepared to play a tune for the class…any tune, style, etc. so we can all: 1) work on our listening,

2) understanding what we heard/felt, and 3) discuss options to consider and variations that could be added.

And, of course, along the way we will focus on improving our techniques for better accuracy, smooth transitions, etc.  All of these things will help you express yourself through your music…and not just do fancy techniques because you can!  And, as a bonus, you can help other dulcimer players!

Please bring your dulcimer and a CAPO, some tunes you might like to play for the class, your ears (cleaned, if needed!), your questions, and an open mind!  And let’s all play “Beyond the Notes!”

Questions regarding this class should be directed to Jeff at dlcmr@yahoo.com