Mountain Dulcimer Class Descriptions-2016 Dulcimer Jamboree What is my Level of Play? All levels will be offered during the Annual Dulcimer Jamboree in April. You indicate your predominate level merely to give the instructors an estimated head count for their classes. Each hour of the Jamboree workshops, you may attend the class offering a topic of most interest to you which will not be too advanced or too elementary for you.

Mountain Dulcimer NEW PLAYER Prerequisites: Tunable dulcimer, flat picks, and desire to learn! Music stand, notebook, & tape recorder optional but helpful. An introduction to Mountain Dulcimer. Instruction will include tuning the dulcimer to one tuning, strumming in rhythm, finding notes to simple melodies, making clear, distinct notes, basic care and maintenance of the instruments, and basic musical principles and terms. Simple and familiar tunes will be taught to practice the basic techniques, which will be demonstrated. Students will learn to play some tunes by ear and will be taught to read simple tablature. BEGINNER Prerequisites: Ability to tune the dulcimer to at least one tuning, ability to comfortably play some tunes, plus the skills described in New Player Includes; playing in several tunings or modes, strumming variations, rhythm variation, basic chording and harmony, introduction to embellishments, and easy finger picking techniques. INTERMEDIATE Prerequisites: Skills described for levels above. At this level, students will refine playing techniques, practice a more challenging use of chords, and work on embellishments such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and harmonics. Alternate picking styles will be explored and additional tunings introduced. Appropriate music theory will be covered as well as the arrangement of music for the dulcimer. ADVANCED Prerequisites: Skills described for previous levels. The techniques covered at Level IV will be approached in more depth with greater emphasis on arranging, improvisation, alternative chords, composition, performing, teaching and evaluating playing styles.

Judson Steinback- New Players ONLY New players will learn how simple and rewarding it can be to play the mountain dulcimer. We will focus on dulcimer fundamentals that provide a solid foundation for all styles of playing. These include how to hold and tune the instrument, simple exercises to develop the tiny muscles in our hands and fingers required for smooth and fun playing, how to read basic tablature (tab), getting a great sound from the instrument, rhythm exercises, and more. We will also learn to play the standard tunes that most dulcimer players know and love, so you will be jamming in no time. Feel free to bring a digital recording device, and it is best to wear pants/dresses that have a rougher (rather than slippery) surface, such as blue jeans.

Tull Glazener-All Levels BEGINNING INTRO TO CHORD/MELODY STYLE PLAYING - review basic chord formations, and then demonstrate how the melody line "falls out" of the chord structure. D-A-d tuning. INTRO TO FLAT-PICKING - learn a right-hand technique that can be used as an effective backup technique, as well as playing melody across the fretboard. D-A-d tuning. SUM OF THE PARTS - work on playing as a group in an ensemble setting, using some basic-level multi-part arrangements. D-A-d tuning. INTERMEDIATE PLAYING IN OTHER KEYS - learn how to transpose songs from one key to another, both with and without a capo. D-A-d tuning, capo required. REPERTOIRE FOR MT. DULCIMER - learn as many tunes as time permits, pulled from a wide variety of genres, such as old-time/fiddle tunes, waltzes/aires, hymns/gospel tunes, classical, tin pan alley era, civil war era, and more. D-A-d tuning, capo may be required for some arrangements. SUM OF THE PARTS - work on playing as a group in an ensemble setting, using some intermediate-level multipart arrangements. D-A-d tuning. ADVANCED PLAYING MORE EXPRESSIVELY - learn to use various techniques such as slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, vibrato, harmonics, dynamics, etc, to add more expression to your playing. D-A-d tuning. CHORD EMBELLISHMENT- learn how to "dress up" tunes you already play by applying some standard chord substitution techniques. D-A-d tuning. ARRANGING FOR MT. DULCIMER - learn how to convert standard music notation, in any key, to dulcimerfriendly chord/melody style tab. Bring a dulcimer (tuned D-A-d), and a pencil with a GOOD ERASER! NO PREVIOUS ABILITY TO READ MUSIC REQUIRED.

Jeff Hames-All Levels BEGINNING A TRADITIONAL HYMN- Will be going over and learning one of my favorite Hymns while also working on fingering and technique. BEGINNER FIDDLE TUNE PART 1- So you want to learn a fiddle tune? This will be a great class for those beginners who are looking for a simple, fun & common jam tune. Will not only learn the tune but will also be going over fingering technique along with adding embellishments and variations. BEGINNER FIDDLE TUNE PART 2 -So you want to learn a fiddle tune? This will be a great class for those beginners who are looking for a simple, fun & common jam tune. Will not only learn the tune but will also be going over fingering technique along with adding embellishments and variations. INTERMEDIATE COUNTRY CLASSIC PART 1- Want to add some country to you repertoire? I've got a great Hank classic to show ya in this class. COUNTRY CLASSIC PART 2- Want to add MORE country to you repertoire? I've got great Patsy Cline classic to show ya in this class while also working on fingering technique- a lot to learn in this class. SIMPLE WALTZ- In this class we will be going over one of my favorite waltzes while also focusing on fingering technique. ADVANCED HOT LICKS & EMBELLISHMENTS- Taking a great fiddle tune and first learning exactly what's on the page. Then the fun starts as we take this tune and turn it inside out. DAVID SCHANUFER ORIGINAL- Learning a David Schnaufer original tune while also working on fingering and embellishments. CLASS REQUIRES A CAPO & 13 1/2 FRET.

Bing Futch-All Levels BEGINNING BEGINNING MOUNTAIN DULCIMER-You've got to start somewhere and we'll do just that, beginning with the basics of strumming, picking, playing melody against the drone and how to read tablature. You'll learn a few tunes and get to know your instrument a little bit better as we cover subjects like putting on strings, tuning, how to practice and learning the fretboard. Ask about loaner instruments! PRIMAL MOUNTAIN DULCIMER- Or, as Bill Schilling calls it, "mountain dulcimer Zen." This workshop is about getting spirit, mind and body ready to work together for a simple approach to playing mountain dulcimer. Relaxation and breathing techniques, visualizations and affirmations will be introduced to help conquer fear of public playing as well as develop good playing and practicing habits. You'll learn rhythm basics and how to create your own grooves using phonetics. We'll also make improvisation (making melodies up onthe-fly) easy to understand and less scary. Getting out of the way of the music is the key here, and there's always plenty of smiles and laughter during this wildly refreshing session! LEARNING THE FRETBOARD-Even if you don't know how to read music, you'll hear lots of musicians talking about different notes, keys and chords. Music is, after all, a language and one that's not all that hard to understand once you can wrap your head around it. This beginner-level course serves as an introduction to a proven method that will help you learn the notes of the fretboard while also shedding some light on how basic music theory works. INTERMEDIATE TRADITIONAL DULCIMER TUNING - CGG & DAA- Learn to play your dulcimer in the traditional way by taking this workshop, which gets back to the roots of the instrument. You'll get familiar with the 1-5-5 tuning and explore new territories within this versatile mode. Deeper drones and fuller chords lead the way into a sound made popular by Jean Ritchie's "The Dulcimer Book." We'll learn chord shapes, harmony building and gorgeous chord melodies. Yes, DAA and DAD can play happily together! MOUNTAIN DULCIMER DELTA BLUES-Two-time International Blues Challenge Competitor Bing Futch offers up this fun and fascinating class on playing authentic Mississippi Delta Blues on the mountain dulcimer. Three chords and heartbeat rhythms lead to us adding layer upon layer of new elements, all while strumming and playing the blues! MOUNTAIN DULCIMER - BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A TUNE-Would you like to take a simple tune and make it into something that is truly a living, breathing creation? I'll show you the steps to take when fleshing out a piece, from adding rhythm and snap to expanding upon the melody and throwing in some chord back-up. For this exercise, we'll use the great ol' tune "Down The River I Go Uncle Joe."

ADVANCED MOUNTAIN DULCIMER - "HALLELUJAH: A STUDY IN SONG"- Have a blast in this classic workshop that builds Leonard Cohen's haunting masterpiece "Hallelujah" from single melody plucked on the mountain dulcimer to adding, bit by bit, chords, harmonies, arpeggios and strums. We'll also learn how to "feel" the song, which is so important for any piece of music, but especially this piece! MOUNTAIN DULCIMER - THE SECRET TO CHORD MELODY STYLE- There is a secret to creating a compelling arrangement on the mountain dulcimer. It involves keeping the melody as the focus while still allowing for dynamics of countermelody and rhythm. In this workshop, you will learn how to take a simple melody into a full-fledged arrangement. MOUNTAIN DULCIMER - HOW TO PLAY "JUKE JOINT HEN"-Alright, you asked for it. This workshop will endeavor to teach you how to play my version of "Cluck Old Hen" which I call "Juke Joint Hen." It's on "Dulcimerica: Volume 2" and I've played it on-stage with the likes of Stephen Seifert and Butch Ross; it's one of my most requested tunes and many people have given their own spin on my roadhouse blues approach to this ancient old tune. In any case, I'll teach you how I do it currently, note-for-note, with all the bells and whistles including bends, staccato accents, rapid slides, one-handed tapping, right and left hand palm muting and, finally, a two-octave solo on the bass string. This workshop will not mess around; we will be getting after it so bring your game face and a dulcimer with a 1 1/2 fret (you'll need it for the walking bass. But otherwise, you won't need it.