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hammered dulcimer
That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles
When I was a child we had a cookie jar, and my mother always kept the cookie jar loaded with cookies. My favorite was her chocolate chip cookies, and I’ve never actually matched the look and taste of hers. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and if she didn’t have time to bake fresh, homemade cookies, she would fill the jar with Oreo cookies.
We loved Oreos, and people still love them today. They started out with the name Oreo Biscuits in 1912 and have since become the best-sell…
Look, Mom! No Hands!
Over the years, I’ve received several emails from folks who needed to take a break from practicing their instrument. For some, their living situation limits them due to quiet hours. Maybe they've slammed their finger in a door and can’t press the strings or hold the hammers until it heals. Some of you have mentioned arthritis or ongoing back issues. Other times, we can’t practice because our instrument is at the repair shop. Or maybe you’re on a trip and didn’t want to travel with your instrume…
New Celtic Backing Track added to the Library!
We are excited to announce a new Ensemble Backing Track in the Celtic vein.
Off She Goes is a single jig, and we have (3) three different courses to teach this tune:
1. Hammered Dulcimer
2. Mountain Dulcimer in DAA Tuning (in two octaves)
3. Mountain Dulcimer in DAd Tuning (in two octaves)
We have just added an ENSEMBLE Backing Track for you to play along with. The Ensemble is composed of rhythm guitar, mountain and hammered dulcimers and bodhran (Irish Drum). Both dulcimers demonstr…
The 7 Stages of Performance Anxiety
Shopping is generally assumed to be a cathartic process that most people, especially women, tend to enjoy. The feel-good term “retail therapy” has come to mean that when life hands you a lemon, you should go shopping. In other words, if you go on a shopping spree, that will make you feel better. But I’m not your normal woman. I don’t like to shop. I only shop out of necessity. Absolute necessity. So when I found an article titled “The 7 Stages of Shopping Anxiety,” it caught my eye. It seemed…
Rhythm & Timing
If you want to become a good musician, it’s necessary to develop your ear for rhythm and timing. Musicians often have problems with their rhythm and timing because they don’t match the level of their skills with the complexity of composition they chose to play. If you fall in this category, here are some things you can do to improve. 
- Count out loud. Amazing Grace is written in ¾ time. In other words, when you play it, you will count 1 – 2 – 3, 1 – 2 – 3 etc. But I have written a hammered du…
Mark Alan Wade teaches Arranging in January Live Workshop
Mark Alan Wade is the featured instructor for our January Live Workshop at 5 pm MST on Thursday, Jan 20th.
Concert-Ready O’Carolan
We learn by doing, so rather than talking about arranging, let’s do some arranging! I have prepared for you a great arrangement of a tune by O’Carolan that used all of the tactics I teach in arranging. We will learn how to put it all together, and more importantly, discuss why the arrangement elements are there and what they do for the listener. I’ll keep the pla…
Breakin' Up Christmas
Breakin' Up Christmas is an Old Time Fiddle tune in the key of A that was played on the Twelfth Night of the Christmas as an energetic completion of the celebration of the season, leading into Epiphany.
We are excited to have (2) Different Courses by Steve Eulberg teaching this tune on DulcimerCrossing:
Hammered Dulcimer
Mountain Dulcimer
Baritone Mountain Dulcimer AEa tuning (and Standard Mountain Dulcimer in DAd tuning with Capo, and Standard in DAA and EAA Tunings)
Gala…
DulcimerCrossing Teachers at the QuaranTUNE 6 in February
Registration for the 6th QuaranTUNE Dulcimer festival (Feb 306, 2022) opened last night. DulcimerCrossing is pleased to be a festival sponsor, once again, and even more pleased that several of our instructors are teaching workshops there:
Aubrey Atwater (Mountain Dulcimer)
Carmen Amrein *NEW (Hammered Dulcimer)
Elaine & Larry Conger (Bass and Standard Mountain Dulcimer)
Matthew Dickerson (Hammered Dulcimer)
Steve Eulberg (Mountain and Hammered Dulcimer)
Deborah DJ Hamouris (Standard and Ba…
4 Things 2 Practice
Do you know the most important question that you can ask as a dulcimer student? I believe it is, “What should I be practicing?” That’s right! How you answer this question will determine your progress and enjoyment in making music. So I am sharing a solid plan on what to practice on your dulcimer (or any instrument, really) every day to become a well-rounded musician. This plan centers around 4 practice pillars:
- Technique
- Tunes
- Memorization
- Playing by Ear
If you’re looking for a practice…
Slow But Steady in 2022
Sometimes, my motivation level feels kind of like a roller coaster ride. Because of my busy schedule and work obligations, I feel a constant pressure to stay busy. I keep thinking I should be doing something, anything, to be productive all the time. Some days it’s not a problem. I’m “up” and feel like I can conquer the world and learn 100 new tunes in one sitting. I enjoy getting things done and scratching items off my to-do list.
Other days, I don’t even want to pick up my hammers, and my ba…
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