Blog

Live Event Highlight!

by Steve Eulberg In January, dulcimercrossing instructors, Steve Eulberg and Erin Mae Lewis, teamed up for a Live Event for dulcimercrossing.com at the home of Abby Knaub and family in Lakewood, Colorado. Here is a highlight from the end of the concert:

 

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New Hammered Dulcimer Teacher

by Steve Eulberg We are pleased to welcome 2012 National Hammered Dulcimer Champion, Matthew Dickerson, to our roster of instructors at DulcimerCrossing. Matthew introduces himself here:

Matthew joins our faculty of 15 respected and gifted instructors of mountain and hammered dulcimer and fiddle. We are filming and editing his lessons and they will be available for all subscribers on dulcimercrossing.com. Subscribe and you'll have unlimited access to all of his lessons, and those of all…

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Make a Goal

by Linda Ratcliff

Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines. - Unknown





Make a Goal List in Your Journal ... Every Week
My husband and I recently moved in with my daughter and her family about 4 weeks ago (there are now 7 of us at the dinner table), and she donated her formal dining room for me to set up as my music room.  I LOVE it.  I have all my instruments set up within easy reach.   And as soon as everyone is out of the house, I usually pick up my hammers and practice for a while.


 


But I…

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New Lessons for MD & HD Players

by Linda Ratcliff

I am still learning. - Michelangelo at age 87





New Lessons for MD & HD Players
We have two new lessons at Dulcimer Crossing to offer our hammered dulcimer and mountain dulcimer players.
Peek-A-Boo Waltz for HD, taught by Steve Eulberg

The Peek-A-Boo Waltz is a tune that traveled with the pioneers taking the westward trails going through Kansas City toward the new world. In this video, Steve demonstrates the embellished version of the melody. 


Peek-A-Boo Waltz
Asika Thali for MD, taught by Neal …

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More Backing Tracks for Premium Members!

by Steve Eulberg

We continue to add to the Backing Tracks Library on DulcimerCrossing.com.  We now have over 250 special tracks in this collection. BacktrackingTracksP2 This library is sortable by all of the categories at the top of the list and all of the blue text are links to support using each track. Not familiar with Backing Tracks and how to use them?  Here is an introduction I filmed:

All Premium Members have access to all the Backing Tracks all the time!  Sign up  today!

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Mimi and Richard Fariña

by Steve Eulberg What a time in which to live!  The archive of so many treasures is available with a few clicks or keystrokes. Pete Seeger hosted a television series in 1965-66 that had a very limited audience in the New York and New Jersey areas, called Rainbow Quest. There was no studio audience yet Pete interacts with the camera as if it is an actual audience as he told stories and sang. He had many guests and in this episode he hosted Mimi and Richard Fariña having met and heard them play an…

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How Long Does it Take?

by Linda Ratcliff
Playing your dulcimer with confidence is evidence of time well spent. - Linda Ratcliff  
 

How Long Does It Take?
How long does it take to learn to play the dulcimer if you have no musical experience?  Well, I'd like to give you a definite answer like ... "By three months, you should be able to jam with the best."  And that is true for many people.

But there are others who still aren't able to play "Boil Dem Cabbage" without their tabs after six months.  It's totally an individu…

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Map Out Your Practice like a Workout

by Linda Ratcliff

Map out your practice session out like a workout. When athletes are getting ready to go for a run, they usually warm up first with some stretches to loosen their muscles. Then they walk for 3-5 minutes, gradually working up to a brisk walk, then jogging, and finally breaking out into a full-steam-ahead run. As they end their run and the workout, most athletes cool down by walking briskly at first and then slower, and finally ending with a few more stretches.

For musicians, a pret…

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Are You a Teacher?

by Linda Ratcliff

A good teacher is like a candle.  It consumes itself to light the way for others. - Unknown



Are You a Teacher?
Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up soon on May 8, 2018. If you are a dulcimer student with an awesome teacher, you might want to start thinking of a way you could surprise your teacher on this occasion. Maybe you could learn a new tune - all on your own. Or maybe you could give your teacher a handmade gift certificate for a dinner out with you; the gift of time i…

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Free Lesson: Jam Session Strategy

by Steve Eulberg My mother was right.  Boredom is a choice. If I am bored in a Jam Session because the other players are playing the tune too fast, or too slow, or too many times (is that even POSSible?) do you know whose job it is to fix that? MINE.

In this free lesson, Steve offers a suggestion about what do to participate, support the other players AND keep yourself awake and interested in a jam session. Try it and let us know how it goes for you!

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