Newbie and Musically Challenged

[Kimmie]

My family all has musical talent and I want to be able to join in the fun! My husband knew I was interested in the mountain dulcimer and purchased a beautiful hand made 4 string dulcimer for me. I had thought about taking lessons as I found someone that teaches near by, however I recently lost my job and I have to put that on hold for now. So I am trying to learn on my own, I purchased a couple of beginner books and am going off the tabs as reading music is not my thing...by the time I figuire out what the note is it takes me way too long. I am having trouble with getting my figers into a good postion to transition from some of the more difficult combinations. I would like to learn a Christmas song and looked up Silent Night on the tab section of the website and am confused and hoping for some help. I have my dulcimer tuned to DAD, as this is what my beginner book was for. I see on the website that the music shows ADDA...could someone explain this to me? Thanks for any help that you can offer me! I need all the help I can get!

[bdwvr]

At least, for a little while check out Lisa's blog and play noter drone. Its fun, its easy to begin, impossible to perfect, but there is always something new to learn. Using a noter you play the melody on the first string and let the others drone. We didn't have money for music lessons so I bought a cardboard dulcimer and my children (5 and 7) just grabbed it and started playing. You could always take lessons when you have the money, noter drone you can play right now and frankly its the only kind of playing I enjoy at this time. I don't have a desire to learn the chords. We also have the Lois Hornbostel kids beginner book and it has worked well for us. Best of Luck and enjoy your dulcimer, Mary

[proffitt]

For years I struggled to learn any instrument and it was only after receiving treatment for OCD that I was able to. The point, not that meds will make you play better... but that it is worth it to fight through whatever musical challenges you face. I am not the best musician... but I am one of the most satisified. The experiences I gain from being able to play the banjo and hopefully soon the mountain dulcimer are truly life fulfilling.

I like the recommendation given about for the noter style of playing. Get a child's book and start there. Backyard Instruments has a very easy instruction book. Don't worry about setting the world on fire... just worry about keeping your soul warm. Get whatever book you can and ask your family to play along slowly so you can catch on.

Most of all... keep at it. It will all be worth it in the end.

[folkfan]

To answer the question on "Silent Night" the AD DA is showing the melody line tab for both DAD and DAA tunings. The top line of numbers are for the frets using D{AD} tab. While the second line below or the DA tab is for DAA tuning. If you ever have a DAD tab that you want to play in DAA you can do this by adding 3 to the tab so 0 becomes 3. Any fret that is shown on the line above means that it should be played on the middle line in DAD, but in DAA, those notes would be played on the melody line on the same fret. A 2 middle becomes 2 melody. In the Silent Night tab you'll see that all the numbers on the line for AD are 3 less than on the line for DA.

[island-girl]

Hi Kimmie,
Welcome to ED. I too am musically challenged. I have been playing for about 6 years now and LOVE it. I started off just freting the melody string and letting the other 2 strings drone. You can do this with fingers or noter which ever way you want to play. Start off with songs you know. Silent Night is a very good one to learn on. As you get to know your instrument and can go to the frets without looking at the dulcimer then add in the other strings or chords. Most important thing about dulcimer playing is to have FUN!!!
hugs,
Della

[Old Goat]

What part of the country you from? You might find someone on the board that is close and can help you out.

[KenH]

Kimmie; Welcome to our piece of musical paradise.

Folkfan gave you a really good explanation of your AD DA question.

I'm probably the most hardcore Noter player you'll ever meet. I will say that trying to learn by yourself, playing chord-melody style where you are trying to finger all three strings, is very difficult. I would suggest, as several other did, playing the dulcimer more traditionally. That is, press down the melody string pair to make the notes of the song and let the others just hummmm along. That is immensely easier than trying to twist your fingers into those three finger chord positions.

Here is my melody string only tab for Silent Night:

Si-i-lent night
7..8.. 7....5
Ho-o-ly night
7..8..7...5
All is calm
11..11..9
All is bright
10..10..8
Round yon vi-ir-gn
8.....8...10..9..8
Mo-ther and child
7...8....7..5
Ho-ly in-fant
8..8..10...9
So ten-der and mild
8...7...8...7...5
Sleep in hea-ven-l pe-ace
11....11..13..11.9.10..12
Sle-ep in hea-ven-ly peace
10..7...5..7...6...4.....3

[proffitt]

In some ways... the obvious is in front of us.

We hear "traditional" style and we don't necessarily think easier, because we have been taught that nothing "good" comes "easy".

I think with the dulcimer, especially for beginners, we need to suspend that belief. To have a scale be on one string not only allows for the physical mechanics of the instrument to be mastered easier but also allows for a pretty good musical education. I was afraid when I saw that one of Jean Ritchie's books was not offered in tab... then it dawned on me... all I have to do is worry about 1 string. I can just slide up and down according to the visual... never mind actually reading the actual notes and play that on the fretboard. For the most part, it becomes that easy.

I do know how to read music but do so at a rate that is too slow to be able to do it on site. I need to put it to tab first. I think the dulcimer might be the first instrument to change that for me.

I agree with what is said below. Slowly pick out that melody to silent night. Don't do so with any expectations. Just slowly pick it out note by note. Give yourself 15 minutes per day to do so and just stick with it. Let it come slowly. Enjoy the progress.

No expectations other than you will devote some time to silent night. If it takes one day that is great... if it takes a year that is great to because the only focus is to one day play silent night.

Keep it simple and simple it will be.

[Kimmie]

Thanks for all the replies! Old Goat, I am located in the Akron,Ohio area. I was interested in playing noter style when I first heard the dulcimer played. When I got the books I was dissapointed that noter sytle was not how the books teached. But I did not know anything at the time and did not realize that playing chords was so popular. I read Lisa's blog, thanks bdwvr. I printed off some of the tabs that she had listed. Although I am going to have to get better at tuning, or finding more songs that are tuned for the same so that I don't have to keep changing.

Ken, thank you for the Silent Night tabs! I grabbed my dulcimer and gave it a try! I just need lots of practice to make it flow nice.

Folkfan, thank you! I now understand the tab sheet now...it makes sense.

Proffitt, thanks for the encouraging words and advise. I have been discouraged in the past. In school I wanted to play in the band, so I picked the flute in 6th grade and started the class in school. My teacher had no patience with me and told me to either get private lessons or quit. So I quit! I never wanted to touch an instrument again! In high school all my friends were in band...I was the odd man. But I feared ever trying again. Now many years later...my children have inspired me to try. Both my children, 15 1/2 and 13 year old are musically talent. Both play trumpet and guitar. They try to help me. But it takes a while for this old dog to learn new tricks! I can not play the guitar as I can not get my hands to go where they need to. Which is why I loved the way the dulcimer is played.

I will try to always have fun and try not to get discouraged..thanks Island Girl!

If anyone has any other advise or helpful tips...thanks for sharing! This is a great bunch of people..I enjoy talking with everyone!

[KenH]

As Missy (from Cincinnati) is fond of saying "There is no right way or wrong way to play the dulcimer". You live in the Hotbed of dulcimer-ness - Ohio. Never let anyone dictate to you how you want to play - popular or not. You don't have to play in DAd and you don't have to play Chord-Melody if you don't want to.

Noter may not be popular, but there are quite a few of us who play that way. Read my article here, called Get Noterized, and practice getting Noterized after you've gotten a couple of songs down and are starting to get comfortable in One-Finger style.

One day we'll sponsor a Festival just for N&D players. Maybe we'll let melody-drone Fingerdancers in too

[modulcimer]

big thing as many have said is just have fun and keep it simple to start with then go as far as you want to... as for tab to play have you checked out the tab section here on Everything Dulcimer lots of tabs should be some you know which helps you to learn...

[Kimmie]

Thanks Ken, I read your articale Get Noter-ized. This was very helpful information. I actually have four different styles of noters. I have three different types of wooden ones and one glass one. I have a favorite that feels most comfortable. I had purchased some from Folkcraft when I first got my dulcimer.

I do need to learn more about the different modes. Right now the Mixolydian is the only mode I have played in.