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hammered dulcimer

Are You Doing It Backwards?


Our granddaughter sent us this photo of our first great grandbaby. Isn’t he a cutie? BUT, he’s holding his popsicle upside-down. Backwards. What’s up with that? I guess he’s still got a few things to learn. But so do we!

Have you ever felt like you are doing it all backwards? For example, have you ever done your dusting AFTER you vacuumed? What about folks who attempt the more difficult ski slopes before they’ve learned to stay upright on the beginner slopes? They’re getting a bit ahead of t…

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You Can STILL Do It

I have played musical instruments all my life. My grandmother was a concert pianist, and there was always an Everett piano in my childhood home. When my mother decided her hands were too shaky and she was too old to play any longer, she passed on her Everett piano to me. But that space in her home stood empty less than a month. She couldn’t stand it, had to have another piano, and continued to play even into her 90’s. So music is definitely in my blood!

Like many of you, I became interested in d…

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What About Busking?

I follow the adventures of a real-life, full-time, traveling busker, Lyle Rickards, on FB. Now “busker” is a term coined to refer to a street musician or performer, and Lyle fits this profile perfectly. He plays several different instruments, but I most often see him playing a harmonica and mountain dulcimer … both at the same time. Lyle is often broke and dealing with yet another difficulty, but he is dedicated to his lifestyle of busking and couldn’t imagine any other way of making a living. R…

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The Fear of Going Too Fast

Sitting on the side of the highway waiting to catch speeding drivers, a State Police Officer observed a car puttering along at 22 mph. He thought to himself, “This driver is just as dangerous as a speeder!” So he turned on his lights and pulled the driver over. Approaching the car, he noticed that there were five passengers, all old ladies, two in the front seat and three in the back – eyes wide open and white as ghosts. The driver, obviously confused, said to him, “Officer, I don’t understand, …

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Never Give Up

When we lived in Branson, MO, my husband and I went to see Mickey Gilley’s show several times at the Mickey Gilley Theatre, and we also saw him share his music in informal settings. We met Mickey personally and had a great admiration for him because we loved his songs. But we held him in high esteem even more because he had a “never give up” attitude. He loved to tell the story of how it took him 17 years to have a No. 1 hit. He learned to play that Louisiana rhythm and blues style on the piano …

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Gotcher First Gig?

It’s only natural to daydream about your first gig … a small gathering of friends hoping to see you do well, spotlights , applause, a crowd of satisfied folks from the audience wanting to shake your hand and congratulate you after the event.

I hate to stick a pin in that daydream bubble, but first-time concerts don’t always run so smoothly. But, the good news is that, with just a little preparation, you can avoid many of the pitfalls that might spoil the dream for you. Don’t even think about st…

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Colin Beasley Live Workshop

We are excited to host Colin Beasley for our May Live Workshop!
CBEASLEY
Colin Beasley (<-- Click on his name to learn more about him)

Thurs, May 19, 5 pm MDT

Playing Melody and Harmony Together:

Hand Independence

Discover the magic of playing melody in one hand and harmony in the other! You will learn what you can do with hand independence and how you can get started with it.

This is a hammered dulcimer-focused workshop (with mountain dulcimer translation!)

This workshop (and its recorded…

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Connect Like a Rock Star

I am SO not a rock star. And you probably aren’t either. But when I’m playing my instrument, I’m a communicator and I want to connect with the person or audience for whom I’m playing.

 With that in mind, do you ever feel like you’re not connecting with your audience … when you’re introducing your next tune … or when you’re actually playing your dulcimer? Do they look bored (out of their minds)? Are their toes stubbornly still, instead of tapping along with the beat? Does their body language reve…

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The Difference Between an Improvisor ...

The Difference Between an Improvisor ...
And the Rest of Us

There is an important difference between a musician who can improvise and the rest of us who depend on our staff music or tabs in order to play a tune.

I would say a big percentage of us simply play music the way it was written by others, note for note, measure after measure. Now I have several books with my favorite hymns, many of them with the same hymns. Each collection has arrangements by a different composer so, when I pick a new …

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If It Doesn't Challenge You ...

I practice the same things routinely, so I’m prepared in case someone walks in the house, sees instruments all over the place, and asks me to play something for them. BUT … have I fallen into a rut, both on my keyboard and my hammered dulcimer? Is my practice growing stagnant?

I think, if I’m honest, the answer would have to be yes. It occurred to me yesterday that I haven’t learned anything new in a while. I haven’t tried any new licks or tricks. I haven’t challenged myself for far too long. A…

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