Historically, music composed specifically for the hammered dulcimer has been rare. Here are 56 Rizzetta original pieces, including reels, waltzes, hornpipes, jigs, rags, blues, boogie, airs, and music for meditation and healing, that explore all the depth, power, versatility, and emotion of this ancient and expressive instrument. the book includes background about the people, places, and events that inspired each composition. While some pieces require a 16/15 chromatic dulcimer, many fit a 12/11. Melody lines are in standard notation with chord symbols. Many have variations with advanced ornamentation; some have alternate arrangements for four octave chromatic dulcimers. In addition to solos, there are six ensemble arrangements, including quartets, which are useful for groups and workshop teachers. While this collection is most appropriate for intermediate and experienced players, advanced beginners will be able to play some of the tunes. the collection includes originals from the Sam Rizzetta CDs Dulcimer Boogie, Saving Trees, Trapezoid, Flowing Waters, Ocean's Edge, Bucks & Does, and Seven Valleys.

The last quarter of the twentieth-century saw a renewed interest in the hammered dulcimer in the United States at the grassroots level as well as from elements of the Folk Revival. This book offers the reader a discussion of the medieval origins of the dulcimer and its subsequent spread under many different names to other parts of the world. Drawing on articles the author has written in English as well as articles by specialists in their own languages, Gifford explains the history and evolution of the instrument. Special attention is paid to the North American tradition from the early 18th-century to the 1970s revival. Drawing from local histories, news clippings, photographs, and interviews, the book examines the playing of the dulcimer and its associated social meanings.

The title says it all: "Dirt Simple." This book and accompanying online audio are designed for a rank beginner who knows nothing about the hammered dulcimer, providing them the tools to make music right away. Starting with the fundamentals of how to hold hammers and tune the instrument, it delves deeper into mastery with posture, stand height/angle, and replacing strings to set up the beginner for a lifetime of good habits. Every concept introduced is simultaneously presented with illustrations and songs that demonstrate and reinforce. Whether the student reads music or plays by ear, the result is the same - music making right from the beginning! Dr. Mark Alan Wade is an experienced teacher with an undergraduate degree in music education and years of public school teaching experience. Now teaching music theory and dulcimer at Denison University, Dr. Wade offers a unique perspective on teaching hammered dulcimer and has three students who have also won the National Hammered Dulcimer Contest as evidence of his master teaching. It's all about the music! Dirt Simple Hammered Dulcimer is written so that the carefully selected tunes are the true teacher. Hands-on learning is made easy with the accompanying audio. Each song is played slowly for students to learn by ear in addition to reading notation. This also allows for the students to hear style traits such as swing, that aren't easily conveyed in written notation. With 29 songs, this book and online audio available for download are a year's worth of private lessons in one concise package!

The tunes in this collection were chosen from Peggy Carter’s half-century of performing, teaching, and arranging music for the hammered dulcimer. This anthology contains 60 tunes arranged especially for novice to intermediate-level players of the 12/11 dulcimer, including suggestions for note reading, hammering patterns and embellishments. Playing the dulcimer is not effortless, but it should be fun! The title tune, “Dulcimer Frolic,” is a family heirloom originally written for mandolin by Peggy’s grandfather in the early 1920s; transcribed for hammered dulcimer, the tune really lives up to its name. In fact, every tune in the collection is designed for fun and frolic. Some have lyrics, some are presented as bare-bones melodies, and some are embellished. You’ll find that these arrangements bring out the best in all of them.

Dulcimer Jam takes common and obscure tunes heard in jam sessions and arranges them for hammered dulcimer, fretted dulcimers (with tablature), and other instruments to play in a jam session setting.

Every aspect of the hammered dulcimer and its playing techniques is covered in this comprehensive, yet easy-to-understand text. A masterful teacher, Madeline MacNeil exceeds the expectations of a beginner's book, providing a firm foundation for the development of a total musician while maintaining an engaging, informal tone throughout. with detailed discussions on dulcimer layout, hammers, tuning, and stands plus extensive performance notes on every tune, this book is a valuable asset to the beginning through intermediate player. from Oh Suzanna to Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Madeline shows the novice dulcimer player how to map your way through a new piece of music, finding clear, musical directions through what at first must seem like a maze of strings. All tunes are in standard notation. the book's 87 pages are illustrated with photos as well as quaint woodcuts, engravings, and pen and ink drawings.

Killer Technique: Hammered Dulcimer is a book that uniquely focuses on improving the everyday elements of dulcimer playing. Some mundane fundamentals of technique may seem mindless and appear to need no attention. In reality though, even the most basic essentials of dulcimer playing can hold us back without careful examination and precision. This book does just that! The author, himself a National Hammered Dulcimer Champion and music professor, draws on over twenty years of experience in playing and teaching to share his recipe for success. The material focuses on dulcimer-specific skills and drills them in effective and engaging new ways. Targeted areas include dexterity, aim, flow, commonly used percussion rudiments, chords, arpeggios, and chord suffixes. Each exercise is carefully designed to isolate the targeted skill, provide instruction for its most efficient execution, and help you acquire new and improved muscle memory in the least amount of repetitions. Admittedly, working on technique can seem like a chore. This book takes the work out of it and presents the exercises in fresh new ways so you get the most out of them in the least amount of time. Dr. Wade's biggest technique secret revealed in this book is his use of varying rhythms to re-engage the brain and to acquire new and lasting muscle memory. The exercises are not only fun to master but also incredibly effective! It's all about efficiency–not just going through the motions!