Finally! A chord book written for the young beginner (or even beginners of any age) showing a creative and simple way to learn and play dulcimer chords in DAD tuning. Chords are taught beginning with the most essential to more advanced. Chords are presented with exercises that build upon each other and eventually lead the student to playing logical and common chord progressions. Chords are shown in chord diagram form with photographs showing finger positions in relationship to the fretboard. Examples and exercises are presented in strum bar notation.•

Melodies on the mountain dulcimer are wonderful. In this book we’ll explore how to decorate melodies with chords to add variety and creativity to your playing in DAD and DAA tunings. Lessons begin with simple chords and show you when an how to progress. In addition, we’ll study how to play backup chords on our dulcimers for accompaniment in gatherings and jam sessions. Includes access to online audio.

Madeline MacNeil's performances are characterized by her effortless vocals and impeccable mountain and hammered dulcimer playing. In this book she reveals some of the secrets of her success with the mountain dulcimer. Early on, she reminds the reader that the dulcimer is not a toy or a stringed kazoo but a serious, expressive musical instrument capable of stretching as far as the imagination. She endorses both playing by ear and learning to read standard notation. In easily-understood language she manages to explore some very complex, even esoteric concepts, making this a particularly valuable book for the beginning instrumentalists. You Can Teach Yourself Dulcimer is simply a great fundamental book. Twelve intensive lessons in 95 pages with arrangements in both DAA and DAD tuning. Standard notation and tablature. Illustrated with photographs and drawings. Includes access to online audio and video.

This book was written as a basic guide and source book for all dulcimer players, from the absolute novice to the most advanced picker. With its 53 songs in various modes and tunings, The Complete Dulcimer Handbook is meant to be used as a songbook, a lesson plan book, and a step-by-step guide from beginner to intermediate or advanced level. The author's basic premise is that, given this instrument's relatively brief pedagogical history, There are no right or wrong ways to play the mountain dulcimer, only harder or easier means of reaching the same ends. The stereo CD features the authors outstanding performance of 17 tunes from the book.

A collection of songs, jigs, hornpipes, airs, polkas, and marches from the Celtic lands of Scotland, Ireland, and England. the songs are arranged for mountain dulcimer primarily in 1-5-8 (Mixolydian) tuning, along with a few tunes in 1-5-5 (Ionian) tuning. the arrangements make use of the capo, as well as playing tunes in Em and Bm, and include a Part II for a suggested harmony on selected songs.. the book is accompanied by a CD recording of each tune. Song titles include: George Brabazon, Off She Goes, Irish Lamentation, Keel Row, Water Is Wide, Loch Lomond, Foggy Dew, and many more. Intermediate playing level suggested.

Bing Futch's "Method For Beginning Mountain Dulcimer" is the most comprehensive how-to-learn-the-dulcimer book available. You'll learn the basics, sure, and start playing songs right away. Even better, though, is the depth of content that Bing provides for you in this one incomparable volume - technique, repertoire, theory, history, and FUN! Once you've worked your way through this book, you'll be a competent dulcimer player that can enjoy playing with any group. You'll have a great time honing your skills with Bing, and you'll end up with a wealth of technical skills, music fundamentals, and dulcimer repertoire!

Thomas Balinger Merlin Songbook for beginners 65 Campfire Classics for Merlin (M4) in D tuning (D-A-D) 65 popular tunes arranged for Merlin (M4) in D tuning (D-A-D), arranged for the beginning player. Combining the diatonic fretboard of the traditional dulcimer with the playing technique of the guitar, the Merlin M4 is easy to learn and fun to play! Because of it's ingenious layout, there are no wrong" notes on the Merlin! Whether you're searching for new creative options or just looking for an instrument that doesn't take years to learn to play - the Merlin will win your heart within a few seconds of playing! Plus chord symbols, melody TAB, Merlin chord diagrams and a collection of picking and strumming patterns for song accompaniment. Songs: 1. All the good times are past and gone 2. Amazing Grace 3. America (My country 'tis of thee) 4. America the beautiful 5. Aura Lee 6. Away in a manger 7. Banks of Allan Water 8. Banks of Sacramento 9. Banks of the Ohio 10. Barbara Allen 11. Bound for the Rio Grande 12. Buffalo gals 13. Bury me not on the lone prairie 14. Camptown races 15. Can the circle be unbroken 16. Careless love 17. Cindy 18. Clementine 19. Cotton-eyed Joe 20. Down by the riverside 21. Down in the valley 22. Finnegan's Wake 23. Give me that old time religion 24. Good night, ladies 25. Go, tell it on the mountain 26. He's got the whole world in His hands 27. Home on the range 28. Home! Sweet Home! 29. House of the rising sun 30. I'm on my way 31. Jingle bells 32. John Brown's body 33. Jolly good fellow 34. Kum ba yah 35. Little brown jug 36. Michael, row the boat ashore 37. My Bonnie lies over the ocean 38. Nobody knows the trouble 39. Oh! Susanna 40. Old folks at home 41. Old MacDonald had a farm 42. On top of Old Smokey 43. Over the river and through the woods 44. Poor Paddy works on the railrway 45. She'll be coming round the mountain 46. Shenandoah 47. Shortnin' bread 48. Skibbereen 49. Skip to my Lou 50. Swing low, sweet chariot 51. The John B. sails 52. The minstrel boy 53. The Wabash Cannon Ball 54. The water is wide 55. The wild rover 56. The yellow rose of Texas 57. Tom Dooley 58. Twinkle, twinkle, little star 59. Up on the housetop 60. Waltzing Matilda 61. Wayfaring stranger 62. What shall we do with the drunken sailor 63. When the saints go marchin' in 64. Whiskey in the jar 65. Yankee Doodle