Hammer Dulcimer Music by Joshua Messick

101 Lesson 4 – Major Chords in the Box

Mar 16, 2009 Beginner - 911 for 101

We are now going to learn how to play the three major chords for the key of D. This is really quite simple, so don’t be intimidated by the technicalities if you don’t understand it. If you’ll give it a shot, it’ll make sense.

If you have not learned any music theory, the following paragraphs might not make much sense. I will do my best to make it simple, and you can try your hardest to understand. If you just cannot, please do not give up. Just jump right down to the illustrations and try it out. You may get farther than you think just by doing it before you fully know it!

The Chord Defined

The actual definition of a chord is “two or more notes played or sung simultaneously.” The hammer dulcimer is played with only two percussive objects, which may be chop sticks or pencils if you forget your hammers… So technically, only a two note chord is practical in most circumstances. For this reason, when two notes are struck simultaneously, it is typically referenced as an interval (3rd, 4th, etc.).

A chord on the hammer dulcimer would generally be considered three or more notes played by an arpeggio. An arpeggio is the notes of a chord played in succession rather than simultaneously.

For the sake of simplicity, when referencing a chord it will be understood that an arpeggio will be utilized to play it. This understanding is common for many instruments, not just the hammer dulcimer.

Three Major Chords

Within each key there are three major chords. In order to play them on the hammer dulcimer, you do not have to know the notes that make up the chord.

A Box and a Triangle

Instead, you just need to learn the chord’s shapes and how each shape sounds. And when playing inside the box, a three-note chord will look like a type of triangle when visualized…Just look at the illustrations.

Practice these chords and don’t get caught up trying to memorize the placement of the individual note names of the chord. Once again, learn to associate each shape with the sound and “feel” that they generate.

I’ve included two names for the three major chords for the key of D. First, their position (which is for you if you’re an ear musician), and second, their name (for those who know just enough of music theory to be dangerous).

Position 1

Position 2

Position 3
Yes, I know this is an A chord that starts on an E, and the previous two chords started on their root. This is a beginners lesson and we’re playing in the box, remember? You can start it on an A, but you’ll have to play outside of Box 1 in order to do that. We’ll cover all of that later!

Tags: beginner, Hammer Dulcimer Lessons

101 Lesson 3 – The “key” to the box (Instructional Video)

Mar 15, 2009 Beginner - 911 for 101

So far, I’ve introduced you to the box concept and how you can build box 1 and box 2. Now, I’m going to show you the “key” to the box, meaning how you can use the box to play in multiple keys.

NOTES

I will show you how to play in the three native major keys of the hammer dulcimer. There are absolutely more keys you can play in, but these are the three most common major keys. They are D, G, and C.

To begin, you must know what the notes are for each marker on the bass bridge. They are (from bottom to top), D, G, C, F, and Bb. Memorize and internalize these. You must know them as an anchor reference point in order to know which key you’re playing in.

Now, look at the illustration below. Orange is the key of D that I already introduced you to. Blue is the key of G and red is the key of C. Do you see how box 1 and box 2 repeat themselves exactly?

The only difference is the starting point. The key of D starts on the bass bridge D marker. The key of G starts on the bass bridge G marker. And the key of C starts on the bass bridge C marker. See the redundancy?

(Note: Due to size variations, your instrument may not include all of the notes for the 2nd box of the key of C)

Simple isn’t it? You don’t have to memorize the appropriate sharps or flats in order to play in a different key (although that knowledge certainly wouldn’t hurt you)!

Also–get this. I have in three lessons introduced you to almost all of the notes on a typical hammer dulcimer, unless you have a huge 17/17/5/4 dulcimer or something like that!

Tags: beginner, Hammer Dulcimer Lessons

101 Lesson 2 – Building on the Box (Instructional Video)

Mar 10, 2009 Beginner - 911 for 101

In this lesson, we are going to build on the box that we created in the first lesson, and make a second box.

NOTES
We ended the previous lesson playing a 1 octave scale in a box. This box is “copied” and continued on the treble bridge of the dulcimer. The illustration below explains this easier than I could using words.

However, there are two points that I should communicate with language. First, you don’t play on the right side of the bass bridge, only the left. Second, you can play on both sides of the treble bridge. The bridge is placed at the fifth interval of it’s strings. This causes the strings on the treble bridge to produce two notes (depending on which side of the bridge they are struck) that are one fifth apart.

Now, watch the movie, review the illustration, and play that scale in the second box.

Tags: beginner, Hammer Dulcimer Lessons, scale

101 Lesson 1 – Learning “The Box” concept (Instructional Video)

Mar 10, 2009 Beginner - 911 for 101

I’m this first lesson for 911 for 101, let it be known that I’m not going to get into the fundamentals of music theory. If you’re going to benefit from this blog, a basic, working knowledge of music will be needed. If you’ve never learned music theory before, other resources on the Internet are available..

I’m going to show you a concept called “the box” that will help you to easily play a scale. Understanding the box will give you a good foundation to build on.

You’ll notice on your dulcimer that there are markers every 4th course. They are your guide to let you know where the notes are. Without them, it would be guesswork to know which note each course
is.The markers also enable us to draw imaginary patterns or shapes that assist in remembering keys, scales, and chords. And we will use them to make the box.

THE BOX

Remember in kindergarten when you had to connect the numbered dots on a piece of paper in order to draw a certain shape or picture? This time, you’ll use your imagination to connect the markers, forming the shape of a box..

(To know where the subsequent illustrations are located on your instrument, the “D” marker to the bottom right is the first marker on the bottom right bridge of your dulcimer. This bridge is called the bass bridge. Depending on your make and model, you may have some strings below this D, so don’t get confused.)

This is a picutre of what you should visualize in your mind, We have “connected the dots” of each marker in order to draw a box. Now, pretend that this box is a container. All of the notes contained within the box comprise the key of D. The D on the bass bridge and the D on the treble bridge are exactly one octave apart. With this concept, we can now easily play the scale.

PLAYING A SCALE

In the illustration below, the numbers are the sequence in which you strike the strings in order to play a standard diatonic 8 note scale. Start at number 1 (the D marker on the bass bridge) and strike the strings in sequence until you reach number 8 (the D marker on the treble bridge).

The L means that you should play that string with your left hand, and the R means that you should play that string with your right hand. Make sure you use the correct hands! This is important for proper technique!

You have succesfully learned the concept of the box as well as played your first scale.

Tags: beginner, Hammer Dulcimer Lessons

How I Started Playing

Mar 4, 2009 Development Zone

I have had a few recent conversations that inspired me to tell how I started playing the hammer dulcimer. Without question, it is something that God led me to and has a purpose for bringing into my life. It is an interesting story on how God equips us with talents and desires, even at a young age.

Some may be wondering why this is in the development tactics category, but I think it is a good fit here because it gives insight into my motives for playing the dulcimer, and motives are an important element to overall development.

I first heard it played at about 3 years of age on a recording by Russell Cook. I still remember my soul being moved by the beauty of the instrument, and at that time I promised my mom I wanted to learn how to play hammer dulcimer by the time I was 30 years old.

My interest with musical instruments initially resulted since Dad had two mountain dulcimers since I was an infant. I remember first having an interest with them at roughly 5 years old. When I was 7, Mom and Dad noticed that I maintained my interest in music and decided to get me started with piano lessons.

The piano and I never got along very well. My brain was always active and I wanted to kind of do my own thing without having to be structured with the technicalities of sheet music. Thankfully, my piano teacher recognized this as a potential strength and assisted with me learning how to play by ear. I remember always adding my own twists on the songs that I had to play by the music.

Because of my suffering relationship with the piano, when I was 9 my parents remembered my interest on the mountain dulcimer and decided that it might be a good idea to get me started on lessons. If I remember correctly they had run across a flyer for a mountain dulcimer teacher. One thing is for certain–she was my new teacher, Peggy Carter.

I took a few lessons on the mountain dulcimer, and things weren’t going too well with that either. During one of the final attempts to see if I would take to the mountain dulcimer, I noticed this strange “triangular instrument” in the corner of Peggy’s front room. I asked her what it was and she said it was a hammer dulcimer. Immediately, I remembered the promise that I had made to my mother when I was 3 years old to learn the hammer dulcimer. I went and picked up the hammers, started playing it, and showed a definite interest in it. Wisely, Peggy noticed my peeked appeal to the instrument, and decided that we should take that day’s lesson on the hammer dulcimer.

It didn’t take long for me to progress. I remember taking lessons weekly before I owned an instrument, and even made progress without my own to practice at home. Mom and dad bought me my first hammer dulcimer for Christmas of that year. Unfortunately, it was not yet completed on Christmas day, so Peggy loaned my parents 12/11 Hudson hammer dulcimer, which I unwrapped. Here is a picture of that Christmas Day. Soon, my Hudson 16/15 arrived. I continued regularly taking lessons from Peggy until I was about 14.

There is more about my pursuits that I would like to share, but I think I’ll save that for future posts. For now, this is available as a resource for those who ask me how I started playing.

Everybody has a Gift

Everybody has a gift and purpose in this world. Some may be greater or smaller when viewed through man’s eyes, but through God’s eyes all He asks for is obedience. I’ve learned that He equips us with the tools or resources in order for us to fulfill His plan for our lives. God works everything in, and we work out through obedience.

Allow me to give an illustration:
It is a sign of human strength and discipline when a weight lifter does what it takes to get his body into great shape. I’ve met my share of weight lifters who carry an egotistical approach and want their muscles looked at for the sole purpose of showing off so the world can see what they’ve done.

But, I’ve got one question for them–who gave you the muscles? God gave the muscles. Furthermore, God gave the ability in the human mind for discipline and goals. All that the weight lifter did was work out what God had already put in by being obedient to goals and desires.

In the same way, I want people to know that all I’ve done is work out the gift of music that God put in. He gave me gift, the right parents, and also Peggy Carter into my life to teach me the hammer dulcimer. My talents and gifts would be nothing without the work of God by his direct gift and use of other people’s investments in my life.

No matter what your purpose or place is yours in this world, know there is peace through humility, obedience, and a surrendered life to your Maker.

Tags: Hammer Dulcimer Lessons

Being in Tune to Yourself

Mar 2, 2009 Development Zone

How well in tune are you to your yourself? Many of you are saying, “I thought it was dulcimer was supposed to be in tune to my Korg!” Well, you’re right. But, that’s not the motive of this accumulation of 961 English words. Allow me to begin…

You’re driving your car down the road when your cell phone rings. You quickly rummage to find your phone with the intent of answering it, not because you want to talk, but because you want to turn off that annoying ring tone that you paid $1.99 for.

After nearly driving your vehicle past the dead end into a group of trees, a friend (who isn’t very musical) says to you, “Turn your radio on! They’re playing that dulmier thing you do!” You think “Finally! The dulcimer has made it onto my biggest, local music station!”

Amidst the frustration of being on the wrong road, you tune into the station to realize that it wasn’t a dulcimer. It was a mandolin in the middle of a country song talking about the memories had with a pair of boots and pickup truck.

There are three really big points in this story. One–don’t pay $1.99 for a ring tone which you’ll end up hating. Two–know where you’re going. Three–shoot the guy who doesn’t know how the dulcimer is pronounced or what it sounds like. (OK, Mr. Lawyer, I didn’t mean that literally)

Alright, so where does this whole tuning thing fit in? In order for things to be in tune, there must be a standard by which you tune to. In this particular case, I will mostly discuss the subjective standard–yourself. You must learn to be in tune to what your personal tastes and goals are with your dulcimer. A desperate individual just exclaimed, “But what if my dulcimer is a democrat?” (For my un-humored audience, please substitute in the word republican to make the joke funny.)

One of the beauties of human beings is that we’re not all alike. We’re different. We have different strengths, weaknesses, preferences, methods, etc. All of these play an enormous factor into your relationship with your instrument.

Now, on to elaborating my three really big points…

1. Don’t pay $1.99 for a ring tone which you’ll end up hating.

One of the most important things of being a musician is to find the instrument(s) that you’re happy with. Plenty of quality articles have been written about choosing the right dulcimer, so that is not the overall motive of this article. There are black and white rights and wrongs with choosing dulcimers. But, much of choosing the right dulcimer is being in tune to what your personal preferences are. This can take time! I’ve owned many instruments. Some, I decided I liked. Others, I didn’t. To summarize, if you’re not happy with the instrument that you’ve purchased, odds are that you’ll end up seeking to “turn it off” rather than to play it.

2. Know where you’re going

It is crucial to make an intentional effort to know where you’re going. This includes your motives, habits, and development progress. Too often, I’ve seen musicians who found themselves at a dead end because little attention was given to where they were headed as a musician.

Something that I ask all my students is, “How good do you want to get and why?”
These two questions answer a lot of questions and are extremely revealing to being in tune to your personal goals and motives. If you’re honest with yourself, you may discover that some are healthy and others are not!

Once your goals are set, write your plan. This can include how often to take lessons, when, what, and how often to practice, attending festivals, your budget, distance learning, etc. The glue is steadfastness. Never quit and never procrastinate. Stay with your goal and one day you’ll be satisfied with the results.

The next step is to reward yourself with milestones. Stair-step your milestones. Example: if I were to have a goal of running 10 miles non-stop, I would personally set milestone markers at 2 mile intervals. My first goal would be to run 2 miles, then 4, then 6, etc. If I set my sights on the 10 miles to begin with, the road would seem too long, unattainable, and I might quit. However, if I set milestone markers, I know exactly where I’m at, that I am making progress, and also have satisfaction of achieving personal milestones.

This ties into music as well. You may have a long-term goal of playing in a successful band. But in order to get there, set different milestones along the way. It could start as simple as playing a scale 2x in a row without mistakes, followed by knowing how to play a scale in 3rds, learning the chromatic scale, completing your first arrangement or compositions, etc.

I’m not saying that everybody has to be the next Yo-Yo Ma, but what I am saying is that you need to be in tune to your motives and development progress or else you may find your days as a musician coming to screeching halt.

3. Shoot the guy who doesn’t know how the dulcimer is pronounced or what it sounds like.

Once again, this is meant comically. However, I think that it proves a good point. We should only listen to those who know what they’re talking about. If possible, find a quality teacher who has credentials. If that isn’t possible, look into taking Internet lessons or attending festivals to learn from teachers who know what they’re talking about. Also, listen to quality music by established players. This doesn’t just have to be dulcimer music. It could be any type of music. But the key is that if you listen to those who are accomplished, you will make yourself better. Input=Output.

Tags: habits, Hammer Dulcimer Lessons, method, methods, tune