|
Joe Collins
109 Buck Landing
Shelby,
NC 28150
(704) 472-9791
dulciman@bellsouth.net
Dulcimer Competition
Awards
1st place – National Mountain
Dulcimer Championships - 2007
3rd place – National
Mountain Dulcimer Championships – 2003, 2004, 2006
1st place Mtn.
Dulcimer Duet (w/ Gary Sager) - Coshocton Dulcimer Days - 2005
1st place Mtn.
Dulcimer - Mid-Eastern Regional Championship – 2005 & 2002
1st place Vocal -
Coshocton Dulcimer Days – 2005 & 2002
1st place Mtn.
Dulcimer – Kentucky State Championship – 2003
1st place Dulcimer
Duet (w/ Nancy Seifert) – Kentucky State Championship – 2003
2nd place Mtn.
Dulcimer Duet (w/ Alan Darveux) - Coshocton Dulcimer Days - 2002
1st place Folk
Singing - Bryson City Fiddlers' Convention - 2001
2nd place Mtn.
Dulcimer - Bryson City Fiddlers' Convention - 2001
2nd place Mtn.
Dulcimer - Mid-Eastern Regional Championship - 2001
3rd place Mtn.
Dulcimer - Mid-Eastern Regional Championship - 2000
4th place Mtn.
Dulcimer - Southern Regional Championship - 2000
2nd place Ensemble
(w/ M. Shull) - Southern Regional Championship – 2000 & 1999
2nd place Dulcimer -
Georgia State Championship – 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998
1st place Dulcimer - Brevard Old-Time
Music Competition – 1998
|
 |
|
|
Performance Repertoire
Joe does a wide range of music
including unique arrangements of traditional hymns, Celtic, original
compositions, and anything that he thinks sounds “cool” that usually
isn’t played on the dulcimer. A folk singer who has a passion for
writing and performing humorous pieces, he enjoys being accompanied by
the laughter of an audience.
Festival Performer and
Teaching Experience
Buckeye Dulcimer Festival, OH
Central Florida Dulcimer &
Autoharp Festival, Mt. Dora, FL
Chautauqua on the Wabash, IN
Cincinnati Dulcimer Society in
Cincinnati, OH
Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival, TN
Dulcimer Association of Albany
Festival; Albany, NY
Dulcimer Building and Playing Class
at Cleveland Community College in Shelby, NC
Dulcimer Days in Coshocton, OH
Dulcimer Daze, VT
Dulcimer Jamboree in Mountain View, AR
Dulcimer Retreat; Madisonville, TX
Dulcimer Retreat of the Knoxville
Dulcimer Club, TN
Dulcimer U at Western Carolina
University, NC
Dulcimores Festival in Columbia, SC
Florida Dulcimer Tour with clinics in
Fort Myers, Sarasota, Bradenton, and Orlando
GitterPicker String Factory in
Twinsburg, OH
Guntersville Senior Center Workshops,
AL
Hartwell Art Center Workshops &
Concert, GA
Harmony Harvest in Lancaster, OH
Heritage Dulcimer Camp in Parkville,
MO
Hills of Kentucky Dulcimer Club
HymnFest in Shelby, NC
Knoxville Area Dulcimer Retreat in
Townsend, TN
Lagniappe Dulcimer Festival in Port
Allen, LA
Lee County Gathering in Loachapoka, AL
Lone Star State Dulcimer Festival in
Glen Rose, TX
Memphis Dulcimer Gathering in
Memphis, TN
Mid-winter Dulcimer Festival in
Shelby, NC
North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer
Association Fall Festival in Helen, GA
North Mississippi Fall Dulcimer
Festival in New Albany, MS
Ohio Valley Gathering, OH
Shamrock Dulcimer Blast, GA
Spring Thing (NGFDA) in Winder, GA
Southern Tour with clinics in Canton
& Dalton, GA; Guntersville & Killen, AL
Southern Strings Festival in
Hattiesburg, MS
Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Camp in
Maryville, TN
Summer Dulcimer Workshop in Shelby, NC
Summer Solstice in Calabasas, CA
Waterbound Dulcimer Festival in
Kinston, NC
Winston-Salem Dulcimer Festival in
Winston-Salem, NC
Winter Creek Reunion, OK
Winter Weekend; Lake Junaluska, NC
Yellowbanks Dulcimer Festival in
Owensboro, KY
Discography
Hymns for the Hearth (1994)
– folk arrangements of traditional hymns
The Dancing of Time (1999) –
a mixture of Celtic, hymns, and original pieces
Erin’s Wish (2002) – a
collection of Christmas instrumentals
For the Fun of It (2003) – a
collection of funny and feel good songs w/ vocals
Looking Ahead (2008) –
mixture of traditional, original, popular songs by artists like James
Taylor and Carole King, and more.
The CD
demonstrates how much versatility and rich chordal possibilities there
are with what used to be considered a simple,
Appalachian
instrument.
A
River Runs Through It (2019) Duet CD with good friend and
cellist Nancy Galambush
Waltzes
for Mountain Dulcimer (2020) a collection of waltzes. About half
are original.
Contributions to compilation CDS
Great Players
of the Mountain Dulcimer (2001) – a collection of players from all
over the country.
Songs for Wendy (2021)
Tablature Books
1998 – Simple Tunes for the Mountain
Dulcimer (out of print)
1999 – Christmas with the Mountain
Dulcimer (out of print-see below for newer version)
2000 – Simply Celtic (out of print)
2002 – Simply Hymns (a collection of
hymns in three versions: DAD, DGD, and DAA)
2003 – Around the World with the
Mountain Dulcimer
2005 – Christmas with the Mountain
Dulcimer: Revised & Expanded Edition
2006 – Dulcimer Basics
2008 – Sacred Hymns of the Old Church
2010 - Simply Celtic: Revised &
Expanded Edition
2011 - Civil War Songs for the
Mountain Dulcimer
2015 - Round After Round with the
Mountain Dulcimer
2015 - Irish Charms
2020 - Waltzes for Mountain Dulcimer
2021 - Lullabies for the Mountain
Dulcimer
Other
Publications
"Levels of Playing: Unraveling the
Mystery" Dulcimer Players News, 36:4 (Fall 2010), pp. 26-27.
“Winning at Winfield” Dulcimer
Players News, 34:3 (Summer, 2008)
“Hot Licks and Cool Sounds: A
Mountain Dulcimer Workshop on Ornamentation.” Studio, 50:4
(November-December, 2005), pp. 21-22.
“Teaching the Dulcimer: Knowing Where
Your Student Needs to Begin” Dulcimer Players News, 28: 2 (May-July,
2002), pp. 36-37.
“Choosing the Right Tuning for Your
Students” Dulcimer Players News, 28:3 (August-October, 2002), pp. 39-41
Website
www.jcdulcimer.com
Click on the type of workshop in which you are
interested for an alphabetical list.
Skill Development Workshops
Accidental Instrumentals (Intermediate/Advanced) Need
some challenging tunes to stretch your skill level? This is a class of tunes
not normally heard on the mountain dulcimer because of accidentals, those pesky
notes for which there are no frets on the mountain dulcimer tuned in DAd or for
which transitions to those notes are somewhat challenging. We'll learn and
practice some techniques that make these types of songs accessible on your
dulcimer.
Advanced Cross-Picking with a Flat Pick (Int/Adv) Become more
efficient and effective at cross picking. After warm-up exercises that you can
continue to use after the workshop, you will tackle challenging songs that
require just a few frets, but a lot of movement across different strings.
Advanced Strumming – Vol 1 (Advanced) Work on chops that will open possibilities
in your playing. Playing the dulcimer is not always about picking out the
melody; it’s also about effective strumming. In addition to learning some great
percussive patterns, you will apply them to songs like “Proud Mary,” “Hand
Jive,” and “Sloop John B.”
Autumn's Fancy: An Exercise in Inverted Chords and 6/8 Rhythm
(Advanced – Usually
requires at least 2 hours unless the participants are VERY advanced) This
workshop will use an original piece by Joe Collins entitled “Autumn’s
Fancy" to help you work on several very useful skills - playing inverted
chords, pulling off and hammering while playing inverted chords, and keeping a
smooth 6/8 rhythm even when things get a little fast. These are great
techniques for playing some of those faster Celtic tunes.
Basic Strumming for Beginners (Beginner) After you learn where to hold down
strings with your noting hand, it is time to focus on what to do with the hand
that holds the pick. Good strumming really makes the dulcimer come alive, even
for a beginner. You will sound like a pro, even with simple songs and chords,
as your strumming keeps pace with your noting.
Basics I Wish I Knew
When I Started (Beginner) A lot of bad habits that are hard to “unlearn” later can be
avoided! This workshop is about basic principles and techniques on the mountain
dulcimer that will get beginners started right. Simple basics will inform your
playing for years to come! While this workshop is geared towards beginners, it
offers a nice review for more experienced players just in case they missed some
of the basics when they started playing.
Being “Chordial” in DAA (Intermediate) –a workshop for
understanding chord structures in the DAA tuning. This is a workshop for
those DAA players who want go into full chording while staying in the DAA
tuning. Covers the basic chords in the key of D and how to play them
anywhere on the neck of the dulcimer. Also includes some exercises on
finding the right chord to play when given only the melody note and a chord
symbol.
Can You Sing with that Thing?
(Upper Novice & up) A workshop on using the mountain
dulcimer as an accompaniment instrument. We'll play some R&B, Rock, Folk
and maybe even Country rhythms while we sing some popular songs. The main focus
will be on using chords and strumming rhythms for accompaniment.
Combining Your
Picking & Strumming (Intermediate & Above).
This workshop will focus on picking out the melody in between and in
combination with the strums that give body to arrangements. We’ll use
exercises to develop effective strum/flatpicking technique and two tunes to
incorporate the technique, an original waltz and a challenging O’Carolan piece
entitled “Lord Inchiquin.”
Crossing
Over to the Fun Side! (Novice and up) – This workshop gently guides
players to leave the security of playing the melody on one string to exploring
the world of cross-picking. In addition to some work with scales and
hitting individual strings, we'll learn to cross-pick some familiar songs
effectively and efficiently.
Developing
Good Practice Habits (Beginners and up). This workshop covers
basic principles of good practice, offering advice and useful exercises to get
the most out of one’s practice time. Most of the material here is also
covered in the workshop entitled “Playing with Grace, Humor, and Smiles.”
This workshop, however, has a greater focus on practice habits while “Playing
with Grace, Humor, and Smiles” focuses more on preparing for performance.
Because of the overlap, one should choose one or the other of these workshops
instead of both.
Developing
Good Practice Habits (Beginner-Novice).
This workshop covers basic principles of good practice, offering advice and
useful exercises to get the most out of one’s practice time.
Driving
Your Dulcimer Like You Mean It!- (2-hr minimum required)
(Intermediate - Participants should be comfortable with strumming in both
directions, have a decent sense of timing, and be able to play several tunes
without having to be totally dependent on tablature.) The difference between
good dulcimer players and great ones is usually found in what they do with the
picking/strumming hand. The goal of this workshop is for you to develop skill
and proficiency with that hand. We will try out patterns that you can begin
incorporating into your playing immediately, but we will also work on exercises
that you can continue doing long after the workshop is over.
Dulcimer
Duets: the Marriage of Standard and Baritone (Novice &
up) – a workshop that focuses on using two differently pitched dulcimers to
make beautiful music together. One does not need a baritone dulcimer to
attend.
Finger-Pickin’
Good (Novice and up) – a workshop covering the basics of
finger-picking on the mountain dulcimer. Materials available for both DAd
and DAA players.
Untangling
Those Fingers (Advanced Beginner & up) Tired of wondering
which fingers to use on what strings? See how easy it can be to use a system
that takes the mystery out of finger placement. Includes exercises and songs to
improve one’s ability to change chords efficiently. (Previous name for this workshop:
Focusing on Basic Chords)
From
Bum-Diddy to Rock-n-Roll (Advanced) - a workshop for strumming/picking
hand technique. Participants work on accuracy of picking individual
strings and strumming/picking out rhythms outside the norm for mountain
dulcimers.
Getting
Jiggy with It (Intermediate to advanced) – basic dulcimer
techniques and strumming rhythms for playing Celtic jigs.
Getting
Started on the Mountain Dulcimer (Beginner) – a workshop
for rank beginners. The goals are to make students familiar with their
dulcimers, successful at playing a song or two, and knowledgeable about
tablature and other resources for helping them to continue to learn.
Harmony Basics for the
Mtn Dulcimer (Intermediate and up) - a workshop in playing basic harmonies
on the mountain dulcimer. In addition to learning some harmonies to popular
dulcimer tunes, we will investigate how to develop harmonies for other songs.
To get the most out of this workshop, it is helpful to understand basic chords
and have a willingness to experiment. (Recommend at least 1.5 hours)
Hornpipe Primer
(Intermediate & above) – Hornpipes are “bouncy” dance tunes thought to have
originated with sailors on the high seas. You can use some basic techniques to capture
that wonderful, bouncy rhythm in some songs to get your musical sea legs!
Hot
Licks and Cool Sounds (novice and up) – a workshop on how to do those
cool things that make people say, “Wow! How did he/she do that?” Covers
ornamentation techniques like hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, grace notes,
trills, bends, harmonics, and muting. Gives simple songs in which these
techniques can be applied and practiced.
Increasing Your Notes per Minute. A workshop for advanced players to sharpen their
flatpicking skills while learning to play some new Old-time and Celtic tunes.
(Level 5)
Leader of the Band (Novice and up) This
workshop takes a song written for whatever level is chosen and leads
participants in playing that song with an accompaniment track that features
several other instruments like piano, cello, etc. Helps participants with
timing and playing with others, even when the “others” are not physically
present.
Look, Ma! No Capo! (Int) Play in minor keys without using a capo
or leaving the DAd tuning. There is no reason you cannot do it. We will learn
minor tunes and discuss ways to use these skills to create interesting
arrangements of tunes you already know. A 1½ fret is not required, but you can
bring it along if it is already on your dulcimer.
Making
Arrangements (Novice and up) – This workshop
takes a simple tune and progressively takes students through several different
ways to play that tune – in different octaves and keys, all in the same
tuning. It also shares some basic ways to make transitions between
keys. The purpose is to help students learn skills that will enable them
to make their own arrangements of tunes they love to play.
Making
Arrangements for Beginners (Beginner-Novice) – This
workshop takes a simple tune and progressively takes students through several
different ways to play that tune. It teaches students to use different
octaves, muting, and timing changes to a simple tune. The purpose is to help
students learn skills that will enable them to make their own arrangements of
tunes they love to play.
Master
Class (Intermediate/Advanced – not available as an online workshop) -
a workshop to analyze and work on playing technique at the
intermediate/advanced levels. Participants should come prepared to play a tune
or two for the instructor and fellow students. Technique will be
critiqued by the instructor and discussed by supportive participants. One of
the primary goals of the workshop is to help participants think about and
develop some focus on what they need to do next to improve as players. They
will learn not only from the critique they receive, but also from the critique fellow
participants receive. Class size limited to 10 participants.
Noting
Hand Technique (All levels) This is a workshop similar
to the one immediately below, but it is designed for multiple levels of
players. There is something there for the beginner trying to establish
noting technique, but there are some challenges for most intermediate and
advanced players as well.
Noting
the Dulcimer with the Greatest of Ease (Advanced) - a workshop
designed to work on the finer points of noting strings through exercises in
chording, playing melody while holding chording positions, and noting fast
sequences of notes.
Playing
in DGd (Advanced beginner & up). An introduction to basic
chord fingerings that can be used to play up and down the neck efficiently and
effectively in this Ionian tuning in the key of G.
Playing
Like a Pro in 1-4-8. We are not talking about some weird time
signature here. We are talking about a tuning that can really expand your
playing! It can open up new keys for you to play with bluegrass buddies. It can
show you a great way to play a baritone dulcimer with your DAd friends. It even
gives you an extended range in single-string playing. Check it out; there is
life beyond DAd!
Playing Pretty (Intermediate) Focuses on developing techniques that will help you to
become more expressive. We will go beyond learning the notes to learning about
how to use dynamics and phrasing to make your music more emotive (capable of
pulling out feelings). We will also share exercises you can use to continue to
develop these skills.
Playing
Upside Down! (Intermediate and up) – a workshop on playing
inverted chords in DAd. The workshop will focus on building proficiency
in playing out of inverted chords through skill-building exercises and learning
songs which emphasize the technique.
Playing Well
with Others: The MD in an Ensemble. This workshop will help
participants play mountain dulcimers effectively in an ensemble, whether it be
an ensemble of several different instruments or an ensemble of mountain
dulcimers. We’ll share knowledge and work on skills that will help
players fit in and make unique contributions to a musical group.
Playing
While You Warble (Beginner and up) – workshop on the basics of
accompaniment. How to use the Mountain Dulcimer to accompany either
yourself or someone else’s voice.
Playing
with Grace, Humor, and Smiles (advanced beginner
& up) – a workshop on performing in front of others. Covers basic
principles that will help players, at whatever level, feel more comfortable
playing for others. No intense work with the dulcimer.
Starting
Out on the Mountain Dulcimer (beginner beginner) The
very basics on getting started.
(Return to Workshop Type Menu)
Repertoire
Workshops
In
a repertoire workshop, I
generally teach songs from a particular genre, going over technique
&
skills needed for those particular songs. I’ve supplied some
estimates of
what level of players these workshops are geared for, but some may have
some
wiggle room because I may be able to teach them differently for
different level
players.
I
often develop other
repertoire workshops to meet the needs of a particular group upon
request, but
I need about a month’s notice.
Ad
Advanced Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer (Intermediate and above) – Hymn arrangements of some
classic hymns that offer a little more of a challenge for experience players.
Hymns include “A Mighty Fortress,” “Steal Away,” “Love Divine, All Loves
Excelling,” and others.
American
Spirituals, Volume
1 (Intermediate/Advanced) A spiritual is defined as a religious song of a
kind associated with black Christians of the southern US and thought to derive
from the combination of European hymns and African musical elements by black
slaves. This workshop will introduce you to some deeply emotional songs about
trials and joys of life. Includes “Ain’t a Dat Good News,” “Deep River,” and
others.
American
Spirituals, Volume
2 (Level 2-3) Put your soul into playing spirituals like “Give Me Jesus,”
“There Is a Balm in Gilead,” “Roll, Jordan, Roll,” and others. A spiritual is
defined as a religious song of a kind associated with black Christians of the
southern US and thought to derive from the combination of European hymns and
African musical elements by black slaves. Use your dulcimer to share this great
American heritage with others.
Appalachian
Mountain Songs – Volume 1 (Level 2) a repertoire workshop of songs that have
been cherished in Appalachia. Songs like “Mole in the Ground,” “Shady Grove.”
“Wayfaring Stranger,” and others will bring out the Appalachian in your
Appalachian dulcimer!
Appalachian
Mountain Songs – Volume 2 (Level 2) a repertoire workshop of songs that have
been cherished in Appalachia. From the somber “Black Is the Color of My True
Love’s Hair” the rollicking “Old Dan Tucker” and several songs in between,
you’ll learn some tunes that will bring out the Appalachian in your Appalachian
dulcimer!
Appalachian
Mountain Songs for Beginners (Beginners) – Some great, easy-to-learn
tunes from the Appalachian tradition.
Around the World
with the MD – Volume 1 (Novice) – Stretch your mountain dulcimer and visit the
awesome world of international music with songs like “Banana Boat Loader’s
Song” (aka “Day Oh”) from Jamaica, “The Bamboo Flute” from China, “Waltzing
Matilda” from Australia, and others.
Around the World
with the MD – Volume 2 (Novice-Intermediate) - Stretch your mountain
dulcimer and visit the awesome world of international music with songs like
"Au Clair De La Lune" from France, "Water Come a Me Eye"
from Jamaica, and "Cielto Lindo” from Mexico (aka “Frito Bandito Song"),
and others.
Bouncy Tunes for
the Mountain Dulcimer (Novice-Intermediate) A repertoire of fun, lively
tunes that leave you feeling happy. Includes a gospel tune or two, an orginal
tune of Joe Collins, and others.
Bringing Out the
Irish in You – Volume 1 (Novice & up, but at least one song is
a little challenging) A repertoire workshop of popular Irish songs still played
and sung around the world. These are songs that Joe heard over and over while
walking the streets of Dublin and Galway.
Bringing Out the
Irish in You – Volume 2 (Intermediate/Advanced) Popular, rollicking tunes that
will make you believe in leprechauns, fairies, and Irish luck. These
traditional songs include “Irish Rover,” “Whiskey in the Jar,” and a couple
others still prominent on the streets of Dublin today.
Celtic Harp Tunes (Novice & up)
– beautiful, lilting melodies from Celtic lands that really sound good on a
dulcimer, including “Fairy Dance,” “Blind Mary,” and others.
Christmas Is
a-Comin!
– Vol 1 (all levels) a repertoire workshop that includes a couple of old
classics of some of the old classics like “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “O
Christmas Tree,” “We Three Kings,” and a couple others, including an old
rollicking tune from which the title of the workshop comes.
Christmas Is
a-Comin’ – Vol. 2 (Advanced
Novice and Up) – A repertoire of Christmas music that includes a couple of
familiar tunes, a Sacred Harp tune, and one with a Native American
perspective of Christmas.
Christmas with
Capos (Novice-Intermediate)
A repertoire of well-known Christmas arrangements all requiring a capo.
Includes tunes like "Sing We Now of Christmas," "We Three
Kings," "Foom, Foom, Foom," and a cute little tune written by
Joe Collins.
Civil War: Songs
of the Union
(Level 3) The Civil War produced a lot of music, and most of it was used by
both the North and the South. The songs in this repertoire workshop, however,
are identified mainly with the Union: “Lincoln & Liberty,” “Battle Cry of
Freedom,” and others.
Civil War: The
Cruel War
(Level 3) A repertoire workshop of tragic ballads from America’s Civil War,
including “The Cruel War (in G),” “Shiloh Hill,” and others. The tunes are nice
additions for the repertoires of Level 4 & 5 players as well. (capo needed)
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer – Vol. 1 (Level 2) Easy arrangements of classic
hymns. These include modern standards like “Just as I Am,” but also some old
Gospel tunes like “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder.” A few other tunes will
round it out and build your repertoire to use at church, nursing homes, or
wherever you are called to go and play!
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer
– Vol 2 (Level 3) This is a repertoire workshop of great hymns like
“Steal Away,” “Rock of Ages,” and “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder.” A couple
other tunes will round it out so that you will have a repertoire to use at
church, nursing homes, or wherever you are called to go and play!
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer – Vol. 3 (Level 2) Some more classic hymns. These
include an old spiritual “Steal Away,” “Shall We Gather at the River,” “Like a
River Glorious,” and others. Build your repertoire to use at church, nursing
homes, or wherever you are called to go and play!
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer
– Vol 4 (Level 3) This is a repertoire workshop of some old hymns like
“The Old Ship of Zion,” and “Heavenly Armor” from the shaped note tradition
along with better known classics like “Lord, I’m Coming Home” and others. These
can really add to your repertoire to use at church, nursing homes, or wherever
you are called to go and play!
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer – Vol. 5 “Heavenly Hymns” (Beginner) a
repertoire workshop of old-time hymns about heaven, including “Uncloudy Day,”
“Ring the Bells of Heaven (simplified version”, “When the Roll Is Called Up
Yonder,” and others to round out your repertoire to use at church, nursing
homes, or wherever you are called to go and play!
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer – Vol. 6 “Heavenly Hymns” (Novice & up)
a repertoire workshop of old-time hymns about heaven, including “Bound for
Canaan,” “Ring the Bells of Heaven”, “Face to Face with Christ My Savior,” and
others to round out your repertoire to use at church, nursing homes, or
wherever you are called to go and play! This workshops repeats some of the same
songs that are in the beginner workshop (Vol 5), but will be taught at a more
advanced level.
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer
– Vol 7 (Level 3) Well-known gospel hymns for the mountain dulcimer.
This particular volume focuses on upbeat gospel tunes like “Are You Washed in
the Blood?,” “The Sweet By and By,” “The Gospel Plow,” and another or two.
Great tunes to play in church with the traditional sound of the dulcimer.
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer
– Vol. 8 (Intermediate) Well-known hymns for the mountain dulcimer. This
particular volume focuses on hymns about the power and the glory of God.
Included are "Holy, Holy, Holy," "I Sing the Mighty Power of
God," and others. Great tunes to play in church with the traditional sound
of the dulcimer.
Classic Hymns for
the Mountain Dulcimer
– Vol. 9 (Novice & above) Well-known hymns for the mountain
dulcimer. This particular volume includes “I Must Tell Jesus,” “Sing to the
Lord of Harvest,” “Wonderful Words of Life,” and "I Need Thee Every
Hour." Great tunes to play in church with the traditional sound of the
dulcimer.
Dulcimer Christmas
in DAC (Novice
& above) A repertoire workshop of Christmas tunes. Participants will play
several songs in the DAc tuning and learn about some basic chord structures in
that tuning. Songs include “I Wonder as I Wander,” “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,”
and four others. While all the songs provided will probably not be covered
during the workshop, participants will develop skills to help them play the
rest on their own.
Dulcimer Duets:
the Marriage of Standard and Baritone (Novice & up) – a workshop that
focuses on using two differently pitched dulcimers to make beautiful music
together. One does not need a baritone dulcimer to attend.
Dulcimers Are for
Lovers!
(Level 3) Warm the heart of the one you love by playing some old classic love
songs on your dulcimer. This repertoire workshop will feature “Red Is the
Rose,” “The River’s Wide,” “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” and a couple others.
Fun Tunes for
Beginners (Beginners)
– Some very easy and fun songs for beginners to begin building their
repertoire.
Funny Songs for
Your Repertoire (Adv.
Beginner & above) Kick back and have some fun in this workshop. We’ll be
playing and singing a variety of songs to tickle your funny bone! We’ll also
learn how to use the dulcimer to accompany ourselves as we help people laugh.
Funny Songs for
Your Repertoire (All
levels) – Kick back and have some fun in this workshop. We’ll be playing and
singing a variety of songs to tickle your funny bone! We’ll also learn how to
use the dulcimer to accompany ourselves as we help people laugh.
Getting Jiggy with
It
(Advanced) This workshop will focus on 3 different techniques for play a jig
rhythm all in the same song entitled “Midnight Jig.”
Got Grandkids? (all levels) This is
a repertoire workshop of songs we grew up with as kids. Let’s learn them so we can
teach them to the little ones we know. The repertoire ranges from lullabies to goofy
songs appropriate for kids under 10.
Harping on the
Dulcimer – Songs of Turlough O'Carolan (Intermediate & up) A
repertoire workshop of songs from the great, blind bard of Ireland arranged for
the mountain dulcimer. O’Carolan was a harpist/composer at the end of the 17th
into the early 18th century. Although he never wrote down any of his
music, over 200 tunes have survived and are played all over the world today.
These tunes are especially beautiful on the mountain dulcimer.
Hornpipe Primer (Advanced)
Hornpipes are “bouncy” dance tunes thought to have originated with sailors on
the high seas. You will use some basic techniques to capture that wonderful,
bouncy rhythm on some provided songs to get your musical sea legs, including
“The Boys of Ballycastle,” “Mrs. Wilson’s Hornpipe,” and “The Admiral.”
Hornpipes for the
Mountain Dulcimer, Volume
2 (Int/Adv) repertoire workshop of relatively fast-moving hornpipes that
will make folks want to dance on the deck of a ship somewhere or, at the very
least, tap their feet. The unique bouncy rhythms of hornpipes will really make
your dulcimer shine! Songs include “Dorsetshire Hornpipe,” “An Comhra Donn,”
and “Devil’s Dream.”
Hymns for
Beginners
(Level 1) A workshop of fairly simple hymns like “Just As I Am,” “Showers of
Blessing,” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” While taught at a very basic
level, the tunes are nice repertoire additions for more advanced players.
Hymns of Charles
Wesley for Beginners (Beginners) A repertoire designed for inexperience
players. This is a simpler version of the one offered by Joe in the
workshop.”Hymns of Charles Wesley.” Wesley was one of the most prolific hymn
writers in history. Although his brother John was better known as the
theologian and the designer of the Methodist movement, it was Charles who
provided the hymns that undergirded the movement among the people in the pew.
In his life, he is said to have written more than 6500 hymns. We won't get to
all of them in this workshop, but we'll cover a few.
Hymns of Charles
Wesley
(Novice & up) A repertoire of songs by one of the most prolific hymn
writers in history. Although his brother John was better known as the
theologian and the designer of the Methodist movement, it was Charles who
provided the hymns that undergirded the movement among the people in the pew.
In his life, he is said to have written more than 6500 hymns. We won't get to
all of them in this workshop, but we'll cover a few.
Hymns of Fanny
Crosby – Vol 1
(Novice & above) A repertoire workshop of America’s most famous and
prolific hymn writers, with 9000 hymns to her credit. Like the great poets
Homer and Milton, this great poet of America was also blind.
Hymns of Fanny
Crosby (Novice
& Up) A repertoire workshop of America’s most famous and prolific hymn
writer, with 9000 hymns to her credit. Like the great poets Homer and Milton,
this great poet of America was also blind.
Hymns of Fanny
Crosby, Volume 2 Arranged for Beginners. An all-new repertoire workshop of
America’s most famous and prolific hymn writer, with 9000 hymns to her credit.
Like the great poets Homer and Milton, this great poet of America was also
blind. Includes great hymns like “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross,” “Blessed
Assurance,” and others.
Hymns of Fanny
Crosby, Volume 2 Arranged for Intermediate and Above. An all-new
repertoire workshop of America’s most famous and prolific hymn writer, with
9000 hymns to her credit. Like the great poets Homer and Milton, this great
poet of America was also blind. Includes great hymns like “Jesus, Keep Me Near
the Cross,” “Blessed Assurance,” and others.
Hymns of Praise:
The Power & Glory of God (Intermediate) Great classic hymns
celebrating the greatness of God. Includes “I Sing the Mighty Power of God,”
“Holy, Holy, Holy,” “To God Be the Glory,” and a couple others.
Inspiring Pieces
from the Dulcimer World (Novice and up) - Get inspired with a couple recent
tunes from friends in the dulcimer world. The first is a waltz written by Holly
Lauderdale of Virginia with a harmony part and accompaniment track by Joe
Collins. The second is from an 1879 Native American hymnal. Brian Fisher of NC
tabbed this piece out in memory of his ancestor who wrote it. Both are
beautiful.
Irish Waltzes –
Vol. 1
(Novice and up) a repertoire workshop of easy-going waltzes from the Irish
tradition. Includes “My Own Dear Galway Bay,” “Inisheer,” and two other
beautiful waltz tunes.
Irish Waltzes –
Vol. 2 (Novice
& above) a repertoire workshop of easy-going waltzes from the Irish
tradition. Includes “Rose of Allendale,” “The Galway Shawl,” and two other
beautiful waltz tunes.
It Takes Two to Waltz (Multiple Volumes
listed below)
It Takes Two to
Waltz – Vol 1 (Level
4) Play the sensationally popular hit from 1894 entitled “Sidewalks of New
York” as a duet!
It Takes Two to
Waltz – Vol 2: “Rosie’s Last Waltz” A repertoire workshop for solo or duet
playing. “Rosie’s Last Waltz” is a song about an elderly woman who continues to
dance long after her legs can no longer carry her. Learn two different parts
for the song. Also learn to play with an accompaniment track which will be made
available to all participants.
It Takes Two to
Waltz – Vol 3 (Level
4) A repertoire of beautiful waltzes arranged for two parts. Waltzes included:
“Sleeping Beauty Waltz” (by Tchaikovsky) and “Life in the Finn Woods” (aka
“Mockingbird Hill).
It Takes Two to
Waltz – Vol 4 (Novice
& above) A repertoire of beautiful waltzes arranged for two parts. This
volume includes a Celtic piece entitled “The Shepherd’s Wife Waltz” and an
original by Joe Collins entitled "Butterfly Tree Waltz.” Participants will
be given access to an mp3 accompaniment track for both songs.
It Takes Two to
Waltz – Vol 5 (Novice
& above) A repertoire of beautiful waltzes arranged for two parts. This
volume includes a beautiful waltz entitled “Westphalia Waltz.” Westphalia is a
region in Germany where many believe the waltz origninated. Participants will
be given access to an mp3 accompaniment track for both songs.
It Takes Two to
Waltz – Vol 6: “Carolina Waltz” (Novice & up) Joe Collins will teach
his well-known tune as a duet in this workshop If you have been looking for a
great arrangement of this song to play with others, this is it! Joe will also
provide an accompaniment track he developed and show how to use it when
performing the tune.
It Takes Two to
Waltz – Vol 7
(Intermediate) Play a beautiful tune entitled “Once upon a Starry Evening”
inspired by Van Gogh’s painting. Play it as either a solo or duet. You will
also receive a high definition mp3 file of the accompaniment track that you can
keep to play along with or to use in your own performance of the piece.
Lullabies from
Around the World – Volume 1 (Advanced Beginner & Up) Want to put a small
child to sleep? These lullabies may be just what you need! Appropriate for
parents, grandparents, and older siblings to learn. The tunes can also be used
to help anyone chill out and relax. Includes “Little Boy Blue,” “Baloo
Baleerie,” “Brahm’s Lullaby,” and others.
Lullabies from
Around the World – Volume 2 (Advanced Beginner & Up) Want to put a small
child to sleep? These lullabies may be just what you need! Appropriate for
parents, grandparents, and older siblings to learn. The tunes can also be used
to help anyone chill out and relax. Includes “Sleep, Baby, Sleep,” “Winter
Lullaby,” “Swamp Lullaby,” and others.
Minor Hymns (Novice –
Intermediate OR Beginner – 2 different versions available) A repertoire
workshop of haunting melodies applied to hymns. We’ll be focusing on hymn
melodies written in minor keys. The tunes are tabbed out in such a way that
most are accessible for Level 2 players, and they also are nice additions for
the repertoire of more advanced players.
Multi-Part Celtic
Tunes (multi-level
players) Playing with at least 2 or 3 others and want some beautiful Celtic
tunes? This repertoire workshop will introduce you to Celtic pieces written in
two or more parts. The lead can stand on its own, but other parts can be used
to complement the lead or be used as accompaniment for singing.
Multi-part Hymn
Arrangements – Vol. 1 (multiple levels) –
This series of workshops introduces small groups to hymn arrangements that
include 2, 3, or 4 parts. This set includes “Dona Nobis Pacem (a round),”
“Nothing but the Blood” (2-part duet), and “There Shall Be Showers of Blessing”
(3-part). There’s a part for you to play whether you are new to the dulcimer
world or have tons of experience. The secret is playing together at whatever
level you can.
Multi-part Hymn
Arrangements – Vol. 2 – This series of workshops introduces small groups or
clubs to hymn arrangements that include 2, 3, or 4 parts. This set includes a
2-part arrangement of “Heavenly Sunlight” and a 4-part arrangement of Hyferdol
(a.k.a “I Will Sing of My Redeemer” or “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”).
Multi-part Hymn
Arrangements – Vol. 3 – This series of workshops introduces small groups or
clubs to hymn arrangements that include 2, 3, or 4 parts. This set includes
Joe’s 4-part arrangement of “Jesus Loves Me” in 6/8 time and round entitled
“All Praise to Thee” with suggestion on how to arrange a round for public
performance.
Multi-part Hymn
Arrangements – Vol. 4 – This series of workshops introduces small groups or
clubs to hymn arrangements that include 2, 3, or 4 parts. This set includes a
4-part arrangement of “Be Thou My Vision” and a full-accompaniment track that
we will practice with and that you can use in your own performances.
Multi-part Hymn
Arrangements – Vol. 5 – This series of workshops introduces small groups or
clubs to hymn arrangements that include 2, 3, or 4 parts. This set includes a
4-part arrangement of “Shall We Gather at the River” and accompaniment tracks
we will learn to use with the hymn.
Multi-part Hymn
Arrangements – Vol. 6 – This series of workshops introduces small groups or
clubs to Hymn arrangements that include 2, 3, or 4 parts. This set includes a
duet arrangement of “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder” and a 4-part
arrangement of “Down at the Cross.”
Multi-part Hymn
Arrangements – Vol. 7 – This series of workshops introduces small groups or
clubs to Hymn arrangements that include 2, 3, or 4 parts. This set includes a
4-part arrangement of “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross” and a dronal
accompaniment for singing.
Old Hymns for New
Players, Volume 1 (Beginner)
– a repertoire workshop of easy-to-play hymns for the beginning dulcimer
player. Includes “Just As I Am,” “Rock of Ages,” “Happy Land,” and others.
Old Hymns for New
Players, Volume 2 (Beginner)
– a repertoire workshop of easy-to-play hymns for the beginning dulcimer
player. Includes “My Faith Looks Up to Thee,” “He’s Got the Whole World in His
Hands,” “When Morning Gilds the Skies,” and others.
Old Hymns with New
Tunes (Intermediate/Advanced)
This is a repertoire workshop in which Joe shares one of his favorite musical
endeavors – taking old hymns and setting them to new, original tunes. The new
tunes created for old hymns like “The Old Rugged Cross” are very folksy and
appropriate for a folk mass or worship.
Old-Time Tunes,
Volume 1 (Int/Adv)
A collection of fun old-time tunes with a few twists and turns like “Big Taters
in Sandy Land,” “Candy Girl,” and others.
Old-Time Tunes,
Volume 2 (Int/Adv)
A collection of fun old-time tunes with a few twists and turns like “Jaybird,”
“Buckeye Jim,” and others.
Scottish Laments,
Volume 1
(Intermediate and above) A repertoire workshop of beautiful Scottish Laments.
They are often played on bagpipes, especially in the Highlands, for funerals or
as commemoration of some great loss. The fingering is not terribly difficult,
but we will be focusing on capturing the haunting mood of these songs on the
mountain dulcimer. This set includes “Lochaber No More,” “Farewell to Whiskey,”
and others.
Scottish Laments,
Volume 2
(Intermediate and above) A repertoire workshop of beautiful Scottish Laments.
They are often played on bagpipes, especially in the Highlands, for funerals or
as commemoration of some great loss. The fingering is not terribly difficult,
but we will be focusing on capturing the haunting mood of these songs on the
mountain dulcimer. This set includes “Flowers o' the Forest,"
"Scottish Boatman,” and others.
Scottish Melodies
of Robert Burns
(Intermediate & Above) a repertoire workshop featuring the songs of
Scotland’s most revered folklorist and folk musician. Songs include “A Man’s a
Man,” “Corn Rigs & Barley” and others.
Select Celtic
Tunes (Nov/Int)
A repertoire workshop of tunes selected by the Roanoke Valley club. Tunes
include “Rosin the Beau,” “Wild Mountain Thyme,” and “Mary Hamilton.” Joe will
give pointers on performing the tunes both as solos and as a group. He will
also provide harmony parts on at least a couple of the tunes. There will be
parts for all levels of players.
Simple Celtic
Tunes for Beginners
(Beginner) a repertoire of easy-to-play Celtic tunes like “The Foggy Dew,”
“Loch Lomond,” “Morning Has Broken,” and a couple others. Songs are taught at a
basic level, making these great song accessible for those who are just getting
started on the dulcimer.
Simple Rounds for
the Mtn Dulcimer, Volume 2 (Novice & up) – This workshop will introduce you
to joy of playing rounds on the mountain dulcimer. Joe will share some simple
rounds that are not very well known, including one of his originals as well as
“3 Blind Mice.” They sound great when played with other dulcimer players or
with hi res mp3 files provided by Joe to workshop participants.
Skaters’ Waltz”
Duet (Advanced)
– Participants will play a version of one of the world’s most famous
waltzes, bringing back fun memories of old movies and ice-skating rinks. The
workshop includes learning a harmony part that can be played with a friend and
an accompaniment track you can use if your friends are afraid of the ice!
Slow Celtic Tunes
– Vol. 1
(Novice and up) Some beautiful, easy paced tunes like “Annie Laurie,” “All
Through the Night,” “Bonnie Doon,” and others from the Celtic Tradition.
Slow Celtic Tunes
– Vol. 2
(Novice and up) Some beautiful, easy paced tunes like “Be Thou My Vision,” “The
Blue Bells of Scotland,” “Danny Boy,” and others from the Celtic Tradition.
Slow Celtic Tunes
– Vol. 3
(Novice and up) Some beautiful, easy paced tunes like “Loch Lomond,” “Star of
the County Down,” “From Erin’s Shores,” and others from the Celtic Tradition.
Slow Celtic Tunes
– Vol. 4
(Advanced Novice & up) All Celtic tunes are not “fast and furious.” This is
a repertoire workshop that proves the point with songs like “Mo Ghile Mear,”
“My Wild Irish Rose,” “The House Carpenter,” and others. These tunes are nice
additions for anybody’s Celtic repertoire.
Spooky Tunes: A
Halloween Repertoire. Build up your collection of dulcimer songs for
Halloween. Includes some serious and light-hearted tunes to help you get the
most out of the holiday.
Sweet & Gentle
Songs for the Mountain Dulcimer – Volume 1. (Beginner & above) While we
appreciate fast & furious tunes, sometimes it is good to relax and play
sweet, gentle songs on the mountain dulcimer. Let's face it; some songs are
just prettier. This is a repertoire workshop of pretty tunes that are not hard
to play but really make the soft melodious sound of the dulcimer shine.
Includes “Brahms’ Lullaby,” “Midnight on the Water,” and others.
Sweet & Gentle
Songs for the Mountain Dulcimer – Volume 2. While we appreciate fast &
furious tunes, sometimes it is good to relax and play sweet, gentle songs on
the mountain dulcimer. Let's face it; some songs are just prettier. This is a
repertoire workshop of pretty tunes that are not hard to play, including “Banks
of the Catawba,” “Last Rose of Summer,” “Shenandoah,” and others.
Sweet and Gentle
Tunes -Vol. 3
– Beautiful, slow-paced tunes for your repertoire, including “Bring Me Lil’
Water, Sylvie,” “The Shepherd’s Wife,” “Mary Hamilton,” and others.
Sweet & Gentle
Songs for the Mountain Dulcimer – Vol. 4 - A Celtic Journey (beginner &
up). While we appreciate fast & furious tunes, sometimes it's good to relax
and play sweet, gentle songs on the mountain dulcimer. This is a repertoire
workshop of pretty tunes that are not that hard to play but really make the
soft melodious sound of the dulcimer shine. Includes “Irish Lullaby,” Green
Grow the Rashes,” “The Silkie,” and others.
Sweet & Gentle
Songs for the Mountain Dulcimer – Vol. 5 - Going Home (beginner & up).
While we appreciate fast & furious tunes, sometimes it's good to relax and
play sweet, gentle songs on the mountain dulcimer. This is a repertoire
workshop of pretty tunes about longing for home like "My Old Kentucky
Home," "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny," and others. They are not
that hard to play, but really make the soft melodious sound of the dulcimer
shine.
Traditional
American Folk Hymns
- This is a repertoire workshop of hymns that have been set to traditional
American tunes, including "On Jordan's Stormy Banks," "How Firm
a Foundation," "What Wondrous Love Is This," and others.
Traditional
Children’s Tunes (Novice
& up) a repertoire workshop of song most children used to sing regularly in
our culture. Songs like “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean,” “Billy Boy,” “Itsy
Bitsy Spider,” and other will make you a hit with little ones.
Upbeat Celtic
Tunes (Int-Adv)
Those upbeat, Celtic tunes that make you want to dance are within your reach!
We’ll be learning “Bill Malley’s Barn Dance,” “The Bald-headed End of a Broom,”
and others
Waltzing in My
Cowboy Boots (Advanced)
Expand your repertoire of waltzes popular in, or at least well suited for,
Cowboy country! Includes an original tune by Joe named, "Aldia's
Waltz," and two well-known waltzes, "Oklahoma Waltz," and
"The Cowboy Waltz."
What Goes a
Round (Advanced
beginner and above) This is a workshop of rounds, those wonderful little tunes
that two or more people can enter at different times to create a cacophony of
harmony and countermelody. We'll learn serveral rounds that are worthy of
playing together out in public
When Irish Eyes
Are Weeping (Intermediate
& above) For centuries, tragedy was a way of life for the Irish. Some would
argue it may still be. This is a Celtic repertoire workshop of sad, sad songs
from the emerald isle. Learn to play Irish songs that will make people cry in
their Guinness! (Instructor: Collins).
Wild, Wild West on
the Mountain Dulcimer (Upper Novice-Intermediate) – Get your spurs
and let’s play some songs of the Western frontier arranged for the mountain
dulcimer, including “Jesse James,” “The Dying Cowboy,” and others.
William Tell
Overture
(advanced) – This workshop breaks down how Joe plays the “William Tell
Overture” on the three strings of a standard dulcimer. We will work with
inverted chords, controlled picking and strumming, bending strings, etc. –
whatever it takes to beat out the tune!
Wintry Mix, A – Volume
1: Songs about Winter (Intermediate) Participants will learn to play classic
winter tunes often associated with holiday, but not necessarily about Christmas
(“Jingle Bells,” “Over the River and Through the Woods”). There will also be a
couple of less familiar tunes. This workshop is a great opportunity to add
tunes to your repertoire that can still be timely after the holidays are over.
Of course, you can play them for the holidays, too.
Wintry Mix, A - Volume
2: Songs about Winter (Intermediate) Participants will learn to play some
winter tunes not associated with holiday, including an original tune by Joe for
Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," a
light-hearted song about winter being the season for love, and others. This
workshop is a great opportunity to add tunes to your repertoire that can still
be timely long after the holidays are over.
Wonderful Welsh
Hymns (Int)
Some of the prettiest songs in the hymnal come from the little country of
Wales. We'll be playing some familiar tunes you probably weren't aware were
Welsh, like "Ash Grove" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great
Jehovah" as well as a couple you may not know.
(Return to Workshop Type Menu)
Workshops on Arranging
Arranging for the Serious Dulcimer Player (Advanced) Want to get a tune ready as a great solo
piece? Discover how to breathe life into even mundane tunes by experimenting
with multiple variations. This workshop walks you through several possibilities
for creating a more sophisticated arrangement.
Designing
a Medley for the Mountain Dulcimer (Adjustable for Novice
& up) – This workshop looks at the basics of creating a musical arrangement
from various melodies or parts of a melody. It covers choosing the right
melodies for a medley and transitioning between melodies when they differ in
timing, tempo, or key (especially from major to minor keys.
Making
Arrangements (Novice and up) – This workshop takes a simple
tune and progressively takes students through several different ways to play
that tune – in different octaves and keys, all in the same tuning. It
also shares some basic ways to make transitions between keys. The purpose
is to help students learn skills that will enable them to make their own
arrangements of tunes they love to play.
Making
Arrangements for Beginners (Beginners). This is a slower paced
version of the workshop described above. It doesn’t go into key changes.
Making
Arrangements for Christmas (Novice and up) – a follow up workshop on the
“Making Arrangements” workshop. Focuses on a few traditional Christmas
tunes that I arranged on previous recordings.
(Return to Workshop Type Menu)
Dulcimer Theory / Creating Tablature
All about Changing Keys on a Mtn Dulcimer (novice and up) – What if
your church organist asked you to play dulcimer to a tune that is written in
B-flat? With the knowledge from this workshop, you’ll see how to play your
dulcimer in just about any key with a standard dulcimer using a capo and tune
common tunings.
Creating
Your Own Tablature The basics in how to take regular sheet music and turn it into dulcimer tablature. This is NOT a workshop
on how to use Tabledit or other computer
program to make printable tab. Rather, it deals
with how to write good tab regardless of what program one uses for the final product.
We will cover constructing the melody line, transposing from one key to another, and making chord choices. The workshop
trains participants in how to use several
tools for their own adventures
in “tabbing.” (2 ½ hours
minimum recommended for this workshop)
Crossing
Your Tab (Intermediate and up) - Once you get the hang
of cross-picking, some of those very difficult pieces that are all over the
fretboard can become relatively simple by using a cross-picked version.
This workshop will focus on taking any piece of tab and transposing it into a
very playable cross-picked arrangement. A working knowledge of primary
chords on the dulcimer in DAd is necessary to navigate this workshop well. (2
hours recommended)
Designing a
Medley for the Mountain Dulcimer (Intermediate & up) – This
workshop looks at the basics of creating a musical arrangement from various
melodies or parts of a melody. It covers choosing the right melodies for
a medley and transitioning between melodies when they differ in timing, tempo,
or key (especially from major to minor keys).
Writing Tab for Multiple
Octaves. –
2 hr (Not level specific) See how easy it is to rewrite tabs to be an octave
higher or an octave lower, adjusting chords accordingly. This skill is one of
many for writing good, playable tablature, but it is an important one for
developing flexibility in your tab writing. It provides options for finding the
best approach for a particular song or set of players. It also opens new
possibilities for advanced arrangements.
(Return to Workshop Type Menu)
Miscellaneous Workshops
Baritone Dulcimer – the Next Step. So you’ve taken the
workshops that introduce the baritone dulcimer but want to go further You want
to unlock the great potential of this fine addition to the dulcimer family.
This intermediate level workshop will focus on getting more out of the
instrument. We’ll discuss song choice, different “voices” of the instrument,
how to use them, and how to adjust technique when switching from standard to
baritone. Lastly, you will learn to play your baritone with standard dulcimers,
and you will receive TAB that will include both baritone and standard parts.
We’ll use several tabs written for baritone to illustrate and practice the
topics above. (2-hour workshop)
Baritone Incorporated. The focus will be on incorporating
the baritone dulcimer into arrangements with standard dulcimers. This intermediate
level workshop is for baritone enthusiasts who want to develop tab for the
baritone as a solo instrument and as part of an ensemble. We’ll cover how to
transpose DAd tab into baritone tunings that will allow you and others to play
alongside standard dulcimers. We’ll also write a part that can be played on a
baritone to harmonize with a typical DAd tune (basics of writing harmony that
can be applied to any instrument, but the focus will be on the baritone
dulcimer). (2½ hour workshop)
Strings
on a Shoestring Budget
(geared toward music educators in schools) Thought
strings were out of reach for your school? Here are suggestions
for
building interest in and starting a dulcimer program, even if
constrained by a
tight budget. Need the capability to do PowerPoint or use an
overhead
projector.
Teaching
Rank Beginners.
A workshop for those who want to begin effectively teaching beginners
how to
play.
The Mountain Dulcimer: An American Roots Instrument.
No
playing in this workshop. This is a historical look at the
instrument's shrouded
beginnings, near demise, and revival in American folk culture.
Need the
capability to do PowerPoint or use an overhead projector.
Tuning
and Caring for Your Dulcimer
(Beginner & up) A crash course on things you need to
know to keep your instrument in good playing condition. Topics
will
include changing strings, caring for the finish, storing your dulcimer
properly, tuning the dulcimer with and without technological assistance
- i.e.
an electronic tuner.
(Return to Workshop Type Menu)