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Coming, for Diatonic Autoharpists: A two-day class, June
18-19, 2007. Click here for details!
The best autoharp teacher in the world. —Mike Fenton, UK, and
Autoharp Hall of Fame member
I
always come away from your workshops inspired to do more than just play the
notes on the dulcimer because you emphasize playing with feeling, and you do put
your whole self into your playing. I really liked your Amazing
Grace workshop last year.... I look forward to what you have up your
sleeve at this year's festival [in Evart, MI].
—Norine Humm, MI
My students who took your dulcimer workshop positively raved over how wonderful
it was for them. It was great seeing how revved up and enthused they were
all week long. —Robin Loeffler, KY
Workshops last anywhere from 2-6 hours on
location for your club or at a festival. (As you can see at right, I will
do anything to help participants grasp a concept—even levitate!)
Additionally, check out the class
offerings to small groups of players who want to
delve into any of the topics below, or something else, for 3-5 days.
(Photo by Nadine White, with a little help from ??!!)
To arrange
for a workshop to be taught where you live or at your favorite festivals, .
Beginning to Play the Hammered Dulcimer (two hours
recommended)—No experience necessary! This
class includes: setting up, hammers, those all-important first strikes, a basic
“geography” lesson, playing simple arpeggios, answering your questions, etc., that will lead to…
Where in the World Are
My Hammers Going?—Hammering out tunes with a strong-hand lead is
essential to finding your way around the dulcimer, healthy/easy playing, and
progressing to the "fun stuff" like creating variations. You'll
learn a tune alongside the concept. Bring a tape recorder
if you need aural assistance.
(Note: The above topics also make ideal all-day workshops.)
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How to Strike Out and Win—You’ve read the book,
but what’s Lucille talking about? See
it, hear it, and try it out now. This
workshop will cover playing with a strong-hand lead, striking the strings so the
sound resounds, a resonant hammer hold and more. Be prepared to amaze your ear, yourself, and your friends!
Joyous Jigs—Master the two basic jig rhythms and
play the most famous jig of all! Handout
supplied.
A Tune in an Afternune (or morning; if you
prefer)—Add a new tune to your play list while picking up some great
time-saving shortcuts! Bring a tape recorder
if you need aural assistance.
Chording by Ear—Play a I-IV-V chord progression to
some simple songs, doing it all by ear.
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Chordless Jamming—Don’t know the tune?
Why play chords when a tune's notes fly by so fast?
Here is an easier way. We’ll
create harmonies, and strong rhythm back-up, for two tunes.
Dance-Tune “Choreography”—Where to strike what
with which hand in a way that opens you up to variations, self-chorded tunes,
etc. We’ll choreograph 1-2
reels. Handouts supplied. Bring your dulcimer, a pencil and an eraser.
Love Your Dulcimer, Love Its Sustain—Ever
feel like that long, ethereal sustain “gets in the way” of what you’re
playing? It doesn’t have to!
Approach sustain with new ears (and arms) as a vital part of the hammered dulcimer,
as we sing and play “Amazing Grace” in D major.
Bring your tape recorder. Handout
supplied. Note: This workshop
needs at least 18 participants; the more the merrier! Click
here to read more about this workshop.
Happy Endings—Ruffles and flourishes to dress up
most tunes. Handout supplied.
Waltzes—It’s hard to believe that waltzes are
more challenging to play musically than reels, but they are.
Their secrets will be divulged here.
Brain Teasers for Hammered
Dulcimer—Try your hand at how well you know your dulcimer with this
selection of short musical phrases/dulcimer patterns, all inspired by tunes.
Can you avoid the pitfalls?!
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Prerequisite: Participants must be
solidly experienced playing tunes with a strong-hand lead (see Striking
Out and Winning! for how-to). For
some workshops, other pre-requisites may apply; these are listed with the
workshop.
Accents—The easy way to dress up reels and
raise your fellow jammers’ eyebrows. French-Canadian
music is a specialty. Handout supplied. Pre-requisite:
A tune chosen by the instructor, to be prepared before the class meets.
The Anatomy of a Fiddle Tune—Do you hear each note of a fiddle
tune one note at a time as you play it? Find
out how to render it in three or more “voice parts.”
(The instructor has been accused of sounding like 40 hammered dulcimers
at once!) There is a tune to prepare
for this class; early registration advised.
Filling In Tunes—Give new life to playing
songs on the dulcimer. Handout
supplied. Pre-requisite:
Two-stroke rolls (see Striking
Out and Winning! for how to).
Intro to Variations—To create variations off
the cuff, you need to have three techniques in place that will release you from
thinking too hard! All
will be divulged here, plus a fail-proof way to produce a variation to a
familiar song.
Variations II—a hands-on continuation of the
previous class, using tunes of your choosing.
Rolled chords—The central element behind arranging
hymn tunes, classical music, and other “self-chorded” melodies, and how to
play it beautifully.
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Healthy Hammering Clinic—Repetitive stress injury (RSI)
in dulcimer players is (unfortunately) real.
Don’t let RSI happen to you. Lucille has been playing
since 1978, clocking in at 339.5 notes/min., for hours at a time with nary a problem.
Play it safe (and improve your sound—really!).
When Hammering Hurts—(It's
not supposed to.) Why pain happens, and how to avoid it.
For HD players who suffer from CTS, RSI, tingling in the hands, and/or
pain in wrists, shoulders, neck, and for those players who feel fine
but want to avoid injury in the future.
Introduction to Body Mapping for the Hammered Dulcimer
Player—Most playing difficulties come from how we perceive how our
bodies work when we play, or by how we believe they're supposed to work.
This workshop will focus on demystifying the myths through understand anatomy
and physiology (in layman's terms), giving way to free,
resonant playing. Note: This will eventually become a six-hour workshop.
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How to Chord by Ear: You can jam anywhere once you
know how to listen to the tune for its harmony.
We’ll sing some songs and goof along the way for some good laughs.
Autoharp: chromatic and diatonic Level:
Everyone Key: G/D major
Touch for
Harmony: A tactile, automatic
way to play in any key effortlessly.
Autoharp: chromatic and diatonic Level:
Beginner and up Key:
G/D major, other keys as available to all
The Autoharp
with the Voice Onstage:
For all who sing with their autoharps. Performances
by participants will frame discussion on phrasing, key choice, diction,
instrumental interludes, etc.
Autoharp: chromatic and diatonic Level:
None Key: As
desired
Ready, Aim, Pinch! Improve your accuracy with
a few handy tips, exercises and a tune.
Autoharp: chromatic and diatonic Level: Beginner and
up Key: G/D major
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Jamming Out of Key(??): That’s out of key,
not out of tune. You play a
GD diatonic autoharp, but the jamming key has changed to C, or F—or Bb.
Don’t leave the jam! You still
have loads of options by which to play along.
Autoharps: diatonic and chromatic Level: Advanced beginner
and up
Keys: Diatonic: G/D; Chromatic: any keys BUT G/D!
Free Your Fingers: Gain finger independence through
several simple exercises and a tune. Bring
three fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Key: G major Autoharp: chromatic and
diatonic Levels: Advanced beginner and up
Rapid-Fire Fingering: To play really fast, your
fingers need to be organized. Increase
your speed and play a tune to show off your new-found skill!
Bring three fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Autoharp: chromatic and diatonic Key: F major preferred,
but will go to G to include diatonic autoharp. Levels: Advanced
beginner and up
Introduction to Arranging: The group will find a few
different ways to render the featured tune (which I will choose beforehand) and then create an arrangement from
the options collected. How will the
final rendition turn out? Who
knows? (Note: The featured tune
CANNOT be taught, because arranging depends on already knowing the tune.)
Autoharp: chromatic and diatonic Key: G
major Levels: for anyone who already knows how to play the
specified tune.
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How to Choose Solid Melody Chords: Looking beyond
the obvious chords can significantly spruce up how a tune sounds.
We’ll play a tune, acknowledge the expected chords, then dig into
options that will make the tune sound different and yet the same.
Bring three fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Autoharp: chromatic Key: G major
Levels: Advanced
Introduction to Melodizing: If you can chord by ear,
you can melodize by ear. We’ll
decipher the chords, then play 2-3 tunes.
Autoharp: chromatic Key: G/D major Level:
For everyone who can play back-up chords by ear
Strrrummm!: Strumming styles with songs for the
beginner.
Autoharp: chromatic Level: Beginner Key:
F major
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Tune
Resuscitation: Looking beyond
the obvious chords can significantly spruce up a two-chord tune.
We’ll play the tune with the expected chords, then dig into options to
give it new energy. Bring three fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Autoharp: diatonic
Key: G major Levels:
Advanced
How to “Pump Felt”: The right hand runs,
the left hand jumps, together they dance, and the autoharp resonates like crazy.
Especially designed for diatonic owners who have yet to venture into this
technique. Bring three
fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Autoharp: diatonic Key: G major
Levels: Beginning (note: some chromatic experience helpful)
How to Choose Solid Melody Chords: All about placing
chords so the harmony meets the ear’s expectations.
Bring three fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Autoharp: diatonic Key: G major
Levels: Intermediate and up
Musical Fingering: Fingering has a bearing on
phrasing. Play a tune and pick up
some essential fingering tips Bring
three fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Handout supplied.
Autoharp: diatonic Levels: Advanced beginner and
up Key: D
Crave the Wave: Efficient fingering for a reel
you’ll be taught in this class. Bring
three fingerpicks (absolutely necessary) and one thumb pick. Handout supplied. (By
the way, the instructor loves cranberry juice.)
Autoharp: diatonic Levels: Intermediate and
Up Key: G
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Suspended Chords: Suspended chords create harmonic
tension, and the need to release it. With
a simple tune as a backdrop, we’ll explore suspended chords, when to play
them, and three ways to use them. Handout
supplied. (Note: Owners of
autoharps without suspended chords are welcome to listen in and be inspired to
install them.)
Autoharp: diatonic Level: Intermediate and
up Key: G major
That Blooming V7 Chord: V7 is wonderfully resonant,
but it loses impact when it’s played all the time.
Find out how to get more out of V7 by playing it less.
Bring three fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Autoharp: diatonic Level: Advanced beginner and
up Key: G or D major
What's down in the Basement? Most autoharpists
play in the “attic,” focusing mostly on the melody.
Discover what all those strings in “the basement” can do, via a
simple tune. Bring three
fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Autoharp: diatonic Level: Advanced beginner and
up Key: G major
Jigs: Jigs feel great to play, once each hand learns
its own special dance. For the
mystified diatonicist already familiar with “pumping felt.”
Bring three fingerpicks and one thumb pick.
Autoharp: diatonic Level: Advanced beginner and
up Key: G major
Zinging Around: How long strums and glissandi can
add to your playing. Bring three
fingerpicks and one thumb pick. Handout
supplied.
Autoharp: diatonic Level: Advanced beginner and
up Key: G major
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For all levels
Introduction to Body Mapping for
Autoharpists—Most
playing difficulties come from how we perceive how our bodies work when we play,
or by how we believe they're supposed to work. This workshop will focusing
on untying the restrictions, giving way to free, resonant playing.
Arranging from the Gut: What makes a solo autoharp
arrangement sound simply pleasant, absolutely fabulous, truly boring or
downright uncomfortable? We’ll
listen to several non-autoharp recordings and discuss “how they make us
feel.” Go home a renewed player and listener after this workshop.
No playing involved. Bring
something to write with and on.
Autoharp: None Levels: All Keys: None
The PUB experience—Calling players of all
instruments (dulcimer, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, piano, bass, etc.) for
the Pick-Up Band. We’ll
play “Scotland the Brave” in G major and “Golden Slippers” in D major,
in all manner of variation and craziness. Know how to play both before the workshop session begins;
creativity is encouraged! For an
all-day workshop, more tunes will be played.
We'll finish the all-day session with an evening contra dance where the
class is the band.
Demo: Blending the Hammered Dulcimer into the Jam Session—Sit
in on a jam session and experience the many harmonic and melodic faces of all
the instruments, with a special focus on the dulcimer as a contributing,
exciting element. This workshop
needs a string band to supply harmonic and melodic support.
How to Prepare for Contests and
Performing—Competing/performing is more than about clean playing.
This workshop brings to life some of the points mentioned in the
article elsewhere on this web site. I will present the effect of
arranging tunes on the judges'/audience's ears through my own live musical
examples, and present ways to abate performance anxiety. Bring your
questions; handout supplied. Note: This workshop can be geared
specifically toward hammered dulcimer or autoharp, if desired.
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