Stephen's Mailing List
Sign up and receive a number of thank you gifts including a 10-page sample from my new Join the Jam II, ensemble parts for Columbus Stockade Blues, sample tab from my gospel book, as well as 4 full-length MP3s.
Mountain Dulcimer Folk Webcast Archive
These shows are free for your listening pleasure. They're like radio shows where I play music and interview folks from the mountain dulcimer community. You can listen to them on my Webcast page or you can download them to your computer.
|
|
Untitled document
 Looking forward to this trip! Contact the following folks for more information:
Thursday, May 17 - Waterford, PA - Barb Nagle,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Friday, May 18 - Franklin, PA - George Merritt,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Saturday, May 19 - Perkasie, PA - http://www.perkmenno.org/coffeehouse/ - (CLICK HERE for flyer.)
Sunday, May 20 - Cincinnati, OH - Lori Kirk,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
|
|
Mountain Dulcimer A to Z with Stephen Seifert in Evart, Michigan
July 16-18, 2012 - Evart, Michigan
(Limited seating. Pre-register to be sure you have a place.)
A comprehensive guided tour of mountain dulcimer playing philosophy, technique, and music for ALL LEVELS. I want to give you the big picture. No matter what you're new to or already good at, my method of playing and learning to play can help you be a better musician. This hands-on, pick-moving approach will include plenty of tunes and playing exercises designed to challenge and encourage. There ARE wrong ways to play the dulcimer. Let me help you find what's right for you.
I want to do more than teach you how to reproduce what I or someone else has already created. I want to show you how to thrill both you and your listener with an approach to playing music that's all about passionate creation and not just about reciting the same thing over and over. I want to give you the truth about how your favorite musicians do what they do. These concepts work regardless of how experienced you are or how simple or complex your music is. My goal is to surprise you with what you're really capable of.
Some of what we'll cover:
Strumming
Flatpicking
Crosspicking
Left-hand fingering
Chords
Chord/melody
Arranging
Making up riffs, intros, and endings
Reading tablature, sheet music, and hands
Ear skills
Group playing
American and Irish fiddle tunes
Hymns
Old-Time Songs
Bluegrass
Blues
|
|
 There's a lot of of great musicians who learn to play by reading hands like some folks read tablature or sheet music. The skills gained by learning and playing this way are envied and I believe falsely attributed to natural born talent. I very much wish all my students would spend time learning how to learn this way in addition to learning by other methods including by ear and instructional books. I've writing about this in the new Dulcimer Players News and I've prepared a free 30-minute video lesson (http://stephenseifert.com/watchthehands) to show everyone who's interested exactly what I'm talking about.
|
 Because of the generosity of a good number of dulcimer players, we are moving forward with the creation of the world's second concerto for mountain dulcimer and orchestra! Conni Ellisor (http://www.ellisormusic.com/) is working on the piece now. I told her I would like to find out how far she can push me and this instrument. Not only am I looking forward to improving my skills, but I'm also excited to show the world what the dulcimer is capable of.
I want to send out a big, huge THANK YOU to all who believed in this project enough to support it financially. It's so cool that this is 100% fan supported! I'll premier the piece with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra during the 2011-12 concert season. I'll share more as things develop. |
|
 Now that you've had some time to live with this tune (see previous article), I'm giving you my transcription of it. It's not EXACTLY what Mr. Carson is playing but it's really close. To find the barebones version, ignore the second half of every eighth-note pair.
(Key of A or G? The audio file I downloaded was between the two but a hair closer to A, so I tuned up the recording and arranged for mountain dulcimer tuned...
|
|
 Decide right now to get a little better at learning by ear. Here's a 1924 recording of Fiddlin' John Carson playing Tukey in the Straw I got over at Honking Duck.
Ever ask your grandma how to cook something? My Great Grandma Surber wouldn't let you write anything down. When I asked questions, she would usually just say, "Pay attention...
|
|
|
|
Two Newest Books
Untitled document
|
