(To help folks know exactly what each class covers, I updated this page on Tuesday, November 4, to include detailed lesson plans. Scroll all the way down for the newly added demo video.)

Ready to finally play the dulcimer instead of just thinking about it? In this welcoming four-week class we’ll learn a handful of easy, joyful tunes together — both by ear and with my simple bare-bones tablature that helps you see what your ears are hearing. We’ll work on accurate and interesting strumming, clean fretting, and that wonderful “I-can-really-do-this” feeling.

These are online workshops via Zoom. You’ll get a meeting link and handouts by email shortly before the first session.

Notice the Roman numeral “I” in the title? I often offer the same class again—with all-new music. For example, Beginner Mountain Dulcimer - Fun First Tunes II or III. That way, you keep strengthening your core techniques without repeating the same tunes every time.

Bring: DAD-tuned dulcimer · Capo

You’ll Get: Video recordings of each class · Sheet music

What We’ll Do Each Week

Week 1 – Tuesday, Nov 11 — 10–11 a.m. Central Time (USA)/ 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Eastern Time (USA)

• How to hold your instrument.

• Dulcimer anatomy.

• How to get in-tune.

• Holding the pick and strumming.

• Learn “Lynchburg Town.”

• How to begin building your mental model of a tune.

• What exactly is learning by ear?

• How to read SIMPLE dulcimer tablature/sheetmusic.

Week 2 – Tuesday, Nov 18 — 10–11 a.m. Central Time (USA)/ 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Eastern Time (USA)

• Learn “Down the River I Go” by speaking the rhythms, watching my hands, and reading basic tablature.

• Basic backup chords for “Amazing Grace.”

No Class – Tuesday, Nov 25 — Happy Thanksgiving!

Week 3 – Tuesday, Dec 2 — 10–11 a.m. Central Time (USA) / 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Eastern Time (USA)

• Learn six notes on the bass string so you can use one chord shape to play six major chords and six minor chords.

• Learn “Pretty Betty Martin.”

Week 4 – Tuesday, Dec 9 — 10–11 a.m. Central Time (USA) / 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Eastern Time (USA)

• Learn some warm up exercises and a couple scales.

• Learn how to use my simplified jam sheet to play eight extremely common jam tunes.

• What a capo is good for, and how to use it to play these eight tunes in different keys. (Helpful for playing with others, especially singers.)

🌟 Multi-Course Bundle – 20% Off

Choose three or more courses. Perfect if you want to mix dulcimer with Tabledit, whistle, ukulele, or harmonica. You’ll save compared to single registration.

🌟 Important: If you want to take advantage of the 3-Class Bundle, do this exactly:

🌟 1) Visit https://www.stephenseifert.com/holiday-fourweek-course-registration and add at least three classes to your cart.

🌟 2) At checkout, use the coupon code COURSEBUNDLE to save 20%.

🌟 If, for any reason, you don’t get your 20% off, email me at stephen@stephenseifert.com. This usually happens when someone buys courses one at a time over multiple days and later wishes they had went with the bundle. Whatever you need, tell me your email address and full name, and I’ll straighten it out.