Stephen Seifert: I Remember What It Was Like to Be a Beginner
(Friday, Session 5, Level 1 - Absolute Beginner, Mountain Dulcimer) 18MD110

This class is for absolute beginners who want a calm, encouraging start on the mountain dulcimer. We’ll focus on the basics that really matter early on: holding the instrument, simple left-hand movement, right-hand technique, and making clean, musical sounds right away. I’ll share common beginner challenges, what actually helps, and what doesn’t need to be worried about yet. This is a supportive hour designed to help you start well and feel confident moving forward.

You’ll receive the full video recording of this workshop, with ongoing access so you can revisit it anytime.

One-Hour Lesson Plan

0:00–0:05 — Position the instrument for accessibility and comfort. Hold the pick for accurate, varied strumming.

0:05–0:15 — A strum method that works for just about everything. Three ways to use the fingers of the left hand, and when to use each approach, with plenty of examples.

0:15–0:45 — Guided practice using three main ways to learn a tune: watching hands, reading music (tablature), and learning by ear. Everyone is better at one of these, but everyone needs all three. We’ll work on one tune from each angle.

0:45–0:59 — A second simple but useful short tune, along with practice tips to use after the class.

Available Seats: 14

Register for this class over at Virtual Dulcimer Fest: https://www.virtualdulcimerfest.com/mountain-dulcimers/p/18md110

Stephen Seifert: Great Tunes & Techniques for Four-String Equidistant Dulcimer
(Friday, Session 2, Level 4 - Upper-Intermediate, Mountain Dulcimer) 18MD430

This upper-intermediate workshop is for four-string equidistant mountain dulcimer players who want to deepen their technique and understanding. We’ll explore practical fingering approaches, how the string layout shapes musical choices, and ways to adapt common three-string chord shapes to four strings. We’ll work with one uptempo strummed tune and one slower fingerpicked song.

You’ll receive the full video recording of this workshop, with ongoing access so you can revisit it anytime.

One-Hour Lesson Plan

0:00–0:05 — Two approaches to strumming uptempo (medium and fast) tunes with a pick, with examples.

0:05–0:15 — Examples of three-string chord shapes and how to adapt them for four-string playing.

0:15–0:25 — Fingerpicking techniques for the right hand, plus finger approaches for the left hand, with short, focused examples.

0:25–0:59 — Explore a couple of my favorite arrangements.

Available Seats: 4

Register for this class over at Virtual Dulcimer Fest: https://www.virtualdulcimerfest.com/mountain-dulcimers/p/18md430

Stephen Seifert: Learn to Play the Ukulele for Dulcimer Folks
(Friday, Session 6, Level 2 - Novice, Ukulele) 18UK204

This one-hour class is for novice and intermediate dulcimer players who want to enjoy playing the ukulele. We’ll focus on strumming, basic chords, and getting music out quickly, with a super-light introduction to movable chord shapes and simple melody playing. Registration includes a bonus post-festival online ukulele jam, Q&A, and review session. Not a dulcimer player? You’re welcome, too.

You’ll receive the full video recording of this workshop, with ongoing access so you can revisit it anytime.

One-Hour Lesson Plan

0:00–0:05 — How to hold the ukulele. Learn a strum that’s slightly different each time and doesn’t require reading or memorizing.

0:05–0:20 — A review of the basic chords, ordered from easiest to more challenging.

0:20–0:40 — The most useful movable shapes for learning the next set of major and minor chords.

0:40–0:59 — Playing melodies without—and then with—simple chording, using a couple of doable examples.

Available Seats: 3

Register for this class over at Virtual Dulcimer Fest: https://www.virtualdulcimerfest.com/mountain-dulcimers/p/18uk204

Stephen Seifert: Play Backup Using Every Kind of Bass Dulcimer
(Saturday, Session 1, Level 3 - Intermediate, Mountain Dulcimer) 18MD340

This intermediate-level class explores practical backup techniques for a variety of bass dulcimers, including octave-lower, two-octaves-lower, and even standard dulcimers used in a bass role. We’ll look at common setups and ways to support melody players with solid rhythm, clean and simple bass lines, and good musical choices. The focus is on listening, groove, and knowing when to play less, helping you become a reliable and musical backup player.

You’ll receive the full video recording of this workshop, with ongoing access so you can revisit it anytime.

One-Hour Lesson Plan

0:00–0:10 — The least you need to know about how music works to find the most important bass notes for backing up the most common chords.

0:10–0:15 — How to keep unneeded strings quiet, and how to make the notes you do want to hear clear, clean, and accurate.

0:15–0:40 — We’ll spend time on several important chords in context and explore different ways to support each one.

0:40–0:59 — Guided practice using two to three tunes that represent the main styles we need to cover.

Available Seats: 5

Register for this class over at Virtual Dulcimer Fest: https://www.virtualdulcimerfest.com/mountain-dulcimers/p/18md340

Stephen Seifert: Doable Jam Tunes You Can Play Well with Variety
(Saturday, Session 6, Level 2 - Novice, Mountain Dulcimer) 18MD225

This workshop is for novice dulcimer players who want to feel more comfortable at jams and group play-along sessions. We’ll work on common, approachable jam tunes and focus on accuracy, steady rhythm, and simple ways to add variety without making things complicated. The goal is to help these tunes feel familiar and playable so you can join in with more confidence and less guesswork.

You’ll receive the full video recording of this workshop, with ongoing access so you can revisit it anytime.

One-Hour Lesson Plan

0:00–0:05 — Make sure you’ve got an accurate, varied, and interesting strum. This method doesn’t require reading or memorizing, and it works for most of the tunes we play.

0:05–0:20 — The least you need to know to play many of the most common tunes. I’ll show you how I reduce everything to an easier-to-remember version that still fits comfortably with more advanced players.

0:20–0:59 — Guided practice using three to four tunes with this approach.

Available Seats: 0 [SOLD OUT]

Register for this class over at Virtual Dulcimer Fest: https://www.virtualdulcimerfest.com/mountain-dulcimers/p/18md225

Stephen Seifert: Irish Slow and Medium Tempo Songs with a Pick
(Friday, Session 1, Level 3 - Intermediate, Mountain Dulcimer) 18MD341

This intermediate workshop focuses on strumming and picking Irish-style songs on the mountain dulcimer. In Irish music, songs are lyric-based pieces at medium or slower tempos, distinct from dance tunes like reels or jigs. We’ll work on right-hand technique, basic ornaments, and expressive approaches that suit this repertoire, along with practical ways to play the same song a little differently each time. You’ll gain clearer ideas about tone, flow, and musical feel.

You’ll receive the full video recording of this workshop, with ongoing access so you can revisit it anytime.

One-Hour Lesson Plan

0:00–0:05 — Brief but useful strum examples for slow reels, hornpipes, and jigs. We’ll focus on slow and medium tempos, while introducing approaches you’ll use later at faster speeds.

0:05–0:15 — Short examples and tips for playing slow songs (airs), using both a pick and fingerpicking.

0:15–0:30 — Song #1, played without and then with basic ornaments.

0:30–0:45 — Song #2, including a simple bend.

0:45–0:59 — Playing a little differently each time. We’ll cover a third melody if time allows.

Available Seats: 0 [SOLD OUT]

Register for this class over at Virtual Dulcimer Fest: https://www.virtualdulcimerfest.com/mountain-dulcimers/p/18md341

Stephen Seifert: Thinking in Layers: Chords, Arpeggios, and Scales
(Saturday, Session 4, Level 5 - Advanced, Mountain Dulcimer) 18MD510

This two-hour advanced workshop is for players who want a more flexible way to navigate the fingerboard. We’ll explore musical layers, starting with chord shapes and building outward to arpeggios, pentatonic scales, and full seven-note scales that sit right on top of those shapes. This approach supports improvising, creating your own arrangements, and reshaping existing ones, helping you see the fingerboard as a connected musical system.

You’ll receive the full video recording of this workshop, with ongoing access so you can revisit it anytime.

Two-Hour Lesson Plan

0:00–0:40 — Survey and review of the three main chord shapes: how to find them on the fingerboard, flip them, and finger them comfortably.

0:40–1:10 — Turning the three main shapes into arpeggios for warm-ups, arranging, and improvisation.

1:10–1:15 — Quick break.

1:15–1:40 — Learn the scales that sit directly on top of the chord shapes and arpeggios.

1:40–end — The final layer: major and minor pentatonic scales.

Available Seats: 0 [SOLD OUT]

Register for this class over at Virtual Dulcimer Fest: https://www.virtualdulcimerfest.com/mountain-dulcimers/p/18md510