Mel Bay's Dulcimer Sessions

Welcome to the February 2010 Issue of Dulcimer Sessions®!

The history and playing rudiments of mountain dulcimers and hammered dulcimers can be found in our 2003 issues (click on 'Back Issues'). From there you will find a continuing array of colorful articles with free music arrangements (many with sound files) and interesting photos – all courtesy of Mel Bay Publications.

The Mel Bay family of dulcimer books contains outstanding resources for a wide variety of music styles. You'll see what I mean when you visit www.melbayxpress.com then click on "Dulcimer" in the left margin. Click on "Hammered Dulcimer" or "Mountain Dulcimer" or check out the "All" line for a delightful browse.

This issue of DulcimerSessions.com contains the following articles:

The Bowed Dulcimer – Moving Along, by Kenneth Bloom. Mountain dulcimers have been played with bows for about 200 years in the U.S. and before that in the instrument's European diatonic zither history. Kenneth Bloom has developed new dulcimers especially for bowing, along with playing techniques. This article is a technique follow-up to his earlier introductory article on the bowed dulcimer, and features a sound file and music for the Scottish piece "Neil Gow's Lament for His Second Wife."
An Introduction to Crooked Tunes by Butch Ross. In playing old-time tunes and some other music styles, we often find pieces intentionally played with extra beats or measures outside the 16 or 32 measure form of most dance tunes. This article by mountain dulcimer and guitar player Butch Ross helps make crooked tunes user-friendly and presents a mountain dulcimer arrangement and sound files of the crooked tune "Old Billy Hell."

Note to Hammered Dulcimer Players: The music in the above articles has notation you can use.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here are two traditional Irish jigs from Mel Bay books:

"Castlebar" for Hammered Dulcimer, by Maggie Sansone. This easy but lively piece is from Maggie’s new Mel Bay book, Celtic Fair, and includes a sound file.
"The Connaughtman’s Rambles" for Mountain Dulcimer, by Mark Nelson, from Mel Bay's Complete Book of Celtic Music for the Appalachian Dulcimer.

More free DulcimerSessions.com Irish music:
Mountain Dulcimer articles w/notation and tablature:

“Bonny Light Horseman” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/dec04/mountain.html
“Christmas Eve” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/dec05/capos.html
“George Brabazon” http://www.Dulcimersessions.com/feb09/jones.html
“Loch Ryan's Dark Waters “ http://www.dulcimersessions.com/jun05/ronewing.html
“Sheebeg Sheemore” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/apr06/ocarolan.html

Hammered Dulcimer articles with notation:
"The Blarney Pilgrim" http://www.dulcimersessions.com/feb08/hawley.html
“Bridget Cruise” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/oct08/index.html
"Carrickfergus" http://www.dulcimersessions.com/feb08/hawley.html

“Cooley's Reel” http://www.DulcimerSessions.com/jun08/sansone.html

“Gary Owen” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/jun07/Hawley.html

“The Leading of the Star” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/dec06/Lough.html

“Lord Inchiquin” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/dec04/hammered.html
“The Merry Blacksmith” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/oct09/hawley.html
“O'Carolan's Draught” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/apr08/page.html

“Sergeant Early's Reel” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/feb07/Sansone.html

“Sí Bheg Sí Mhor” http://www.dulcimersessions.com/apr09/troxler.html

“Temperance Reel” (called ‘The Teetotalers’ in the Irish tradition) http://www.dulcimersessions.com/jun09/hawley.html

Don't forget to visit our 38 Back Issues of DulcimerSessions.com.

I invite dulcimer players to submit articles to me for possible inclusion in future issues of Dulcimer Sessions. We offer a small honorarium for those we use. We also welcome requests for new subjects from visitors to this website.

Enjoy! See you in our April 2010 issue.

Lois Hornbostel, Editor
Dulcimer Sessions
loisdulc@verizon.net
Website: www.LoisHornbostel.com
View Lois Hornbostel's Biography