Customer Reviews

Mel Bay First Lessons Dulcimer

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great beginner book for the self-taught mountain dulcimer student and/or for a group of beginning mountain dulcimer students. Even for those who have never picked up an instrument or for those who don't read music, the companion CD with Joyce Ochs leads the student in a simple introduction from the elements of music, tuning, tablature, strumming, music note values to many familiar American folk songs. I am presently using this book to teach two students (one 70 yrs. and one 80 yrs.). Both are enjoying the learning process in both individual practice and in group study.

This book is a wonderful introduction to playing the mountain dulcimer in DAD tuning. The beginner does not have to know any music theory, how to read notes, or even how to tune the dulcimer. Everything is explained gently and demonstrated. The CD offers far more than just the tunes, but also demonstrates strumming, counting, and tuning.

Reading TAB (the numbers that correspond to fret positions) is explained for those who don't read music. Each of the tunes includes both the musical notation and the tab. Chords are also given so that a guitar or other instrument can play along.

The sections proceed in a logical order, first with only melody, then adding simple chords, and few more chords, and some embellishments in the later tunes.

The arrangements, especially the later ones, are quite artistic, which means it does not sound like a training tune. In fact, there is a good combination of chording and melody, with single-picked notes to make the tunes interesting enough to sound intermediate level, yet easily played by a beginner. The accompanying CD plays each tune twice. Once at a slower speed for practicing, and the second time with accompaniment by other instruments.

The only thing I found missing was suggested fingerings. But other than that, I don't hesitate at all to recommend this book to beginners. The satisfaction of being able to play Amazing Grace by the time you finish this book is well worth it.

Bought this for my wife, who is teaching herself the dulcimer. She has no musical experience, but the layout and explanation made it easy for her to grasp the basic concepts.

If you are considering taking up the dulcimer, but are uncertain as to whether you want to give it a go are are capable of playing, "Mel Bay's First Lessons: Dulcimer: DAD Tuning" might be the book to purchase. I've known more people who have invested hundreds of dollars in expensive dulcimers and simply set them aside because they've purchased books beyond their comprehension. When people buy books that discuss modal tuning and things like the ionic scale it's a "duh" moment for many. This book is very straightforward and starts from the very basics "by learning the melody and rhythm of several different familiar tunes."

You'll start off by learning what are called the tabs or dulcimer tabulature. You are shown how a piece of music translates to what you see on your dulcimer (the "elements of music). For example, you can see a treble staff and the DAD set up of your strings. You'll learn several different important facets of playing including how to tune your dulcimer, the different strings (bass D, middle string A, melody string D), different kinds of strumming, how to practice notes (quarter, half, whole, eighth), you'll learn about chords (practice, exercise, instruction), and other interesting and critical information that will help the beginning player.

There are also vignettes of many familiar songs such as Home on the Range, Go Tell Aunty Rhody, and Amazing Grace. The selection is easy and one that will let you know that you are on track. Unfamiliar songs often remain unfamiliar if you don't recognize them. The lessons are easy because they are progressive and not overwhelming. This book is perfect for the beginner in that regard. The accompanying CD is a real bonus. If you take your time, don't rush, and practice, you'll feel a big sense of accomplishment once you get to the end of the book. At that point in time you'll feel competent enough to move to other books and attempt things like the ionic scale. Mel Ray is to the dulcimer as the Hal Leonard books are the the organ and piano . . . real confidence builders and perfect for beginners.

The CD tells you step by step what to do from tuning to playing; very thorough in some aspects but it's certainly a book for beginners and you'll be through with it in no time; it's only 32 pages!! She doesn't explain how in the world you're supposed to put your fingers to do a 3-1-1 chord, nor is it listed as a "new; this is what it is" chord like she does the others. It's an inverted G-chord but almost impossible to play and it simply "appears" in one of the songs. I could also do without the songs "with accompaniment" which take up a fair bit of time & space on the disc.

After purchasing about eight or ten books on how to play this simple instrument I was getting discouraged. The books were far too complicated with extensive explanations of "modes" and the academic descriptions of the Greek terms and highly complex explanations. Joyce Ochs presents in the very simple and widely used DAD tuning and uses a practical hands-on method of creating pleasant music first and worrying about music theory last. She typically presents a simple way to play a familiar tune then introduces the harmonic chords that take it from child-like simplicity gradually to something anyone would be proud to play in public. She is an excellent teacher and assumes no prior music knowledge on the part of the reader. The only problem created is once having experienced her method of teaching moving on to others highlights their shortcomings even more!

Two weeks using this book to learn convinced me to purchase a much higher quality dulcimer in a local music store. As I was trying them out, using Joyce's compositions, a small crowd of proficient guitar and other instrument players gathered around and were obviously intrigued and pleased at what I produced. Amazing! Thank you Joyce! That was just the ego boost that will drive me to become proficient at this wonderful instrument.

I have about 20 books that I have purchased to learn to play the dulcimer and this one is by far the easiest, most logical, most instructive and most fun and surely the one that has facilitated my being able to play the most quickly...I love the two different versions of the very familiar tunes - the second adding additional chords and notes to embellish the music...even though I am just a beginner playing these songs as instructed makes me sound like a pro...

I have purchased several books for teaching beginners how to play the dulcimer and this book is, by far, my favorite. The songs are written in DAD mode, which is the one most commonly used by dulcimer players of today. It includes well known and simple songs so that the beginning player can follow the melody easily. It is organized simply. My students who are using it like it very much too. It was an AHA moment when I stumbled on the book and I highly recommend it!