The mountain dulcimer has a long and interesting history in the southern Appalachian mountains, and it's an instrument that so many of us enjoy playing. The book begins with the basics of tuning, strumming and finding notes on the dulcimer. The songs and tunes include favorites of dulcimer players, such as Boil That Cabbage Down, Old Joe Clark, Waterbound, Amazing Grace, Aura Lee and Are You Sleeping. The tracks in the accompanying online audio include count-ins and are played at easy-to-follow moderate tempos. Audio download available online.

Dirt Simple Mountain Dulcimer

Teaching

Dulcimer Fretboard...................................................................................................................................................................3

Tuning the Dulcimer.................................................................................................................................................................4

Holding the Dulcimer...............................................................................................................................................................6

Dulcimer Picks..........................................................................................................................................................................6

Strumming................................................................................................................................................................................7

Playing Notes on the Dulcimer.................................................................................................................................................7

Changing Strings.....................................................................................................................................................................22

DAD Tuning...........................................................................................................................................................................23

Where to Go From Here.........................................................................................................................................................29

Songs and Tunes

Amazing Grace.......................................................................................................................................................................11

Are You Sleeping? (Instruction)...............................................................................................................................................8

Are You Sleeping? (Tablature)..................................................................................................................................................9

Auld Lang Syne......................................................................................................................................................................13

Aura Lee..................................................................................................................................................................................16

Be Thou My Vision.................................................................................................................................................................20

Boil That Cabbage Down........................................................................................................................................................25

Brahms’ Lullaby......................................................................................................................................................................27

Cockles and Mussels...............................................................................................................................................................14

Down In The Valley (Comparison of DAA and DAD Tunings).............................................................................................24

Long, Long Ago......................................................................................................................................................................18

Mississippi Sawyer.................................................................................................................................................................28

Old Joe Clark..........................................................................................................................................................................26

Red River Valley.....................................................................................................................................................................19

Simple Gifts............................................................................................................................................................................17

Skip To My Lou (Stumming Choices)....................................................................................................................................10

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.....................................................................................................................................................12

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (DAA Tuning)...........................................................................................................................30

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (DAD Tuning)...........................................................................................................................31

Waterbound.............................................................................................................................................................................21