This class is an opportunity for experienced players to learn interesting tunes, improve playing techniques, boost personal creativity, and add interest to dulcimer playing. We will cover ornamentation, harmonies, unusual tunes, improvisational tricks, composing melodies, and some multi-part ensemble music to add fun and spice to the week.

Two main goals will be to improve our solo playing for increased personal enjoyment and to improve our group playing to fit better into ensembles and jam sessions. You will have a chance to learn some amusing traditional and original tunes. Along the way we will cover interesting aspects of rhythm, harmony, chords, scales, and chromatics and how to use them to play unusual pieces or make arrangements interesting. And we will spend some time with musical creativity and elements of improvisation. Whenever possible, we will learn example tunes that make use of targeted techniques or skills. Tunes will be taught by ear as well as from standard notation. Music reading is very helpful but not a requirement. I will have written music available for most of the tunes we learn.