Dusty Strings Hammered Dulcimer Руководство пользователя - Страница 17
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You may initially have a problem focusing your eyes on the strings as you
play. Practice eases this fairly quickly. Tilting the top of the instrument toward you can
improve your perspective somewhat, the angle being purely a matter of preference. It is
helpful to focus on the black and white bridge caps where the strings cross the bridge,
rather than on the strings themselves.
tion markers.
Hammers are generally held between the thumb and forefi nger, and the strings
are struck about one inch from the bridge. Rock the hammers in your hands a few
times to get their feel, then strike a sharp blow to a note, stopping the action as the
hammer rebounds off the string.
not your elbow. Keep this up until you can easily get a single, well-pronounced note.
If you hold the hammers a bit more loosely, put a little more pressure down with
your thumbs, and don't stop the action after the fi rst rebound, you will fi nd that they
bounce off the strings in a sort of roll.
A good way to start playing is to run through the major scales. You can refer back
to Scales, Bridges, and Tuning Schemes (page 8) for information on their location and
layout. Play with authority — use enough force to get the best tone from the instru-
ment. Timid playing may make your instrument sound brash, thin, or indistinct. As
you gain confi dence, your accuracy and tone production will improve.
Although a great deal of instructional material is available for the hammered
dulcimer, probably the most common means of learning a song is by ear. You don't have
to read music; just take a song whose melody is familiar and translate it into a hammer-
ing pattern.
e easiest playing method is to alternate notes between the left and right
hands, though you may want to deviate from this once in a while to keep your hands
from getting in each other's way. Start by taking a very familiar song, such as Oh Susan-
nah and learn your way around the strings by picking out the melody with one hand.
Simple tunes like these usually start on the tonic, or fi rst note of the scale, of the key in
which you are playing (D for D major, G for G major, etc.). If the fi rst note is not the
tonic, then try the third ("mi") note of the scale. Next, play the tune while alternating
hands. Try to develop coordination in both hands so that you can use either hand as well
as the other. Experiment with putting in a few trills as you play.
With practice your refl exes will adjust to the distances between courses, the ham-
mers will become comfortable extensions of your hands, and your music will gain
rhythm and continuity. Here are a few more embellishments you'll want to incorporate
in your playing:
Chords — hitting two notes simultaneously.
involve the thirds, fi fths, and octaves (DO, MI, SOL, DO).
Arpeggios — hitting in rapid succession the notes DO, MI, SOL, DO of any
scale, producing a nice full chord.
Drones — inserting between melody notes the "tonic" (DO) of the key you're
playing in.
is is like the bagpipe, which drones a constant note while playing the
melody.
e mountain dulcimer also uses a drone note.
You can listen to live or recorded music for inspiration.
ings of dulcimer music available.
methods, including books, book and CD sets, videos, and DVDs. See your dealer or
contact Dusty Strings for instructional materials. You can also subscribe to Dulcimer
Players News for quarterly information and articles about players, festivals, tunes, tech-
niques, recordings, and lots of other dulcimer-related things (www.dpnews.com).
14
Playing
e bridge caps are easier to see and provide loca-
e striking motion should come from your wrist,
is is a trill, a common embellishment.
e easiest combinations to fi nd
ere is also an abundance of good self-instruction
ere are many record-