Workshops
Rick teaches Hammered Dulcimer workshops in Chattanooga, TN, for New Beginner through Intermediate level players. Workshops are usually scheduled in January-March of each year and as requested. If you check the Schedule page, and no workshops are scheduled, please contact Rick and request one to be scheduled.
He is also available to teach workshops at festivals, camps, and other events around and outside the Chattanooga area. Contact Rick for more information and bookings.
Rick has taught at the following Festivals:
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Causeway Dulcimer Festival in Bushmills, Co. Antrim, No. Ireland
Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival
Cork Dulcimer Festival in Cork City, Co. Cork, Ireland
Cork 2003 Beginners' Workshop pictures
Chattanooga Dulcimer Festival
Cranberry Dulcimer Gathering
Upper Potomac Dulcimer Festival
Winston-Salem Dulcimer Festival
Following are descriptions of the workshops currently offered:
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New Beginners' Workshop
New Beginners
All day (5-1/2 to 6 hours)
The New Beginners' Workshop begins at the very beginning. You need know nothing about the Hammered Dulcimer to take this workshop. Knowledge of music is helpful, but not necessary. What is necessary is that you have a playable dulcimer to use. If you do not already own a playable dulcimer, festivals usually have some way of renting one for the weekend. Contact the festival which you plan attending about rental arrangements.
If you are taking a Cute Dog Music workshop in the Chattanooga area, rentals are also available. When you inquire about taking this workshop sponsored by Cute Dog Music, please mention that you will need a rental dulcimer.
The workshop covers, in part, a short history of the dulcimer, the layout of the dulcimer (where are those notes!), how to hold the hammers, basics of playing, and scales and basic chord patterns. And you can go away having learned a couple of tunes with which to impress your friends and family.
Student comments:
"...you're a great teacher."
"...very thorough."
- Introduction to Playing Backup
Advanced Beginner level and up
2 to 2-1/2 hours
This workshop concentrates on the use of 2-, 3- and 4-note chords, and scales to play backup (accompaniment) for tunes and songs. I start by reviewing some different basic chord and scale patterns, and progress to an understanding of how they can be used separately and in combinations to play an interesting accompaniment. Handouts with dulcimer diagrams and music notation of chords, as well as handouts of tunes with example accompaniment parts are used in class and for the students' later reference.
For several years I have wanted to have available a set of practice CDs for this workshop, and finally, I have completed one CD of the set with the tunes June Apple and The Road to Lisdoonvarna. These example tunes used in the workshop are played, first, up-to-speed with accompaniment for you to get the feel of the accompaniment. Then thay are played at a slower speed with accompaniment so you can hear the accompaniment itself better. Then the melody only is played 10 times through at 60 Beats Per Minute (BPM), 88 BPM, 100BPM and 120BPM. These latter tracks are for students to practice the accompaniment with the melody so they can work their speed from very slow speed up to normal playing speed.
I will be recording the other two example tunes used in this workshop, Harvest Home Hornpipe and The South Wind, within the next few months so they will be available on CD, as well, in the same presentation. The two CDs will be available for students taking this workshop for a nominal additional fee to cover the materials and recording costs.
I recommend taking the companion workshop, An Introduction to the Modes (see just below), to supplement your understanding of how to make educated guesses at chords to use and chord progressions when faced with playing backup when you don't have the chords available.
Student comments:
"...I enjoyed practicing the ideas you shared on June Apple and Road to Lisdoonvarna."
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An Introduction to the Modes used in Celtic and Old Time Tunes
Beginner (not new beginner) level and up
2 hours
In this workshop, I discuss modes in general - what they are, why it's good to know about them, and how they relate to the more familiar major and minor keys. I identify the modes commonly used in Celtic and Old-Time tunes, and show how to tell what mode or key a tune is in from either looking at the printed music or simply knowing how to play the melody, addressing common mistakes people make in doing this. In relation to this, I demonstrate the difference the mode makes in the feel of a tune.
Players of Old-Time and Celtic music on other instruments can also benefit from this workshop. While the workshop content is presented on the dulcimer, the information on modes is generally applicable to all instruments.
This is a good companion workshop to Intro to Playing Backup, but can be taken alone. Please note that this is not primarily a playing workshop.
Student comments:
"...the modal stuff -- Nobody's ever explained that to me and you did a good job. I got it!"
"...the handouts were a good way to organize notes. Especially for those who haven't heard this stuff before. It can be overwhelming. Having some structure in front of you is good. And having to fill in examples and info keeps it more interactive."
"...modes was good...--i.e., which ones are most frequently used and how to find them. Very helpful."
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Visual Music Theory
- intervals
- scale steps, and chords built on those steps including a discussion of the notation of the chords as a progression
- keys and modes - seeing them on the dulcimer
- and even the dreaded "Circle of Fifths"!
Beginner (not new beginner) level and up
2 hours
Music Theory!? YIKES! Music theory can seem to be a daunting topic. It is really just a description of what is and what works. It gives us a good way to communicate certain information about a tune to others, and for us to understand what others might say to us about a tune.
This overview workshop uses the visual advantages of the Hammered Dulcimer to make sense of some basic music theory such as:
Student comments:
"I just wanted to thank you for...teaching the class on Visual Music Theory - I learned a lot and it was fun!"
Rick is currently available for one-day, weekend or week-long workshops.
For more information, please contact Rick.
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