School of Dulcimer

The dulcimer is a unique instrument in many ways, with the modal layout of the fretboard prime among them. Early in its days in the Appalachian Mountains, players would retune a string, bringing the dulcimer from major to minor and other modes. Today's players work in different tunings, and this book shows why and how this happens.


Music is a language that originates from the soul rather than solely from the dots and lines. However, the dots and lines have their own stories. Learn where the notes fall on the fretboard and how they fit into the modes most dulcimer players know: Ionian/Major, Aeolian/Minor, Mixolydian, and Dorian. Scale variations, pentatonic and hexatonic, are also outlined. Fifteen songs and tunes are written in musical notation with dulcimer tablature. Includes access to online audio with the tunings and count-offs, enabling one to play all the songs in the book along with the recording.


* Location of musical notes on the dulcimer.

* Study of modes: Ionian/Major, Aeolian/Minor, Mixolydian, and Dorian.

* Study of scale variations: pentatonic and hexatonic

* Songs and tunes written in musical notation and tablature.

* Includes access to online play-along audio.