Since we missed the last two Saturday lessons of dulcimer class, we spent the Lesson Three ENTIRE hour today reviewing one song: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star that we learned in Lesson One.
Who would have guessed one little childhood snippet of a tune would comsume an hour's worth of time, but it did. Oh, yes, it did.
First we reviewed basics, changing frets. 3,3, 7,7, 8,8, 7. Got it in a different key, but still, got it. And not a one of us had to read a lick of music notation. In fact the word of wisdom passed along to us was "There ain't no notes on a dulcimer. You just play."
That relieved the pressure and by the third or fourth rendition we were all doing quite well. Lesson review in strumming came next: bum, ditty, bum, bum or down, down, up down, down. Of course the teacher had to drop by my stand and review with me to hold my pick so that the point end strummed against the strings. Not the flat side of the triangle, ma'am.
Then we added harmony. Horrors. I had to use my fingers since I had to press two different strings at the same time (did I mention those strings are made of metal???) and that's an impossible task with a short dowell stick that I normally use. A few sore fingers later, I was making music. And when we all played together, my what a heavenly sound. No wonder our teacher grinned from ear to ear.
It's hard not to appear like a genius after an hour on the same song.
Next week. An hour of harmony with Mary Had a Little Lamb. Angelic music, for sure.
Catch of the Day,
Gretchen
