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Spring Augusta Week
Beginning
Hammered Dulcimer
Jody Marshall
Greetings!
I'm looking forward to our class this summer and to working with
each of you. I've been coming to Augusta for years, and I can't seem
to get enough of the place—or of the wonderful people it attracts.
If this is your first visit, you're in for a real treat. If you're
an Augusta alumnus, you know what I'm talking about!
Rental instruments (including hammers, tuning wrench, and instrument
stand) will be available, but if you want to rent please let me know
ASAP. I'll be bringing the instruments with me and must let my
supplier know well in advance just how many I'll need to bring.
(Augusta won't be supplying the instruments so please don't wait
till you get there to tell us that you want to rent!) You can send
your request for a rental directly to me by e-mail, snail mail, or
telephone (my contact info is at the end of the letter). The rental
fee for the week is $30. You can pay on the first day of class.
If you're bringing your own instrument rather than renting one, a
“twelve-eleven” (12/11) is the smallest you should bring to class.
Twelve-elevens have 12 paired strings on the treble bridge (the
bridge on the left) and 11 paired strings on the bass bridge (the
bridge on the right). If yours is smaller, or if it has only one
bridge, let me know as soon as possible so we can make other
arrangements. Also, while those portable screw-in legs come in
handy, an actual stand for your instrument is preferable. (You'll
get tired holding the heavy end of a dulcimer on your legs all day!)
Other than a dulcimer, hammers, tuning wrench, and dulcimer stand,
here's a list of other useful items:
• A recording device and extra batteries. If you want to bring a
small hand-held digital device, I recommend bringing a
decent-quality one for better sound reproduction. Good old-fashioned
tape recorders actually work quite well (bring plenty of cassettes
and extra batteries or an extension cord). Some of my private
students now tape their lessons on their laptops, so that’s another
option. (If you really, really want to, you can bring a camcorder to
use once in a great while during class—however, I prefer that you
keep your eyes focused on your instrument rather than be distracted
by taking videos.
• A portable music stand (the simple metal kind that folds up works
well) and a couple of clothespins to secure handouts. (There will be
a $3 charge for the week's handouts.)
• An electronic tuner (chromatic, not guitar). These can be a bit
pricey, but they're well worth the investment. I prefer the kind
that tells you how flat you are (ten cents, 20 cents, etc.) with a
needle indicator or light, rather than the kind that just blinks at
different rates to indicate that you're out of tune. I will have
some available for purchase if you don’t get around to getting one
in advance.
• A tuning clip to plug into your electronic tuner. This device
isolates the sound of your instrument, making it possible to tune in
a roomful of dulcimers. (I'll have some available for purchase. Most
music stores do sell tuning clips, though I prefer the kind with an
alligator clip on one end, and they’re harder to find than the kind
with round pads. ) If you're smart in ways that I'm definitely not,
you can try making your own clip with wires and stuff from Radio
Shack.
• A notebook and pen or pencil for taking notes, if you wish.
So, now I need some information from you! If you can, write or
e-mail me as soon as you can with the answers to the following:
• Do you read music at all? (It's OK if you don't.)
• Do you play any other instruments?
• If you're bringing your own dulcimer rather than renting, what
kind of dulcimer do you have? (brand or who built it, if you know;
how many courses— 12/11, 15/14, 16/15, or whatever)
• How long have you been playing, if at all? (It's OK to say, "Uh, I
haven't, touched it yet"—this is a beginner class, after all.)
I'll be opening up our classroom on Sunday evening for folks who
want to go ahead and put their stuff in there. You'll be able to
leave things in the classroom all week. This comes in handy, since
moving your dulcimer back and forth from one "mini-climate" to
another means more TUNING!
OK, that's it for now. I look forward to hearing from you, and to
meeting you this summer. Until then, happy hammering!
Jody Marshall
P.O. Box 6252
McLean, VA 22101
Phone: 703-917-4225
Email:
jody@jodymarshall.net
Web:
http://www.jodymarshall.com
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