Sandbridge Hammered Dulcimer Retreat
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  • The Sandbridge Fiddle Retreat
  • Special Events and Traditions
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  • Recipes
  • In Memoriam
  • Scholarship
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Registration
  • Preparing for Sandbridge
  • Repertoire
  • Schedule
  • Advice for first-timers
  • Sandbridge Relaxed Week
  • Student Reflections
  • Photos
  • What to Bring
  • Travel
  • Lodging
  • FoodSurvey
  • Brief History
  • Facebook
  • Baltimore HD Facebook Jam
  • VIDEO LESSONS
  • The Sandbridge Fiddle Retreat
  • Special Events and Traditions
  • Apps, Tech and more
  • Recipes
  • In Memoriam
  • Scholarship
  • Contact

"What can I do to prepare for Sandbridge?
This is a very common question especially for the rookies. So I’ve listed some of the priorities that I have for your first time! But keep in mind that you are there to learn. Don’t panic! Everyone who attends experiences “the deer in the headlights” phenomenon. You cannot expect to get it all! But there is plenty you can do prepare.

Skills
Practice the three ways of playing scales (4x4 5x3 6x2)
Practice o
ctave scales; contrary motion scales; G scale in thirdsOne octave arpeggios including the following patterns: "shed"; "reverse check (sunken sailboat)"; "step ladder"; "ladder" (start with both hands); "diamond"
(See 
Chord Theory and Mapping for the Hammered Dulcimer) 
Combine arpeggio patterns and practice the full range of various chords through the full range of your instrument
Practice inversions: "parallelogram": start on the third and the third note names the chord; "Nevada": start on the 5th and the second note names the chord
Study basic chord theory (see Big Bundle Fireside Theory Chats)
Practice harmonizing a scale using triads (right-left-right, and left-right-left)

Tunes/repertoire
Solidify your current repertoire
Learn a few of the Sandbridge jam standards
 
Resources to help get you there
Chord Theory and Mapping for the Hammered Dulcimer  A working knowledge of the contents of this 60+ page book is the single most important thing you can do. Study and know it cover to cover!! OK, that may be ambitious but you should be able to get through a good chunk of the book! I consider mastering the material outlined in this book as an eventual necessity.
 
Facetime lessons with Mary Lynn van Deventer. Mary Lynn van Deventer is absolutely fantastic - she works with many of my Sandbridge participants especially with those who come to my first two fall weeks (intermediate and intermediate/advanced) plus the "newbie" week.  She is my assistant for those two weeks plus the new Spring week and The Watkins Glen Retreat. Trained at Eastman as a French Horn player and music educator, she was principal in The Durham Symphony Orchestra for many years. She has taught French Horn, piano, and flute for many decades. And then she discovered the hammered dulcimer. I have mentored her along the way as a player and teacher and performer. She now has 90+ students with 50+ Facetime students. She possesses enthusiasm that is enough for the whole planet coupled with being extremely dedicated, talented, knowledgeable, kind and insightful. She is scheduled to teach/perform and/or has performed/taught at Evart, The Poconos Dulcimer Festival, Unicoi, The Black Mountain Festival, Kentucky Music Week, Common Ground on the Hill, Mt Dora and with Ken Kolodner at various festivals/concerts.
919-414-1491; marylynnsmusic@gmail.com  www.marylynnsmusic.com    
 
Two collections of hammered dulcimer arrangements. These collections include around 90 pieces where I include the basic tune with chord progressions, at least one detailed arrangement or the piece, often with backup parts. Most of the tunes in these collections were taught at my Sandbridge retreats. 
The Sandbridge Waltz Collection
The Sandbridge Fiddle Tune Collection
 
Video lessons. I also have an enormous library of video lessons. MANY of the tunes from the two books are in these video lessons. And I have taught many of the tunes at Sandbridge!  I work through the hammering, theory etc. for the basic tune, chord progression, backup, arrangements etc. Each video lesson is really a collection of many lessons that would take me many hours to work through with a student. Therefore, they are the equivalent of multiple lessons. Perhaps you can try one! BUT most important is The Big Bundle where I cover Foundational Skills including Hammered Dulcimer Fundamentals and Exercises, The Pachelbel Exercise, Fireside Theory Chat, Backup, and Techniques. See The Sandbridge Hammered Dulcimer Video Lessons
 
Philosophy
This you can not prepare for! But just so you know, I choose my tunes and topics at Sandbridge in order to attack four major dimensions: (1) technique – hammering control & technique, the many arranging ideas and techniques (valley rolls, rolled chords, arpeggio fills, etc.), understanding/accessing the many patterns, backup ideas, etc; (2) listening skills – developing your ears to learn by ear, hear phrases, intervals, chords, to listen in an ensemble/jam and much more; (3) musicality – phrasing, dynamics, swing and much more; (4) theory – engage your brain to understand chord/music theory, how to see the chords, structure, phrases in music, how it all hangs together, tying together melody, chord progressions, arrangements etc. My approach is to work on all of these skill areas with the firm conviction that ALL are necessary to become a complete player.
 
Process
Listen to this 2 minute chat by Ira Glass. It is just about perfect! On Creativity!
 
Tunes – Check the tunes that we have done over the years – each week has their favorites but here is a list of some common tunes that typically get played (organized by week). This is a very partial list AND things shift and evolve! 

​Spring "Newbies" Week - this is a new week in 2020 so there are no typical jam tunes but here are some starter tunes!
*​Bethany Beach
*Bonny at Morn - melody and arpeggio backup 
*Coleman's March
*Eagle's Whistle
*Evening of Roses - melody and arpeggio backup
*Fanny Power
*Johnny Cope
Missouri
*Southwind
*Summer's End
*Tombigbee's
Willafjord
*Video lesson available
Week #1
*Bay of Fundy
Bethany Beach
*Big Scioty
*Bill Cheatham
*Bonny at Morn
*Caspian Lake
*The Circle
Cumberland Gap
Der Winter ist Vergange
Done Gone
*Down Home Waltz
*East Tennessee Blue's
Eagle's Whistle
*Evening of Roses
Falls of Richmond
Fly Around my Pretty Little Miss
*Forvantan
For Ireland
Gentle Eily O'Carol
*Gentle Maiden
Grub Springs
Johnny Cope
*Josefin's
*Kentucky Waltz
L&N Rag
Midnight on the Water
Missouri
*My Cape Breton Home
North Carolina Breakdown
Oklahoma Rooster
Peeler Creek
Roof for the Rain
Roscoe
Shenandoah Fall
Snake River Reel
Summer's End
*Tombigbee's Waltz
Valse Frontenac
*Walking in my Sleep
Will Ye Gang to Kelvingrove
Willafjord
Winder's Slide

Week 2 Tunes

*Amelia's
*Are You Sleepin Maggie
*Bay of Fundy
*Big Scioty
Blacktail Canyon
*Bonny at Morn
Caspian Lake
*The Circle
*Coleman's March
Cuckoo's Nest
Cumberland Gap
Der Winter ist Vergangen
Eagle's Whistle
*Evening of Roses
*Fanny Power
Fly Around my Pretty Little Miss
For Ireland
*Forvantan
Frenchie's
Gentle Eily O'Carol
Grub Springs
*Half Past Four
*Johnny Cope
*Josefin's 
*Kentucky Waltz
L&N Rag
*Macpherson's Lament
McDonald's
Missouri
Oklahoma Rooster
Peeler Creek
Roof for the Rain
Roscoe
Saudade de Uberaba
*Saastaponkki
Shenandoah Fall
Snake River Reel
Snowdrops 
Southern Cross
Summer's End
*Tombigbee's Waltz
Valse Frontenac
Walking in my Sleep
*Will Ye Gang to Kelvingrove
Willafjord
Winderslide
*YZ Hamilton's Breakdown

Week 3 Tunes

*Amelia's
*Bay of Fundy
*Big Scioty
Blacktail Canyon
Black and White Rag
*Bonny at Morn
*Caspian Lake
*The Circle
*Coleman's March
Cuckoo's Nest
Cumberland Gap
Der Winter ist Vergangen
Done Gone
Eagle's Whistle
*Evening of Roses
*Fanny Power
*Farewell Trion
Fly Around my Pretty Little Miss
For Ireland
Frenchie's
Gentle Eily O'Carol
Grub Springs
*Half Past Four
*Johnny Cope
*Josefin's Dopvals
*Kentucky Waltz
L&N Rag
*Macpherson's Lament
McDonald's
Missouri
Oklahoma Rooster
Peeler Creek
Roof for the Rain
*Round the Horn
Roscoe
*Saastaponkki
Saudade de Uberaba
Shenandoah Fall
Snake River Reel
Snowdrops
Southern Cross
The Panhandle
*Walking in my Sleep
*Will Ye Gang to Kelvingrove
Willafjord

Spring Sandbridge

*Are You Sleepin Maggie
*Big Scioty
*Bill Cheatham
Blacktail Canyon
*Bonny at Morn
*Carolan's Cup
*Caspian Lake
*Eleanor Plunkett
*Evening of Roses
For Ireland
Gentle Maiden
Grub Springs
*Johnny Cope
Kitchen Girl
Missouri
*Morag's
*Mouth of the Tobique
*O'Carolan's Quarrel with the Landlady
*Possum's Tail is Bare
Polska
*Quince Dillon's High D
*Sadie at the Back Door
*Stone's Rag
*Wednesday Night's Waltz
*Will Ye Gang to Kelvingrove
Willafjord
Winderslide
                      
 
*Video lessons available


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