Sandbridge Hammered Dulcimer Retreat
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    • The Sandbridge Fiddle Retreat
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  • Swing
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  • Fiddle tunes taught at Sandbridge
  • Home
  • FAQ
  • Registration
  • Payment Methods
  • Preparing for Sandbridge
  • Repertoire
  • Music Sharing Policy
  • Schedule
  • Advice for first-timers
  • Sandbridge Common Repertoire Project
  • Sandbridge Relaxed Week
  • Student Reflections
  • Photos
  • What to Bring
  • Travel
  • Lodging
  • FoodSurvey
  • Brief History & Philosophy
  • Facebook
  • Baltimore HD Facebook Jam
  • VIDEO LESSONS
  • Sandbridge Fiddle Retreat
    • The Sandbridge Fiddle Retreat
    • Fiddle tunes taught at Sandbridge
  • Special Events and Traditions
  • Apps, Tech and more
  • Recipes
  • In Memoriam
  • Scholarship
  • Watkins Glen Hammered Dulcimer Retreat
  • Swing
  • Contact
  • Fiddle tunes taught at Sandbridge





​
"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; "thirds scales"
One octave arpeggios including the following patterns: "shed"; "reverse check (sunken sailboat)"; "step ladder"; "ladder" (start with both hands); "diamond"
(See The Complete Guide to 
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 - required!!
The Complete Guide to Chord Theory and Mapping for the Hammered Dulcimer  A working knowledge of the contents of this 100 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. Take Mary Lynn's course on the book. 
 
Facetime lessons with Mary Lynn Michal (formerly van Deventer). Mary Lynn 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 all of the weeks at Sandbridge, 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. ML has performed/taught at Evart, The Poconos Dulcimer Festival, Unicoi, The Black Mountain Music Festival, Kentucky Music Week, Common Ground on the Hill, The Quarantunes Dulcimer Festival, Mountain View and with Ken Kolodner at various festivals/concerts.
919-414-1491; [email protected]  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 "Relaxed" Week - this was a new week in 2020 
*Abide with Me
*Bay of Fundy
*Bonny at Morn (Scotland/Ireland)
*Citi Na gCumman (Ireland)
*Coleman's March (Old-time)
*The Circle (Ken Kolodner) 
*Evening of Roses - melody and arpeggio backup
*Fanny Power
*Forvantan
*Johnny Cope
*Lay Down Your Arms
*Lonesome John
Missouri
*Out from the Shadows
​*Roof for the Rain
*Rumbling Quadrille
*Sandbridge Lullaby
*Southwind
*Tam Lin
*The Water is Wide
*The Winter is Past
*Tombigbee's
Turkey in the Pea Patch
*Wayfaring Stranger
*What Child is This?
Willafjord

​*Video lesson available

Week 1 Tunes
*Bay of Fundy
Bethany Beach
*Big Scioty
*Bill Cheatham
*Bonny at Morn
​Breton Wedding March
*Caspian Lake
*The Circle
Cumberland Gap
Der Winter ist Vergange
Done Gone
*Down Home Waltz
*East Tennessee Blues
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
*Quince Dillon's High D
*Roof for the Rain
Roscoe
*Rumbling Quadrille
Sandbridge Lullaby
Shenandoah Falls
Snake River Reel
Summer's End
*Tam Lin
*Tombigbee's Waltz
Valse Frontenac
*Walking in my Sleep
*Wayfaring Stranger
*Will Ye Gang to Kelvingrove
Willafjord
Winder Slide

Week 2 Tunes
*Accordion Crimes
*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
​*Hommage a Edmund Pariseau
*Johnny Cope
*Josefin's 
*Kentucky Waltz
L&N Rag
*Macpherson's Lament
McDonald's
Missouri
Oklahoma Rooster
Panhandle, The
Peeler Creek
*Promenade de Monaco 
*Roof for the Rain
Roscoe
*Rumbling Quadrille
Saudade de Uberaba
*Saastopankki
Shenandoah Fall
Snake River Reel
Snowdrop
Sommarvals
Southern Cross
Summer's End
*Swingin' with the Eighties
*Tam Lin
*Tombigbee's Waltz
Valse Frontenac
Walking in my Sleep
*Will Ye Gang to Kelvingrove
Willafjord
Winder Slide
*YZ Hamilton's Breakdown

Week 3 Tunes
*Accordion Crimes
​*Amelia
Autumn in Paris
*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
*Hommage a Edmund Pariseau
*Johnny Cope
*Josefin's Dopvals
*Kentucky Waltz
L&N Rag
*Macpherson's Lament
McDonald's
Missouri
​Mouth of the Tobique
Oklahoma Rooster
Panhandle, The
Peeler Creek
Roof for the Rain
*Round the Horn
Roscoe
Rumblin' Quadrille
*Saastopankki
Saudade de Uberaba
Shenandoah Falls
Snake River Reel
Snowdrop
Sommarvals
Southern Cross
*Swingin' with the Eighties
*Tam Lin
*Walking in my Sleep
*Wayfaring Stranger
*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
*Da Slockit Light
*Eleanor Plunkett
*Evening of Roses
For Ireland
Forvantan
Gentle Maiden
Grub Springs
*Hollow Poplar
*Johnny Cope
Kitchen Girl
Missouri
*Morag's
*Mouth of the Tobique
*O'Carolan's Quarrel with the Landlady
*Possum's Tail is Bare
Polska
*Promenade de Monaco
*Quince Dillon's High D
*Roof for the Rain
*Sadie at the Back Door
*Sandbridge Lullaby
*Stone's Rag
Turkey in the Pea Patch
*Wayfaring Stranger
*Will Ye Gang to Kelvingrove
Willafjord
Winder Slide
*Wayfaring Stranger

*Video lessons available



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