Steve's Dulcimer Articles - Owl Mountain Music, Inc.

Steve has written several articles about playing dulcimers for Dulcimer Players News and Dulcimer Sessions (no longer hosted by MelBay). In the world of the internet, these resources sometimes disappear, so I am archiving them here from earliest to most recent.

[sung] “On the Cover of DPN” Steve was on the Cover of the Aug-Oct 2002 issue of Dulcimer Players News (DPN), interviewed by Tim Van Schmidt. His arrangement of Wondrous Love was included with a sidebar by Gil Waldkoenig. Cover Photo by John Eisele.

Wooden Heart Polka The webzine, www.dulcimersessions.com, has published an article by Steve about Colorado Dutch Hop for the Hammered Dulcimer. The article traces the historical background of the dulcimer-playing Germans-from-Russia, or Volga Deutsch who settled in eastern Colorado and western Kansas. A transcription and sound-file of the tune “The Wooden Heart Polka” are included. This was published October 2005. The website is no longer available so you can read this article here: CODutchHopforH.D..cwk.

Still, Still, Still, the Austrian carol, was the featured tune in Steve’s article on DulcimerSessions.com which was published in December 2009. The website is no longer available so you can read this article here: StillStillStillDulcSessArticle12.09

I love the Scottish tune type of Strathspeys. They fit quite well on dulcimers and I was pleased to write this article for the Winter 2010 issue of Dulcimer Players News: Learn a Strathspey: The Braes of Tulliemet pp. 28-33 Vol 36, No. 1, Winter 2010

Being able to play chromatic music on diatonic instruments is unexpected but possible as I explain in this article. Jazzing It Up a Bit: Mountain Dulcimers and FAC Tuning, Hammered Dulcimers and the ii-V-I Progression pp. 24-27

Vol 36, No. 2, Spring 2010

I love to use familiar tunes as a way of demonstrating and creating exercises to practice skills. That is the topic of this DPN article from Summer 2010. Improvisation: Tweaking Twinkles pp. 14-16 Vol 36, No. 3, Summer 2010

Part 1-I began a multi-part series on Playing Bass Parts to back up tunes and songs. Playing Backup on Dulcimers: Walking the Bass Part 1 pp. 16-19

Vol 36, No. 4, Fall 2010

Part 2-The second article in the series demonstrates the oom-pah-pah rhythm that is usual when playing for waltzes in 3/4 time by playing the name of the chords and their related notes.

Playing Back Up on Dulcimers: Adding Chords to a Bass Line Silent Night pp. 42-45

Vol 37, No. 1, Winter 2011

Part 3-The third article in the series focuses on Playing Alternating Bass Lines and features a classic bass player joke.

Playing Alternating Bass In Common Time: Alternate Bass Lines pp. 9-12

Vol 37, No. 2, Spring 2011

Playing Blues on Mountain Dulcimer: It’s Easier than you think! Vol. 42, No. 4, Fall

2016, pp. 46-49

Creating Friendly Arrangements for Dulcimer Orchestra (1st in Series) AR HYD Y NOS (All Through the Night) Vol. 43, No. 1, Winter 2017, pp.14-17

Arranging for Ensembles Creating Dulcimer Friendly Arrangements for Dulcimer Orchestra (2nd in Series) Different Instruments Playing together (Ginger, Standard, Baritone, Bass) (Beautiful Savior) Vol. 43, No. 3, Fall 2017, pp. 32.-35

Arranging for Ensembles Creating Dulcimer Friendly Arrangements for Dulcimer Orchestra (3rd in Series) (HERZLICH TÜT MICH VERLANGEN) (O Sacred Head, Now Wounded) Playing a chromaticized arrangement in a dulcimer ensemble. Vol 43, No. 4 Winter, 2017, pp. 36-40

May the Fifth Be With You: Arranging for Ensembles Creating Dulcimer Friendly Arrangements for Dulcimer Orchestra (4th in Series) (Samanthra)

Vol 44, No. 2, Spring 2018, pp. 20-24

Arranging for Ensembles: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen in Five Keys. ( 5th in Series) Vol 44, No. 4, Fall 2018, pp. 8-14

(more to come)