Folkcraft Instructional Videos
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Getting Started, 1 Of 3 |
Here's the first video in a three-part series from Bing Futch. Perfect for new (or new-ish) players! |
Getting Started, 2 Of 3
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Here's the second video in our three-part series. Hosted by Bing Futch - newer players should watch and learn! The Video (hosted at YouTube) |
Getting Started, 3 Of 3
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Here's the third video in Bing's three-part series! The Video (hosted at YouTube) |
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Baritone 1 |
This week is an intro to the baritone dulcimer - and how to play it with standard dulcimers - in two ways. Have fun! |
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Baritone 2 |
This week is a follow up to last week’s lesson on the baritone! I give you another way to play some chords. Have fun! |
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Beyond The 7th Fret! |
This week we’ll talk about going beyond our 7th fret to play our songs. Give it a try. If you know any song already, now try it in the next octave. |
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How To Play, Easily, With Other Instruments |
This week we will learn to use a capo to easily play with other instruments or in different keys. Have fun! |
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A Tip And A Song |
This week I give you a helpful beginner tip, and then we’ll learn a song! You can do it. Have fun. |
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How To Change Strings On A Flat Head Dulcimer |
This week, we’ll do a string change and cleanup on your Flat head dulcimer. I’ll take you through it step-by-step. You can do it! Have fun. |
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How To Change Strings On A Scroll Head Dulcimer |
This week, we’ll do a string change and cleanup on your scroll head dulcimer. I’ll take you through it step-by-step. You can do it! Have fun. |
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"D" To "G" To "D" Stuff #1 |
Let’s do some fun moving between "D" and "G". You need the 1.5 fret for this (but don’t 'fret', next week we’ll do it sans that extra fret). Have fun! |
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"D" To "G" To "D" Stuff #2
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More moving between "D" and "G". This time you don’t need the 1.5 fret. Have fun! |
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Alternate Picking Exercise |
This week we will talk about alternate picking and you’ll get an exercise with tab. Have fun! |
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LAP-JO - Oh Susanna |
Let’s learn a song on the LAP-JO! This lesson is geared toward late beginner/early intermediate players. Have fun! |
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Beginner Theory (Easy) |
This week is for the beginners. We will learn our D scale notes on the melody line and on our bass and middle strings. Learn what frets are what notes and get familiar with this. You will use it a lot. Have fun! |
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Beginner Theory (Easy) 2 |
This week we will expand on our scale and move it. Take what I’ve given you and practice it and find even more places to play the scale. |
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A Quick Exercise! |
This week we will work on a fun note separation exercise. I’ll walk you through it step by step. Try and apply this to the songs you are working on. Have fun! |
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Finger Positions |
This week we take a look at finger positions in 2 different ways. First we will look at chording, then our individual notes and how finger positions can really make you a much smoother and faster player. Have fun! |
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Down To Blues Town |
This week it’s The Blues! Let’s have some fun playing an easy 12-bar blues progression. You’ll need a capo and the 1.5 fret for this lesson. |
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The Lonely "A" String! |
This week, we will work on (and think about) that "A" string. It’s important to realize you can find some notes closer to where your hand currently is without having to move so far to get them. |
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A Fun Muting Exercise |
This week, we’ll take our easy 1,4,5 chords and turn them into a fun muting exercise. No tabs needed, chords are on screen for you. You can work on this in a lot of different ways. |
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Learn A Fun Noter Drone Song |
This week, Mandy gets you started with a noter! You’ll learn a song the traditional way with no tabs. The song is Shady Grove, the tuning is DAC. Have fun with it! |
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All Levels - An Easy Way To Challenge Yourself |
I want to encourage you to become a better musician each week here, so this week we will look at an easy way to challenge yourself. Try this out on any song you currently play. Then try to smoothly go between each version without losing any timing. You can do it! |
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Beginners - Economy Of Motion 1 (With Exercise) |
This week we will take a familiar song and work on getting our fingers in the right place at the right time. Yes this takes work! Especially when you speed things up. Have fun y’all. |
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Beginners - Economy Of Motion 2 (With Exercise) |
In part 2 we will work on the B part of our song. This will add difficulty to our EOM by using 2 finger chords. You can do it! |
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Beginners - Note Values And Metronome Work |
This week we will learn the values of our most used notes, then we will dive into using our metronomes! PDF handout provided for you. Have fun. |
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Beginners - Let’s Pack In Some Notes |
Let’s revisit London Bridges and add some notes! Mandy will show you an easy to follow process of how to add some notes to any melody. |
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Embellishments And How To Use Them |
This week, Mandy takes us through the mechanics of embellishments. Then we will discuss ways to put them into arrangements. |
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A Bridge Exercise |
This week we’ll take the song London Bridge and learn it two ways. Tablature is included. We will play it first on the melody line, then we will move onto those other two strings and get them involved! Try and take any song you have learned and pick it out somewhere else. Have fun! |
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Let’s Get Bluesy! A Fun 1.5 Lick |
This week Mandy shows you another fun bluesy lick using that 1.5 fret. With these licks we are practicing using the 1.5 fret, practicing our alternate string picking, using our flat picking techniques, and paying attention to specific fingering. Please use these licks as examples to build your own, spice up your arrangements, and remember to have fun! Tabs included. |
Fun Song In DAA For Beginners
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This week Mandy shows the beginners a fun and easy song in DAA tuning. She will walk you through it step by step and even puts the fret numbers up on the screen for you. Have fun with this, no tabs needed. |
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Another Fun DAA Song For Beginners |
This week Mandy shows the beginners another fun and easy song in DAA tuning. She will walk you through it step by step and even puts the fret numbers up on the screen for you. Have fun with this, no tabs needed. |
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Play In The Key Of "A", No Capo |
This week Mandy shows you how to play in the key of A! You’ll learn your 1,4,5 chords in the Key of A and how to play them all in one area of your fretboard. We don’t always “have” to use capos to play in other keys. |
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In "G", No Capo And The Wonderful Em Chord! |
This week Mandy shows you how to play in the key of G easily using your 1.5 fret! And you’ll add a beauttiful Em chord as well. Giving you a 4 chord progression that is found in a lot of songs. |
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Let’s "C" What Happens! 1.5 (1+) Fret |
This week Mandy shows you how to play easily in the key of C using your 1.5 fret! We’ll work out our 1,4,5 (I,IV,V) chords in the key of C using that wonderful extra fret. No tabs this week. |
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LAP-JO - Skip Flat-Picked |
This week Mandy takes you through a fun flat-picked version of Skip To My Lou on the LAP-JO. This also works just fine for standard dulcimer. Don't forget to download the tablature! |
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Beginners - A Strum Pattern And Metronome Work |
This week it’s time to add another strumming pattern. We will also work with a metronome. Tabs for you this week also. |
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Intermediate Flavor
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This week, Mandy shows you a few bluesy rhythms. The idea here is to add interesting things to basic songs to make them your own. One groove can make a song special, so work to add your own flavor by incorporating these concepts. |
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Scale Work |
We’ll walk through our D major scale on the bass string, then on all 3 strings, then we’ll find it elsewhere. Use these scales to learn the notes, learn positions to find the notes, and practice flat-picking techniques. |
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A Tip And An Exercise |
First, Mandy gives you a tip then gives you a fun exercise with tab! |
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3 Easy Up The Fretboard Chords |
Now let’s get our three main chords a bit farther up the fretboard. Most of what I’m showing you here are concepts for you to put into use. Get these three alternate locations under your fingers, and start throwing them into your arrangements. Have fun with it! |
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Sight Reading Silent Night |
This week we’ll work on a melody line version of Silent Night. Sight reading style. You can do it! |
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Sight Read And Ear Train 
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This week Mandy takes you through an easy song while giving you tips on how to learn to sight read other players and start ear training. Fun city! |
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More Ear Training |
There's a little bit of everything this week. Mandy teaches you how to find the notes to the song in different places on the fretboard. |
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Bluesy 1.5 Fret Lick
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Let's get some great sounds going with our 1 1/2 fret this week! That minor second lets you create the "blues" sound you hear so often. Here's how! |
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Octaves |
In this video, Mandy shows you a bit of music theory, explaining octaves, for the beginner dulcimer player. |
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Adding A Picking Pattern |
With this video, Mandy adds a picking pattern to our 3 chords for Boil Them Cabbage Down. Picking patterns can add variety to our playing and greatly improving our pick accuracy, so it’s a great way to practice. |
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Chord Inversions
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This week, Mandy shows you how to use chord inversions to vary your playing! This is a fun and easy way to use chord voicings. |
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Spider Finger Etudes |
This week Mandy gives you a fun finger exercise! This will get you moving and grooving and is meant to show you how to make your own little fun exercises. |
Your First Song
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In this video, Mandy teaches new players the "first song". A little boiled cabbage never hurt anyone! The Video (hosted at YouTube) |
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Adding Back Strum To Your First Song |
This is a follow to last week's "first song" video. Mandy adds a bit of back strum to the classic tune. Tasty! |
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Installing Strap Buttons |
This quick video walks you through installing a set of strap buttons on your mountain dulcimer. |
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Learning The 1.5 Fret
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In this video, Mandy demonstrates two short and simple exercises for you to use to help get comfortable using your 1 1/2 fret. We've provided tablature that you can download. The Video (hosted at YouTube) PDF handout |
Three Easy Chords
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In this mini lesson, Mandy Tyner (of Banjo Lemonade) teaches you 3 beginner chords and gives you a couple of great tips on fretting! The Video (hosted at YouTube) PDF handout |
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Spicing Up A Melody |
Learn how to spice up your melody with Mandy Tyner - she starts out the video with a simple tune, then adds some decorations. Hammer ons, pull offs, and all kinds of fun fluff. Perfect for a strong beginner, or intermediate player. |
