In this lesson we will explain a bit about chords, keys, transposing, using and understanding a capo and more! To purchase one go here: www.brettridge...
I’m one of those “city people” who went to a small Christian college in Lincoln, Illinois. The campus seemed like a giant corn field 🌽 to me! I majored in Sacred Music (classical voice) with a minor in Bible ... My Master’s degree is in Vocal Performance (1984). On a trip to Kentucky, I fell in love with a beautiful dulcimer made from 3 different kinds of wood. That was in 1986! I got it out and admired its beauty, strummed around, and told myself that I would learn to play it “right” when I had more time. HaHa! Now I’m finally getting down to business ... I’m sending a pic of my lovely dulcimer with a poster that I think you will like. I’ve listened to your first few lessons, and I’m looking forward to sticking with it this time‼️
I play the dulcimer alredy years but the capo is new to me. Thank you for the lesson. I live in Hungary and build the dulcimer myself because it is unknown here. And the capo I have to make now as well. First I taught myself and maybe 7 years ago with lessons by Jessica Comeau. I have given years lesson in the Hungarian citer (Zither). Jan ten Hove - Hungary
Thank you. I have been looking for years on how to tune and play in key of G. So that I could enjoy playing with our church band. Finally my search was fruitful. I had no idea there was a capo for a dulcimer.. yippy my husband made one. This made so much cense, Thanks again
This was EXTREMELY helpful! Thank you so much. All the keys and where things were was a mystery to me and I always felt lost and confused. You've made my dulcimer make sense. Thank you!
I like to think of the capo as changing the tuning rather than the key as it is possible to play in more than one key when capoed at a given fret. Great lessons Brett, thanks for all you do.
Hi Joan, Here is a link that for now is best viewed on a PC rather than a cell phone. Scroll down and you will find a very nice capo of the left! www.brettridgewaymusic.com/brett-s-recommended-products
Thanks for the lesson. A couple questions. Why is the capo on the first fret Emin rather than E maj, when the open, third and fourth fret make major cords? Also, what happens to the chord formations when the capo is on the first or second frets? It seems like the patterns would be quite different.
If I wanted to play in the key of C, would it be a better bet to detune my dulcimer to CGC tuning rather than using a capo? Btw I did order a capo and found your video helpful.
I recently purchased my first dulcimer and am ordering a capo today. This video was very helpful in learning how to change keys using a capo without having to retune. I am still learning about the modes within each key and I don't suppose a capo could be used for that as well?
@@francineroot-adler7205 This particular one is a Ron Ewing Capo. I also have a link to some in the description above. Or here: www.brettridgewaymusic.com/brett-s-recommended-products
I appreciate your lessons I have been using a capo for a few years but I have what I'm sure is a very stupid question but I don't know the answer. I play in some jams with guitar players that play a lot in the keys of C and G. Getting to C means retuning for me. Why will it not work for me to tune to CGC and then capo 1 for D, 2 for E, 3 for F# etc? To my Vulcan mind this should work perfectly but when I play the capoed D it doesn't sound right.
Without your capo the frets give you intervals of tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone (ignoring the 6.5 fret). This is the major (Ionian) mode. When you add the capo behind the first fret when tuned CGC, yes you do get DAD, but your frets now give intervals tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone-tone. This is the Dorian mode (think Scarborough Fair...). So tunes won't sound the same if you just add the capo at fret one and keep the fingerings the same.
Great instructional but I'm confused on one point. The notes DAD make up a D5 chord. If you raise them a tone, you get EBE, which is an E5 chord, not Em. To have an Em, you'd need a flatted 3rd (a G-note). Am I missing something?
Lynda North there is a tuner I recommend but I don’t think I would put anything into a sound hole of a dulcimer. If you go to my recommended products page on my website there is one there called a micro tuner
I’m confused. During the video you talk about using the 1, 3, 5 notes or DAD. The chart at the end has no explanation and the I, IV, V notes are underlined. Please explain the use of these notes instead of the 1st, third, and fifth notes. Thank you.
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Excellent capo explanation and demo. Using capo is totally new to me. Thank you. Wonderful teaching style.
Terrie, Thank you for the kind words!
Very clear & easy to follow (thank for demystifying the capo) I am so looking forward to the day I learn to play the Elk River Blues!!
Thank you so much for this. Your instruction is clear and very easy to follow. The gift for me was being able to find which key my voice best fits.
Thank you Joan, I am continually trying to improve and produce my videos!
Stephen Seifert
I’m one of those “city people” who went to a small Christian college in Lincoln, Illinois. The campus seemed like a giant corn field 🌽 to me! I majored in Sacred Music (classical voice) with a minor in Bible ... My Master’s degree is in Vocal Performance (1984). On a trip to Kentucky, I fell in love with a beautiful dulcimer made from 3 different kinds of wood. That was in 1986! I got it out and admired its beauty, strummed around, and told myself that I would learn to play it “right” when I had more time. HaHa!
Now I’m finally getting down to business ... I’m sending a pic of my lovely dulcimer with a poster that I think you will like. I’ve listened to your first few lessons, and I’m looking forward to sticking with it this time‼️
I play the dulcimer alredy years but the capo is new to me. Thank you for the lesson. I live in Hungary and build the dulcimer myself because it is unknown here. And the capo I have to make now as well. First I taught myself and maybe 7 years ago with lessons by Jessica Comeau. I have given years lesson in the Hungarian citer (Zither). Jan ten Hove - Hungary
You are such a wonderful teacher and artist. I learn so much from your videos. Thank you.
Thank you. I have been looking for years on how to tune and play in key of G. So that I could enjoy playing with our church band. Finally my search was fruitful. I had no idea there was a capo for a dulcimer.. yippy my husband made one. This made so much cense, Thanks again
Kim Andrews You are most welcome and I’m glad you’re using it for church!
Excellent. Professionally produced video, great sound balance, clear and concise explanation of the use of a capo.
Thank you Nigel, I am working on it! :)
This was EXTREMELY helpful! Thank you so much. All the keys and where things were was a mystery to me and I always felt lost and confused. You've made my dulcimer make sense. Thank you!
easy to understand explanation. I have to listen to the videos every week to digest them, but it is getting easier. Thank you
Believe me it does get much much easier...I promise!
thanks, great explanation, easy to understand. 🎉
Very informative! Thanks!
Very helpful to me. Thank you
Turkey in the Straw sounds pretty funky played in Em. Thanks for the lesson!
Lol! Glad you liked it! And thank you for being a patron!
I like to think of the capo as changing the tuning rather than the key as it is possible to play in more than one key when capoed at a given fret. Great lessons Brett, thanks for all you do.
Wow, your lessons are AWESOME 👏🏽. THANK YOU!
Thx Brett!!
Thanks for your easy to follow instructions
Loved this tutorial!! Thank you!
I haven't gotten mine yet but that was very enjoyable to watch it's seven days away😢
Thank you for the info!
This helped so so much! Thank you!
Thank you for commenting and happy it has helped!
My friend fools around with dulcimer but didn't know she could use a capo. I emailed her a link.
Thanks for explaining the Capo so clearly. Can you send link to obtain a Capo that you would recommend. ? Thanks so much.
Hi Joan, Here is a link that for now is best viewed on a PC rather than a cell phone. Scroll down and you will find a very nice capo of the left!
www.brettridgewaymusic.com/brett-s-recommended-products
Thanks for the lesson. A couple questions. Why is the capo on the first fret Emin rather than E maj, when the open, third and fourth fret make major cords?
Also, what happens to the chord formations when the capo is on the first or second frets? It seems like the patterns would be quite different.
It's because E major would need a B flat where E minor has a B natural. Hope that makes sense :)
If I wanted to play in the key of C, would it be a better bet to detune my dulcimer to CGC tuning rather than using a capo? Btw I did order a capo and found your video helpful.
I recently purchased my first dulcimer and am ordering a capo today. This video was very helpful in learning how to change keys using a capo without having to retune. I am still learning about the modes within each key and I don't suppose a capo could be used for that as well?
Most definitely!
Brett Ridgeway's Learning For Life
If you have a video on this please let me know or if you make one in the future. Thank you.
Where did you purchase your capo
@@francineroot-adler7205 This particular one is a Ron Ewing Capo. I also have a link to some in the description above. Or here: www.brettridgewaymusic.com/brett-s-recommended-products
Do you recommend removing the capo when not in use?
I appreciate your lessons I have been using a capo for a few years but I have what I'm sure is a very stupid question but I don't know the answer. I play in some jams with guitar players that play a lot in the keys of C and G. Getting to C means retuning for me. Why will it not work for me to tune to CGC and then capo 1 for D, 2 for E, 3 for F# etc? To my Vulcan mind this should work perfectly but when I play the capoed D it doesn't sound right.
I agree and wonder exactly the same thing, thanks for asking Janet!
Without your capo the frets give you intervals of tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone (ignoring the 6.5 fret). This is the major (Ionian) mode. When you add the capo behind the first fret when tuned CGC, yes you do get DAD, but your frets now give intervals tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone-tone. This is the Dorian mode (think Scarborough Fair...). So tunes won't sound the same if you just add the capo at fret one and keep the fingerings the same.
th-cam.com/video/fgJCPx-_pbA/w-d-xo.html
Great instructional but I'm confused on one point. The notes DAD make up a D5 chord. If you raise them a tone, you get EBE, which is an E5 chord, not Em. To have an Em, you'd need a flatted 3rd (a G-note). Am I missing something?
LOL, not all things make sense. Because of the setup and limitations of not having half steps the E and Em are interchangeable
Thank you. Do you have a tuner that you recommend? It will have to clip into a small sound hole.
Lynda North there is a tuner I recommend but I don’t think I would put anything into a sound hole of a dulcimer. If you go to my recommended products page on my website there is one there called a micro tuner
Great explanation...they should call it a cheat bar, not a capo. ;-)
Where can I buy a dulcimer capo
I’m confused. During the video you talk about using the 1, 3, 5 notes or DAD. The chart at the end has no explanation and the I, IV, V notes are underlined. Please explain the use of these notes instead of the 1st, third, and fifth notes. Thank you.
The 1,3,and 5 notes are the notes in the chord. The I, IV, and V are the chords in a key!