– Start Here

🎬 Before Step 1, you’ll get a few videos and resources to get started. You'll get to know your teachers, understand how to follow along with the videos, and make the most of the course..
You’ll even meet Simon the Sloth 🦥, who has a few helpful tips of his own.

– Step 1: FUNdamentals

Learn to play from the ground up without tension or strain. You’ll learn how to stand (or sit), hold your hammers with ease, strike cleanly, and build habits that lead to accuracy and great tone. It’s all about setting yourself up for success from the very first day. (10 videos)

• Should I Sit or Should I Stand?
• How to Hold Your Hammers
• Let's Play!
• Aim for the Sweeeeet Spot
• Common Hammer Grip Mistakes
• Sound Check: How Good Technique Sounds
• Left Hand? Right Hand? Lead Hand?
• Let’s Make some Noise
• JUST FOR FUN: Practice with a Snack
• BONUS: Tuning Your Dulcimer

– Step 2: Scales are the Building Blocks of Music

You’ll play your first major scale, explore three different scale patterns, and find out what Left Hand Lead really means. Through guided practice, you’ll build control, confidence, and coordination. Then you'll see a scale in action by learning your first tune: Ode to Joy. (4 videos)

• Play Your First Scale
• Let's Practice!
  
• Ode to Joy
• Ode to Joy Play Along

– Step 3: Layout and Logic of the Hammered Dulcimer

Step 3 orients you to Bridges and Key Markers and shows you the importance of 5ths and Octaves in understanding the layout of the hammered dulcimer. Ken adds just the teensiest bit of theory (Simon approved) to explain how the instrument is organized using the Circle of Fifths. (5 videos)

• A Special Note for Piano Players
• Bridges and Orientation
• Key Markers, Octaves & 5ths
• The Circle of Fifths on Your Hammered Dulcimer
• Let's Have Some Fun with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
  

Pause here and take a breath…
Sign up for the Starter Package to get everything you’ve seen so far—Steps 1–3—a rock‑solid foundation you can build on anytime.

Or, if you’re ready for the full journey, get the complete course at our special introductory / early bird price—
8 Steps, all bonuses, lifetime access. Payment plan available: 12 payments of $17.

Scroll on to see the rest. 🦥 Simon says: there’s more good stuff ahead.

– Step 4: Naming Your Notes

This step shows you how to name any note on your dulcimer using patterns, shapes, and intervals—no need to memorize them all at once. Reinforce as you go with the Note Naming Deck of Cards or the Mystery Solved videos. Since note naming can feel a little tedious, we’ll put your new skills to work right away with the hauntingly beautiful melody of Evening of Roses. (5 videos + BONUS)

• Note Naming
• Note Naming Deck of Cards
• Evening of Roses: Main Melody (A Part)
• Evening of Roses: Main Melody (B Part)
• Evening of Roses: Main Melody (Upper Octave)
• Evening of Roses: Main Melody Play-through
• BONUS: Note Naming: Mystery Solved Course (16 Videos)

– Step 5: Root Position Arpeggios

In Step 5, you’ll learn five Root Position Arpeggio patterns and why you need to know all of them. With clear demos and guided practice, you’ll start to “see” chords instead of naming notes one at a time. Then you’ll apply your new skills by learning the backup for Evening of Roses. (9 videos)

• Introduction: ArpeGWhaaat?
• Forming Chords
• Five Ways to Play a Root Position Arpeggio
• Practice!
• Minor Chords
  
• PSA: Theory
• Evening of Roses: Chord Progression
• Evening of Roses: Backup
• Grad School Evening of Roses: See the Chords in the Melody

– Step 6: Inversion Patterns (You don't need to stand on your head)

This step explores root position, first inversion, and second inversion shapes using Pachelbel’s Canon as your practice track. You’ll go beyond just playing notes—you’ll learn which note to start on, identify which note names the chord, and learn to see every interval in the shape. (9 videos)

• What Inversion Patterns Are and Why You Need Them
• Pachelbel's Canon Chord Progression
  
• Everything You Need to Know about the Shed Pattern (Root Position)
• Everything you Need to Know about the Parallelogram Pattern (First Inversion)
• Everything you Need to Know about the Nevada Pattern (Second Inversion)
  
• Let's Play! (Introduction)
• Let's Play: Pachelbel Exercise - Shed
• Let's Play: Pachelbel Exercise - Parallelogram
• Let's Play: Pachelbel Exercise - Nevada

– Step 7: Southwind: Phrases and Intervals

You’ll learn how paying attention to phrases in Southwind—a jam session favorite—can make a melody easier to learn and remember. Then you’ll study Harmonic and Melodic Intervals and how to see them clearly on the dulcimer. Finally, you’ll apply your new skills in a Two-Note Chord version of Southwind, working section by section with guided practice. (17 videos)

• Southwind: The Tricky Dotted Quarter Note Rhythm
• Southwind: Tapping the Rhythm and Listening
• Southwind: Main Melody (A Part)
• Southwind: Main Melody (B Part)
• Southwind: Main Melody Play-through
• Harmonic Intervals: Key of G
• Harmonic Intervals: Extended Intervals (Tenth)
• Harmonic Intervals: Seeing Intervals in a Melody
• Harmonic Intervals: Simon Reviews - Melodic and Harmonic Intervals
• Harmonic Intervals: Common Mistakes
• Southwind: Two Note Chords (1st A Part)
  
• Southwind: Two Note Chords (2nd A Part)
• Southwind: Two Note Chords A Part Play-through
• Southwind: Two Note Chords (1st B Part)
• Southwind: Two Note Chords (2nd B Part)
  
• Southwind: Two Note Chords Play-through (B Part)
• Southwind: Two Note Chords Play-through
  
• BONUS: Simon's Harmonic Intervals Boot Camp (Coming Soon!)

– Step 8: Johnny Cope

This is probably your first fiddle tune! In this step, you’ll learn the Johnny Cope Main Melody with Mary Lynn and a simple arrangement with Ken. Along the way, you’ll explore new ideas like swing, accents, and backbeat—while also drawing on earlier skills like intervals, chord shapes, and hammer control. (12 videos)

• Johnny Cope: Listen to the Main Melody
  
• Johnny Cope: Key of A Mixolydian
• Johnny Cope: Main Melody (A Part)
• Johnny Cope: Main Melody (B Part)
• Johnny Cope: Main Melody Play-through (Slow)
  
• Johnny Cope: Main Melody Play-through (Medium)
• Johnny Cope: Main Melody Play-through (Fast)
  
• Johnny Cope: Arrangement (A Part)
• Johnny Cope: Arrangement (B Part)
• Johnny Cope: Arrangement Play-through (Slow)
• Johnny Cope: Arrangement Play-through (Medium)
• Johnny Cope: Arrangement Play-through (Fast)
  

** Everything you just read? It’s yours. 

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🦥 Simon says: Learn at your own pace (and take plenty of naps!)

Now you’ve seen the journey…

If you’re ready to join us, get the complete course at our special introductory / early bird price—8 Steps, all bonuses, lifetime access. Payment plan available: 12 payments of $17.

Or, if you’d like to get a start on a strong foundation, sign up for the Starter Package—Steps 1–3 (upgrade any time) 

🦥 Simon says: pick your path, grab your hammers—let’s play!