Each individual tune includes 2 versions:
- A melody with chords version; and an
- Arranged version close to the way Ruth performs it.
The melody and chords version is good for beginners, also for an accompanist (such as guitar) to play the chords and it's also good to use as a basis for making your own arrangement.
These PDFs are listed in alphabetical order which is the same order in the book and the companion CD.
This, the first tune I ever wrote, was written soon after receiving a kidney transplant. It was inspired by taking long walks on our mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. During that healing time, I was also learning to play the hammered dulcimer, which opened up a whole new musical life for us. A celebration of new beginnings.
A musical image to describe the winters in our Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia.
Watching hammers fly over a hammered dulcimer is amazing, as though they are actually "dancing" across the strings.
Want to work on valley rolls? Here you go... Also used in this arrangement is a very valuable arranging tool - the diamond shaped chord. With lots of twists in the melody, this little tune reminds us that it's our friends and family who get us through the twists and turns of life.
This tune is in the key of C and makes use of the upper notes of the instrument. Up on the peak of the highest mountain in our area, Grandfather Mountain, gnarled trees grow sideways in the wind. In that harsh environment, a delicate little heather blooms in spring and reminds us that even in difficult times, beauty can bloom.
Steve and I wrote this hammered dulcimer and banjo tune to express the feeling of being homesick for the wonderful family atmosphere of the old homeplaces that once permeated many of our Appalachian mountain hollers.
My Mom, Jessie Mae, had an immeasurable impact on my life. She took me to hear my Dad's orchestra rehearse before I was born, and made sure to get me to every piano lesson, dance recital, theater, concert band, orchestra, marching band, choir, jazz band rehearsal and performance during my growing up years. She was a warm and caring person, and a
My Mom, Jessie Mae, had an immeasurable impact on my life. She took me to hear my Dad's orchestra rehearse before I was born, and made sure to get me to every piano lesson, dance recital, theater, concert band, orchestra, marching band, choir, jazz band rehearsal and performance during my growing up years. She was a warm and caring person, and a truly gracious Southern lady who taught me to see the positive side of life.
This tune depicts the mountains' celebration of spring with a beautiful procession of wildflowers.
This little tune started as an experiment in patterns that are fun to play. The way the patterns look on the dulcimer remind me of the fun of making snow angels.
The beauty of winter in our mountains inspired this tune - from the stormy, icy days to the brilliant, clear days that reveal a peaceful blanket of white snow over the land. Don't let the notes scare you off - it's mostly arpeggios and scale runs.
This familiar Bach piece was arranged in an especially simple way in order to better facilitate playing for wedding processionals.
This makes a nice medley with Southwind, as we played on our CD "An Appalachian Aire."
This makes a nice medley with Si Bheag, Si Mhor, as we played on our CD "An Appalachian Aire."
This was written out a little differently - for the sake of clarity - with the right hand playing the bottom staff and the left hand on the top staff.