Gentle Maiden (Traditional, Ireland)

This widely played and simple but lovely waltz/slow air offers us the opportunity to discuss “harmonizing a scale” to explore chord choices using only major and the relative minors and to explore arranging ideas in waltzes. Being able to harmonize a scale is a vitally important skill. (If you are not clear on what all this means, you might want to check out The Pachelbel’s Canon Exercise and  Hammered Dulcimer Fundamentals and Exercises in my video lessons. I cover these concepts in great detail.) One approach to learning arranging skills is to take only one technique at a time and work it to death. Thus, I go through the entire tune playing only three note chords; then only two note chords; then finding as many valley rolls as we can; and finally playing arpeggio fills. A goal that I have for every tune that I play is to be able to play an arrangement and a backup and to see a relationship between the chord progression, the arrangement and the backup. You will know that you have the whole package for a piece of music when you can pass this test: play the simple melody and say the chord progression. This is not an easy task but the benefits are only realized when you can do it! I hope you will check out and nail down the simple backup. This tune is also a nice illustration of the idea that much goes into creating a successful and interesting chord progression, backup and arrangement and especially that no chord can be viewed in isolation but must be seen as part of a story.

Here's What You Get:

$38 (Sheet music PLUS video lessons)

Sheet music for melody, backup, and arranging ideas. Ken talks through the tune, chord choices, hammering patterns, backups, embellishments, arranging, play-throughs, and more on his dulcimer (shot from above so that you can see what he's doing).

Video Lessons Included:

• Basic Tune
• Hammering
• Three Note Chords
• Two Note Chords
• Arpeggio Fills
• Arrangement #1
• Arrangement #2
• Backup
• Play-through

 Approximate length: 39 minutes

***Videos can be streamed, downloaded, or viewed in the Gumroad App on mobile devices. Watch your email for instructions after purchase***

It's like having private mini-tutorials from Ken that you can watch over and over!


NOTE: Even if you already own the sheet music, your purchase ensures that you receive the latest updated versions, and future additions to new arranging ideas, backups and so forth as Ken experiments and develops his playing of the tune.


Thank you for your support - I hope you enjoy the tune! Please do not share your purchased music and videos.

Recorded Spring 2017 Sandbridge VA