Bing Futch - Method For Beginning Mountain Dulcimer

Tuning DAA. I can find very few tabs in this tuning. Almost all are DAD.

I am just getting started with all of the information in this book. There are many songs in different tunings to help get acquainted with the entire fret board. The recordings are helpful also.

This seems like a good book to follow the Joyce Ochs book First Lessons in DAD. Has chapters on scales and shows several different tunings.

This book is good in many ways. However, the frequency of Daa or various tunings are not helpful in newbes who are being taught in DAD. I popped a few string trying to change tunings and give up on any exercises or songs other than my regular DAD tuning.

Pleasantly surprised at the comprehensiveness of this beginner's book. Starts slow for us newbies and builds topic by topic - tunings, scales and easy first pieces evolve toward basic music theory, notation and more challenging exercises. You can listen online or download all of the music, a great help to those of us who want a sense of the music behind those notes. A very thorough and helpful guide to the dulcimer.

Bing Futch- Method For Beginning Mountain Dulcimer

Checking it out….

When my dulcimer arrives it will be tuned to the suggested DAD. Early in the book, I am instructed to tune the dulcimer to DAA. And in those instructions I think there is a typographic error because if I follow the instructions, all strings will be tuned to AAA. Most of the training is in DAA.
I appreciate the youtube videos done by the author and will strive to be 1/250 of his skill level in the next 15 years. So I give this book a rating of 3 stars. I am not currently happy with it, but in time I will try using it.

I have never played a stringed instrument before, nor can I even read music, and so far, I have found this book to be a great starting resource. I haven't gotten very far, but I am excited to make my way through the whole thing. I find the progression of concepts to be quite logical and intuitive to follow, and having audio files of the different exercises really helps me with the learning process. It's made me feel much more confident in learning how to play this instrument when I used to doubt if I would ever be able to play anything.

I got "Bing Futch - Method For Beginning Mountain Dulcimer" since I am very familiar with music theory (via piano). What I was not familiar with was working with a stringed/fretted instrument. I found an easier beginner book that gave more information on strumming and finger placement by Joyce Och's. Also, make sure your dulcimer is modern fretting not traditional fretting if using these books. I am looking forward to progressing to the Bing Futch book soon. Also taking time with Banjo Lemonade with Mandy on-line.

In this book, Bing does a great job providing the new player with comprehensive information about playing the mountain dulcimer. A good place to begin your mountain dulcimer journey.

I bought the book ,but where is the CD?. Where can I get the CD?

Bing Futch - Method For Beginning Mountain Dulcimer

I am a beginner and I watched a lot of different YouTube videos before purchasing this book and media files. I have only gotten through the first couple of lessons and he is a thorough and knowledgeable instructor, and I love his style. I’m looking forward to becoming a proficient player with his instructions.

The book concentrates on DAA tuning, not the DAD I'm set to as a beginner and for which most online beginner material is geared. Other than that, I find the information easy to understand and follow. If I ever get around to changing the tuning I'll use this as a reference. For now, like other reviewers, this is on the shelf.

Looks good,may help to already have a little knowledge of music.That being said happy with my purchase.

I bought this book because I love the playing of Bing Futch and I thought it would be a good way to learn to play. There are issues with his musical notation and he is not consistent in representing the notes on the treble clef. I found that confusing. Also, I think that he focuses on too many modes for a beginner. I would have preferred to start in one mode and learn the basics and then move to another mode rather than changing modes and tuning all the time. That is just my opinion. I intend to get back to this book later but for now it’s on the shelf.

I thought the book was great. Mostly my fault. I stick to DAD tuning and much of the material was for various other tunings. Therefore it’s use for me was limited.

My first thoughts are that it looks like a very good beginner's course in mountain dulcimer. However, in skimming through the book and dipping briefly into some pages, I've found three massive errors. The author assures me that they will be corrected in the next edition, which will make it a much less confusing book for complete beginners. If/when those errors are corrected, it will be worth at least one more star.

Too soon for review

Bing Futch- Method For Beginning Mountain Dulcimer

Very helpful.

It is a great beginners book

Very complete lessons.

Only Bing could stir a renewed interest in my mountain dulcimer. Thanks for all the tips. Easy to use format.

Years ago, I saw a problem with the "how to play dulcimer" books on the market. There were books for brand new players, and a few that took players to an intermediate level. But, there weren't any instructional materials available for players that were heading towards a higher level of competency.

So, I hired Bing Futch (author of this book) to write a method book for mountain dulcimer. I asked for "easy to use" (lots of diagrams, logical progressions, and plenty of white space). I also asked for "lots of actual knowledge" (skills, theory, alternate tunings - anything to make a player THINK, not just play tunes). This is the book that Bing came up with, and I've been recommending it ever since. This is the perfect book for someone with a little music background that wants to really understand and play the mountain dulcimer.