Mountain Dulcimer Page 2

strumming. If you find an unusual tuning, work up a chord chart as best you can, but also just sit down

and play with chord patterns and you'll be surprised what you can do!

Finger-Picking Patterns.

Start with some basic three-string "cross-picking" patterns ("melody bass

middle," "melody middle bass middle," "melody middle melody bass", etc) and develop your own four-

string variations. Often I'll use the pattern as-is, and play a "pinch" of the two melody strings where the

melody string is to be picked ("melody1/melody2 middle bass middle", etc). Also, you can use a pattern

on the bottom three strings as-is and use your thumb to play the straight melody line. Four-string is also

nice, though, for the "rolling" patterns you can play. I often use a variation of the pattern "melody/1 bass

middle melody/2" in my picking, adding the melody notes on the first melody string when needed with

my thumb.

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