Richard Ash Clinic Tomorrow

October 7, 2022

Good morning, and Happy Friday (Newsletter Day!):

I hope you are all planning on coming out to my clinic tomorrow - noon - at the Folkcraft shop in Woodburn, Indiana.

Actually, we send this newsletter to a little over 12,000 people and since there are only a handful of clinic seats still available - most of you would have to go on a waiting list. Ha!

$40 gets you a four-hour class, lunch, a jam (pre-clinic) and a concert (post-clinic).

It'll be fun, and you'll learn something new. Join us, won't you?

So last week, you got a slew of "in the shop" photos. This week, I'm not sharing a shop photo, but something even better. A friend's great-granddaughter, playing a dulcimer he made for her:

five year old girl playing a dulimer her grandpa made for her

Five years old, and already a virtuoso dulcimer player. At least, according to her great grandfather. Her left hand index finger is close to the fret (it could be a little closer, but a succcessive approximation educational approach is appropriate for her age and experience level). The strum is right over the last fret (perfect!). I would suggest that she get a little closer to the instrument, but using a table to perform makes it hard to get underneath the instrument and still have the ideal instrument height. I think it is very, very impressive that she can play without looking at the frets. We should all work on that!

I'm being silly, critiquing little details like that. I know. But it is totally awesome that she's making real music at this age. Her (great) grandfather is doing a stellar job getting her started. I'm proud of her, and of what she's accomplishing with her mountain dulcimer. You should, be too.

This week in the shop, we're finishing off some customer instruments, and prepping for the Black Mountain Music Fest in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Packing the display carts, stringing up instruments. Plus I'm preparing for this weekend's clinic and concert.

Over the past weekend, I booked the last of the artists for next year's Second Saturday Clinic series. I know so many of the great artist instructors, it is hard to choose who to hire, but I've narrowed it down to six of the world's finest. I'll announce them in a week or two (after this year's season ends next weekend).

Thank you all for ready - now go and play your instruments. Have some fun!

Richard Ash