It’s not a solo instrument unless you’re Stanley Clarke but it’s a lot of fun and great for a jam or in a band. After playing awhile you can incorporate the melody into the chords, bringing you up higher on the coolness scale.Īfter you learn a couple of bass line patterns, you can start plugging them into your favorite songs. Other chords require just a couple fingers and not much of a stretch. If it’s tuned to an open G (as they often are for bluegrass), you’ve already got a chord without pressing down any strings with your left hand. It’ll take a while to build up calluses, especially if you have one with steel strings.
#SMALL STRINGED INSTRUMENT PORTABLE#
They’re versatile, portable and you can find lots of instruction material. I’m a teeny bit biased since I’ve played one for forty years. You need a sense of rhythm to strum but you don’t have to do much with your other hand but push buttons. I think you have to have a physics degree to play one of these:Įven though I still have nightmares about grade school music and the teacher who played one of these, I have to admit that they’re really easy to play and damn, if Janis Joplin played one they can’t be bad. Here’s Cyndi Lauper playing hers:ĭon’t confuse the lap dulcimer with a hammered dulcimer. You’ll be playing a song within a few minutes of sitting down to play. The others are drones – you don’t press them down, just include them in your strum. On one string (or set) you play the melody line. Most have three strings (or three sets, with two strings so close together they count as one). Great for kids because of their small size but lots of adults play them too.
They’re amazingly versatile little things – you can play everything from “You Are My Sunshine” to “Good Riddance.” They’re very portable and inexpensive too. It’s only got four strings, they’re nylon (which is easier on the fingers than steel) and some chords only require one or two fingers. I teach via Skype from anywhere in the world. Wondering what instrument to pick up? Here’s a list of suggestions, based on my years of experience. After you decide on an instrument, consider lessons with me. Not that you should forget about playing that cool little instrument, just don’t be misled by the small size. Surprised? So are some of my beginning mandolin students.