My first learning video

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Musicmaker
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:32 pm

My first learning video

Post by Musicmaker »

Hello,
I want to stand up and be counted as one of the "few" , so here is my first video about learning the zither and how i see it.

Pete
https://youtu.be/j1igAXICxjU
Rudy Mueller
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Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:33 am
Location: Grafton WI 53024 RMUELLERMKE@GMAIL.COM

Re: My first learning video

Post by Rudy Mueller »

Great! This has got to be a "MUST SEE" for all beginners. Off and running with scales and basic accompaniment. Which teaching materials are you using?

Nice zither by the way. Did it come out of Wisconsin? The 27 open stringed seem to sound really "sweet".

Rudi
NutmegCT
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Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:31 pm
Location: Connecticut!
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Re: My first learning video

Post by NutmegCT »

Pete - congrats on an excellent first video!

It's really a great way to introduce the instrument, and the learning experience, to beginners.

One thing I notice, is you might want to use the "rest stroke" on those bass and accompaniment strings. Instead of plucking the strings and lifting them up up and away - pluck each finger "sideways" toward you, so they rest against the adjacent string. That way the fingers stay in position, instead of lifting away from the strings.

At least that's what the other forum zitherists here keep telling me!

Anyway, you're off to a great start! And quite a difference from your electric dulcimer, where your right hand just strums the strings all at once, eh?

Tom M.
PS - Rudy, I haven't heard back from you on the May 3 and May 6 emails where you asked for some advice.
Andy
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Location: Austin TX
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Re: My first learning video

Post by Andy »

Morning Pete,

Great first steps! Your scales sound good and your fingers look like they’re all where they belong. Accompaniment will take time to feel more natural. Strumming C-Major and G-Major took a lot of effort. For me it was convincing one finger that it could move further than the other in one motion.

And your Zither cleaned up beautifully, so pretty with brand new strings.

- Andy
Musicmaker
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:32 pm

Re: My first learning video

Post by Musicmaker »

Thank you all for your encouraging comments.
Rudi, you asked what method i am using?
Well for the scales I used King Keyes down loadedfrom the forum.
For the chords, i jumped ahead in the Harris method book one and looked up the chords.
Like i say, i was just experimenting truly beyond what i should be practising as i was dying to hear what the Framus sounded like with full chords.
I will now go back to the Harris method learning simple melodies and one string accompaniament to get my hand positioning correct and tge full chords will follow.
I am four pages away from it now!
The Zither is a 1965 Framus made in Bavaria but i ended up getting it from USA!
There are not many signs of usage.
Tom, i will pay attention to what you said about the right hand technique.
One thing i have noticed is that on the video i was sitting more or less square on.
I have now moved the Zither quite a few inches to the left and turned my body slightly to the left.
This position feels more natural for me.
Damned me....i looked up positioning in King Keyes and it described almost word perfect what i have just written!
Andy, thank you also for your kind input.
Now that i have had a fiddle about with it, the learning starts in earnest and i am going the Ilse Harris method but i also would like to play the lovely melodies in the Darr book.
Cannot wait for the Heimgarten book to arrive but that is all something to look forward to as time goes on.
Pete
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