Gruss Rudi. Thanks for the follow up.

Please permit me my "gut" question: what printed source should I use to actually learn right hand control? Finding the needed strings, as well as moving my hand from one "chord" to another.

I literally find myself overwhelmed, regardless of using Darr, Schneider, or Hintermeyer. It's one thing to show the actual notes on the staff, but finding those notes on the free strings, playing them, then returning my hand to original position, is so far 99% impossible for me.

Example: a staff shows a C major chord. I then have to carefully match the printed string tuning diagram to the strings, and count from free string 1 up to find the strings needed for that chord. Then I place my fingers, "stroke", the chord, then fumble to get my fingers back where they need to be. If the chord changes to D, or G, or whatever, I have to start counting all over again.

I'm embarrassed to admit, but a YouTube video actually showing the finger placement for several basic two and three tone chords, *and at the same time* showing the written notation, has proven much more effective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrbQ5NIU0R0

I need exercises to show me how to quickly find the combination of strings needed, play them, and find the next combination. I'm sure that frequent lessons with a teacher would help, but where I live that's not possible.

(If this should be in a different area, please feel free to move it.)

Danke fuer Ihr Geduld!
Tom

Hi Tom, The most challenging thing for me to learn at the beginning was being able to strum two accompiment strings with one finger while only plucking one with the other. nce I was able to master that skill to play a major chord, the rest followed. For me it was remembering that the index finger had to travel twice as far as the middle finger.
For your contras, it's pretty much up to you. Most start with F and go down. Depending on the music you're playing you might want to do it diatonically instead of chromatically.

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org

Thanks Ken. Good advice, and something to strengthen my mettle.

Related to this - how do you know *where* to place your fingers when changing chords?

I can almost master re-placing my fingers to strum a repeated set of strings (for example, repeated F chords or arpeggiated F chords). But moving my hand from F to C or to G, for example, is definitely problematic. I have to do my "counting up from string 1" routine.

Is this something you just learn by doing? I believe it's called "haptic memory"?

Thanks.
Tom

Hi Tom, Because the zither is tuned in fifths, the related chords are adjacent to the first you play. If you carefully watch other players, you will see that they hold their index and middle fingers in a solid position so that all they have to do to change chords is move both fingers forward or back one string. The index is still strumming two while the middle is plucking one. The same holds true with your ring finger playing the bass note. The spacing and feel is the same for all the major chords. Older zithers like yours have a bit wider spacing than more modern instruments and can be a bit more chalenging but if you keep at it, you will get it! Perseverance furthers!

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org

Thanks Ken. It's slowly starting to make more sense. By accident, just yesterday I discovered that just shifting right hand up or down one string, gives the related chords (I, IV, V, etc.). Reading the score is important, but I'm now also realizing that "playing by ear" is do-able for relatively simple tunes.

Merry Christmas to you.
Tom in CT

Hi Tom,
Being basically a jazz player I tend to do a lot of playing by ear supported by a reasonable theoretical background. It's amazing the kind of things you can discover just messing around. The books are fine and I've learned a lot from them but mostly I do it more by ear. Good luck and keep at it!

Ken Bloom
http://www.bowedducimer.org