Mountain Dulcimer Lessons

There are several ways you can add an intro or ending to your tune:

1. Play the last four measures of the tune before starting the first measure of the tune. An introduction, or "intro", prepares the ear of the listener for what follows. It also establishes the tempo and the mood of the song. The easiest way to create an intro is to use the last phrase of the song. As often as not, this is four measures long.
   
   
2. For a nice ending, repeat the last few measures of the tune at the end of the tune.
   
   
3. For a more intricate intro, use a chord sequence that leads to the first chord of the song. You can compose a melody to go with it walking up or down from one chord to the next, or just play the chords in an arpeggio fashion (one note at a time), or just strum the chords in sequence to get the beat going.

First, decide what key the song is written in. Then, using the charts below, choose a sequence of chords that leads to the first chord of the song. Four-measure intros work well and you can use one chord per measure. For a two-measure intro (great for slow songs), use two chords per measure. For fast songs, an eight-measure intro works using two measures for each chord.

Below are some common chord sequences used for intros:

Notice that the last chord of the intro is always the 7th chord resolving to the Major chord.

For a fuller sound, any minor chord in these intro sequences can be played as a minor 7th (m7).

The following two charts can be used for songs where the first chord of the song is one step higher than the key of the song (Usually the first chord of the song is a minor or minor 7th).

Some of these chord sequences may sound too complex for songs with simpler chords. Try them all and let your ear decide.

4. Replace the last measure of the song by running a scale up to the next octave, ending on the same note the song ends on only one octave higher. You could turn this note into a chord by the same name. This would replace the last measure of the song, but could also add a few measures.

5. Use walk down chords. If your song starts on a low G chord, start with a high G and walk it down to the next G chord.

An example of this would be if your song starts on a 3, 3, 3 (G barre chord), start your walk down at (bass string first) 7, 6, 0 to 6, 6, 0 to 5, 6, 0 to 4, 6, 0 and then the 3, 3, 3.

7, 6, 0 is a two-note inverted "X" G chord (5, 6, 7 to 7, 6, 5 then drop the 5 to find your position).

Try walking other "X" chords down to the next barre chord of the same name.

6. Then for another ending, there is the old "Shave & a haircut".

You just tag it onto your tune when you are done and it sounds like this: da da-da da da -- da da.

This is something that you will hear tagged onto the end of fiddle tunes and old time tunes. It is an old ending and was very popular a generation ago and still gets smiles.

The words are: "Shave and a haircut -- two bits!"

In DAd tuning, it is played on the melody string 7, 4-4, 5, 4 -- 6+, 7.

The entire phrase has a total count of seven beats. You play the first 4 double quick givng it a count of "2 &". Each of the other notes get one count with a one count rest before the 6+ .

If you want to give it more body, play 0, 5, 7 / 0, 5, 4 / 0, 5, 4 / 0, 5, 5 / 0, 5, 4 / (rest) / 4, 4, 6+ / 0, 5, 7.

I hope I have explained this clearly enough so you can understand it. Tull Glazner has another fun ending tabbed out in his book "Dulcified" on page 27.