"Fried chick-en" strumming CAN run into a little resistance! A young homeschooled student years ago batted her eyelashes at me during a private lesson and said, "I'm a vegetarian."  Without missing a beat, I replied that, for her, it was "fried tofu"!  They keep you on your toes!

My adult students over the last 25 years have had hilarious fun with "fried chick-en" - bringing me all kinds of food items with chicken labels, t-shirts with chicken pictures, catch my eye in church, at dulcimer festivals and in parking lots doing air strumming while mouthing "fried chick-en".  There is an explanation of how it came about at www.gwencaeli.com on the "Free Tab/FAQ" page.

I'm so glad you are bringing new players into the fold!

Hi Gwen, I just started a small group in playing the dulcimer at our local library.  Your lesson on strumming is just what I wanted to teach them next.  Thanks so much. I can see all my young students leaving the class saying: "Firied Chicken" and the mothers saying: "Sounds like you were at a cooking class. Thanks for these very teachable pointers. John

Happy strumming, Lexie!  Thanks for your comment.

Thanks Gwen, I am a hotdogger rhythm challenged player and always like a new perspective on finding it. Your video will help.

Most BORING video EVER!!  Hotdoggers, please, no harsh judgements.  I have worked with many newer players wanting to add the joy of music to their life, and, having read that dulcimer is the easiest instrument to play, they buy or make one.  My experience has been that delightful gift of "straight-from-birth natural rhythm" is not always there - it must be developed.

This video may give new insight and a different way to think of rhythm to those developing the technique of coordinating the right and left hands - making them work together can be challenging!  But once it 'gels', move over hotdoggers - a newer player has surfaced!