Thank y'all for the kind words and the encouragement. I'm really making progress on the tune, and I'm falling in love with it. I'll keep picking away at it.

Big sunny FL smiles to y'all!

I think you are doing great. I have just started and no way can I finger pick. Can't wait to start trying it.

Practicing with your eyes closed develops muscle memory. At some point you'll most likely want to be able to "just play it" when someone (or you)suggests the title...without hunting around for your music. Sounds like you're most of the way there already!

Yeah, Jan, this is just too much fun for me. For some reason the hog fiddle just clicks for me. It might be the Cracker in me. Thank you for noticing that.

I've got a lot of the song memorized now, and I hope week three showcases my efforts. And I'm practicing with my eyes closed because I love to go away in the music and to help memorize the feel of my hog--I guess I should name him.

Thank you for the tips!

I love the journey, Benjamin (I want to say Brother Barr so badly! In the "we are the world" way.) I'm nowhere near there, I know. Thank you for the encouragement.

Big smiles to y'all!

Keep it up, keep practicing...you're getting there, but not quite there yet. It's like the question that kids would ask their parents when driving in a car (of course, I NEVER did this ): Are we there yet????? The reply: Almost, it's just a hop, skip and a jump....

Well, first off, that's lots more smiling than one usually sees--and that's a GOOD thing! When you see videos of a class, or a candid shot taken in a class setting, nobody looks like they're enjoying what they're doing--and I can tell you're really enjoying this--so YAY!

I, too, like the vibrato and thought of Stephen right away. Great teacher!

Before you undertake memorizing the whole song, you might want to memorize the first 5 notes of the song.

That run of 5 notes comes up 3 times in the song and would give you a chance to take a breather...or look up and smile...sort of like a musical traffic island. OR memorize the last part "and the skies are not cloudy all day" and no matter how much you've goofed up the rest of the song, the ending will be great.

Mark, I especially liked the vibrato. That's something I never think of doing but always enjoy hearing. fotmd member John Henry is a master of that syle of playing also.

You are seriously off to a great and FUN start!

Mark, you're making good progress. Loved the subtitles on the video. I'm looking forward to next week to see how far you've come.

Thank you everyone for the kind words and encouragement. I'm so sold on the dulcimer that this is just great fun. And my wife and I are doing music together--she is worlds ahead of me with hers because she is a musician, but we have so much to share!

Thank you, Dusty, for setting me straight with Laura Elder. I'll find her and tell her how much she has inspired me!

I am doing an online finger-picking lesson fromStephen Seifert. My poor reading should not be a reflection on his stuff. In the video I'm reading the intermediate sheet because I like the strumming parts, where the beginning only had the picking. The lesson also has an advanced tab, but it is too beyond me at this point.

Big smiles to all.

Good job! Keep it up. It's wonderful!

Mark, your progress is very good and I think everyone who knows the song could recognize Home on the Range. What tablature were you reading from? I look forward to more videos from you as you continue on this journey. Plus, you make us all laugh. Thanks.

FYI: that "guy playing the Peal Jam cover" is FOTMD member Laura Elder. You might check out the other videos she's posted.

I love it! Mark you are doing great!

I totally cracked up when you lost your train of thought, looked up like a lost puppy, and Val said sweetly "Yeah just play the song"...you were so relieved to just...obey. lololol....

Lots of improvement in just a few days!

That's a nice sounding dulcimer there too.

Mark, I got it without you telling me . You did a great job . As with anything else, I've discovered that the more I practice the better I get. Keep it up and keep posting videos