Confident, with my Dulcimer

"Confident," the 2015 hit by Demi Lovato, played on electric 3-string dulcimer by Sam Edelston. I've loved this song since the first time I heard it.

I didn't sing the words, but this song is about self-empowerment. Lovato has said about it, "‘The pre-chorus says it best, where it says, 'You’ve had me underrated.’ I’ve wanted to shout that from the top of my lungs for years now.”

And actually self-empowerment is a theme I find tremendously relevant to the fretted dulcimer, as well. This is an instrument that is traditionally used for sweet folk songs, sweet folk tunes, old ballads, and such. My new, unabashed motto is that I believe in "Unleashing the Dulcimer," because it is brilliantly suited for the spotlight in modern mainstream music, as well.

In fact, I consider it a more logical first stringed instrument than guitar -- with fewer strings and (usually) fewer frets, it just seems to me that there ought to be millions of people wanting to play, if only they realized it was relevant to their music. I do these videos to inspire more people to play and listen to dulcimer music, in diverse, non-traditional styles.

If you like what you hear, please "Like" it, Share it, and check out more of my videos.

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And definitely check out my new studio album, MAKING WAVES - dulcimer versions of mostly classic rock and pop songs, with a rock band - https://edelstondulcimer.bandcamp.com...

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Technical details: Played on my Rod Matheson 3-string dulcimer, tuned DAD, capo on the first fret, in Em. No special frets are used in this arrangement. The two pickups were sent to separate channels. Channel A went to my Headrush Pedalboard, running through a Gray Compressor, Parametric EQ, Octave, Klon clone, and Tangerine 30 amp model (based on an Orange AD30 amp). Channel B went through a Tech 21 Fly Rig pedal with Plexi, Blonde, and Delay settings turned on and some reverb and chorus added at the amp.

This song was written by Demi Lovato, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Max Martin, and Savan Kotecha. By the way, check out her music video for this song - it's really cool.

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