Need Chords For D-A-C Tuning!

Banjimer
Banjimer
@greg-gunner
6 years ago
141 posts

Jimmy.

I took some time today to figure out the Chords for D Aeolian (D Minor) in D-A-C Tuning.  Left to right the numbers represent:

(Bass Sting-Middle String-Melody String)

i chord = D Minor (0-0-3, 4-3-3, 7-7-10, 11-10-10)

ii chord = E Diminished (3-4-6, 8-6-6, 10-11-13, 15-13-13)

III chord = F Major (6-0-3, 6-7-3, 13-14-10)

iv chord = G Minor (3-3-6, 7-6-6, 10-10-13, 14-13-13)

v chord = A Minor (1-0-0, 4-4-7, 6-4-5, 8-7-7, 11-11-14, 13-11-12, 15-14-14)

VI chord = Bb Major** (7-3-6, 14-10-13 Missing F Note) (0-0-3, 7-7-10 Missing the Bb Note)

VII chord = C major (3-4-0, 6-4-4, 6-6-9, 8-6-7, 13-11-11, 13-13-16, 15-13-14)

The Bb and F notes in D-A-C Tuning can be found only on the melody string.  This limits where full three-note chords can be played.  The Bb Major chord requires both the Bb note and the F note.  Since both are found only on the melody string in D-A-C tuning, it is impossible to play both at the same time.  **Therefore, the fret numbers listed for the Bb major chord are for two-note, partial chords.  One set of numbers is missing the F note.  The other set of numbers is missing the Bb note.

Jimmy Lamar
Jimmy Lamar
@jimmy-lamar
6 years ago
41 posts
Thanks so far for everyone’s response!

JL
Lisa Golladay
Lisa Golladay
@lisa-golladay
6 years ago
108 posts

Page 4 of this PDF has a chart showing all of the notes on all of the frets in DAC tuning.  Please note this is for some strumsticky thing so the positions of the bass vs melody string are reversed.  Still, it will show you where to find the notes to build chords up to the 11th fret:  https://www.harpkit.com/mm5/pdf/Strumbly-Chords.pdf

There are lots of DAC chords in this book, the one book that is always in my gig bag.  Don't leave home without it: https://www.melbay.com/Products/94662/dulcimer-chord-book.aspx

Or you can cheat like me.  I don't use a separate chart for DAC because I know the DAD chords pretty well.  The only difference between DAD and DAC is the melody string being tuned one step down.  Therefore, look at any DAD chord diagram, finger the bass and middle strings the same, and finger the melody string one fret higher.  Hope this helps.

Banjimer
Banjimer
@greg-gunner
6 years ago
141 posts

Please be aware.  In my previous post providing a link to Kevin Roth's chord charts for various modal tunings, I neglected to mention that the standard tuning at the time was for the various Keys of C.  Since your question asked about D-A-C tuning specifically (which is the tuning for D Aeolian), you will need to change  "C" to "D", "D" to "E", etc. for all the chords.  The chord positions on the chart do not need to be changed, but C Minor chords on the PDF will be D Minor chords if played in D-A-C tuning, and G Major chords on the PDF will be G Major chords if played in D-A-C tuning, etc.

Banjimer
Banjimer
@greg-gunner
6 years ago
141 posts

The only thing I could find that had chord charts was the following from a booklet included with a Folkways dulcimer instruction album by Kevin Roth. There's a PDF of the booklet available at:

https://folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/folkways/FWCRB20.pdf

Download the booklet and scroll down to page 43 or so where the Aeolian chord charts start.

Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
6 years ago
2,111 posts

There are any number of good chord charts on the Internet (not that I use them, but they are there).  Admittedly, most of the chord charts are only for DAd  tuning because most chord-melody players only use that tuning...

Check out the Strothers' Chord Finder.  It allows you to specify any tuning and shows you chords all the way from the zero fret to fret 17.

http://strothers.com/chords.html


updated by @ken-hulme: 11/12/18 01:32:28PM
Jimmy Lamar
Jimmy Lamar
@jimmy-lamar
6 years ago
41 posts

It seems that there are not very good resources for Mountain dulcimer chords on the internet. Even the ones I find are just basic cowboy chords.

Does anyone have a good dulcimer chord resource? Can anyone give me some chords for the DAC tuning that utilize more of the neck?

Any help would be appreciated!

JL