Hauntingly beautiful isn't it! Mike G. said:

Actually, I don't use quite the same means to get my tab as KenH does. I find out what the starting note of the key is not the starting note of the tune. Let's say the key signature is G, I number my G's as 3 or 10 depending on their position (low to high) on the staff, then I find out what the resolving note of the music is. If it ends on 1 or 8, I play it in Aeolian, if it ends on a 4, I'll play it in Dorian. But I have many Aeolian songs that don't begin on 3. In fact none of my Aeolian songs begin on 3.Artsa Alinu starts 1 ends 1Dodi Li starts 1 ends 1Donna Donna starts 5 ends 1Erev Shel Shoshanim 1 to 1The Foggy Dew 5 to 1HaTikvah 1 to 1Jerusalem of Gold 5 to 1The Parting Glass 5 to 1Peat Bog Soldier 1 to 1Shalom Chaverin 5 to 1The Star of the County Down 0 to 1Black is the Color 1 to 1I really never pay attention to the starting note of a song as through the years singers have started higher or lower sort of at their choice, but you usually don't change the modal tuning at whim. So if you want to just take a folk song book that has a lot of tunes in it that you know, all you have to do to be able to decide what mode you need is to know what key the tune is written in and give that note the number 3 and go up or down from there. If it ends on a 3 or 10 it's in Ionian and can be tuned DAA . If the song ends on a 1 or 8, DAC would be the tuning/Aeolian/1-5-7. If it ends on 4, Dorian, DAG, 1-5-4. And if it end on 0 Mixolydian with the flatted 7th note at the 6th fret.If, however, you want to play in DAd using a tab for a major pattern tune (Ionian) you need to subtract 3 to get started on the zero. DAA/3 is DAd 0. Notes below DAA/3 can be played on the MIDDLE string at the same place DAA/2 is DAd/2 DAA/1 is DAd/1 and DAA/0 is DAd/0 However, DAA/9 is DAd/6+. It's fairly simple to find what mode you need for traditional types of folk songs. As for Phrygian, Lydian and Locrian, unless you want to write tunes in these modes, you're not going to be finding very many tunes all ready in them. One author of an instructional book I have that teaches modes had to write his own tunes to demonstrate them. Ken Hulme said:

Aeolian NotesA Mode is an octave (8 note) scale in diatonic music. Tonal music uses a 12 step scale.Modes are divided into two groups major and minor. Ionian mode is the Major Scale in tonal music - no sharps or flats. Aeolian mode is the Natural Minor Scale in tonal music. Compared to Ionian, its 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes are flatted.Modes are defined by the pattern of Whole steps and Half steps in the scale, not by the actual pitches (notes) used.Aeolian Mode (W-H-W-W-H-W-W)Aeolian mode is referred to by many people as the minor key. Aeolian intervals create the same feel as many modern blues songs. Songs in Aeolian mode have a strong sense of sadness. The final note of an Aeolian scale feels resolved in a completely different sense than the Ionian. If Dorian mode sounds melancholy Aeolian mode reeks of despair.Dorian Mode (W-H-W-W-W-H-W)Dorian is most commonly heard in Celtic music and early American folk songs derived from Irish melodies. Dorian mode sounds a little melancholy because the final note (re) doesn't quite resolve itself. The song may be over, but the singer is still unsettled.Each mode starts on a different fret:Mixolydian starts at the Open and 7th fretAeolian starts at the 1st and 8th fretLocrian starts at the 2nd and 9th fretIonian starts at the 3rd and 10th fretDorian starts at the 4th and 11th fretPhrygian starts at the 5th and 12th fretLydian starts at the 6th and 13th fretThe Keynote (A-G) depends on the note to which the open Bass string of the dulcimer is tuned. Each mode has a "traditional Keynote" (low 'do') associated with it:Aeolian A traditional tuning AEGLocrian B typical tuning Bb F GIonian C traditional tuning CGGDorian D traditional tuning DAGPhrygian E typical dulcimer tuning E Bb GLydian F typical dulcimer tuning F E BbMixolydian G traditional tuning GDgSince so many people have become D-sensitized (all puns intended) to the traditional keynotes of the Modes, here are the key of D Modal tunings:Ionian.........DAA...1-5-5Locrian.......DAB...1-5-6Aeolian.......DAC...1-5-7Mixolydian...DAd...1-5-8Lydian........DAE...1-5-2Phrygian......DAF...1-5-3Dorian........DAG...1-5-4Only Locrian and Dorian are left in their traditional keynotes.If youre tuned in Ionian mode and are tabbing out a song... If the first note is on the third fret, but the last note is on 1 or 8 then play the music in Aeolian Mode. If the first note is on the third fret but the last note is a 4, play it in Dorian.

Edited again. Hopefully I'm fully awake this time. ;-) folkfan said:

What can I say? It was one of those days. I suppose it comes from looking at the tuning in the key of D. I absolutely hate trying to go from the key of C in my mind to the key of D that someone else would be playing. 1-5-5 is definitely Ionian, 1-5-4 is Dorian, 1-5-7 is Aeolian, and 1-5-8 is Mixolydian. Now we've got that straight, heheheheheheeee John Shaw said:

Hello folkfan - What you call Ionian in this last post is actually Aeolian. Ionian would be 1-5-5 (eg. DAA).

I edited my post to correct the relationship between Dorian and Ionian. Dorian is a 1-5-4 tuning so in D would be DAG which puts the d at the 4th fret. Ionian, a 1-5-7 tuning, which in D would be DAC which puts the d at the first fret. In both the note that the melody string is tuned to is considered in the octave. folkfan said:

I really like the sound of this, Dave! Sweet! I'll try playing with it when I have a few spare moments. Dave Holeton said:

The notation for the mode indicates the key that the mode is being played in and the mode itself by way of the relationship of the notes to the start of the scale being used. So Dorian in D would DAC. The Dorian note relationship is 1/5/7 as the first note of the octave scale is D, the fifth note of the octave is A and the 7th note of the octave is C. The C is still considered in the first octave of the D scale. In DAd the d is both at the end of the first octave and the start of the second. The smaller d is frequently, but not always used to indicate that the melody d is an octave higher than the bass D.The definition of octave means a run of 8 notes in a particular scale pattern, such as D major, or Bflat minor. The note of the scale patterns starts and stops the octave.

Just thought I'd mention it for clarity's sake. Using the small c in DAc would indicate (at least to me) that the c is tune to the octave above where the C should be. Aeolian in D is tuned DAC with the D, A, and C all in the same octave. DAc would be D, A in the octave lower than the c shown or D*,E,F,G,A*,B,C,d,e,f,g,a,b,c*.The small d is used in DAd because the notes used are in different octaves. D*,E,F,G,A*,B,C,d*Dorian in key of D would be DAG, and is again all in the same octave D*,E,F,G*,A*.For the purest among us, I haven't sharped the F's, and C's as they would be in running the scale of the key of D.It's interesting that DAd and DAD are both used and understood for a 1-5-8 tuning where the D on the melody is an octave higher than the bass. "Confusing and chaos writing tunings can be, young padawan"

Lorinda Jones Dulcimer a la ModeMark Nelson Scottish Airs and Ballads for Appalachian DulcimerLance Frodsham English Songs and Ballads for Appalachian DulcimerAnd if you are playing in DAd you are playing in a major tuning. True Mix. tunes are pretty rare, but a lot of what is in DAd is actually in the Ionian pattern if using the 6+ or if the 6th fret isn't used at all.DAC and DAG are minor modes and will sound strange played with a major tuning in a duet. It might be interesting, but strange. DAd, DAA, DAC, and DAG are all in the key of D but with the scale starting at different frets. DAd/the d is at 0, DAA/the d is at 3, DAC/d at 1, DAG/d at 4, so yes, your fingerings for each would be different.

Flint Hill said: Wow, thanks! I'll have to try some of these. Many are already favorites of mine, but the 1 5 8 tuning, coupled with my middling playing skills, don't seem to do some of them justice. I opened up whole new horizons on the instrument when I got the 1.5 & 8.5 frets. Looks like this could do the same.Can you play the same song as a duet, one tuned DAD and one tuned DAC? Different fingerings, obviously. Or do you wind up in different keys?

DianeI decided to record Wayfarin' Stranger in DAC tuning (Aeolian mode) and upload the sound file to this discussion so the mp3 file is at the bottom of this reply. The version is very simple played on the melody strings only (no chords) with a light random picking on the drone strings. If you tune your dulcimer to DAC, you can play along with the recording to learn the song. Wayfarin Stranger starts on the first fret and it repeats the song twice with a tag (repeat of the final phrase) at the end. It takes a minute or two to load but once it is loaded you can replay it as many times as you like while learning the song. Try it and let me know if it works for you.Others on this site can provide similar arrangements on many of the suggested songs listed on this forum. If you ask, we might react much like the race for the Golden Spike to see who can get it there first, but we have the technology to share, why not?Dave

Here's a list of songs/tunes that are said to be in the Aeolian mode according to posters at ED and Mudcat. I collected these over a couple of years time. Additions and corrections welcome.I also have lists of supposed-to-be in the Dorian, Phrygian, and Lydian modes, but the error rate is pretty high. I can post those if anyone is interested.A ship was lost at seaArise AriseBabylon is FallenBanks of FordieBlack is the colorBloody GardenerBonny Hind (probably Dorian)Border Widow's LamentBotany Bay (Skibereen)CallahanCharlie is My DarlingCome all ye fair and tender ladies.Consolation (Sacred Harp)Cool of the DayCrafty Maids policyDabbling in the DewDaemon LoverDona DonaDrowned LoverEast VirginiaEl ShaddaiErev Shel Shoshanim (An Evening of Roses)Erin's green shoreFair Nottiman TownFarewell to WhiskeyFoggy DewFuneral Hymn - Sacred Harp 320God rest ye merry gentlemenGreensleeves (What Child Is This)HaTikvahHangman's reel in EmHouse CarpenterHouse of the Rising SunI Wonder as I WanderIn the pinesJohn BarleycornJohn HenryJohnny on the WaterKing of the FairiesLong Black VeilLord LovelLowlands of HollandMary Did You KnowMayn Ruhe Platz (Mein Rue Platz)North country maidO sacred head now woundedOutlandish KnightPeat Bog SoldierRaggle Taggle GypsiesRandall CollinsSatan your kingdom must come downScarborough Fair (Actually Dorian, I think.)Shady Grove /Mattie GrovesShalom ChaverimSprig of ThymeStar of the county downThe Cat Came BackThe CuckooThe Parting GlassThe Star of the County DownThe night they drove old Dixie downTwo sistersWayfaring StrangerWe Three Kings of Orient Are (verses only)What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor (Actually Dorian, I think.)Wild Bill JonesWindham - Denson 38bWondrous loveYerushalayim Shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold)

Diane,Some of my favorites for the tuning are "Shady Grove," "Red Rocking Chair," "Roustabout," "Wayfaring Stranger".I love to play in Dag or Dac tuning!Robin

I posted a few days ago 2 Old Hymns that are in Aeolian mode in the Hymn and Worship song group.. they both would be DAC tuning...The songs are Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down and Windham..
updated by @rod-westerfield: 02/12/16 01:48:00PM