Appreciate everyone's input. I decided to drop and couple of strings and am now down to four (I kept the octave string at the bottom. I like it a lot more, but may end up going to 3 strings. I'm learning to play finger dance and fewer strings makes everything easier.
Dusty - Great information. Thank you. I've been playing around with DAD and DGD and I've found I prefer DGD. For me the chord shapes seem easier to finger for the most part, through the first five frets anyway, and the melody string integrates easier. But I'm a rank newbie so it may change in time. Thanks for the help.
Brad
Dusty, I see what you mean about the chromatic template. Thanks for the help.
Just out of curiosity, why is DAD tuning so popular?
Nate, I like your attitude! I'm always putzing around with different projects and I enjoy the process of coming up with a solution (oftentimes not real elegant, but.....). I actually bought a couple of screws to make one, but decided it's easier to just buy one.
You've inspired me to think a little more outside the box so it's off to the workbench to see what I can come up with.
Dusty - I know the frets look chromatic, but pretend they're diatonic and it will work. I didn't name each note, I'm just showing the note placement for each chord at each fret. I made it up for my use so it's probably less confusing for me, but I thought I'd just put it out there. If I'd found the Strumbly chart I probably wouldn't have bothered. But then I wouldn't have posted and wouldn't have gotten your pun!
Brad
Haven't gotten a capo yet, but I made myself some basic chord diagrams in D-G-D tuning. Thought I'd attach it. Please let me know of any mistakes, suggestion, etc.
Brad
Dusty - Thank you! That works for me. Off to pick up a capo.
The jams I play at do mostly songs in the key of G. Would a D-G-D tuning be better that a D-A-D or some other? Or does it matter?
Thanks much for the help. I think I get it. I'm going to just play and quit trying to figure it all out. I'll let my ears do the figuring.
Thanks for all your replies. Dusty, that's kind of how I've been doing it. I think I've got most of the chords I need mapped out.
Ken - I'm still a little confused. I understand about letting the other strings hummm along, but what happens when you change to a different chord in a progression, like G-C-D-G?
Well, I've been fooling around with my 6 string. It is now a 4 string and may very well become a 3 string!
There is a difference in sound, but not enough for me to add back strings. It still sounds great. In fact I can't even remember how it sounded before (one of the few benefits of old age) so I'm good. My plan is to play it in a BG jam I go to so I've been working on chord shapes (DGD tuning). It's difficult because I'm finding the dulcimer so different from any other instrument I've had. But I'm pressing on as a jam is coming up that I hope to be ready for.
Brad
Nate - Thanks for your detailed reply. It gives me a lot to think about and experiment with. Maybe I'll try muting different strings just to get an idea of the sound.
Brad
I have a 6 string church dulcimer I built from a kit about 45 years ago and have decided it's time to learn how to play it. I find it very difficult to play as is and am thinking about making it a 3 or 4 string. Is there any compelling reason to keep it at 6? Thanks for your help.
Dulcimer Chords DGD.pdf - 28KB