This keeps coming up every year or so.  Ken's article is great, but his numeric naming of the octaves is incorrect, by today's generally accepted standards of where 'middle C' is.  People keep pointing this out, and it really should be corrected.

If tuned DAd, the mountain dulcimer is tuned (low to high):  D3, A3, d4   The high melody string D4 is the note right above Middle C on the piano.  The Bass string D is the D note BELOW Middle C.

Here are some more online tuning aids:

http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/12/what-notes-do-i-tune-my-strings-to.html

Speaking of tunings, this morning while playing swallow tail jig.  I. named a new tuning. I call it Abe Lincoln tuning. Actually it's E Dorian... strings are A B E... Get it... . After all we have Calico, Sawmill, Cumberland Gap tuning... Robert.

I saw that Strumelia has her dulcimer tune an octave highter than mine also but she says she likes hers high and we would probably be an octave lower. Could it be if you play with a noter you are tune highter than if like me i cord or finger dance? Or is it I just like the sound of the lower octave?

ken,

In your article:  I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?   (Under 'Geting In Tune' - 'Which D is D') - The D which we use as the basis of all the D tunings, is D4 – one whole note above “middle C”. The A we use is A4 and the d we use is d5 )

Seems in DAd, my base D is tuned to the D below 'middle C'. The melody string is tuned one note above 'middle C'. I have not checked the dulcimer tuned DAA but would image it is also an octave lower than your tunings.

     I go to a dulcimer practice group tomorrow and will have them check my tunings. Could be set up this way since I do like a more mellow sound not a bright sound and to tune the base string  to a D, 1 note above 'middle C' sounds way to high to me. 

Or am I reading this wrong?

When I started playing MD back in the last century, I had several books like that.  Those books WERE written specifically for the purpose of introducing beginners to the various modal tunings.  Expectations and playing styles have changed a lot over the last 30 years, but a lot of the same books are still on the market. 

I never saw a book of all-DAd tab until post-2000.  And when I saw it, I wondered "why in the world would anybody pay money for that?"  It takes all kinds.  I agree with you about ED and other online resources: we're lucky to live in a time when lots of materials are available on the internet and we are all free to learn what we want.

As for the main topic of this thread:  It's worth noting that sometimes you retune because you want a different mode (DAd vs DAc) and sometimes you retune for a different key (DAd vs CGc) and still other times you retune for a special effect (DAd vs Ddd). Or maybe you don't retune at all.  There's nothing wrong with picking one tuning and sticking with it.  No worries. 

Yes, just changing 1 string Isn't bad- I have no trouble going from DAD or DAA  but I ran into problems on where to start for the DDDG. I have it where it sounds good but can't say for sure it's right, I have the G on the bass. I will check out the videos when I get home - stuck  now at the dealership. 

Here is a video I made demonstrating how I change back and forth between the four most common dulcimer modes (mixolydian, aeolian, ionian, and dorian) in the key of D, by changing the tuning on just the melody string. Sometimes seeing it done feels less complicaed than describing it.

Here's my blog post of it:

Retuning between the modes

and the video itself (r.i.p my kitty Pearl):

Marg; 

Here's a "relative tuning" discussion I got from Jerry Rockwell, years ago, and have added to.  It's from my article I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?, and tells you how to change from one tuning to another, among the four most common Modal tunings.  All you do is change one string...

Ionian Mode is called the "natural major" mode. (called DAA if the Keynote is D).  Most traditional American songs you can sing or hum are 'natural major' tunes.

1. Tune the bass string of the dulcimer to D or a note that sounds good with your voice… not to low or too high.
2. Press the bass string just to the left of the 4th fret and pluck the string. Tune the middle string so it exactly matches this note.
3. Tune the melody string(s) to the same note as the un-fretted (open) middle string.

Aeolian  is the "natural minor" mode.  (called DAC if the Keynote is D).  Many traditional Scottish and Irish tunes sound
good in this 'weeping and wailing' mode. Wayfaring Stranger, Good King Wenceslas, and ShadyGrove/Mattie Groves are well known Aeolian songs.

Steps 1 and 2 are the same as for Ionian.
Step 3. Press the bass string at the 6th fret and pluck it. Tune the melody string(s) to this note.

Mixolydian (called DAd if the Keynote is D).  Mixo mode is only "slightly minor", and is used extensively for neo-celtic music, Irish fiddle tunes, and the masterpieces of Turlough O'Carolan.

Steps 1 and 2 are the same as for Ionian.
Step 3. Press the bass string at the 7th fret and pluck it. The sound is an octave higher than the unfretted bass string. Tune the melody string(s) to this note.

Dorian ( called DAG if the Keynote is D)  Dorian mode is not so minor sounding as Aeolian Mode, but more so than Mixolydian. Barbara Allen,
Scarborough Fair, and Greensleeves are well known Dorian tunes.

Steps 1 and 2 are the same as for Ionian.
Step 3. Press the bass string at the 3rd fret and pluck this note. Tune the melody string to this note.

The above is why I so appreciate tab found on ED and the like: Earlier on I bought a few books and even bought a couple based solely upon a particular song or two that the book contained.  Only later to find out that instead of the much more common DAdd (double dd for Marg), they were in some backwoods passed down for generations family mode and tuning.  That did me absolutely no good whatsoever.  There for awhile I had some success with a computer program called Finale of which I had for other music interests.  When a group was playing at the church I'd arrange the hymn to the instruments that were available.  This was all in standard music notation as that's what most if not all played in for their respective instruments.  The dulcimer was of course the odd bird of the bunch (I couldn't even play standard notation on the dulcimer and had to have tab).  After I'd arrange the score I'd separate the parts and print them out and when I had my part indicidualized I'd convert it to tab. (on that version of Finale it was a simple "Select All" and then click the "Convert to Tab" button.  Boy was I spoiled for awhile.

Another thing I'd often notice was that if a fellow hated fretting on the first or second fret all the time (in say DAdd "double dd for Marg") rather than use a capo, they'd just tighten up the strings a bit and call it the "Johnson Ol Tyme Mode" and be done with it.  I swear I didn't think that there were that many modes for the dulcimer at all?  Quite often a book will have you tighten or loosen a string (or all the strings) a number of pitches (just asking for a broken string) and back again just to play yet another song.  One book I had there were only two songs that were in the same mode.  Every song had it's own unique mode to play it in.  Now maybe that book was an introduction to those varioous modes, but as a book, it stunk big time.  That's what I don't understand.  If you look at the available instruments and how they are strung as sold and then the music books that follow, a majority are in teh DAdd.  So why is there an insistance on producing all of the other tab that is more problematic than helpful to the rest of the folks?   DAaa is the very next most popular and found tuning and I've seen a number of books mainly written in that mode, but you can't single out just one mode it seems.  Every book I've bought even a Mel Bay book on the DAdd tuning had a load of other tunings in it.  That made no sense at all.  It would be like buying an english book that was written in spanish?  Go figure?  Kevin.

    Yes, it's exciting to explore with the idea it will help you find the path that's right for you at that point in time. And you are right all the modes, tunes and keys were something I knew nothing about - but so ready to jump right in and learn. 

   I had already practiced a few DGD songs with the group I'm with and was excited to find out I could play the DAA tabs - melody line in this tuning. So, I tuned my student dulcimer to DGD and tried some out but was not excited with the tone.

    Looking through a dulcimer handbood, that was beyond me half a year ago - I found several songs in the different tunings. I went ahead and retuned to DDDG. Ha, it took me about 3 tries to get it right, first I had it all upside down with the G on the melody string. Than the G on the base was not the right G. finnally I got it and played 'Shenandoah' and it really sounded nice. I then played it on my dulcimer tuned DAdd and realized the melody line was the same tab only slight difference, since it was written by someone else. Some of the cords in DDDG are not hard and the ones that are, I just use my thumb like a noter on those and would slide back and forth between the notes. I found this very exciting, where I didn't care for DGD I thought DDDG was very nice.

    AS I begin to explore this part of learning more of what the dulcimer and I can do - since I am at a 4 not a 10 - as strumelia mention in her post; I know I can't do them all at once but I have a start. The biggest problem I see now more than having tabs is not knowing how to tune to the tunnings. Which strings would be below or above middle C. But I feel, just like tonight when the time is right, I will get it and be excited.

    It is an exciting journey, I think that is my path right now. Breathing life into my soul and seeing where the dulcimer takes me. 

Sometimes when I'm learning something new that involves a lot of information and variations, it begins to feel too overwhelming yet I naturally want to understand it all right away, so I can make decisions about what path I want to follow or explore.  When I get that feeling of being overwhelmed by my lack of knowledge I tend to ask questions that get me answers I don't yet understand anyway.  That's because I want to know about points 9, 10, and 11 without really understanding points 3, 4 and 5 yet.   For myself, I do best when I then focus on the basics before diving into trying to understand lots of finer points all at once.  I find that my knowledge tends to build on itself like a tower of blocks, and it sticks in my head better that way too.  :)

Marg, you're idea is exactly what I use to do.  In printing out available DAd tab off of ED, I had a really tought heavy duty binder (D ring about 2" thick) and a three hole punch.  Alphabetized, punched, and filed for later use.  After awhile I got quite the collection of tab in my very own tab book.  Kevin.

Well, ken I'm good to go than since the red stain dulcimer is set up for DAA. Playing by the clover soundhold really makes some interestings tones. 

Marge -- probably 85% of the songs you'll want to learn to play are playable in Ionian Mode -- DAA -- or Bagpipe Ddd.  A few songs require either a 6+ fret or Mixolydian tuning.  There are some special songs that simply can't be played 'properly' in anything except Dorian or Aeolian Mode.  As you explore the music you want to play, you'll find those special songs, and then the tunings that will make them "just right". 

robert,

Your baritones are very handsome, very nice in-deed. 

    Thank you ken, I am amazed when someone can play a song much less a couple hundred. I am what you would call a 'latecomer' as in starting to learn the dulcimer or even music, late in life. I guess when I see or hear something new, (which is much) - I am like a kid in the candy store - wanting more than I could possibly manage at that time.

    I wouldn't want you to go out of your way on  'city of new orleans'. When I saw it listed I went to it right away, new orleans was home - but after katrina  'home' was lost and everything that goes with that concept. Maybe one day, I could just hear you play it. 

    I appreciate your patience with my questions or the asking on some problem (I love the help I received on the red stain dulcimer and felt I learn so much working on it with all the help). The more I learn, the better my question will become hopefully and I wont throw out as many - (Again, I wouldn't want to 'over step' - even without knowing) 

    This discussion was such an eye openner on the different tunings I guess I was just looking for the 'Cliff Notes' to try and catch up on what tuning I would like when I didn't even know there were so many still to try. I sometimes can't believe even what I have been able to do so far and look forwartd to this dulcimer journey i'm on and where it is taking me. 

    Thank you for your kindness and now - back to the tunings and what the members like.                                                           

Kevin I'm glad you mentioned baritones. Because in a way, baritone is a kind of tuning in itself. Although I don't play is as much, my 30" scale baritone is just the thing when you need that boomchucka sound... Here is a picture of my baritone along side my regular work a day dulcimer. And an uncompleted hourglass baritone. Tuned in A... Robert...

IMG_20150815_213335_745.jpg  •  91KB

No -- you're not "over stepping".  You don't know if you don't ask.  Never be afraid to ask.  There are no dumb or silly questions, just ones you don't get answers to. 

Playing the dulcimer can be as simple or complex as you want to make it.  There's a world of difference in playing songs or tunes in traditional Noter & Drone or Fingerdance style compared to modern Chord-Melody style.  Not everything can be played in DAA, DAd, or Ddd in either style.  Some songs simply require notes or chords you can't find on the fretboard in those tunings. 

I do think folks are more likely to repond to a single tune request rather than a blanket request for tab.  

I will gladly send you City of New Orleans that I've worked out in DAC, but I'll actually have to sit down and write it out.  I don't personally collect tab, as once I've learned a song and written it down in the process of working out the tune,  it's added to the couple hundred songs in my "internal software" (brain) and I can play on demand.  So the old envelope or napkin that I recorded the tab on gets discarded. 

Marg, we all have something to learn, no matter where we are on this journey. 

Sorry if you felt in my asking about tabs  (rather than a shotgun request) I was over stepping.

    I didn't even know they had all these modes or tunnings or keys to play in, till I started reading this discussion. As I said, 'Learning as I go'

One step at a time - no worries, I will print out the ones I fine and start a collection and begin to try them out.

Marg;

There's no "clickable" list of Dorian or Aeolian mode tunes that I know of.  You need to hunt the names down through sites like sniff.numachi, Everything Dulcimer, other player's websites, or ask if someone has specific tab (rather than a shotgun request) that they'll share with you,  in the Dulcimer Resources Discussion here.  There is a lot of DAG and DAC tab in various books by a number of dulcimer players, but it's not free.

Glad you've checked out Uncontrite Modal Folker.  If you have any questions, feel free to as.

You asked " If I have the songs in either DAdd or DAA can I change a number up or down for DAC & DAG. Or is DAG like DGD where we can use the same tab as DAA? Or, any of the other modes can be played on either DAdd or DAA tabs?"

The answer in all cases, unfortunately is NO.  There is no "conversion" from DAA tab to DAC or any of the others.  DAG and DAC are not like DGD (that's a very special case).  No other modes can be played from DAd or DAA tab.  Tab is specific to a particular mode. 

I learned "on my own" for the better part of 20 years, with only Jean Ritchie's Dulcimer Book, and later Force/d'Ossche's In Search of the Wild Dulcimer.

You bet Jan.  What a great hobbie to be able to entertain one's self.  From my original music training (the clarinet) I soon realized that it by itself was rather boring and depended upon a whole band or orchestra to enjoy  (I know there are exceptions, but I'm talking about my enjoyment) So that is why I learned and favored instruments that in essence were a complete group as it were.  Organ first, accordion, piano, and last but certainly not least the wonderful dulcimer.  Loads of fun indeed.  Kevin.

Great account of your journey with the dulcimer, the decisions you've made along the way and the reasons behind them, Kevin!  I can tell that playing the dulcimer brings you a lot of joy and contentment. 

Speaking of different modes and the like:  Just because of my first dulcimer mode and tuning I've backed that up with tablature and the like and then after a few years I then realized exactly which modes I played in.  Up till that point I just thought that folk changed tuning of individual strings to suit a particular song they wanted to play?  At it's heart that may well be true, but I never wanted to flatten the instrument since it would change everything about the string and it's notes as well as overall, the instruments chords and intervals.  At the time I also played the banjo and found that some were doing much the same with bangos.  Even to the extent that they sell and market a tuning peg that allows detuning to a specific note.  Yep you adjust it to pitch and then tighten a set screw.  Detune the string to the lower desired pitch and tighten yet another set screw.  Then during play you can imediately "detune" the string to the desired lower note and back.  Often there were two strings that detuners were utilized on.  No sure that was clever to bounce down and back up to pitch, but more the detuned tuning was in itself a tuning for the banjo and songs were and can be played in that "detuned" state.

So with the dulcimer as well as the banjo, I was having enough fun/difficulty in learning the one setting let alone confuse it with yet another tuning.  Might as well be learning a completely different instrument as to learn a completely different tuning.  The only thing the dulcimer had going for it was that no matter the detuned state (or simply different mode) it was still a diatonic instrument and for one string or more, for the noter drone folks, it was identical in play.  It's just those darn chords and intervals that get buggered up.  So after looking at what I had and was playing, it seemed as though I had two modes to my belt.

The two moded were 158 Mixilydian and 155 Ionian.  Now that I knew what it was I started collecting instruments in both versions so as to allow play in each.  That was before when I was single to newly married and an eternity ago.  Now as I'm getting back into play and dulcimer ownership, I decided upon the 158 or Mixilydian for my Probst baritone (even though it will be strung in the key of G).  The 158 solely referrs to ratios of the strings against themselves and not the instrument's key.  I then found opportunity after speaking with Ron Ewing of picking up a baritone dulcimette of his in his Aorell shape.  (hourglass towards the player and teardrop on the farthest side.  Oversimplification for sure, but basically correct).  I at first asked it to be tuning to G in the Ionian mode or 155 so that I could play those additional songs.  Well nothing requires a song to have one versus the other to be able to play, but some are just easier on one versus the other.  I then realized that time was short and I didn't really have the time nor energy to learn and continue to work on two seperate tunings and instruments to go along with those tunings.

So last night I decided to change my Ewing order and request it also to be in the Mixalydian mode or 158, still tuned in the key of G.  That way each instrument was the exact same as far as fingering and play.  I can concentrate on that mode and tuning as get, well, better at it.  I will learn those songs (Amazing Grace as an example) that are simple and easy on the 155, to be played in an instrument in the 158 mode.  It is possible after all.  Then my skill will increase far faster than splitting it between two different modes.  And the most important of reasons:  I'd often take a baritone dulcimette on trips and play while my wife drove to doctors appointments in San Francisco.  While I played (when they were different modes) I'd always wish I had the other mode.  When at home playing a larger instrument in 158, I'd wish I had the 155?  I kept swapping instruments and never could just grab the one and play and be happy.  Now with both the same, if at home I'll play the Probst large dulcimer and if when going to bed, I want to play a quick couple of tunes I can still grab the Ewing baritone dulcimette and play in the same mode and be happy.  Also on trips the travel instrument will be the same as the home one and visa versa.  I look forward to receiving each of the two instruments I now have on order and remember that when I had over 25 dulcimers that the Probst and Ewing instruments were the last to go since I enjoyed them the most.  Kevin.

Good to know. I just change my bottom string to a 12 since I had it tune to a. The 9 or 10 that was on it did seemed very slack. 

Learning as I go With great help from all

Hey Lois, 

if you find you want to keep one dulcimer tuned to the key of G in order to sing with better, you could put a set of strings on that dulcimer that is just one step heavier ...as in maybe a .011 or a .012 string instead of a .010 for example.  You would do this if the lower G tuning feels a bit slack.  A slightly heavier string will feel a bit tighter tensioned than a thinner string tuned to the same note.

It seems besides trying to learn as much as I can about the dulcimer, it looks like I could learn how to post on here better. Sorry, not sure why half my post is colored.

Where thers is many mnay tabs for DAA & DAD, I did find a few last night for other tunings. I will print them out and start a collection and begin to try them out. If anyone can tell me if any of the tunings can use the same tabs as DAA or DAD besides DGD, that would be great. Otherwise, one step at a time - no worries, I am enjoying my journey in all things dulcimer.

Thank you again for all the decussions on here and all your help to me and many other members.

I just read through this entire discussion and found it interesting to see what everyone is doing.  I really don't think there is any one "right way" to play the dulcimer.  I think it's good to see what's out there, see what you like, experiment a bit, and try to be open-minded as far as what tuning(s) you use and how you choose to play your instrument.  Maybe you like the sound of the drones; maybe you don't.  Maybe you want to play with a quill; maybe you want to fingerpick.  Maybe you want to use tab; maybe you want to play by ear or use standard music notation.  Maybe you want to learn one tuning and stay with that one because that's where you're comfortable; maybe you want to retune between every song.  Maybe what is "boring" to one person brings much joy and excitement to somebody else.  Maybe you're content to keep things simple because that's why you started playing this instrument in the first place--and that should be OK with everyone, too.

To each his own, and all that. I don't think someone should be viewed as a heretic because what seems to be right and good for them is not what others choose to do. 

My first instrument was a piano, so my thinking tends to be more chromatic.  So I tune DAd most of the time, don't usually use drones, and if I want to make a change  because I'm going to be singing with my dulcimer and need an adjustment to accommodate my fairly narrow vocal range, then I just usually play the song in a different key, like G or C or A instead of D--without changing the DAd tuning.  And if I don't NEED to retune to play songs like Pretty Saro, Scarborough Fair, Cluck Old Hen, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, Shady Grove, City of New Orleans, etc., then I DON'T. 

Yes, most of my instruments have both a 1.5 fret and a 6.5 fret.  Personally, I like the freedom of going from song to song without retuning or trading instruments.  Every now and then I put on a capo for Reuben's Train or a few other songs, but those are the few exceptions. 

This is what works for me.  It's what I like and what I choose to do to express my love of music.  Arthritis has made it too painful to play instruments like the guitar where you have to wrap your left hand around the neck.  The piano is too heavy and cumbersome to lug around.  I really LIKE playing the dulcimer--but I want to do it in a way that works best for me.

So, whatever tunings you're using and however you're choosing to play this wonderful instrument, ENJOY it!  Have fun!  Let it be the voice for your soul, your "howl" at the moon, the comforting lullaby for your loved ones.....

ken,

    I did read your Uncontrite Modal Folker,  twice so far. It's maybe a beginner's guide but many parts are still more advance than my understanding. No worries, I will take it in sections and work on it. I see you posted something alone these lines back in '02 for everythingdulcimer. There is a list of songs there also, but like above it's the name and I can't click on it for the tab. When I tried googling 'City of New Orleans (Arlo Guthrie)' that's when your other post popped up. So how do I get the tabs for the songs? 

    It's a wonderful collection of work you have, great instructions and  suggestions but will take me awhile to understand the in's and out's of the dulcimer. If I have the songs in either DAdd or DAA can I change a number up or down for DAC & DAG. Or is DAG like DGD where we can use the same tab as DAA? Or, any of the other modes can be played on either DAdd or DAA tabs?

    Maybe all this is just more advance than I am. If I had the tab, I could retune and play the song and begin to hear the difference in the different modes. I will be taking a class in the fall but I have only been learning on my own so far. Jam's and practice in groups just play, they don't explain anything. So for now, I am where I am, when I can find some tabs I will try it's tuning. Otherwise I will stay with DAdd & DAA and now some DGD.

Thanks, as always

This discussion was so delightful that I went ahead and bought the JT by Robert Schuler.  Even in the audio over the web I could hear the difference.  Bach owned different harpsichords - tuned to JT and ET - never thought I would be in a position to own a bespoke JT instrument so I'm really excited to be adding 155 tuning to my skill set.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Scott

Marg -- there is dulcimer tab all over the internet. The only tab you can change from Mode to Mode is Mixolydian (DAd) to Ionian (DAA) and back.  Fingerings for chords in each Mode are different and are given in the tab. 

Here are a handful of tunes in Aeolian and Dorian Modes.

DAC Aeolian Mode

• Lord Lovel
• Morning Song
• Wayfaring Stranger
• Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair
• Sally In The Garden
• Border Widow's Lament
• Shady Grove
• Nottamun Town (Jean Ritchie)
• The Foggy Dew (Irish)
• Star of County Down
• The Parting Glass
• When Johnny Comes Marching Home -- a really eerie and mournful version

DAG Dorian Mode

• What'll We Do With A Drunken Sailor
• Scarborough Fair
• Clinch Mountain Backstep
• Star of County Down
• Eleanor Rigby - the Beatles
• Oye Como Va
• Shady Grove/Mattie Groves
• Cluck Old Hen
• Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
• City of New Orleans (Arlo Guthrie)

You may want to read the essay I wrote called Uncontrite Modal Folker , which is a sort of beginner's guide to Modes and Modal tunings.  You can find it here: http://fotmd.com/forums/forum/dulcimer-resourcestabs-books-websites-dvds/15050/the-uncontrite-modal-folker

 Thanks lexie, I do have that site but most of the tabs are in either DAd or DAA. If I could as you say - (change a tab from DAD to Daa just add 3 frets) what would I need to do for any of the other tunings listed in this discussion. 

I have my old John Naylor dulcimer tune to DAdd, this one I take to practice, jams and preformances (as in senior homes and children's schools) since we almost always play in DAd

My old Hondo red stain dulcimer (everyone helped me set up) I have tune to DAA and working on songs with that tunning. So glad to hear I can also use DGD tabs with the DAA ones. I like the sound of this tuning on this dulcimer and will keep it so for now.

A student dulcimer, today I went and tune it to DGD and played a few songs. This is the one I am thinking of trying all the tunings mention in the post on. Can't say I liked the DGD tone but will give it and me sometime but do want to try all the others mention.

My dulciborn, I have tune DAdd. (Again with the help of many members I was able to set this one up with a better action.) The tones of the dulciborn are great, nice highs and good bass lows. Having it DAdd I am always ready to play something since that is the tunings from practice. I play it outside, over the pond sometimes for neighbors but mostly for the ducks, birds and Heaven.

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/  Marge, have you seen this site, there are many tabs and information.

To change a tab from DAD to Daa just add 3 frets.

There are lots of tab sites out there, I have filled two binders by printing them off.

There is also much information on modes and tunings by Ken hulm, Robin Clark and others on our site, they are all accomplished musicians who can help you better than I, I have very little music experience.

Have Fun with your Dulci Journey! 

Can you play DGD or DAA tabs as same if you chord or only if you play on the melody string. I noticed on the few tabs I have in DAG & DAA the middle or base string tab could be different.

I would like to try the different tunes but where do we find tabs for them all or which ones can we play DAA or DAd tabs with since they are the ones that are mostly out? Reading everyone's above post makes me want to try each and every tuning but stuck without a tab to go with it. Does anyone have a listing of which tunings can go with which tabs? Or how could we change a tab to a different tuning? Like in James post (you can play DGd tab, just use an Ionian mode tab for DAA. Same tab numbers, just will sound in G other then D) 

This would be a big learning adventure for me, so thank you in advance if as you give your favorite tunings you could also give members like me an idea on how to try it ourselves. Sorry, I don't play by ear, I need the tab.

Good points, Ken.  I have no problem re-tuning the dulcimer, especially not when I'm playing drones.  The tenor guitar, however, is a different beast and I fear I will make no decent progress until I pick one tuning and learn it well before branching out.  Chords, you know. For me, it's much harder to switch tunings when fretting 3 or 4 strings at the same time.  I never got any good with chord/melody on MD until I picked one tuning (DAd, yeah, boring) and stuck with it for a while.  Now I need to pick a tuning for the ceegar box and buckle down.

Lisa -- the tuning you pick depends on the tune itself and how you are playing it.  Learn to retune -- it's only the 3rd and 4th strings that change in your list.

How about 4-equidistant strings?  Even more options that way.

I use DAdd, DAdc, DAdA, DAA#d (chromatic) and DGdd (which is really cool: a traditional G-Ionian with an extra low D at the bottom)

I just got a cigar-box tenor guitar.  4 strings tuned DGbe... or DGBd... or DGAd... or DAAd... or DF#Ad... or ... ?  I can't decide, except I know I want an open tuning.  Any suggestions? 

Is ARRGH! a tuning?  I'm pretty sure I've played that one a lot!

This is where "self taught" might not be the best way to learn.  Bad habbits and getting stuck in one area (tuning) vs others.  I would always read in the first book on dulcimers I bought with my first ever dulcimer (I had buggered a cheap kit previous to this and had plunked out a tune or two, but all that did was wet my interest in getting a "Real" dulcimer)  Book and instrument in hand I was off to dAD and was stuck there forever.  I finally forced myself to learn DAA, bur that was about it.  I'd read about detuning strings and moving things around and if you could stomach tab only, then that would be fine as you wouldn't need to know the notes, just the numbers and follow the tab map.  I knew that standard notation was out of the question due to the diatonic nature of the instrument.  So here I am and several dulcimers later and still play just in dAD, but am content with that (actually a fifth lower, but the same relationship with the strings in G  gDG.  No longer having two dulcimers or a courting or double neck dulcimer, I really am a one mode player and that's just fine with me.  Kevin

Scott, 155 tuning on a just intonated  dulcimer is as close to musical heaven as it gets in our world. Playing dulcimer without drones is like playing bag pipes with only a chanter. Its just not right... Robert.

"Coyote" John Blosser calls Ionian Mode "The Mode of the Gods".  He plays in it almost exclusively.

This may not be the best area to respond but I a firm believer in the 1-3-5 tunings.  The chord possibilities are endless and you can really do some very interesting chord progressions.  So D-F#-A or C-E-G or F-A-C can be a revelation.  I went to conservatory and "think" in keys and chords so it seems familar to me.

All that said I recently tried D-A-A and it was - in a word - thriling!  It does seem that the MD wants to have a drone that rings along with your melody.

So I guess you can have the best of both worlds tune a drone tuning for some songs - tune in a "chordal" mode when you want to do something else.

If nothing else I got over my fear of tuning my strings!

In order of use, for me it's probably somethng like DAD, DAC, DGD, EAA, DAA, DAG, and I'll often play all of those a half or a whole step down.

I mostly play in CGC 3 string. Occasionally DAD and DDD . Just keepin it simple. 

One of the lovely aspects of playing old dulcimers with wooden pegs and 'by ear' frets or staples (I have quite a few!) is that you can forget about switching on an electronic tuner (it wont do you any good - in fact, it will drive you mad) and basically ignor any tuning 'rules' you find in dulcimer books.  All the tunings I use are really simple.  They will involve finding a root note that sounds OK somewhere on the melody string (depending on the mode of the tune) and then blending in the drones to that note.  The drones will be some sort of combination of the root and/or 5th of the scale that I'm playing on the melody string at that time.  I'll pick the pitch of the scale and combination of the drones depending on the timbre I want for a particular tune. 

I usually am playing in DAD or DAA with an occasionaly journey into CGC, DGD and CGG. Some tunes just sound better in different tunings. That creates just enough confusion for my ears, fingers and brain.

An idea that confused me a lot when I first began playing was when a tuning and a mode were equated. . . Once I realized that a tuning and a mode are not the exact same thing I had not quite a "lightbulb" moment yet it was rather like a dimmer switch being turned up.  :)

I play lots using DdA tuning, key of D, fret 3 as tonic, Ionian mode.  From this tuning, easily, I can re-tune the A to a G and play in the key of G and Dminor (I think) and I don't know what mode I'm in with those two keys unless I look it up or ask somebody.  ;)

Started there (DAA), never found a need to switch ... well, except for 'When The Mountains Cry'. I like that in DAC. 

Must be something in the air/weather/water but I've been playing in DAA more and more of late.  Something about that tuning has just been drawing me in.  Maybe I've been listening to too much Blosser and Nicholson and it's subliminally warped my thinking  LOL!

Don, welcome to the wonderful world of Daa tuning. I spend most of my time in this tuning. Although I constantly retune to other modes I always come home to Daa.... Robert.

It's true, my swan dulcimer has no 1/2 fret, but I've always loved it's tone and it handled GDD beautifully. Good to know it handles looser tuning. Dulcimers have their personalities, strengths, and shortcomings.

Just had an experience related to the discussion on tunings. Have been mainly using CGG because it's closer to my alto voice than DAA. I can hit higher notes, but it often feels too high or sounds strange to me. I'm working on For the Beauty of the Earth, but wasn't happy with my singing. Today I was happily singing it while on the trail with my dog. That's when it dawned on me . . . tune the melody strings to that! How obvious.
Wound up with it as D for that melody string and GDD in Ionian. The dulcimer I was using sounds slightly loose, so I'm going to see if my other dulcimer can take that tuning a bit better.

The key of G shouldn't have surprised me. I can sing to that on my concertina. It's just the obvious idea of tuning to my voice that caught me so off guard.

I like the Ionian (Daa) and Dorian (Dag) tunings best. With a 6+ fret, the Dorian tuning is really flexible. Both (mostly) major and minor scales are available and it is great for Blues.

I agree Robert, if you stick with just one tuning, we will not learn what our dulcimer will sound like, and you will not know which sounds the best, also you will not learn about what tuning's your strings will handle.

Yah and so if you break a string, then ya gotta change it, well now we learn how to change the strings.

Tunes sound different in different modes and it is fun to be able to play with it.

This is my relationship with my very "Sweet Lil' ButterNut" dulcimer! I Love everything about it!

When we were kids and self taught musician wannabes we thought a given instrument only had one correct tuning. It was quite a joyous revelation to discover we were wrong. I'm constantly changing tunings. Although you can go through life tuning a dulcimer to Dadd, the dulcimer being a modal instrument cries out to be played in many tunings. I love experimenting with modes. Its amazing how changing the pitch of one string can evoke emotions of joy sadness or excitement. This is a gift we receive from the dulcimer... Bob.

Babs, you can play DGd tab, just use an Ionian mode tab for DAA. Same tab numbers, just will sound in G other then D.

So for tunings I mostly use DAd, DGd, DAc and DAA. But I really like to think of them in numbers rather than letters. That way I can pick whatever pitch is comfrotable or sounds good. So that would be 1-5-8, 1-4-8, 1-5-7, 1-5-5. What I like about numbers is that it helps me reference the intervals in my head when I tune the instrument to itself rather than to a tuner.

A trick I learned a long time ago is that the interval between 1 and 5 sounds like the first two notes of the song the witch's guards sing in The wizard of OZ. (OH-EE-OH-OH-OH if you remember the tune). The interval between 1 and 4 is the first two notes of Here Comes the Bride. And the octave (1-8) is the first two notes of Over the Rainbow.

I kind of have a love-hate relationship with electronic tuners. I love them when restringing an instrument or when I am trying to tune in a noisy location. But I also think they are kind of a crutch because it is easier to accept what the tuner says than to really listen to the tuning and intonation of the instrument.

Tunings, eh. I use DAd and its variant CGc. I retune those to DAc, DGd or DGc. I have 2 or 3 tuned DAA or CGG. Drop them down to DAG or tune up to EAA for mixolydian tunes. Then there's one DDA that I sometimes bow. One's in Ddd. The Mawhee's in AAA. Then there are the Jim Good's which I keep in Jim's tuning: b G d d d. Then for 4 strings, DAAd is probably my favorite, then DAdd. DAdc gives some great drones for songs such as Lord Thomas and the Fair Elender. DGGd and DGdd and DGdc and good, too. Oh yeah, I have one that can go up to EBe.

Like you, James, I prefer an Ionian Modal tuning or a Bagpipe tuning. With those I can cover most of the 200+ songs in my repertoire. However I do have a complete set of Dorian tunes that I play as well as a set of Aeolian tunes. Those of course need to be retuned from one of the following:

I keep one traditional dulcimer (Bobby Ratliff Hog Fiddle) tuned BFF Ionian as it suits my voice even better than C for singing along at Open Mics and such.

I keep another traditional dulcimer (John Knopf Thomas replica) tuned Ggg for instrumentals in Open Mic settings, because the G tuning cuts through crowd noise well.

I have a Harpmaker Student Model in DAA for playing with clubs

I have a Til Holloway (my only dulcimer with a 6+ fret) tuned Ddd for playing with clubs.

I'm slowly building a 'coffin shaped' (think angular teardrop) traditional dulcimer that will have just intonation.

By 'traditional dulcimer' I mean one that is less than 7.5" wide and less than 1-1/4" high, with a fretboard a minimum of 3/4" high, preferably 1" high.

Here is a thread I decided to start, rather then to hi-jack another thread, so here it is: What tunings do you like to use?

For me, I personally either like to use some form of Ionian tuning, or a Bagpipe tuning. Here is my list of tunings, and on which instrument:

D-d-dd, Bagpipe tuning. This is on an hourglass that I bought from Robert Schuler. It has the 6.5 fret on it, so from the open fret, I can do D mixolydian, D major (as long as it doesn't dip below the scale) and from the 3rd fret, key of G major. This, btw, is the only dulcimer I have with the 6.5.

E-B-BB, Ionian tuning. This is on an hourglass I ordered from Jack Ferguson. Nice clear, bell like sound.

DGd, Reverse Ionian. On a prototype student dulcimer from Dan Cox. To me, and a couple people people I'd played it for, it seems to have a bagpipe type sound. I know it isn't a "true" Ionian tuning, but most out of the box dulcimers these days are set up and strung for DAd tuning (which I don't use) so I personally feel that it is easier to take the A down to a G, rather then that d on down to A, because with the string gauge used for that high d going down, it will flop around like a clothesline, and sound dead.

DAA, Ionian tuning. On a student dulcimer from Dan Cox. This seems to be another that beginners would use. I don't know if it is the 155 specific scale Dan used for this, or what, but this does, like my E-B-BB tuned dulcimer, has a good bell like tone to it.

These, of course, are what I *prefer* to use, and on which instrument. Hopefully it isn't too too confusing