Very helpful Ken......thanks very much.

"Bagpipe" tuning is very traditional.  The when and where is unknown but we do know it was a pre-Revival tuning (although it wasn't called "bagpipe").  Unison (ddd) tuning has been around since at least the early 1600s, and we're pretty certain that the "dropped unison" or Bagpipe tuning (Ddd) was right there at the same time -- since the first 'fretted zithers' not scheitholts appeared in Pennsylvania.  In fact the earliest proto-dulcimers were most likely tuned to the key of C not D.  Key of D tunings really only appear and were made common during the Revival of the 1960s/70s.

I prefer Bagpipe tuning because it gives those of us who do not have a 6+ fret the same ability to play in two modes without re-tuning; as the 6+ fret does those who prefer to use DAd Mixolydian tuning.  

updated by @ken-hulme: 07/28/23 10:49:57PM

Could anyone here shed any light on what time period historically and where geographically bagpipe tuning....(not Galax tuning))....was more commonly used?  I find it to be quite versatile and also very traditional sounding.  I much prefer it to the more commonly used ionion tuning. Thanks for any info.