Tuning down a half step

Wally Venable
Wally Venable
@wally-venable
4 hours ago
114 posts

If you are a "DAA" player, you tune the Bass string down the half note, then use the same "4th fret" on the Bass to get the others. (Relative tuning works similarly for other tunings.)

If you go back to Jean Ritchie's Dulcimer Book, the basic tunings were a whole step lower - Cggg, CGcc and so on, so lower tunings are more traditional. 

Strumelia
Strumelia
@strumelia
7 hours ago
2,354 posts

Yes, that's correct.
To sound good, you'll need to tune your other strings down the same amount (a half step, or a whole step).

Keep in mind that some note intervals have only a half step between them to begin with:  E to F, and B to C. Thus for example a whole step lower than C is Bflat. I find it helps me to remember which are the half-step intervals by thinking " E at F ood, B e C ool". Also, in most music situations, people call "Dflat" Csharp... different name for basically the same note.

Unless you are playing with other people, or practicing along with a recording in a certain pitch, there's no reason you can't tune your whole dulcimer down a step, for various reasons.

What are you up to?  popcorngirl




--
Site Owner

Those irritated by grain of sand best avoid beach.
-Strumelia proverb c.1990

updated by @strumelia: 07/01/25 09:39:54AM
Lilley Pad
Lilley Pad
@lilley-pad
8 hours ago
53 posts

Hello kids. I know I know not Jon again. I have a tuning question. For example, let's say You want to tune your Bass string down a half step. Do you tune it to D flat ? And tune it to C for a full step down?