That's the fretting I play in an Ionian mode tuning. It's the same fretting pattern that Jean Ritchie plays tuned CGG
I fret the doh note on 3.
TAB Pretty Saro 1-5-5
0 3 1 0 3 4 5 4 3\0 1 0
Down in some lone valley, in a lonesome place
0 0 3 1 0 3 4 4 4 5 7 7 4
Where the wild birds do whistle and their notes do increase
4 5/7 7 8 4 3 3/4 5 0 1 0
Farewell pretty Saro, I'll bid you a-dieu
0 0 3 1 0 0 3 4 5\4 3 0 1 0
But I'll dream of pretty Saro wher-e-ver I go
Vivian, Have you tried playing the tab you have on the middle string in DAd. Basically that's what Richard is doing. He's playing a slightly flat DAd tuning on the A string. You could try tuning just to DAA and playing on the melody line.
Jean Ritchie in her book (I looked her tune up) plays "Pretty Saro" in CGG which will put you an Ionian mode. The site that I gave you has TAB that looks like a Mixolydian tuning, but it is the same fret number that Jean Ritchie plays. If I was tuned CGc, I'd do as Richard has done and play the fretting I have on the middle string.
If you want the sound that Richard is doing, you have to loosen your strings just slightly. You don't really have to retune if you are in DAd just relax the strings an equal amount and your strings shouldn't buzz as you're not going down even a whole note.
Thank you everyone! and thank you Strumelia for fixing my error.
I really need to find out how to do that!
Benjamin, I'm glad you told me about the book by Jean Ritchie, I had thought about getting that book anyway, so was glad to know it is in there, I ordered it today, so that will be grand..
I haven't tried retuning yet, as folkfan says he does, actually I'm nervous to do it, but I will give it a try. I am going to try the modes as John P suggests and see what it sounds like...if I can figure it out. I had some progress playing it on the middle string as suggested, it sounded much better, well, except for the missed notes and buzzing strings
. That' all good though, because I am really enjoying myself. Thanks again!
http://sniff.numachi.com/lookup.cgi?ds1=D&ds2=D&ds3=G&ti=PRETSARO&tt=PRETSARO&tab=d
This is how I play it using an Ionian tuning of CGG.
Richard is playing a DAd tuning, but 15 percent flat in his tuning and he is playing on the middle string. The vibrating technique he uses give the song a quavery sound that the singer who he has based his playing on has in her voice.
I have it in two of my dulcimer books: The first from the Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie, and the second from Aubrey Atwaters arrangement of the Ritchie version in her book, Song by Song.
Looks like Mixalydian(start at open string DAD).
The basic version is pentatonic and can be played in Ionian(start at 3rd fret DAA) and Dorian(start at 4th fret DAG) as well. You can even play it in Aeolian if you have a 6+ fret(start at 1st fret DAC).
An extra long fretboard and lower tuning are mentioned, so maybe it's a non standard,
john p
I fixed it for you Vivian.
Well that didn't work...AAAARRRGGG>
I am going to try and put a link to You Tube video in here, but don't know if it will work...first time trying! Anyway, I found this version of Pretty Saro, and really like it, but the artist has no tab for it and I can't even figure out how he has it tuned.
I have Tab for it in DAD, but it sounds very different.. Can anyone tell me how this is tuned just by listening to it, or know where i might find tab like this version? Here is the link, hopefully. I found it by searching "dulcimer music pretty Saro" and the title of the video is Pretty Saro (Ultra Simple version)
Thanks!
