Newbie 6 string question

Ignorant question. How do most people play their 6 stringers? I have an old Hughes church dulcimer that I played with a noter when I was a kid. It doesn't sound so hot now. Is it more prevalent to fingerpick nowadays? My mind sort of boggles at the thought of chording--I have enough problems with a double melody string.I have a bad case of DAD so there will probably be a 6 string in my house at some point in the future...