![]() Experiment with these five methods depending on your preferred style or desired mood. In conclusion, properly tuning a dulcimer is paramount in achieving its signature sweet sound. As long as it sounds balanced and pleasing to the ear, there’s really no right or wrong way to tune your dulcimer. By varying string tensions and tuning relationships between the courses, you can create original tonal structures. The last method on this list isn’t a specific tuning but rather an encouragement for musicians to experiment and find their unique sound. ![]() With this configuration, you may play bottleneck slide, fingerstyle blues, and more on your mountain dulcimer. To achieve this, simply adjust the bass string to G, middle string to D, and melody string(s) to G’. For example, players looking to mimic the sound of traditional blues on their instrument can use the GDG tuning. This method creates a versatile open chord that provides endless songwriting possibilities.Įxploring other musical genres on a dulcimer can be inspiring and fun. The bass string is tuned to D, middle string to A, and melody string(s) to D’. The 1-5-8 (DAD) tuning is widely considered an alternate standard for diatonic mountain dulcimers, especially for players who like to experiment with chords and finger-picking techniques. The DAC tuning can provide an evocative mood perfect for storytelling through music. This gives the dulcimer a slightly different tonal quality, leaning toward a more minor sound than the DAA tuning. In this configuration, players tune the bass string to D, middle string to A, and melody string to C. This results in a rich, harmonious sound that is characteristic of traditional Appalachian music.Īnother popular option is the DAC tuning method. The D on the bass string is the foundation, while both middle and melody strings are tuned to A. This means that the courses (sets of paired or tripled strings) are tuned to the notes D, A, and A. The most common and traditional way to tune a dulcimer is using the DAA tuning method. Here are five ways to tune a dulcimer to ensure that it always sounds its best. One key factor in achieving the dulcimer’s distinctive sound is tuning it correctly. Played by striking the strings with small mallets or by plucking them with fingers, this beautiful instrument adds an air of grace to any musical performance. Time: Dulcimers always change shape slightly over time due to the tremendous tension of the strings, and this can throw the tuning off. If the top is laminated, see if you can get the dulcimer for free, because that's about what it's worth. Possible causes for misplacement of the treble bridge include things like: Movement: Bumping the dulcimer can cause the treble bridge to shift its position. ![]() ![]() So if that takes 100 off the cost of the instrument, don't feel bad, as long as the top is solid. If you're interested in that version, please email me to let me know so I'll work on it faster -)Īre you feeling pretty advanced now? Looking to upgrade and expand your playing more? Well, we also have a dulcimer guitar transposition guide you can download free to help you work out how to play even more songs.The dulcimer, a folk instrument with roots in the Appalachian Mountains, is known for its sweet and soothing tones. Using laminated back and sides has relatively little effect on the sound. However I'll be making a specifically G-tuned version soon. If you have a D-tuned Strumstick all of these principles will work the same for your instrument as well!īy the way, we have a great Beginner's Guide to Dulcimer Guitar Chords available now! (And on sale) It's currently written for D-tuned instruments, but all the shapes apply for a G-tuned one. It's like Xerox and "copier." One is the brand term, one is not. ![]() The body extends the length of the fingerboard, and its fretting is. The Appalachian dulcimer (many variant names see below) is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings, originally played in the Appalachian region of the United States. The only difference in the instruments are the brand names. Zither (Austria, Germany) List of Appalachian dulcimer players. Strumstick Tuning: How to Tune a G-Tuned Pickin' Stick (aka Strumstick)īefore you ask, YES! a Strumstick and a pickin' stick are the same thing! This video works for your Strumstick just the same as it does for a pickin' stick. ![]()
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