4 string chromatic tunings

[Randy Adams]

Here are 10 tunings I use, some for only a tune or two, 3 or 4 I use regularly. I learned them from playing the banjo and they are readily adaptable to the 4 string chromatic dulcimer. They are all key specific for me. IOW if I want to play in the key D I tune to some variant of a key of D tuning. Seldom do I play a song in a key not indicated by the tuning. I do tune them up or down the scale, or use a capo, to suit the situation: i.e. to play with other instruments or to suit my voice or just because I like the sound of the dulcimer in that musical range.

DAde - I use this tuning the most. Fret the e string at the 1st fret (f#) gives open D chord. Fret the e string at the half fret gives a D minor chord but I only play a couple of tunes in D minor this way. I also play a couple tunes in open D minor DAdf

DAdf# - Has a big bold sound. Good for when the melody goes high b/c the f# keeps the notes down in a reachable range. Also used when the tune calls for higher bar chords. I play a half dozen or so tunes in this tuning.

DF#Ad - A more melodically limited D tuning (for fiddle tunes) but is famous as the tuning for Rueben and that dulcimer tune everyone plays that sounds like Reuben...tune name slips my mind right now...500 or 900 Miles?... Limited (for me anyway) variant is D minor DFAd.

DGBd - Standard G tuning. Most adaptable for playing in mutiple keys. Chord formations are readily available. Key of A fiddle tunes fit this tuning, capo 2 frets. Variant is DGBflatd G minor.

DGCd - Dorian mode. Clinch Mt Backstep, Frosty Morning etc.

G'GBd - G tuning. When a melody doesn't use the low D I like to drone that low G but I only play a couple tunes this way.

DGde - My current favorite. A somewhat more limited G tuning but fits some melodies so well.

I'm not so good at what the notes are called but I think I got most of them right. Feel free to correct me! Anyone else use these tunings to play fiddle tunes on a chromatic dulcimer?

[clare dulcimers]

Bummer, I just made a chromatic with only 3 strings. What tuning should I use?

[Stephen Seifert]

On diatonics, I use mayn different tunings, three and four-string. On chromatic, I've also stuck with DAD. Have experimented a little with DAE.

[Randy Adams]

Clare...check out Steve's u-tube page...he's got several 3 string chromatic tunes on there. Doesn't sound like he needs another string on there!
I had my dulcimer built as a 4 stringer and have never done the 3 string thing.

[Ken Bloom]

One tuning that hasn't been mentioned is the almost unknown CGBbD. You can think of it as either a C9 tuning or maybe a G minor tuning. I came up with this one back in 1972 and used it to good advantage to play things like the Theme from Black Orpheus. My good friend Sara Elisabeth plays a lot in DGBbD. As I have said before, these days I rarely vary from DAD. The chromatic fretting makes it unnecessary to change tunings much.

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.com

[ranwithrsd]

I came upon the DAde tuning after my own experimentation (I learned how to play by myself, teaching music to myself along the way, and the chromatic mountain dulcimer is the only instrument I play), and have used it as my exclusive tuning (again, on a chromatic dulcimer, not a traditional or standard one) since 1991. I have found it to be a relevant way to both play modern music as well as have a traditional tuning (in the interest of the heritage of the instrument) still 'built in', which is one reason I developed it for myself in the first place.

[Stephen Seifert]

I came upon the DAde tuning after my own experimentation (I learned how to play by myself, teaching music to myself along the way, and the chromatic mountain dulcimer is the only instrument I play), and have used it as my exclusive tuning (again, on a chromatic dulcimer, not a traditional or standard one) since 1991. I have found it to be a relevant way to both play modern music as well as have a traditional tuning (in the interest of the heritage of the instrument) still 'built in', which is one reason I developed it for myself in the first place.

Good to see you, here!

[Randy Adams]

The reason I use key specific tunings is twofold.
I like to use open strings. I like the resonance, the drone if you will, that they produce under my playing. And I like to bounce off of them. They fit the kind of music I like to play and they fit my playing style.
The 2nd is it is much easier! I have neither the desire, or perhaps the self discipline, to learn scales in multiple keys in a set tuning. I have admiration & respect for those who want to & can.
I have learned thru the years to get around in these tunings and it's not that difficult to learn them when taken a little at a time. Out of the DGBd tuning (key of G) I play a couple tunes in key of C and couple in the key of D, but nothing real notey or difficult...like a hornpipe or something. And if a fiddle tune modulates to a different key for the 2nd part I can usually handle that in most of the tunings. And I may play a few chromatic passing runs here & there.
But again, the only reason I need a chromatic dulcimer is these tunings require more frets than diatonic, even tho I play almost entirely diatonic notes.
And the extent of my music theory knowledge is limited to understanding how to make these tunings work with my style of playing....admittedly not much.

That's amazing that you came upon DAde tuning ranwithrsd. It's a great tuning!

[tuneit]

Here are 10 tunings I use, some for only a tune or two, 3 or 4 I use regularly. I learned them from playing the banjo and they are readily adaptable to the 4 string chromatic dulcimer. They are all key specific for me. IOW if I want to play in the key D I tune to some variant of a key of D tuning. Seldom do I play a song in a key not indicated by the tuning. I do tune them up or down the scale, or use a capo, to suit the situation: i.e. to play with other instruments or to suit my voice or just because I like the sound of the dulcimer in that musical range.

DAde - I use this tuning the most. Fret the e string at the 1st fret (f#) gives open D chord. Fret the e string at the half fret gives a D minor chord but I only play a couple of tunes in D minor this way. I also play a couple tunes in open D minor DAdf

DAdf# - Has a big bold sound. Good for when the melody goes high b/c the f# keeps the notes down in a reachable range. Also used when the tune calls for higher bar chords. I play a half dozen or so tunes in this tuning.

DF#Ad - A more melodically limited D tuning (for fiddle tunes) but is famous as the tuning for Rueben and that dulcimer tune everyone plays that sounds like Reuben...tune name slips my mind right now...500 or 900 Miles?... Limited (for me anyway) variant is D minor DFAd.

DGBd - Standard G tuning. Most adaptable for playing in mutiple keys. Chord formations are readily available. Key of A fiddle tunes fit this tuning, capo 2 frets. Variant is DGBflatd G minor.

DGCd - Dorian mode. Clinch Mt Backstep, Frosty Morning etc.

G'GBd - G tuning. When a melody doesn't use the low D I like to drone that low G but I only play a couple tunes this way.

DGde - My current favorite. A somewhat more limited G tuning but fits some melodies so well.

I'm not so good at what the notes are called but I think I got most of them right. Feel free to correct me! Anyone else use these tunings to play fiddle tunes on a chromatic dulcimer?

I don't see where any of this is chromatic, neither the four note chords nor the tunes referenced. It seems that what the chromatic does do is allow freely using a capo to allow the guitar's trick of retaining the same fingerings (or using fewer variations) and the same open notes for the chords, while changing keys.

Now we have to make a distinction between exploiting a chromatic instrument to play diatonic music and actually playing chromatic music...exploring the non-traditional repertoire, blues and other jazz-based music in particular. I think each might have a different following.

Personally, I am all for capoing versus retuning, certainly as a starting position. The idea of a chromatic set of frets appeals to me.

[ranwithrsd]

I don't see where any of this is chromatic, neither the four note chords nor the tunes referenced...

Though you didn't raise the question with me directly, I do wish to point out a difference here, tuneit.

When I mentioned DAde (talking about myself, not Randy), it's a tuning, not a chord (though, yes, it is technically an Asus4 or Dsus2 chord if you choose to utilize it as such, which I have done in songs when needed/desired); but still, it's a tuning. I use this tuning because of the comfortable chord shapes that can be used, as well as chordal relationships (near each other, not up and down the fretboard to find the next chord in a typical modern song).

That is how I personally came about the tuning I use; I took quite some time tinkering with different tunings, looking at chord shapes/fretboard relationships of common chord progressions found in popular music, until I decided on this one as the best compromise, for me, especially in light of the fact, as already mentioned, that I wanted to keep part of the heritage of the instrument- a base modal tuning (in this case Mixolydian), yet augmented for my needs.

Keep in mind, as well, that I am talking about chordal shapes/relationships on a chromatic fretboard with this tuning, not a diatonic setup- I know Randy has mentioned having chromatic as well as fretless setups, but I don't know if he is talking about using these tunings on all his setups or just on a diatonic or 'extra-fretted' diatonic (1+, etc., but shy of full chromatic) setup.

I am assuming you are asking that question from that angle, that of a diatonic dulcimer utilizing a chromatic tuning, but I am talking of using this tuning for chromatic setups (fretboards, not tunings), hence my wishing to clear up my position as to your question/remark- unless I'm wrong as to the intent of this overall forum, which has been known to happen .(not specifically this topic, though, especially since the more I look at it's title I can see now why you raised the flag). I only play a chromatic fretboard, so I don't look at whether a tuning is chromatic or not, as I don't need to worry about that, just the relation of the notes to each other.

I'm sure Steve or one of the others will correct my incorrect assumption about this forum, and head me along the right path (or a different topic, or out the door!) soon.

As far as the tunes go, I don't know or play the traditional tunes (nothing against them, I just didn't have those tunes at my disposal when I was learning to play, so I didn't learn them); I play my own/modern stuff mostly (including blues, country, jazz, r&b, big band music, bluegrass, reggae, rock, South African music; for example- Lady Gaga, Brad Paisley, Black Eyed Peas, The Band, The Dead Kennedys, Flatt & Scruggs, Nat King Cole, Earl Klugh, Son House, Boyz II Men, Grateful Dead, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, Taylor Swift, Hendrix, Sade, Nine Inch Nails, Rihanna, Metallica, Jack Johnson, Chris Ledoux, Tony Bennett, Allison Krauss, Bob Marley, Old Crow Medicine Show, Sinatra, James Taylor, whatever; I like all kinds of music, I'm all over the place with what I will play; too much likes to list here, etc. and so on...), with some occasional Irish or early western music (Renaissance or earlier pieces; I do like early lute pieces), and some guchin (the ancient chinese zither, aka ch'in) pieces (the really old songs are around 3,000 years old);, I really can't comment on the more 'traditional' diatonic tunes, though I have heard them, since I don't really know them (like them, yes; enjoy hearing them, yes; just didn't learn the usual repertoire most festival-going dulcimer players seem to learn, and therefore haven't played them as much/at all).

It seems that what the chromatic does do is allow freely using a capo to allow the guitar's trick of retaining the same fingerings (or using fewer variations) and the same open notes for the chords, while changing keys.

I myself don't utilize a capo, though I do agree that, as with any chromatic instrument, this can be seen as an advantage over a diatonic setup if it is needed for ease of playing a song.

Now we have to make a distinction between exploiting a chromatic instrument to play diatonic music and actually playing chromatic music...exploring the non-traditional repertoire, blues and other jazz-based music in particular. I think each might have a different following.

Personally, I am all for capoing versus retuning, certainly as a starting position. The idea of a chromatic set of frets appeals to me.

I understand what you are getting at here, regarding accidentals needed in songs, and that there might be different crowds for each type, but for my tuning, I find I don't need to retune or reach for a capo- but then again I haven't really tried to either. I just look at the chords/notes needed for a song, any song, and play 'em .

That is the other reason I labored so much by myself to find a tuning that was flexible enough for what I play, so that I would not have to retune, especially as my playing has been with players of other instruments, not dulcimer players, and they (especially the jazz/classical players, and the guys I played with in the south african group) would not wait long for any retuning when jamming or rehearsing, or when you have multiple key changes within a song.

So to sum it up simply (which I'm sure you have wished I would have done in the first place, by now ), I utilize the tuning on a chromatic setup, not as a chromatic tuning on a diatonic setup, and have found it very flexible for modern music.

Robert

[Randy Adams]

Robert...I too use these tunings on a chromatically fretted dulcimer and not as a means to get chromatic tones or accidentals on a diatonic fretboard.
Some of the simpler melodies I play could be played on a diatonic fretboard w/1+ fret in these tunings but the more complicated the melody more frets are required.
I am surprised in your self-taught discovery process that you settled on DAde as your tuning of choice. I am mostly a melody player and don't think much about the chordal structure of a tune but I wouldn't have thought DAde could be a versatile chordal type of tuning. I'll look into it. Thx!

The only tuning I have explored chords very much with is DGBd. I have found the closed chords are compact (in other words easy!) and of course movable up & down the fretboard. Just for general info I thought I'd post an image of the basic chord positions for DGBd that I found on the web this morning..



Edit...the chords on this diagram are reversed from typical dulcimer tuning...iow the bass string is closest instead of farthest from the body. I reverse them to play (apply them to) the dulcimer.

[clare dulcimers]

Clare...check out Steve's u-tube page...he's got several 3 string chromatic tunes on there. Doesn't sound like he needs another string on there!
I had my dulcimer built as a 4 stringer and have never done the 3 string thing.

Thanks Randy. Being I can hardly play... I've gotta settle on one tuning first. Should I do DF#A or DAD? I'll get so confused with all these different tunings, coming from a violin/mandolin fixation on GDAE (which doesn't make chording easy).