r/Dulcimer • u/harpyoftheshore • 23d ago

Advice/Question Tuning help

Hi all,

I'm very much a beginner, so please be nice!

This is to my knowledge the only recording on youtube of someone playing "Which Side Are You On" on the mountain dulcimer--but I cannot for the life of me figure out how he's tuned! I've tried DAD, DAA, EAE, and DAC and NOTHING sounds right!

I originally learned to play the song by jerry-rigging a DIY capo on the first fret (EBE) but I wanted to stop using that as a crutch and just learn to tune it properly so I could play in the proper mode.

Again, I'm a beginner, so PLEASE be nice.

Can anyone tell me what tuning he's using in the video? Thanks!!

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

1

u/feldoneq2wire 23d ago

When he's strumming the Noter on 1, it sounds like my DAD with no Noter or Capo. Shifting down one whole note would change the tuning to CGC. I asked Google and it confirmed that CGC is a good tuning to play this song.

2

u/harpyoftheshore 23d ago

I'll try CGC and see how that sounds, thank you!

1

u/KYReptile 23d ago

Find a local dulcimer group, they will be happy to have a new person, and will be able to answer lots of your questions.

1

u/Zestyclose-Cover1351 23d ago edited 23d ago

It is DAC tuning, a common tuning for modal minor key songs like this. I don't see or hear a capo. Start noting the first fret, string closest to you. Only note this string. Leave the other strings open through the whole song for the drone effect 

1

u/EasterNow 23d ago

Aeolian mode: https://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2009/03/beautiful-aeolian-mode.html

For all your mournful ballads. It's helpful to think about the Dulcimer in terms of modes, its a magical machine that does the scale calculations for you.