Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by simon on March 3, 2016 at 8:39pm

To add the exact run of notes I'm getting are A,B,Csharp,D,E,Fsharp,G,Gsharp (which is right, I have a 6+ fret) and A...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on March 4, 2016 at 4:32am

Simon,i'm of the opinion,that seeing your 'b' is ok,and your 'd',but your 'c' is out,that either your scale is margianally out or your fret height is inconsistant,i hope someone else can help more

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JL on March 4, 2016 at 4:31am

That is correct, the diatonic scale is 1_2_3-4_5_6_7-8 (also called the major scale or Do_Ray_Me-Fa_So_La_Ti-Do)

where _ is a whole step and - is a half step

In our western notation, b to c and e to f are half steps (the spots on the piano where the black key is missing)

C Major = C D E F G A B C

G Major = G A B C D E F# G

D Major = D E F# G A B C# D

A Major = A B C# D E F# G# A

Assuming that you are tuned to DAD?

the key of D Major has only the notes of the D Major scale in it.

the chords of the D Major Key for a 1-5-8 tuning are

D5 = D A d

E5 = E B e

F#5 = F# c# f#

G5 = G d g

A5 =A e a

B5 =B f# b

C#dim5 = c# g c'#

* C# to G is a diminished 5th not a perfect 5th

that extra fret is so that you can play the C# on the low string and G instead of G# on the middle string

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on March 4, 2016 at 5:42am

cool beans JL

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sharecropper on March 4, 2016 at 5:02am

https://youtu.be/JLkEapNfkrE           At about 2:30 in to the video he explains  DAa  tuning and the notes on strings up the fretboard .       Your dulcitar is correct.       Now I'm stumped, I had thought there were no sharps, or flats on a dulcimer.     Live and learn I guess.      Stay calm and play on.    

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sharecropper on March 4, 2016 at 5:47am

   Okay, now I understand, the notes possible on a dulcimer or dulcitar tuned to  D, are the notes in the key of D Major .    See JL's reply . 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by simon on March 4, 2016 at 6:01am

Hi this may sound weird but think I've built a gdg fretboard and I'm trying to tune dad...I think this makes a difference...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sharecropper on March 4, 2016 at 7:08am

I think the standard dulcimer tuning is DAa . I think that tuning may be hard to achieve with out dulcimer strings. Check the youtube link I provided above. There are some dulcimer lessons on youtube,some cover alternative tunings also.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lane Martin on March 4, 2016 at 7:42am

No, the fretboard spacing is determined by the scale length only...nothing to do with the pitches you choose. The same fretboard can be tuned GDG, DAD, GBE, whatever...just depends on the strings you choose.

I think what through you off was forgetting that the third note of the A major scale is C#, not C (see JL's excellent post.)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by simon on March 4, 2016 at 7:56am

Yes I totally agree itsd just scale length and string gauge.. But... The diatonic fretboard is just the chromatic one with the sharp/flat notes removed right...
So looking at the chromatic fretboard you have the second fret position translating to the first fret position on the diatonic and so on...
But look at your 4th fret position on the chromatic. Here's your B on the G string. It's also your fsharp on the D string.
So referring to instructions I've seen elsewhere for a diatonic fretboard leaving out the 1st, 3rd, 6th,8th etc..this appears wrong as in it works for G but not D etc. It looks like you need to be skipping 1st, 4th, 6th,8th,13th (if your having the 6+)...any advice before I start removing and recutting frets ?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lane Martin on March 4, 2016 at 8:15am

"The diatonic fretboard is just the chromatic one with the sharp/flat notes removed right..."

No, it's removing particular half steps in between the major scale notes. You are correct in leaving out the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th, etc. That's what makes it diatonic.  If you're tuned GDG, you're going to have the G major scale on the top/bottom strings and the D major on the middle string. Or D major and A major if you're tuned DAD.

 I'm not sure what you think "appears wrong" in D. Would you explain more on that?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by simon on March 4, 2016 at 8:31am

SD ure, note I'm not than happy to be wrong here and I'm a novice. So here I am staying at a chromatic fretboard map and looking at the half step frets that are being left out OK. When I look at the 4th fret which is translating to the 2nd fret on the diatonic, (once again correct me on the above of I'm wrong) looking at the D string I'm seeing Fsharp. On the A in seeing Csharp and it's on the G I'm seeing the only whole note of B. If instead I included the 3rd fret and drop the 4th fret I get F on the D string, C on the A string and it would just throw out the G as an Asharp.
So should I be altering my fret position based on that as I'm looking to only have whole notes ?

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page