There has been some discussion of the Appalachian dulcimer. I just uploaded a clip of me playing a simple tune, in a simple fashion, using a simple tuning (one drone tuned to unison with chanter, and other drone tuned an octave below) on the dulcimer.
It can be downloaded from THIS PAGE.
This photograph appeared in the May 1, 1917 issue of Vogue.
That’s pretty cool Walden. How do you have it tuned? I haven’t decided whether to use DAD or DAA. The instrument still sometimes baffles me but I’m catching on.
eb-eb-Eb (equivalent of ddD tuning) I tuned the melody string and the middle string to Eb, and the bass string to Eb, an octave lower.
I usually use that tuning or else dgD tuning or ddA. Sometimes I tune it edA for minor key tunes, but ddD works for minor keys too. With ddA tuning, it’s also pretty easy to play at harmonic intervals like this:
|———|—0—|———|———|———|———|———|———|
|—0—|———|———|———|———|———|———|———|
|———|———|—0—|———|———|———|———|———|
I play my dulcimer in DAD Mixolydian Mode.
I have dabbled with DGD tuning.
The dulcimer is such a versitile instrument when it comes to tunings.
I have the book Dulcimer Chord Book by Neal Hellman.
It was my first book when I was a newbie to the dulcimer.
Quite overwhelming at first. The topics covered: modes, history of the Modes and Transposition and tunings.
Great book!
Laura
love the picture too walden!
i play my dulcimer DAD. i picked it up at a pawn shop in New Mexico and enjoy its quiet soothing tones.
Hey Walden just wanted to tell you nice picture!
Would love to own the dulcimer in the pic.
Also,
Have you tried equidistant tuning?
Opens another door up to different playing styles.
Laura
Like G-D-A on a mandolin or F#-B-E on a bandurria? I have not experimented with such tunings on dulcimer. To tell the truth, the idea hadn’t occurred to me till now. I also haven’t tried 4-string equidistant string spacings.
I haven’t really done much experimentation on dulcimer, as far as fingerpicking goes.
Linda Brockinton sent me her beautiful CD “This Is My Prayer,” a while back, and her dulcimer picking is among the most beautiful music I have heard, as is yours. Your Clips & Snips dulcimer clips are most remarkable.
DAD Mixo all the time really - too busy to retune! I find it impossible to play whistle simultaneously - even a tabor pipe 
Trisha
To literally play it simultaneously, about all you could practically do is to play the whistle or pipe in one hand, and beat a drone with the other hand a la tambourin a cords. In my own case, I used overdubbing in the recordings using both dulcimer and whistle.
I can’t guarantee the link will work (though it did when I checked it), but here’s a clip I did with whistle and Appalachian dulcimer, by overdubbing.
D-D-A-D AND D-D-G-D are the two tunings that thus far is working well for me with equidistant tuning on the dulcimer. It can be a bit tricky on certain chords. You need to barr chord on some of them.
My first md dulcimer was not set up for equidistant tuning. Some are not built that way. If yours is, I encourage you to try it. You can do some neat harmonys with the treble strings.
Ideally, I am considering another dulcimer. I would love to own a baritone that is tuned to A. However, that temptation to own a bazouki is very strong. Not sure if I am ready to learn a new instrument and new chords. Afraid I may get the zouk chords confused with guitar chords. (Hey it happens!)
Laura
You could get a bouzouki, or a 10-string cittern, and set it up to use a guitar-like tuning. Many of the renowned players, such as Beth Patterson, come from a guitar direction. I use GDAE tuning, as I come from a mandolin background.