East Anglian Dulcimer tuning charts
Here you will find East Anglian dulcimer tuning schemes in G, C and D, together with a couple of others for comparative purposes. The diagrams are also provided as downloadable PDFs for practical use.
For a discussion of the East Anglian tuning system, visit the Tuning page.
1. G tuning
As used by Billy Bennington (Norfolk). Here is a downloadable PDF for you to use.
2. G tuning
As used by Russell Wortley (based on a historical chart seen at Woods’ music shop in the early 1960s). Here is a downloadable PDF for you to use.
This went on to be published in the magazine English Dance & Song (Vol. XXXIX, No. 2, 1977) and you can read the full article here: Chromatic tuning for Dulcimer transcription.
3. G tuning
As currently used by Richard Blake from Norfolk, an authority on the East Anglian dulcimer and a fine musician. Here is a downloadable PDF for you to use.
4. C tuning
As used by Reg Reader (Suffolk). Here is a downloadable PDF for you to use.
5. D tuning
By John Howson (a corrected version from David Kettlewell’s original). Here is a downloadable PDF for you to use.
6. G tuning
Historical diagram – tuning identical to Russell Wortley etc published in New York in 1907 in Violins and Other Stringed Instruments – how to make them by Paul Hasluck. The whole book was online when the original East Anglian Dulcimers website was built, but is no longer there. Ask if you want to know more.
Other historical tuning systems are shown on the archive website of David Kettlewell The Dulcimer – just look on the left hand side for the “Printed Tutors” section. We also have historical tuning charts and information in our files.
7. Example of non-East Anglian tuning for continuous bridges. Here is a downloadable PDF for you to use. This instrument is one of several owned by the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust which are available for hire.
The tuning is based on that developed by Roger Frood, who built a number of dulcimers in this style in the late 20th century, and is the system currently used by Sue Harris, although her instrument has 22 courses of strings rather than the rather meagre 17 on the instrument above.
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