The Shady Grove zitter is set up much like an old style dulcimer, to play in what dulcimer players call DAA tuning.The drone strings are tuned to D, D an octave higher, and the A in between these two Ds. The melody stings - the doubled string with the frets underneath are tuned to A.
A B C C# D E F# G A B C C# D E F# G A B
open 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
low high low high
These numbers will allow you to read zitter TAB in the music section of this site. The key of D major does not include the note C - the low 2 and low 9. It does include the note C# - the high 2 and high 9. To play in the key of D major, always skip the low 2 and low 9. I will explain on another page why the low 2 and low 9 are included on Shady Grove zitters.
If you are familiar with modern dulcimer Tablature (TAB) you will be familiar with a 6 1/2 fret. This is for DAD set up. I will explain elsewhere later why this is used on modern dulcimers. You may have heard of a 1 1/2 fret. This is not as common. If you find DAA dulicmer TAB that uses 1 1/2, that corresponds to the low 2 in zitter TAB from this site. I will explain elsewhere later why I chose to use low and high 2 and 9 instead of 1 1/2 and 8 1/2.
Following are links to a series of Youtube videos by Strumelia intended to teach traditional style of playing the Dulcimer using the DAA tuning of the zitter. You may notice that her dulcimers do not have low 2 or low 9, and they do have 6 1/2 fret. When she plays 2 - that is high 2 on the zitter. When she skips 6 1/2 you don't have to, because it is not there on the zitter.
Using a noter
Strumming
Strumming motions
Sugar Hill pt. 1 hammer - ons
Sugar Hill pt. 2 slides
How to change up strumming patterns
Muted strumming practice
Go Tell Aunt Rhody pt. 1
Go Tell Aunt Rhody pt. 2
Go Tell Aunt Rhody pt. 3
Go Tell Aunt Rhody pt. 4
A B C C# D E F# G A B C C# D E F# G A B
open 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
low high low high
These numbers will allow you to read zitter TAB in the music section of this site. The key of D major does not include the note C - the low 2 and low 9. It does include the note C# - the high 2 and high 9. To play in the key of D major, always skip the low 2 and low 9. I will explain on another page why the low 2 and low 9 are included on Shady Grove zitters.
If you are familiar with modern dulcimer Tablature (TAB) you will be familiar with a 6 1/2 fret. This is for DAD set up. I will explain elsewhere later why this is used on modern dulcimers. You may have heard of a 1 1/2 fret. This is not as common. If you find DAA dulicmer TAB that uses 1 1/2, that corresponds to the low 2 in zitter TAB from this site. I will explain elsewhere later why I chose to use low and high 2 and 9 instead of 1 1/2 and 8 1/2.
Following are links to a series of Youtube videos by Strumelia intended to teach traditional style of playing the Dulcimer using the DAA tuning of the zitter. You may notice that her dulcimers do not have low 2 or low 9, and they do have 6 1/2 fret. When she plays 2 - that is high 2 on the zitter. When she skips 6 1/2 you don't have to, because it is not there on the zitter.
Using a noter
Strumming
Strumming motions
Sugar Hill pt. 1 hammer - ons
Sugar Hill pt. 2 slides
How to change up strumming patterns
Muted strumming practice
Go Tell Aunt Rhody pt. 1
Go Tell Aunt Rhody pt. 2
Go Tell Aunt Rhody pt. 3
Go Tell Aunt Rhody pt. 4