I tune to DAD, sometimes CGC, and sometimes DGD. There are other tunings that I have experimented with from time to time. The instrument lends itself to playing in many keys (with or without a capo) and may styles--flat-picking, finger-pickeing, using a noter on the melody string or four note chording, strumming fast or slow. One can play just about any kind of music--just takes a little practice. Many dulcimer players don't read music and rely upon tabbed music which gives the frets to be played. I don't know where the orginal poster lives, but Sweet Music Digest is a place to get information about teachers and players from all over. During the spring-summer-fall months, there are festivals and meetings about every weekend. The SMD can be joined at dulcimer-list-digest@clearspring.com.