Thanks, you'se guys...that does make me feel much better. As I am recording for a tape to go to my grandsons for their 3rd b-day, I think we'll be okay, even with the slight plunking; they won't mind. When they call and I sing to them, then play the dulcimore, then sing, again, they tell their mom to tell Grandma KitKat to play the BIG music, again! So...they love that dulcimer with the hard Fender pick!**BG**

I have been playing around with the tunings. I love the Aeolian and have actually composed a tune of my own in it, plus play that French jig I was talking about earlier.

I really like Mixolydian, too, but almost everything I learned first was in Ionian, so I am mostly tuned to DAA.

Wouldn't mind having another one or two around to keep in different modes, but tuning up or down really doesn't seem like too much bother, as long as I don't break a string!

Speaking of...what brand strings do you all prefer? And, do you use dulcimer or banjo strings?

Thanks for letting me pick yer brains!

kat