When modern string players tune to a piano, they ask the pianist to play a d
minor triad.  Does anyone know why it should be that particular triad?
 
I have heard gambists tune to harpsichords and the harpsichordist gives them a
different triad for every string in what sounds like a nice little chord
progression.  My ears were not sharp enough to catch the progession; does
anyone know what it is?
 
Does the gambists' progression date from before the modern string players'
single minor triad or was it developed by modern gambists as an improvement
over the single minor triad?
 
Michele Winter