Dropped D tuning

Subject: Dropped D tuning
From: Grubby
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 03:18 AM

Any catters wish to give some info re the pros and cons of Dropped D tuning for guitar.Such as how does it effect the chord structure, when to use it, is it good for Irish session music etc. Regards Grubby

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Owlkat
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 04:37 AM

Hi Grubby, Dropped D is a tuning I use for most of my songs and as many others tunes as I can stuff it into. I really love the way it rings and rings. Pros? It sounds so wonderful, and it's great for fingerpicking. There's all kinds of demented chords you can make with it, and melodic note progressions. Cons? It can be addictive, and you do have to learn a few new chord formations. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Cheers, mart. ;-)

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: kendall
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 08:18 AM

Ed Trickett uses it often, and thats good enough for me.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: JedMarum
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 08:43 AM

This tuning gives your guitar a wide, deep sound, when playing in the key of D. It gives you plenty of options way up the neck, as well, for playing the top three or four strings. If you playing chords up the neck while striking one of the three low strings for bass the results can be dramatic.

Experiment with the three fingered chords above the first position, and finger pick and alternating bass. Flat picked strumming also a deep rich sound. Wrap your thumb around the neck to hit the 2nd fret when playing E or A based chords(chords you may use in the key of D). And add your fourth finger on the Fifth fret of the 6th string when you play some G based chords (G works OK with the low D as well, though).

You'll find that the Dropped D is easy to learn. It provides you with lots of creative possibilities, and it extends the range of your guitar - but I don't think it is a commonly used at the Irish or Celtic sessions. There are some other D tunings popular among this crowd, but they are more extensive retunings - and probably a topic for another thread.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Pete Peterson
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 08:59 AM

I use dropped D 95% of the time when playing in D and recommend it to everybody! It is particularly useful when playing backup guitar in a dance band and your job is to provide steady rhythm and chords-- that low D so strengthens the sound! It's also excellent when playing fingerstyle guitar-- in fact the song on which I learned how to se up an alternating bass was Dave van Ronk's Green green rocky road-- many years ago. That's agood place to start. More complicated; Pete Seeger's Singing in the country (which is what he called it when he first recorded it on "Nonesuch" w Frank Hamilton) or MS. John Hurt's Stackolee. Have fun! Note: Bennett Hammond and van Ronk also recommend using it when playing in G or A but I am less comfortable doing so.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Clifton53
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 09:03 AM

I find this tuning very rich. I am only starting to tinker with it, but I like to play regular first position chords while muting that sixth string, then landing back on D and picking the bass loudly. I found that playing Tom Rush's " No Regrets" is quite simple. I had always wondered where the closure was in D.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 10:10 AM

Try it for playing in G and A as well. Requires a little adjustment, but it's worth it.

Rick

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning-drop G!
From: Bill cameron
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 10:24 AM

Dropped D is easy to get into ad out of on the fly, and you don't have to relearn what to do on the other 5 strings, (as in DADGAD)

In a similar approach, when playing in G I like to drop the A string to a G--gives a nice solid drone, excellent for Scottish music. (Try flatpicking "Flowers of Edinburgh" this way, sounds great.) I don't know why this isn't more popular, its easy.

For one step more interesting, drop the low E all the way down to low C. Then you have a I-IV-V bass which can suport fingerpicking anywhere, in yer three chord config.

Bill

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Songster Bob
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 10:57 AM

The main problem with dropped-D is the modifications necessary to chord positions. But, since you have to learn chords to play, anyway, you just treat these as new chords to learn and go on with it. Some keys are particularly unsuited to using the tuning, of course (E major is one -- all the positions require fretting that 6th string if it's played), while others are only slightly hampered (G works well for two of the three common chords, D for two, A for only one, etc.).

Mention was made of Edd Trickett, who uses the tuning exclusively now, he says. I noticed that Gordon Bok did his FSGW concert last Saturday using that tuning exclusively, as well, on both 12 and 6-strings. Didn't notice if he used it on the cellamba, though. Forgot to notice.

Bob Clayton

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Ray Frank (inactive)
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 11:14 AM

Hi Gubby and all,

I've been using DADGBE and teaching it for many years now. Here's a piece from my teaching notes, "Why DADGBE? Its first virtue is extended bass capability: a full octave of bass notes is easily reachable on the 2 lowest strings. Secondly, it allows for a large number of strings to be easily used as drones or pedal tones. Thirdly, it facilitates playing of complex tunes while keeping both bass and accompaniment going. Forth, because only ony one string is changed from standard tuning, players learn it quickly. Even the dreaded F chord is easier and doesn't need a full barre."

This has all been said in the other good answers you've gotten. If you're interested in DADGBE chord charts, let me know and I'll send them snail mail to you and anyone else who's interested.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: kendall
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 04:47 PM

I like this tuning for You are my flower. It also works for Kentucky

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Mudjack
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 05:03 PM

A variation to a dropped D tuning is to take a capo (shubb works best for me) and cover the second fret leaving the top E string open and covering the rest. In effect it's dropped E tuning. Played the same as dropped D. Some capos physically cannot accomplish this feat. You'll have to apply the capo with the open side up. Have I totally confused you yet?
Another alternative method is to take an old capo and cut away the tubing so all you have left is enough to cover three strings. EADGBE now cover the eADGbe strings at the second fret and pick away. You can further it by using the method and add a regukar capo two fret nearer the neck than your altered capo. Or regular capo at the second fret and the altered at the fourth, It's really fun to experiment with and saves a lot of retuning.
There is a companny that sells a product called "The Third Hand" and has movable cams that can adjust each individual strings. Dropped D is nice and these variations are just an extension or cheating way to do the same thing. Good luck with the experimenting. That's when pickin' really begins to get funner.
Mudjack

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 05:07 PM

Try this one. From the bass: C,G,D,G,B,E....Start with a two finger "C" and feeelllll the mellowness! Lot of Slack-key guitarists use it.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Tiger
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 05:53 PM

Kyser also makes a five-string (partial) capo that'll do this.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: John of the Hill
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 09:30 PM

Dropped D tuning is used frequently in Irish music especially in flat picked rhythm playing. John Doyle, the guitarist in Solas and a highly regarded session player has made an instructional video that uses dropped D. I haven't seen it, but it often gets favorable mentions by players. Artie McGlynn, a pioneer in Irish guitar uses standard tuning, but still manages to create a very modal sound. Paul de Grae has written a book advocating DADEAE tuning. So while DADGAD is widely used in Irish music, it is hardly exclusive. John

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From:
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 05:10 AM

I am another fan of dropped D. It can almost be considered another "standard" tuning as even classical guitarists use it. If you tune your treble string to d as well (I have called this called "half open D") you can play most "knife songs" in the key of D--that is songs where you have an alternating bass between the dropped bass D and the ordinary D-string while you slide a knife, bottleneck, or whatever, over the treble d-string to play the tunes. It doesn't require you to wear the bottleneck or put the guitar on your lap, because you only slide over one string.

By the way, I find that I have to use a lot of stretches with my LH pinky on the bass D string and my index and middle fingers reaching down the fingerboard. This is because all the notes, including G, which is the subdominant for the key of D, are two frets further up the fingerboard whilst the notes on the other strings are in their usual place.

I keep the action as low as possible without buzzing. When I started to fret up the keyboard with the bass string tuned to D, I started to get fret buzz and had to have the action raised. I don't think you will have that problem with light strings and a guitar with ordinary action, though.

Murray

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From:
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 07:58 AM

John of the Hill wrote : 'Artie McGlynn, a pioneer in Irish guitar uses standard tuning, but still manages to create a very modal sound'

Well, Arty does play 'Dropped D' most of the time. But indeed, when playing Irish music, it is important to create a modal sound, and therefor this tuning is a good alternative to the standard tuning. I prefer playing DADGAD. In this tuning you can play houndreds of variations on chords, and still keep a very modal sound. You should try it. I did it once, and I'm really addicted to it now.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Stonejohn
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 01:11 PM

Hey Ray Frank I'd like a copy of those chord charts if you don't mind, please. After reading this thread I'm nearly converted and as soon as I get off this machine I'm gonna try it.

H. Stonejohn c/o FRC 18 Maple Ave. Sodus NY 14551

thanks.

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Grubby
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 04:16 PM

Thanks for the imput catters I'll keep practicing Regards Grubby

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 09:30 PM

I'm always amazed at the variants on the tuning themes. There's a couple here that I have never tried til tonite when I'm about to!

Also, if you screw up a song badly enough, you can easily swap to the "Dropped Pants" tuning and get a few laughs which will help cover the mistake. Just a thought.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: ddw
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 12:17 AM

I love Dropped D — use it for lots of tunes, especially train songs, but I was fooling around a couple of months ago and came up with another — C-G-C-G-E-E — that's really neat. My only performance piece in that tuning so far is Galveston Flood, but I'm working on a few others.

Oh, BYW, I use it with a bottleneck and get my treble #I tone at the 5th fret.

Biggest drawback is that I have to put one guitar into the tuning before I go on stage — it's hell to get into and out of quickly.

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 12:52 AM

Has anyone seen the gadget that automatically drops a string to the pitch you want? One of my students has one on his Martin. It's just a lever combined with the tuner and with the flick of it you can go to a dropped D.

Rick

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From:
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 01:07 AM

Rick. I have heard about banjo tuners called "Keith Tuners" but I have never seen one. I was wondering what they were; but I thought they allowed quick retuning of a string. Would a guitar version of one of them be anything like what your student has?

Murray

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Clifton53
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 10:33 AM

I've just been playing " Joshua Gone Barbados", one of my favorites in Drop D. The way I remember it,I haven't heard it in years,it is only two chords. I also just saw the entire lyric for the first time, Tom Rush' version is the one I recall.

Anyway,it sounds so nice in this tuning,and man can you move that G chord around the fretboard. D being the other chord. And for Tom Rush fans,I like to slide into the chorus of "No Regrets" between some of the verses.I just keep the D fingering and slide up to A at the ninth fret,to G at the seventh etc. Not that I would play a medley or anything.

Clifton

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 10:50 AM

Yah Murray, very similar to Keith tuners. I saw someone try to use the Keith tuners on a guitar one time but they don't work well with the thick strings. Joanie Mitchell had the best idea, just take two guitars, one tuned open , one regular.

Rick

Subject: RE: Dropped D tuning
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Nov 99 - 11:54 AM

Yo Rick.....I think you're talking about a "Hipshot" extender. Has a small set screw and a lever...the screw has a spring? They're made by Schaller I think. Available thru Stewart-MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply, down the road in Athens. Or at least they used to be.

Spaw