DADGAD_ what are the basics?

Subject: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 11:20 PM

My son Greg showed me some licks in this tuning today and I was impressed. The sound is there and it seems fairly versatile. My finger injuries are beginning to slow me down even further so I'm reaching for options here.

Have the guitarists who use DADGAD found some universal truths that only the initiated will know and are generally not mentioned in books?

Don

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Dave Swan
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 11:40 PM

Don,

If you're looking at alternative tunings, you might also look at Steve Baughman's website for a discussion of what he has come to call Orkney tuning, which is CGDGCD.

There, the second posting on this thread and I've induced thread creep already.

I'm so ashamed.

D

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Chris Amos
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 12:27 AM

Hi

Legend has it that this tuning was devised by the great guitarist Davie Grahame, to enable him to play with North African musicians.

You certainly can have some fun with it. Try picking out tunes, either on single strings or as octave pairs and use the other strings to add in chords or act as "drones"

Also try DADEAD, chords work wonderfully in that.

Chris

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Cluin
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 12:42 AM

Basics: DADGAD is an open Dsuspended 4th tuning, so it is neither major nor minor in nature, but can easily be played either way....

To play in the major scale on most strings use the 2nd and 4th frets.

To play in the minor scale, use the 2nd and 3rd frets. (generally... individual mileage may vary)

To play a D chord use 1 finger, on the G string at the second fret (this is actually a D 5th) then hammer down the other fingers on other strings at the 2nd and 4th frets for different accents (if you want a major sound, see above for minor sound.

To play an easy G(-ish) chord, fret the low A string at the 2nd fret.

For the A(-ish) chord, play x02200 or 202200.

Should get you started...

Play around with it. It's fun.

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 12:59 AM

This is my main tuning now. It takes me an hour or so to remember how to play in standard tuning... which I've been proficient with for 25 years. In other words, the chords are NOT interchangeable.

DADGAD is not any more an Open tuning than Standard tuning is Open Eminor7...

learn to play "G" with your little finger on the low "G".

Play C, and 'nub' out one of the 'thirds'

Love the 1-5-1 bottom strings, by moving them up and down the neck.

Play in the key of "D" as little as possible, or actually, to fall back on, or to play with "D" instruments...

Enjoy open strings, even when you go up the neck

When beginning this tuning, transcribe songs that you already know, and don't be afraid of yer ol' ca-po

Picks are fine, finger picking is heavenly!

Ya might want to get used to jumping around the neck... especially from Am to a full G.

Be patient, Be persistant, but most of all, don't try to do the 'same old licks' that you always have heard the smooth 'standards' do... Its time to make your own way now!

All the best! ttr

PS... if you feel 'stuck in a rut' at some point along the way... Listen to Pierre Bensusan, or Steven Fearing.

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Cluin
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 01:45 AM

Well Don Ross called DADGAD an open Dsus4 tuning, so there!

*sticking tongue out at Thomas*

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 02:00 AM

Nice Tounge! T'will probably make some lady really happy someday!

I forgot to mention my personal fave...

Dick Gaughan! His playing (and song choices) got me on the DADGAD bandwagon... singlehandedly...

Cheerio! ttr

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 02:43 AM

Maybe it's just cause it's where I started with DADGAD, but I'd recommed you get a copy of the Stan Rogers music book, "Songs From Fogartys Cove" He wrote and covered a good handfull fo songs in DADGAD, and the book makes it very easy to learn 'em...

From there I sat at the feet of folks like Cluin there... and some others as well... Garnet Rogers, James Keelaghan, Stephen Fearing, just to name a few

Best of luck to ya eh!

:-)

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Mad Tom
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 04:29 AM

I dunno what you call it, but my favourite alternate tuning is DGDGBE. Add a capo on the fifth fret, and you get a marvelous effect, using the low D and G as drones.

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Cluin
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 04:43 AM

TTR, it already does, man.

(and yeah, Dick Gaughan is great!)

Clint, I can't recall you sitting at my feet. I remember us playing around with learning that tuning together. Cripes, didn't we try and play just about everything in DADGAD for a while?

Mad Tom, interesting tuning. Looks almost like open G but with the high E not being tuned down to a D. Maybe it's an open G6th? (or G13th?)

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 11:26 AM

Sounds interesting MT... I get the impression your capo is not put on all six strings... C'mon, fess up! Seems kinda "Wyndom Hill" friendly... ttr

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: GUEST,Erik Newman
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 11:39 AM

You can find some stuff on using that tuning for Irish backup here. He talks about the chords and chord progressions to use for modal tunes.

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: GUEST,wdyat24
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 03:40 PM

For thirty years I tried playing "Baby Please Don't Go" in open G tuning...it always sounded off. When I tried open D tuning the other night with this same tune, what a difference! The open D tuning I used is DADF#AD. Sounds great with slide.

wdyat(12)24

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: pict
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 04:19 PM

The DADGAD bible is Pierre Bensusans' "The guitar book" He has developed a whole method for that tuning.The book has full transcriptions of many traditional tunes as played by Bensusan with full tabalature and notatation plus finger exercises etc.I think of DADGAD as standard tuning I've been using it as standard for about 14 years now.Richard Thompson also produced a good book and CD rom tuition set that has some nice DADGAD tunes.I also use DGDDAE or CFCCGD if I want that loose feel.It doesn't take long to get a grip of DADGAD but it requires a bit of application to revisualise the fretboard so that you can transfer what you've learnt in conventional tuning into fluency in DADGAD.

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 07:16 PM

Don, one thing you should try to master is playing the scale of D both descending and ascending, without ever playing consecutive notes on the same string. Gives a lovely chiming, bell-like effect.

This may well be covered in on of the books above, but not having read any, I wouldn't know.

Murray

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Jim Colbert
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 10:43 AM

One of my favorite artists, Richard Shindell, uses dadgad quite a bit. For an excellent resource for the (usually very simple) chord shapes and capo positions Richard uses, check out my friend Ron's excellent web site- Ron is a technician when it comes to dissecting this stuff. I was always afraid of alternate tunings until he showed me the light!

http://members.aol.com/rongrittz/page2/shindell.htm

Garnet Rogers also has some very nice stuff in dadgad.

And while it is an alternate, not open tuning... geez, you're only a help step away on one string from an open D, aincha?

jim

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: widowmaker
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 12:16 PM

I always thought that martin Carthy was responsible for landing us with DADGAD, but heh what do we know!

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Amos
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 07:57 PM

I dunno why, but I first started using DADGAD in order to sound mor elikje Ravi Shankar. Worked quite well!

A

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 08:03 PM

Amos... Thats silly.

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Amos
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 08:22 PM

Dear Thomas:

Well, in actual fact, I found I could emulate the intervals, the drones, and the tabla rhythms pretty well, within limits. Obviously a six-string guitar will never sound like a pureblooded vina or sitar no matter how you tune it -- but I wouldn't call the notion _silly_! :>)

A

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 08:35 PM

Actually, I do know from first hand experience, that you're right. And silly. Dmaj2dim scale bouncing to Amaj... sounds OK... but no, it's just not the same...

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Bobert
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 08:47 PM

Whew!

What you all trying to do? Bust every D string I have> I'm missin' something here. I can get to DADDAD (No jokes...) but the 4th (D string) say's that if I take it *up* to a G then it's gonna break and if I take it down to a G it a long drop.

What's up?

The DADDAD ain't bad but a tad rich on the tonic.

Bobert

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 11:07 PM

Bobert,

The fourth string is already a "G" in standard tuning.

Don

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 11:08 PM

And thanks to everyone else who is so generous with their time. I appreciate it.

Don

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Amos
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 11:15 PM

Lower low E one tone to a D, Bobert. Leave the A and D alone. What I do is actually not DADGAD -- I raise the G to G# and lower the B to A and the high E to D. This creates a good open chord which can be bar'd any where and which is open to all sorts of scales and sliding couplets up and down.

The basic chords in this tuning are:

D: 000000
G: 020120
A 002012
Bm:020020

Regards,

A

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Cluin
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 01:33 AM

Bobert, you're joking, right?

It's DADGAD from the bass strings to the treble strings... just in case you wwere serious.

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 10:57 AM

Since I began this thread as a help to my diminishing ability I am wondering about other people with disabilityies using this tuning. Is there documentation of people with arthritis, amputation, stroke or other limiting factors learning to play or returning to guitar with the help of DADGAD or other tunings?

Don

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Jim Colbert
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 11:05 AM

Art Traum (wow, almost typed in Thieme out of habit!) has mentioned that dadgad is an excellent tuning for people with limited mobility or dexterity but I don't know if he's actually done a lot of research. Interesting notion, huh? I remember that 3rd hand capo listing this as one it's virtues, on a related note.

Also, fyi, I've found that a proper setup (making sure strings seat properly in the nut) and a little pencil graphite for lubricant will help prevent strings from breaking when tuning frequently from standard to dadgad.

Bobert, I'm assuming you're counting the high E string as one which is why you think the D string tunes to G? From the thickest bass string to the thinnest high unwound string, it is D-A-D-G-A-D.

Good luck and have fun!

jim

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 12:46 PM

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 05:18 PM

Don, Amos, etal.

Yeah, I was in the danged tuning and didn't even know it. Checked it against the piano. Man, I got so many wierd arsed tuning's that I allready play and wouldn't know a tab from a Sprite and gotta get the P-Vine to help me translate stuff but hey, when I get the old gitfiddle cranked up, don't matter.

I like the tuning though. I can see it has a few possibilities. I'm just figuring out left hand fingering right now, which ain't too hard and will put the slide on it tonight and take it out for a pedal to the metal run around the block.

Does seem to be a tad overladed with tonic, but who cares. Like ar the loaded-up-with-tonic moniters going arrest me?

Bobert

Subject: RE: DADGAD_ what are the basics?
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 26 Feb 03 - 02:10 AM

Don, I thought about your post, and I've got a bit for ya...

Just like standard tuning, DADGAD has some nice movable chords that work well by moving them up and down the neck. The basic major config is;

555455, 555755 for G, x32032 for C

minors are 555355, 555758 for G, 222022 for E, 333133 for F

So,... D 000204, Em 222022, F#m 444204, G 555455, A 777677, Bm 999799



note... try these configs with a few notes open, or just pick a few notes you like, and mix 'em up

If playing chords on the nut is your forte, try;

oo42oo, 4oo2o4, ooo2oo, oo42o4 for D,...ooo2o3, oo32o3 for Dm... xx2o22 for Em,... xx42o4 for F#M,... o2oo2o, 52ooxx, 5x0450, 5x04x5 for G... xo2xo2, xo7677 for A,... xo2232 for Am,... x244xo for Bm, x3203x or x3x032, or x32032 for C,...

OK? quiz tomorrow... and its all improvisation... ttr