Help: What does 'Plain D' mean?

Subject: What does 'Plain D' mean?
From: GUEST,Albert
Date: 25 Mar 00 - 11:48 AM

What does "Plain D" mean in Dylan's "Ballad in PLain D?"

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'Plain D' mean?
From: Amos
Date: 25 Mar 00 - 11:50 AM

It refers to the key of D, with "plain" being added in as a poetic embellishment -- my interpretation.

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'Plain D' mean?
From: BlueJay
Date: 25 Mar 00 - 12:06 PM

I don't know the song, but it might mean standard tuning as opposed to dropped "D", with the "E" string tuned down a whole note. Amos maybe right, I'll listen to it. It may even be played in dropped D. Or could it be a could it be a take-off on "De-Plane"? (Please don't hit me)!!!

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'Plain D' mean?
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Mar 00 - 12:38 PM

Fortunately, no highway is mentioned.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'Plain D' mean?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Mar 00 - 12:47 PM

Plain D because you can play it with just the one D chord all the way through. You don't really need any chord changes.

If it starts feeling boring, or your fingers get cramped, vary it a bit with lift-offs and hammer-ons and that - which I suppose technically means you're playing other chords with fancy nanes.

I suppose if you were being clever you could play inversions of the D chord up the neck from time to time, or partial inversions in which you leave the A string and the D string open. And maybe tune the E strings down to D.

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'Plain D' mean?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 26 Mar 00 - 12:07 AM

Well, at last. A song I could actually play. I can play several chords now, but run into trouble when I try to change from one chord to another -- a slight complication when actually trying to play a song. But, hey. One I can just play straight through with my wee fingers smushed on the D chord. Such a deal...

WW

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'Plain D' mean?
From: Song Dog
Date: 26 Mar 00 - 04:09 AM

Plain D, Also known as open D, The simplest form.

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'Plain D' mean?
From: GUEST,Phil Cooper
Date: 26 Mar 00 - 05:37 PM

For a non-Dylan version of "Ballad in plain D" there's a great version by Michael Chapman on an album released in 1977 title "The Man Who Hated Mornings." Chapman plays the song in CGCGCC tuning to great effect.