I need help with drop D tuning

Subject: I need help with drop D tuning
From: jeepman (inactive)
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 08:50 PM

I am hoping that some of you folks will help me. I want to play some blues in drop D, but I don't know the chord positions. Just the basics, G C D E A F Thanks, Jeepman

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: kendall
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 09:13 PM

not sure what you want but, when I play a dropped D, I use any chord I want, but have to remember to close the low E string at the 4th fret for G. Then for A, close the low e in the second fret. Going from D down to G, I have to stretch a bit, third finger on the low e string, second finger muffling the A string, and first finger on the high e third fret.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: Mooh
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 09:16 PM

Any note on the sixth string (the low E) gets raised by one full tone or two frets.

Mooh.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: ddw
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 09:31 PM

Point of clarification, Jeepman. What I've always heard called drop-D is just standard tuning with the bass E string lowered to D. Is that what you're looking for? If so, D is just the usual configuration except that you get much better bass; G is first string third fret, 2S 3F, 3S open, 4,5&6S 5F; A or A7 usual configuration.

It's pretty unusual that you'd need a C chord in this progression, but if you do just a standard 5-sting C works (don't play bass E string, now a D). Same thing with the F chord and for an E it's just the standard pattern with the 6th string fretted at the second.

Love this pattern — you can do so much up the neck with it. Try a "long A" configuration and slide it up to the 7th & 10th frets for the D chord, then the standard D configuration at the 7/8/7 fret for the G and a standard A7. You can do all kinds of neat stuff up there.

happy picking,

david

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: jeepman (inactive)
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 10:39 PM

Thanks guys. I knew I could count on Mudcatters. Jman

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: Suffet
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 06:53 AM

Some other ideas to consider when playing in drop D tuning (standard guitar tuning with the 6th string tuned down one whole step to a low D):

1. Use your index and middle fingers to pick out the lead (melody or counter-melody, or just filler-in notes) on the treble strings while you play a steady alternate bass with your thumb.

2. Alternatively, use your thumb to pluck out the melody (or counter-melody, etc.) on the bass strings while your other fingers brush or tickle the treble strings on the off beats. This will give your music a Carter Family feeling. When doing this you will get some really nice sounds by hammering-on and/or choking the 4th, 5th, or 6th string at the 3rd fret, allowing you to "play in the cracks" between the natural and the sharp.

3. If you need to get a low E into the bass, wrap your thumb around the neck to hold down the 6th string on the 2nd fret. I find this useful when playing an E, E7, A, A7, Am, C, etc. If you need to play an Em, try wrapping your thumb really far around so you can barre the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings while leaving the three highest strings open.

4. You can get a really fine G chord by stopping the 5th string on the 2nd fret and the stopping the 2nd string on the 3rd fret. You can stop the 1st string on the 3rd fret as well, which will give you a high g note, or else you can leave it open as a high e. This will produce a G6 chord, which carries in it a hint of the relative minor (Em). Of course, you can also get a G7 this was by stopping the 1st string on the 1st fret instead of leaving that string open.

That should be plenty to get you started. Best of luck.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 08:13 AM

In a dropped-D tuning, the last three strings across the same fret (333xxx) will give you some kick-ass power chords.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: Grab
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 09:59 AM

Basics:

A - 202220 or x02220 C - x32010 D - 000232 E - 222100 G - 550003 Em - 222000

F is tricky - easiest is to do xx3211, but you can do 3x3211 provided you can get that A-string damped. 3x3211 is easy if you're only finger-picking though. With this problem though, you have to be more careful with all those barre chords. Minor chords are OK since you've got enough fingers for that.

Grab.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: jeepman (inactive)
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:39 AM

Hey Matt. When you say the "last 3 strings", are you talking about the bass strings?

THANKS TO ALL YOU GUYS. JMAN

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:50 AM

You got it, Jeep man! On the EAD strings.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: Grab
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 01:10 PM

Matt, if you want a serious chord then drop the top E as well. You get an absolutely awesome G chord with 550000.

Grab.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: GUEST,Mark. West Sussex. UK
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 11:48 PM

Why? Its an awful tuning. Be a devil. Go for DADGAD. Forget Chords. Discover Modal. Lose your Soul.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 12:34 AM

Get you a Schubb Capo and put it on the second fret over only the first five strings, (miss out E6) Regards Ted

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From:
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 03:15 AM

My personal rule for playing in dropped D is to avoid the 6th (bass) string when making any chords that the extra two frets would make hard to reach. For example I make the "F" chord in the "beginner way". Index finger across first fret of "treble E" and "B" strings, middle finger on 2nd fret of "G" string, and ring finger on 3rd fret of "D" string. I just don't try to get the lower notes of the chord.

I also tend to only play in the key of "D" when I use dropped "D" tuning.

I think it is a great tuning. It has many of the advantages of "standard" tuning, but does give a richer bass.

If you drop the treble "E" to "D" also, you can play "knife songs" in the key of "D" by alternating between the 6th and 4th (or 6th and 5th, etc.) string with the thumb and sliding the knife along the first string for the melody.

Murray

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: Suffet
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 09:17 AM

In drop D tuning I prefer to drop the 6th string only to a D, leave the 1st string as it naturally is as a high E and play it open much of the time, especially if I am finger picking. That way I play a D chord as 000230 and a G chord as 020030. The D is really a D2 and the G is a G6. When possible I try to hammer on or choke the 4th string at the 3rd fret, giving me an ever so slightly sharped F note in the middle range. That F is a flatted 3rd relative to the D and a flatted 7th relative to the G. Enough music theory! Try it, and you may find the dissonace between that middle range F and the treble E really pleasing.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: John Hardly
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 11:13 AM

Very cool Drop D chords;

F(who cares what number follows--it's a substitute chord)330011, Fneutered minor 333011
G--550033, G9?--557700
F#msomething--440222
fullrangeD--0007,10,10 or 0077,10,10

some nice changes--from X05500 to 00453X(or0)
from 000222 to 222000 to 440222 to 222000 to 000232 to 000222...(It Ain't Me Babe)

000(0h2)10--basis for St Judy's Comet--550033 to 550333

000,11,10,10 to 0009,10,9 to 000787 to 000775 to 000675 to 000453 to 002030 to 002020 to X0h2h4XXXX to 000232 great intro to When The Ship Comes In. makes a good second guitar for the part "...and like pharoah's tribe they'll be drowned in the tide, and like Goliath they'll be conquered"

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 13 Jan 01 - 11:20 PM

Oh jeez, who could remember all this stuff?

Here's what we do: if a tune's in the key of G or D, we sometimes drop our E string to a D. We practice using it on chords with the note D in them (such as G, D, Dm, Bm) and practice not using it with chords with E in them (such as A, Am, Em, Em, C etc.) Except for that one string, your familiar chords and finger positions are unchanged. We don't press the frets on the low D string, because the whole idea was to get a nice, rich low D in the song. So why raise it?

DADGAD seems to be for guitar as percussion instrument. Use it sparingly. Also, if you wish to imitate the style of the modern "powerhouse Celtic band",make sure you have health insurance to cover tennis elbow.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: GUEST,CraigS
Date: 14 Jan 01 - 09:51 PM

Lots of jazz guitarists use the drop D tuning for standard work. They play the F shape all up and down the board by spreading the top joint of the third finger across the low 3 strings, among other things. I've tried this way of playing and it has advantages and disadvantages over standard tuning which are too complex to describe briefly, and depend on (i)the player's ability to realise where inversions fall easy, and (ii) the player's ability to turn over the top joints of the left hand fingers, also referred to as "extra finger" techniques. I believe that this style was first popularised by Howard Robert's recording of "Moonlight In Vermont".

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: GUEST,Steve
Date: 23 Jan 01 - 06:21 PM

Here's the prettiest dropped-D fingering for a G: 505430. Used as the second chord in the dropped-D version of "Stagger Lee" by Mississippi John Hurt. Great sounding!

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From:
Date: 24 Jan 01 - 07:18 AM

Craig. That sounds like it would be easier on an electric guitar than on an acoustic (or even classical!)

Murray (of the weak fingers)

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: Justa Picker
Date: 24 Jan 01 - 07:23 AM

You might also want to take a gander here.

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: English Jon
Date: 24 Jan 01 - 07:36 AM

Use heavier Strings. It'll sound nicer. I'd recommend Martin medium guage, but I dont like the SP variety very much. There a bit..sticky, really.

Chords are pretty much standard. I'd incline towards keeping the low D as a drone in all chords D is the same, so is A, C, F, Am, Dm, Em

G, best one I think is top two treble strings fingered at the third fret. Only play the first 4 strings. This is nice because it's an easy change from D.

E is more of a problem as the D now gives you E7th in 4th inversion. not terribly useful. Play standard E avoiding the bottom string.

Have a go at DADEAD if you get time... (Nicer than DADGAD. Not as hard as DADEAE)

Good luck! Jon

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: GUEST,dick miles
Date: 07 Jul 17 - 11:41 AM

d 7plus9 isc7on 3rd fret with lovely low D

Subject: RE: I need help with drop D tuning
From: GUEST, DTM
Date: 07 Jul 17 - 04:15 PM

I favour putting a capo between frets 1 & 2 over the first five strings leaving the bottom E string open.
Okay, this means you're playing in E but it gives you the dropped D effect and you can still (mostly) use other normal chord shapes.
The same procedure can be carried out up the fretboard for different keys using two capos. One over 6 strings and one over 5 strings two frets up.