the D chord

Subject: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 10:54 PM

who can play the d chord? i know that most of you pickers out there in mudville can, but this is one for spaw to squak about and drag up his digitrad search and all that shit, so let's see how long it takes him. BOB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: DougR
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 10:56 PM

Me.

DougR

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 11:02 PM

very good doug r, i can too. BOB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: DougR
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 11:07 PM

Yeah, but I'll bet you just use three fingers!

DougR

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 12:05 AM

As a fiddler, I can recognize the form. Does that count? I can play a 2 finger D on the fiddle......in 3 octaves..........

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 12:49 AM

Yup. In all it's various permutations. It was the first chord I taught when I was teaching folk guitar classes. Who can't play a D chord?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Anahootz
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 01:25 AM

This must be a trick question. Or, maybe you meant...how many INSTRUMENTS can you play a D chord on. Ummm..8

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 03:27 AM

Well, I have no trouble with the conventional 3-finger version (+ thumb on bottom E string), but I never developed the habit early on of bringing in the little finger on the D string, nor can I switch from D to D7 without taking all fingers off and repositioning them (instead of remembering to finger a D7 and add the B string D with the little finger).

Steve

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Cappuccino
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 03:35 AM

Yes, I always forget that D to D7, too ... so if there's a little finger-picked twiddle in my playing when I come to that change, it's not because I'm trying to be flash... it's because I've got my fingers in the wrong place!

Can I add another chord? Which left-hand fingers do you use for the open G? I learned to put fingers one and two on the lowest two strings... then discovered that if I use fingers two and three for that, and the little finger on the top string, I have an index finger free to strike another note... and occasionally one that fits!

- IanB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,PaulM
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 03:41 AM

Ian that's also quicker for the change to G7. I prefer to play a G chord with a D on tne B string: 320033 so I haven't got any spare fingers :-(

Paul

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Cappuccino
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 03:42 AM

That's not blues Paul I had a pizza with the other day, is it?

- ian B

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,RollingThunder
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 03:42 AM

Depends the various factors involved; on whether I'm using a Keyser or a Shubb, is fretboard bound or unbound, rosewood or ebony, 12 or 14 fret model. etc...

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 09:04 AM

you can take the D and the A and make some nice chordal changes with these 2 chords, and then add the E and then it really gets nice. BOB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: SDShad
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 09:13 AM

Yeah, I think that'd be called a 3-chord song in A major, Bob (from the point of view of us singer-strummer types).

But really, I can't much imagine a guitar player (picker or strummer) who knows chords at all not knowing the D chord. Em was actually the first chord I learned, for obvious reasons, followed in rapid succession by (in no particular order) C, D, and G (first song I learned was Heart of Gold, which uses those 4, IIRC). Funny to remember back to when changing with any speed at all (and on tempo) between those four was laborious and iffy. :-)

So to be honest, I'm not really getting what the point of your question is, unless the point is just to troll.

Chris

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 09:36 AM

Don't worry Shad....The point is on the top of BOB's head.

Spaw

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Grab
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 12:18 PM

Anyone for some more threads - Who's worked out how to move their fingers? Can anyone walk? Or has anyone else found that drinking water and eating food stops you dying?

If you've played guitar for more than 2 weeks, you at least know of the existence of the D chord. If you've played guitar for more than 6 weeks, you should be able to hit it with some accuracy. If you've played guitar for more than 6 months, you'll probably have worked out that there's several different positions you can play it in. And the point of this thread was what...?

Graham.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,JJ
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 12:25 PM

Just in case anyone doesn't know how to play a D chord, here is a QuickTime Video that shows you...

JJ

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 01:02 PM

Well, I'd say a d chord, which 53 said in his opening post and a D chord, which is in the Subject heading,are different chords. When I'm writing chords for my songs d means minor, and D means major. Is that just a personal idiosyncrsasy or do any other people do that too?

Then there's a D dyad, which is just a D note and an A note played together (and maybe doubled up), but I don't know if there is a generally accepted abbreviated way for writing that.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,Chicken Charlie
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 01:09 PM

I can play a D on the autoharp, an honor not claimed by any previous posters. That only takes one finger. My dog can play a D chord on a D-tuned guitar, simply by walking up to the instrument stand and barking. Sometimes she is startled by the sympathetic vibrations she gets when barking in the music room. That should teach her not to, but since she is a terrier .....

May I also freely admit that the point of this thread escapes me completely, totally and without let or hindrance.

God Bless America (in D)

CC

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Gomez
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 01:24 PM

The method I use is to tune a guitar to "d" or sometimes to "D" and not hold any strings down at all. I have other guitars tuned to other chords I like to use. It's a bit cumbersome to carry to gigs but it does save me getting those painful grooves in my finger-tips. The twin neck guitar was a brilliant idea but three or four necks would have been better.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,Janice in NJ
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 01:39 PM

On a standard 6-string guitar, I always use my left thumb to stop the 6th (bass E) string when playing either the D major or the D minor chord. For the D major, I stop the string at the 2nd fret, raising the tone from an E to an F#. For the D minor, I stop the string at the 1st fret, raising the tone from an E to an F. Otherwise, I follow the standard chord charts. I also use my thumb to stop the 6th string on several other chords, including the F (1st fret) and the F# or F#7 (2nd fret).

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 02:41 PM

no i'm not trying to troll fool, you just aren't developed enough to understand the movements that you can make out of those chords, i not talking about songs so chek up on what i said before you start accuseing people of trolling. BOB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 02:43 PM

BOB,

You're a total tosser, so please don't accuse others of being fools.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 02:45 PM

and for you spaw, at least i don't have a dick that weighs 127 pounds, so hush. BOB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 02:49 PM

Grab, the point of this thread was converstaion, but seeing that you don;t have any just don't answer if you don't like the post> BOB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: PaulM
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 02:52 PM

Bob,

You started this thread with:

but this is one for spaw to squak about and drag up his digitrad search and all that shit

Sounded more confrontational than conversational to me...

Paul

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: SDShad
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 03:21 PM

Chord theory is chord theory, Bob, whether someone's singing along with it or not--not being a "song" doesn't change it. Knowing that I and V go along nicely with IV--whether it's in chording, arpeggiating, fancy pattern pickin', the foundations of melodic structure, or just a-strummin' along with a simple tune--isn't a profound revelation to anyone who's ever seen the Circle of Fifths, as I did in my Music Theory text a good *mumbley-mumbley* years ago. It's so simple, in fact, that it's been the foundation of many a rock 'n' roll career.

You still haven't said a single conversational thing to anyone in this thread, so I stand by the last bit of my post, and considering you've never heard me play or actually conversed with me about music theory, you haven't the least bloody idea how "developed" I am, whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. In the vast rainbow of opinions at the Mudcat, I have actually seen you make worthwhile contributions elsewhere. This ain't one of them--it's nothing but antagonistic trolling.

No more posting in this one for me; I'll just read with amusement.

Chris

Subject: Where is Big Mick?
From: GUEST,in the Mudcat Observatory Tower
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 03:21 PM

According to Rick Fielding, Big Mick is the master of the D chord. Why has he not lent his expertise to this thread?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 03:39 PM

ok chris, then don't post, good riddance. BOB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 04:57 PM

BOB,

Do you have many friends in real life?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 05:24 PM

For the "Baiters" of this thread - were you also the ones who gave the small kids a hard time in grade school? Pushed little kids into mud puddles on the way home? Then declared yourselves cool because you didn't have those things happen to you? Seems to me that when you know someone will react in a certain way and you push that button - you are just as bad as the reaction.

Steve

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Gomez
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 06:51 PM

Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 09:25 PM

this thread has been taken totally out of context, partially by me, and by others, so i'll close the book on my posting on this thread, knowing what was meant to be said and the way by which it was recieved. BOB

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: michaelr
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 10:04 PM

so this is what guest jj meant by "why is it so bitter"!
Michael

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Tweed
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 10:26 PM

Hmmmmm.....how did this come to this? Is there a Full moon out tonite or what?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: DonMeixner
Date: 23 Jan 02 - 10:51 PM

Spaw,

You have a 127 lbs. of Pistol? Is that loaded weight or are you shooting blanks? Should we start calling you Tripod?

Don,

By the way. I play "D" the old three fingered way or more often lately by barring an "A" up 4. Not for any other reason that thats what my limited finger motion allows. Typically I'll play in "D" by capoing up two and playing "C" shapes. This is because I can't play "Bm" hardly at all in the conventional form. And I like those key "C" bass runs

Don

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Gary T
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 09:43 AM

I sometimes find it helpful or conventient to play a D chord with my index finger barring three strings on the second fret and my "tall man" finger hitting the B string on the third fret. When coming from or going to a B minor chord, those fingers can stay in place.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 10:33 AM

I can and also that really nice progression

D / Bm / G / C7 / A / D

and the two D variations I don't know the names of: the first is the D but with the top string hammer-off and the other is the D but fretting the 4th string at fret 3 instead of the third string

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 12:04 PM

Mercury being retrograde explains it all!

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Frankham
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 01:01 PM

D chord on the guitar with the sixth string tuned down to D below the E string has always sounded beautiful to me. Pete Seeger used this on Bells of Rhymney and Turn Turn as well as Living (Singing) In the Country.

I always thought the D chord was especially beautiful when accompanying "Down In The Valley". It's a great chord to learn to play first on guitar.

Frank

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 01:48 PM

That link does explain it all, kat. I never knew before that Uranus rules television and computers. Figures, somehow. *G*

Murray

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 02:17 PM

It makes a nice change sometimes to play it with the 1st string fretted on the fifth fret, and the 2nd and 3rd on the 7th. And the thumb over to fret the 6th string on the fifth fret too, if you feel like it.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 02:20 PM

Yes Murray, I think that does help to explain the crappy programming. I get 200 channels and there ain't jackshit on!

Spaw

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 09:50 PM

You know what Bob, you nailed Spaw right on his Achilles Heel : He cannot play a D chord to save his life. Oh sure, he'll try to pretend its not true, but that's why he can't play a single Buddy Holly tune! At least, without a capo he can't.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Townes
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 10:58 PM

'D' no wories but is there a quicker Bm it always slows me down . Townes

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 11:00 PM

D---the People's Key!

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jan 02 - 11:14 PM

If the key of "D" is the peoples key,

What is the Key of the Booojwahzeeee?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Nerd
Date: 25 Jan 02 - 01:31 AM

I thought Spaw's achilles heel was his 127 pound schlong. That's quite a target! Seriouly, what the heck did Bob mean by that? In some circles that'd be a big compliment!

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 02:23 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Amos
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 02:32 PM

Townes:

For general use, just slide that Am chord up to the third fret and you'll have your fast and easy Bm.

As for the rest of you ....Geeze Luise!!


A

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Bullfrog Jones
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 05:57 PM

D augmented -- now THAT'S a chord!

BJ

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: C-flat
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 06:12 PM

....or the all purpose Django jazz/blues chord...D with a flat9.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 07:37 PM

Of course with DADGAD it's easy enough to play a shape that gives you a D on all strings. Not that it would be a chord, but it's certainly a D. Or rather a DDDDDD.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,Fred Miller
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 09:34 AM

I know a lot of D's, D is a friend of mine, but it was only recently that it occurred to me to do the two-finger D by barreing at the second fret, and putting the second finger on the third fret on the b-string. Sometimes that's handy.
    For some reason I've always liked to do first position G without a 3rd, 3xoo33, until I want the B to make a dramatic entrance. Anyway, PaulM, that lets you have an extra finger still to noodle around with, and it's easy for my fat finger to kill the a-string.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Glen Reid
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 10:51 AM

When changing from a D to a D7, I sometimes maintain the D shape,but fret the A string at the 3rd. fret with the pinkie.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 03:36 PM

Interesting thread Bob, I think some folks are just unfamiliar with your direct approach. One of the ways I play a D is to move a first position C chord up one step and I wind up fingering it like this:
i= A at 2nd fret 3rd string, m= D at 3rd fret 2nd string, r= F# at 4th fret 4th string, p (little finger)= D at 5th fret 5th string. Play this D, move same position up to an F# chord then up a half step to a G chord then walk it back down half a step at a time to an E chord and you've got Dock of the Bay. Comes in very handy on moving chords up the neck when fingerpicking. vl

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 05:07 PM

G without the B? (Fred Miller) A good way to do that is play an F with the thumb fretting the sixth string, slide it up two frets so its a G - and then you lift the middle finger, and play the G string open. Great sound, a G diad, neither major nor minor. (I gather it's what some people call a "power chord".)

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: 53
Date: 16 Oct 02 - 05:52 PM

iT JUST SOUNDS GOOD WHEN YOU PLAY IT.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,Mary
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 05:38 PM

Threads like this are really helpful to new people interested in learning the instrument.
I thank all of you who answered the question with kindness.
Thats what impresses me about mudcat and there are many of us
who thanks Mudcat for the variety of questions pertaining
especially to the music lover.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Cluin
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 06:48 PM

Not a diad, McGrath. The power chord would have only 2 notes, the tonic (1st note) and the dominant (5th note), in the F chord the notes F and C.

The F variation you refer to above is actually a Fsus2 chord Where the 3rd of the scale (A) is replaced by the 2nd (G). So neither a major or minor chord, as You said.

That Fsus2 chord is often used to replace the regular F in bluegrass tunes in the key of G (or even C) to keep a modal sound, especially since Clarence White and Tony Rice really popularized it.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Cluin
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 06:53 PM

Whoops, sorry, McGrath. I misread your post and missed where you said the chord was moved up two frets. You were right. It's a F5th "power chord".

And for some reason I had a lot of extraneous capitals in my post...

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Cluin
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 06:56 PM

And Glen... that's actually a D Augmented, right?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 09:25 PM

Oh so that's how I should have been playing it, shucks now I need to
remove the nail and string off of my new Martin.

Also since D is so popular who likes to wallop out Sloop John B in the
key of D? and who does can you quickly show me how to make is really complicated with lots of weird chords?


Thankyou in anticipation.

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: BuckMulligan
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 09:32 PM

Why did you post this?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,loqui
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:30 PM

How do you play a chord on the whistle?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Frankham
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 11:04 PM

In order to physically play the guitar do you have to be born with the right D 'n' A? (Please don't all groan at once).

Frank

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Bobert
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 11:20 PM

Ahhh, heck with all that work. Just drop both E string to a D and have a ball. There ain't too many songs you can't play in that tuning, what ever it's called. (D Model?)

Don't slide real good but heck, you can play a D with one hand tied behind yer back...

Bobert

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: GUEST,unc bill
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 12:29 AM

Could the answer possibly be, anybody but a dulcimer player?

Subject: RE: the D chord
From: Marion
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 09:42 AM

Hi Guest Mary. If you found the guitar-playing tips in this thread helpful, there's a lot more where they came from in archived discussions. Have you come across this thread yet: Help for Pickers Permathread? It's full of playing tips and links to other threads where playing technique is discussed.

Good luck, Marion