DADGAD A Lesson With Fingerstyle Wizard Martin Simpson
use open and alternate
kept secrets. Blues and folk guitarists
tunings to get music out
#, often delve into open-D (D , A, D , F #
of the guitar,” says fingerstyle
A, D , low to high) and open- G (D , G , D , G ,
master Martin Simpson. “Do you
B , D ) tunings, but only the most intrepid pick-
want to move peo-
ers investigate DADGAD .
ple? You can’t be
Yet Simpson—one of the
struggling with holding down
world’s preeminent DADGAD
s
the damn strings. Alternate tunings can
players—insists that it’s not a difficult tun-
help you unlock chords and melodies that
ing. “Actually, it’s quite easy to get gor-
might be difficult or impossible to play
geous sounds,” he says. “I’ll show you
in standard tuning.”
With its
two ways to approach DADGAD , but
evocative and enigmatic sound,
first, just listen to the open strings.”
DADGAD is one of the guitar’s best-
From low to high, these are shown in
B
s
Y
A
N
D
Y
E
L
L
I
S
Ex. 1 .
To move from standard tuning to DADGAD , simply drop the first and sixth strings (E ) down a whole-step to D , and then lower the second string (B) a whole-step to A.
can play rich harmony by merely fretting one note with your index finger [Ex. 2]. For a I chord, you get D5 . There’s no 3, so melodically, you can go major or minor. All the strings are open except the third, which you play at the second fret. Now simply move your index finger over to the fourth string, and you’ll get A7sus4—a vibey V chord that uses five strings. Again, there’s no 3, so you have a nebulous sound. Finally move your index finger to the fifth string and strum the same five strings. Here we get Gsus2 with B—the 3—in the bass. This is our IV chord.” Once you’ve moved back and forth through the chords to hear their sound, play Ex. 3. With little effort, you can adapt this arpeggiated IV-
Demystifying DADGAD “The first thing you’ll notice,” says Simpson, slowly strumming the open strings on his mammoth Klein flat-top, “is that DADGAD is neither major nor minor—you can go either way. Open-D or open-G tunings push you in a particular harmonic direction, whereas DADGAD is delightfully ambiguous. To play songs you need I, IV, and V chords, right? In DADGAD , you
Ex. 1
Ex. 2
D A G T D A A B D
0
0
0
0
Lingering Fingers “The next step,” reveals Simpson, “is to ornament these ringing chords with scale-tone runs. You can fill out D5 , Gadd2 , and A7sus4 using notes from this D major scale pattern.” As he plays Ex. 4a , Simpson is careful to keep all the strings sustaining as long as possible. In the upper octave (played on the top four strings), he leaves his fingers on fretted notes long after they’re attacked. This “park your fingers until needed elsewhere” technique creates a jangly, harplike effect. For instance, if you keep your 3rd and 4th fingers planted on F # and C #, as indicated by the “hold” markings in Ex. 4b, you’ll
Gsus2/B(IV) A7sus4(V)
1
1
1
0
0
D5(I)
V-I progression to fit dozens of folk and country ballads. “Thanks to DADGAD , these simple fingerings offer surprising colors,” adds Simpson. “The sus2 and sus4 are more dramatic than plain G and A7 chords, yet they’re easier to play.” Carefully follow the picking-hand fingering. Like a classical guitarist, Simpson uses his thumb (p), index (i ), middle (m), and ring (a) fingers for chordal passages. In addition to opening your ears to the lush melodic and harmonic possibilities of DADGAD , this lesson’s exercises will invigorate your fingerstyle chops.
0 0 2 0 0 0
D A G T D A A B D
0 0 0 2 0
0 0 0 0 2
Ex. 3
44 Gsus2/B
Freely
A7sus4
D5
1
1
let ring throughout
D A G T D A A B D
For more info on Simpson’s latest release—
1
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0 2
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0 0
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Bootleg USA—and his concert itinerar y,
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visit martinsimpson.com .
Ex. 4b
Ex. 4a
44 4 4 Slowly
Slowly
1
1
let ring throughout
D A G T D A A B D
1
3
4
0 2 4 5
1
1
3
0 2 4
3
1
3
0 2 4
3
1
0
0 2 4
0 2
hold
D A G T D A A B D
0
4
0 2 4
hold
0
0 2 4
0
Ex. 5
Ex. 4c
44 Freely
let ring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - D A G T D A A B D
4
0
4
0
= 63-76
Gsus2
D
44 Rippling
4
let ring throughout
D A G T D A A B D
1
p
i
0 5
0
1
i
m
p
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3
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a
p
p
0
0 2 4
2 0
4 2 0
wind up with Ex. 4c’s deliciously dissonant, fourstring cluster. The two minor seconds (F #- G and C #- D ) lend a welcome clang to the otherwise straight-laced D major scale. This is an essential technique: Simpson often creates piquant harmony within a melodic passage by sustaining a fretted note against an adjacent open string. The resulting intervals— typically major or minor seconds—add eartweaking tension to a line. To make this work, you need to arch your fretting fingers so they don’t impede the open string’s vibrations. Ex. 5 illustrates the process. When you hammer into F # (and of beat three), hang onto it until you need to pull off to E (and of beat four). For your efforts, you’ll be rewarded with a cool minor second—open G against F #— in the middle of your run. Repeat the Gsus2 -D passage over and over until the notes ripple smoothly through your instrument. In a similar vein, Ex. 6 moves from A7 to Dadd4. This time, the minor second occurs at the end of the phrase. “You’re accomplishing two things with this progression,” Simpson states. “You’re learning where the scale tones lie in DADGAD , and you’re introducing the 3 into the chords—C # for A7sus4 and F # for D5 . “It doesn’t take much to embellish the three chords we’ve learned,” continues Simpson, playing Ex. 7. “A simple bass line can create momentum and keep the harmony interesting.” In bar 1, be sure to sustain D5 ’s top three strings against beat two’s ornament and beat three’s C #. “You can learn so much about arranging for guitar by experimenting with different registers,” says Simpson. “Listen to these voicings [ Ex. 8]. Can you hear what happens when I play C # in the bass as opposed to the melody? The difference is enormous.” Here’s a tip: Whenever you discover a new DADGAD voicing, try shifting any note up or down an octave. Some fingerings will “click,” and you’ll quickly multiply your harmonic options. “By changing registers,” Simpson adds, “you’ll begin to realize what bass and melody each contribute to an arrangement.”
use a thumbpick because it lets me keep my right-hand wrist as straight as possible,” says Simpson. “Classical players like a higher arch, but this position feels more relaxed to me.” Using a thumpick keeps your thumb parallel to the bass strings, as shown below. By contast, a classical guitarist’s thumb strikes the bass strings at approximately a 45° angle. Simpson also favors a straight fretting-hand wrist. “So many guitarists play with a se verely bent wrist,” he says, “but I avoid that like the plague. It’s a recipe for tendinitis. Also, my straight-wrist technique lets me use heavy strings without straining my muscles. I use a slightly modified .013 set—I replace the top string with a .015.” Low to high, this gives Simpson a whopping .056, .045, .035, .026, .017, and .015. He gets away with such massive strings by detuning his flat-tops. “My standard tuning is dropped D , lowered a whole-step,” he says. “This gives me C , G , C , F , A, and D . From there, I go into my open tunings. I never tune up to E —my top string wouldn’t take it. When I want to raise the pitches of my open strings, I use a capo. It’s a Shubb Deluxe—a killer tool designed by a banjo player.” Instead of fingerpicks, Simpson wears fake nails on his index, middle, and ring fingers. “I go to a nail salon for acr ylic caps,” he explains. “I keep them short, so I can get a combination of flesh and nail or just the nail. Acrylic caps are tough—they hold up to steel strings— but you’ve got to make sure the caps are resealed regularly to prevent water from getting between the acrylic and your nail. For fast lines, I use my index finger as a multi-directional pick. It looks like I’m going back and forth with my thumbpick, but —AE it’s actually my index nail supported by my thumb.”
Old Wine, New Bottle “We’ve been looking at DADGAD through the
Ex. 7
Ex. 6
A7
3
let ring throughout
D A G T D A A B D
PHOTO: RICHARD LEEDS
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i
3
m
a
m i
p
p
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m
m i
p
a
p
0 4
2
0
0
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2
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0 4
0
34
Dadd4
44 = 63-76
0
0
0
0
4
= 88-100
D5
Gsus2/B
A7
D
1
1
1
let ring throughout
D A G T D A A B D
0 0 2 0
0 2 0
3
4
1 3
1
0 0 0 2
0
0 0 2 4
0 0 11 0 0 0
lens of our I, IV, and V chords,” says Simpson. “But there’s another way to understand it. Up to this point, our examples have involved a new way of thinking, yet DADGAD ’s open A, D , and G strings are the same as in standard tuning. That means 50 percent of this tuning is completely familiar! If you’ve learned triads in standard tuning, you can apply this knowledge to DADGAD .” To prove his point, Simpson plucks a series of triads while sliding up and down the fifth, fourth, and third strings. “You’ve got a world of harmony on these three strings that you can enhance with DADGAD ’s open strings,” he elaborates, playing Ex. 9. Old friends from standard tuning, the C , G , and D triads sound special when accompanied by the open first (D ), second ( A), and sixth strings (D ). As notated, use your thumb to strum the triads—this keeps them physically distinct from the picked open strings. Once you can loop the two-bar passage smoothly, try developing your own p-i -m-a patterns. “You can fret major and minor triads on the fifth, fourth, and third strings,” Simpson enthuses, “and you don’t have to play all three strings. Can you see where these shapes come from? [Plays Ex. 10a .] I’m thinking Bm, A, G , and D ,
but I’m only playing the top two notes of each triad.” To visualize these intervals as part of a triad, refer to the brackets in this example. As you slide from position to position, keep the top strings ringing—these recurring fourths ( A-D ) supply a hypnotic drone. “Now here’s where the tuning really opens up,” asserts Simpson. “In DADGAD , we have three D strings. Whatever happens on the fourth string can be fingered an octave lower on the sixth string or an octave higher on the first string—at the same fret.” Ex. 10b shows what happens when you play the previous example, but drop the fourth string’s notes down an octave to the sixth string. Ex. 10c moves these tones up an octave to the first string. “Now you have several new ways to play along the fretboard in DADGAD ,” says Simpson. “Simply find your triads and then experiment with moving the middle note to one of the outside strings. Imagine the possibilities. Also, we have two A strings in DADGAD , so we can shift the bottom voice of any triad up an octave. Just move the note from the fifth to the second string.” To get a feel for this, first try Ex. 11a , which features an ascending chromatic line on the fifth string. Now play Ex. 11b, an extrapolation
Ex. 8
44
Dmaj7
1
3
0 0 2 0
4
3
p
D A G T D A A B D
4
0 2 0
Bm
A
1
3
let ring throughout p
9
i
7
G
1
2
m
0
a
2
D 2
1
1
0 7
6
0
0 5
4
0
0 12
11
0
0
44 = 63-72
4
4
4
1
let ring throughout p D A G T D A A B D
3
3
1
1 2
p
p
4
2
p
0 2 3
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i
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m
0
1 3 2
1 3 i 2
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i
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m
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m
p
0
0
4 5 5
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0
11 12 12 0
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p
p
0
p
0 2 0
4
2
0
0
i
7
0
a
4
1
1
m
1
etc.
9 0
44
= 63-72
3
let ring p throughout
etc.
Ex. 10c
D
Ex. 10b
44
D A G T D A A B D
G
1
let ring throughout
let ring - - - - - - - -
0 0 2 0
C
= 72-84
Ex. 10a = 63-72
So far, we’ve explored DADGAD in a major context. Ex. 12 illustrates how DADGAD can work equally well for minor riffs and progressions. As you play this D minor riff—keep it slow and steady—notice how the tuning lets you create lush harmony using only one finger. In this two-bar phrase, we cruise through Dmin11, Gsus2 , F6/9 , B b maj7/6 , and C6/9sus4 with minimal fretting-hand movement. The action is in the flowing picking-hand patterns. Some tips: • Hold Dm11’s F from when you hammer it (and of beat one) until you pull it off (and of beat two). When held, F will ring against the open G to create a spicy major second. • Watch the three accents in each measure. Play the first two beats as one ascending and descending sixteenth-note line, and then treat
44
4
1
let ring - - - - - - - -
Minor Matters
Ex. 9
Freely
D A G T D A A B D
of this line. Notice how the notes on the fifth string are doubled an octave higher on the second string. Take the time to create your own moves on the fifth, fourth, and third strings, and then shift one or two voices to a different octave. Be patient. Sooner or later, the sonic and visual logic will reveal itself.
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D A G T D A A B D
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etc.
0 6
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0 4
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0 11
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Ex. 11a
44
= 100-118
2
i
let ring throughout
D A G T D A A B D
m
etc.
p
0 0 2
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0 0 3
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beats three and four as two individual phrases. • Notice the squeeze play on the downbeat of C6/9sus4. This major ninth is a result of two equally significant musical forces. The first is melodic—the need to complete the five-note line that ascends from the fifth string (downbeat of B b maj7/6 ) to the first string before flowing back down through C6/9sus4. The second is the need to establish C6/9sus4’s root with a strong bass note. Though DADGAD excels as an impressionistic, folky tuning, Simpson proves it’s also potent for blues. “I play ‘Spoonful’ in DADGAD ,” he says, picking Ex. 13’s syncopated riff. “Unless you hit the third string, it’s the same as open-D tuning.” Watch the accents and play with a swing feel. As always, be sure the open strings ring as long as possible. (You can hear Simpson work this riff live on Bootleg USA, his latest CD.)
can sound chordal, even though they’re not. Then I look for harmony—when I find it, I’m so happy. I work melodies into intervals and then intervals into chords. I get where I want to be through the sheer joy of examining all the internal mechanics. It can take years to really learn a tune, but I like to let the music prepare itself. g It’s a different form of discipline.”
Final Pointers Be sure to try DADGAD with a capo. “It sounds wonderful at the 7th fret,” says Simpson, “in the register of a high-tuned 5-string banjo.” He also offers this advice for arranging songs in DADGAD : “Usually, I start with the bare melody. If you incorporate open strings, single-note runs Ex. 11b
44
3
2
= 100-118
D A G T D A A B D
3
2
3
2
3
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2
3
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let ring throughout
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p
etc.
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10
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0 10
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0 9
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0 7
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0 5
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0 2
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0 3
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0 4
0 5
4 4 Ex. 12
= 52-66
Dm11
Gsus2
2
m a
D A G T D A A B D
B maj7/6 C6/9sus4 1
m
i
i
m a
i
1
p
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0 3
Dm11
3
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let ring throughout p
F6/9
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0 3
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Ex. 13
4 4 = 84-104 3 =
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1 1
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3
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let ring throughout
D A G T D A A B D
m
i
m
i
m
p
p
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0
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p
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p
i p
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m a 3
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a p
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m a
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3
