Fun with DADGAD

[StringPicker6]

I usually avoid alternate tunings, but I took the plunge and tried DADGAD.  What a cool tuning!  Lots of nice sounds just playing the 2nd and 4th frets on the three highest strings.  I'm checking out some music lessons now from celtic player Tony McManus.  Guitar has got to be the coolest instrument in the world.   

[mike in lytle]

Alternate tunings are very cool.
My main 3 are dropped D, DADF#BE, and FACFAC, which is an open G dobro tuning dropped one step.
Used to use regular open G, or DGDGBD, on 12 string, and a tiny bit on the 6 string.
On 12 string I would tune down 1-1/2 steps, which put you in key of E, very cool playing along with a 6 string.
Not that I was or am really any good with any of these, but they are quite fun.
Mike

[Queequeg]

Favorite of mine has to be CGDGBe.
(Or when playing baritone, correspondingly: GDADF#b)
Lots of tunes, from jazz to 19th century traditional.

[mike in lytle]

Favorite of mine has to be CGDGBe.
(Or when playing baritone, correspondingly: GDADF#b)
Lots of tunes, from jazz to 19th century traditional.

Can you recommend a site or two to get a grasp on this tuning?
I can't quite figure where to start.
Mike

[Queequeg]

Can you recommend a site or two to get a grasp on this tuning?
I can't quite figure where to start.
Mike

I start with a tune I want to learn, Mike (as opposed to the tuning I wish to learn it in).
Although having said that, DADGAD is one that you can mess around with and come up with some nice stuff.

So I have a few sites where I shop for tabs. When I say "shop" I don't necessarily mean pay for although I often do.
I play the following tunes in CGDGBe:

• Dixie (traditional)
  The Water is Wide (traditional)
  Clair de Lune (Claude Debussy)
  The End of the Innocence (Don Henley, Bruce Hornsby)
  Never Going Back Again (Lindsay Buckingham)
  What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life? (Michel Legrand from the 1969 film, "The Happy Ending")
  Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder)

With the exception of Dixie, I think I purchased all of these from Harold Streeter. AKA: LeWalt Publishing
Very personable guy, accomplished guitarist and banjo player.
Prices vary but on average I'm going to say $3.50 which I am delighted to pay. Well worth it.
And his tabs are actually tabledit files, plus a .pdf so you can listen to them and play along and control the tempo, also print them out.
tabledit is a free download which I have been using for many years.
To whatever extent I am able to play beyond the simple cowboy chords (not that there is anything wrong with that) it is most definitely due to tabledit software and another free & competing app, powertab

[Silence Dogood]

Recently I've become interested in DADGAD.  There are some great YT videos to get started (life as a guitar player was much harder before the internet).  If I get very far into this tuning, it will be a good excuse to add another guitar just to keep in DADGAD. 


Years ago when I got into the mandolin heavily I went to an Irish music retreat. There were a few classes I could sign up for during the weekend, so I took a DADGAD guitar class.  I didn't grasp much of anything since the class seemed pretty advanced (all Irish music is pretty advanced IMO).  But I remember the thundering sounds the guy was getting out of his guitar and I loved it. 

[StringPicker6]

DADGAD is a gorgeous tuning, and I've only tried it once or twice. I'm nervous to go down that rabbit hole!

[teh]

Open tunings open up a whole new world. I keep my 14 fret OM or my Forum VI to DADGAD most of the time.

I don't mean to hijack this thread but in addition to DADGAD and Double dropped D (1st and 6th string tuned to D), don't be afraid to try Open G which is simply double dropped D with the fifth string (A) tuned to G. I am using this tuning for Hawaiian slack key tunes.

[Silence Dogood]

I put my guitar in DADGAD today and messed around with it for a while. Wow, what a blast!  I resisted the temptation to look up a "lesson" and just explored it on my own.  I found several chords based on the root and the extra voicings are a lot of fun.  I noticed everything I played had a slight Irish accent, which was a nice surprise.  I think I'll get another guitar in the new year to keep in this tuning and learn more about it.

[unclrob]

I use both low E to D.double drop D,G tuning,D and DADDAD.Slack key tunig span all sorts,I have a few CD's and each tune played by different players in a different tuning things like F#,Gmin and more.



Keep smilin and keep dancin 

[William2]

I've never been that attracted to DADGAD. Yeah, it adds resonance to a guitar, but I get tired of the sound. quickly.  And I'm too lazy to re-tune my guitar. I might re-tune my sixth string and very rarely the fifth, but the rest stay in regular tuning. And when I see a video demo of an instrument and they are in an alternate tuning like this, I always think there is something lacking in this instrument, and they are compensating for it. While I like some of the Celtic music, I prefer to follow Duck Baker's lead and play these tunes in straight tuning with maybe a drop sixth string for certain keys.

[mike in lytle]

I've never been that attracted to DADGAD. Yeah, it adds resonance to a guitar, but I get tired of the sound. quickly.  And I'm too lazy to re-tune my guitar. I might re-tune my sixth string and very rarely the fifth, but the rest stay in regular tuning. And when I see a video demo of an instrument and they are in an alternate tuning like this, I always think there is something lacking in this instrument, and they are compensating for it. While I like some of the Celtic music, I prefer to follow Duck Baker's lead and play these tunes in straight tuning with maybe a drop sixth string for certain keys.

Awhile back, I came across mention of a guy who played only in DADGAD. Forgot all about it, but now my interest is back up, and he is a Frenchman, Pierre Bensusan (website pierrebensusan dot com), with many albums and quite a few interviews. Been at it for 40 years.
When I am interested in something, I rarely go at it without at least trying to do some research to get me going.
Pierre does not sound like any DADGAD playing I have heard, he sounds like a regular fingerstyle guy in standard tuning. No drones, not tiring, boring or repetitive. Does not play guitar like a drum. So I think I'm going to use this guy as a mentor and see if I can find my way in. Pierre is also multi-instrumental, works with other people, sings well, and I was surprised to hear bluegrass mixed in with him playing mandolin, I think.
Mike

[Silence Dogood]

Awhile back, I came across mention of a guy who played only in DADGAD. Forgot all about it, but now my interest is back up, and he is a Frenchman, Pierre Bensusan (website pierrebensusan dot com), with many albums and quite a few interviews. Been at it for 40 years.
When I am interested in something, I rarely go at it without at least trying to do some research to get me going.
Pierre does not sound like any DADGAD playing I have heard, he sounds like a regular fingerstyle guy in standard tuning. No drones, not tiring, boring or repetitive. Does not play guitar like a drum. So I think I'm going to use this guy as a mentor and see if I can find my way in. Pierre is also multi-instrumental, works with other people, sings well, and I was surprised to hear bluegrass mixed in with him playing mandolin, I think.
Mike

Listening to him now.  Thanks for the recommendation. Great guitar tone!