DADGAD anyone?

[Timcito]

There's some great material available now for acoustic guitarists that want to play in DADGAD. I'm finding that at least half of my playing time is now done in this tuning. Is anyone else hooked?

[lamenlovinit]

Originally Posted by Timcito

There's some great material available now for acoustic guitarists that want to play in DADGAD. I'm finding that at least half of my playing time is now done in this tuning. Is anyone else hooked?

Well, it's funny. You'll find a ton of blues players who will say Open D is far less sophisticated than open G tonally. But D is DADF#AD

So I play a ton in its southern step-brother, and I do play a bit in DADGAD as well. Maybe 10%. Funny how two such disparate sounding types of music spawned an almost identical tuning.

[bjjp2]

Kashmir!

[RobbyRobinson]

I've been playing in DADGAD nearly exclusively for about 7 years (when I play slide, I prefer open E, Em, or E6...or the D equivalents). Although it's somewhat limited as far as playing in different keys goes, the availability of open strings for the keys it does work weith more than compensates. I find it incredibly easy to shift from a blues feel, to a Celtic, to an eastern modal feel, all the while droning strings and stacking overtones. I've also learned how to play most "normal" chords in an open position. Naturally, some are a bit of a stretch, and most are inverted to some degree, but when I pick along with other folks, my sound is unique, and I fill previously unoccupied sonic space.

Great Book on DADGAD: The Guitar Book by Pierre Bensusan

I play many different styles of music in his tuning and I find it's a real joy to explore.

Even my tele's set up for DADGAD!!!

[Matt Sarad]

I'm about 20 years in.

[snarkle]

Originally Posted by RobbyRobinson

Although it's somewhat limited as far as playing in different keys goes, the availability of open strings for the keys it does work with more than compensates.

The capo is your friend...

I play in DADGAD much of the time, especially playing solo, and after years turning my nose up at capos I'm starting to find mine indispensable.

Plus there's that lovely chiming sound you get when you capo an electric guitar at the 7th fret or beyond...

[kmcmichael]

I learned some on it years ago. Now, I use one of those cut down capos to mimik it.

[arthur rotfeld]

Great tuning. Laurence Juber has lots of arrangements in this tuning.

[Matt Sarad]

Once you learn the chords and positions, DADGAD is just as easy as standard. That being said, I stick in D, G, and C most of the time.

[buddaman71]

I love DADGAD and used it on this simple little lullaby I wrote for my daughter when she was a baby.

http://soundcloud.com/buddaman71/penn-station

[splatt]

i love this one:
D_A_D_G_C_D / C_G_C_F_Bb_C

etc.....

[Matt Sarad]

DADGCD is really fun.That C opens up quite a few doors.

[stephenyi]

I usually Kyser and Shubb cut capos as a shortcut to DADGAD (or EBEABE capoed up). Lots of acoustic P&W songs use it.

[IceTre]

I started exploring DADGAD a couple years ago. It got me out of a rut and gave me new songwriting ideas. 3 of the 8 songs on my new CD will be in DADGAD, 2 of them capo 2.

[RobbyRobinson]

Originally Posted by snarkle

The capo is your friend...

I play in DADGAD much of the time, especially playing solo, and after years turning my nose up at capos I'm starting to find mine indispensable.

Plus there's that lovely chiming sound you get when you capo an electric guitar at the 7th fret or beyond...

Agreed. I usually only get as high as the 5th fret when playing solo, though. Lately, I've been taking solos high up the neck, so I usually leave the capo off to give me more neck.