Do you hear an A chord in here, plus a drop D fingering question

[jstegeman]

Hi Everyone,

In this rendition of People Get Ready https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC_j_dzkaVE (Rod Stewart + Jeff Beck), I've been working on a rhythm part to back up a fantastic lead player.

We don't have a bass player, so I've tuned my guitar to drop D to give it some more bottom end. My question - do you hear an A chord in the progression? I've been playing it like this:

D - Bm - G - A - D (a short, quick A - e.g for the first syllable of "coming")
D - Bm - G - D
D - Bm - G - A - D
Bm - Em - G - D

My question - do you hear those A chords, or is it just a D - Bm - G - D progression? When practicing just the rhythm part, I think it sounds much better with those quick A chords in there (I'm practicing the rhythm part by itself a lot because this is my first foray into an alternate tuning). I guess another question is on the fingerings for chords. Right now, I'm doing this, and it sounds good - anything I should look to do different?

D: 000232
Bm: X24432
G: 5X0003
A: X03330

Then, on the second line, I play the G as 0X0033 to give it some of that bottom-end oomph.

The Em am playing as 222000

It all sounds good to me, but am interested in an independent view.

Thanks,

John

[stanron]

I can certainly hear a C# in the bass at that point. C# to D would fit with the chord of A to the chord of D.

[Woodstock School Of Music]

Hi

I listened quickly and yes there is a keyboard playing a A/C#? every other time but it's more of a passing chord because the bass is on D. I would try to accomplish this by playing a Dmaj7 and resolving the C# to a D but keep the bass a low D. My 2 cents

[jstegeman]

Hmm, two interesting thoughts. A/C# and Dmaj7 would both be a fairly straightforward change from 5X0003. I'll have to play with that when I pick up the guitar later today.

Thanks for those ideas.

[Woodstock School Of Music]

Originally Posted by jstegeman

Hmm, two interesting thoughts. A/C# and Dmaj7 would both be a fairly straightforward change from 5X0003. I'll have to play with that when I pick up the guitar later today.

Thanks for those ideas.

I just played it on guitar and I was wrong the it's the E going to an F# not C# to D so technically the chords would be Dadd9 to D but the bass is definitely on a D. Great tune and arrangement

[zhunter]

Closed G triad with an A bass (G/A). Or A11 if you will. Both an A and a D (top voice of the closed G triad) at the same time.

hunter

[jstegeman]

Originally Posted by The dman

I just played it on guitar and I was wrong the it's the E going to an F# not C# to D so technically the chords would be Dadd9 to D but the bass is definitely on a D. Great tune and arrangement

Thanks, dman - I had a phone conversation with the lead player earlier today - we discussed this (not just this song, but the principles behind it) for 45 minutes Bottom line - I think he agrees with you this is a Dsus2 or Dadd9

[JonPR]

Small correction to sequence:

D - Bm - G - D
D - Bm - G - D
D - Bm - G - D
Bm - Em7 - G/A - D

dman is right: no A chord in 1st and 3rd lines - just the E note in the melody resolving up. Play it as Dsus2 or Dadd9. (I think there's a hint of a C# harmony too - so effectively a Dmaj9, almost an A/D, for one beat.)

The G/A (or Em7/A, or A9sus4) is the significant one in the last line, on "thank the..." zhunter flagged it up, I'm just confirming where it is. Play it as G, you really miss out!

[patrickgm60]

Originally Posted by jstegeman

My question - do you hear those A chords, or is it just a D - Bm - G - D progression?

Yes, first and third lines have a A/D passing to the D. Nice, subtle change from the second line.
Fourth line is Bm Em G/A D

[jstegeman]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I played around with this a LOT, and my observations are:

* That Dsus2 or Dadd9 in the first and third phrases plus that G/A in the fourth phrase all sound great when I'm the only guitar

* In a band situation, with a lead player, he tends to cover that 9th in the first and third phrases, or the vocalist covers it, so just a plain old straight D sounds fine.

* Similarly, the G/A - sounds better as just a straight G. I even tried a G/D (because I'm in drop D tuning), but G itself sounds fine. I suspect that if/when we add a bass player next week, he'll cover that A. If we add a bass player, I'll go right back to standard tuning.

One more thing I'm going to try on this is to add a little subtle -1 octave doubling with a high pass filter on the doubler (I'm playing through a Fender Mustang III v2) - that should give us a little more bottom end in case we end up without a bass player.

So, I've learned a few lessons here...

1). Especially when playing in a band, simpler is often better - doubly so when you're the rhythm player with a fantastic lead guy.

2). Playing in a band is much different than playing alone. I've been learning this one over time - even with two guitars, learning to separate the sound by moving up or down the fretboard makes a big difference. Playing in a "full" band with drums, bass, and 2 guitars, the rhythm guitar guy (me) can pull back on some things and focus on filling that sound out.

Thanks again.

[mr. beaumont]

The G/A is absolutely crucial to this tune. Don't skip it, and don't play a low G on that chord if the bassist will eventually play a low A.

Just finger it like this, super easy-- x 0 5 4 3 x

Don't even need a G on top.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

The G/A is absolutely crucial to this tune. Don't skip it, and don't play a low G on that chord if the bassist will eventually play a low A.

Just finger it like this, super easy-- x 0 5 4 3 x

Don't even need a G on top.

Agreed! That A bass makes it.

It's really an A9sus4, a V function chord, the G triad is just its upper structure. Perfectly OK to play plain G if there's a bassist on the A, but the A is critical. G/A is a pure gospel chord!

[jstegeman]

Thanks for that. I was playing it as X00033 or X00003 and thought it sounded sweet. If we get a bass player on the A, I'd play it as XX0033.

[zhunter]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

The G/A is absolutely crucial to this tune. Don't skip it, and don't play a low G on that chord if the bassist will eventually play a low A.

Just finger it like this, super easy-- x 0 5 4 3 x

Don't even need a G on top.

Play it this way. No G on top.

Or better yet, get out of drop D and play the A on the 6th string. Makes it a movable shape and to my ear it sounds better than the open ringing A. If you stay in drop D the open A is the only choice.

hunter

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by jstegeman

Thanks for that. I was playing it as X00033 or X00003 and thought it sounded sweet. If we get a bass player on the A, I'd play it as XX0033.

Better to keep the B in there.
I agree with Jeff and zhunter: X0543X is best, and you can go from X0543X to 0X423X in drop D (or X5423X in standard).

If you have a bassist, then XX543X.