DADGAD learning resources?

[MBee]

Does anyone have any recommendations for DADGAD instruction? Any recommendations welcome: print, online, free, or paid. For me it would be best if the instruction did not require a lot of formal music theory.

[ascotia]

One of the resident DADGAD aficionados here at AGF, Doug Young, answered a question for me a while back which I found to be extremely helpful. Hopefully it can help you in some way as well

Originally Posted by Doug Young

You know, one really interesting thing about DADGAD vs standard tuning is that DADGAD is basically a subset of standard. If you know the notes in standard, you can easily know (or already know!) the notes of DADGAD. Why? Because strings, 3,4,5 are the same in both tunings. In fact, those strings are ADG. The remaining strings are dups (in a different octave). Assuming you actually want to know what you're playing - not just learning geometric shapes or tab fingerings, this is a big help. Find any note on strings 4,5,6, and you can find the same note (an octave up or down) on the remaining strings. So unlike standard where there are the notes on two E strings and a B string, in DADGAD, D A and G strings are it!

You can also think of it as the same as standard, but you have to shift fingerings up by 2 frets on strings 6,2,1. Mostly this will result in impossible fingerings, but it's a way to visualize it, and then you adjust fingerings as needed.

Of course, if you're more of a "show me chord shapes" kind of player, then there are chord charts out there, and you can also just learn lots of songs, and things will sink in by osmosis, probably.

With any tuning, there are benefits - things that lay well, cool sounds you can't get in other tunings, and also downsides - things that are harder to do than in some other tuning. Really learning your way around any particular tuning takes some, and one could write a book about it... :-)

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...12#post6563012

[MBee]

This is very helpful. Thanks for referring me to that thread!

[darylcrisp]

amazing set of DVDs from one of the best. LJ starts at ground zero and explains things and leads you thru songs with using 1 finger notes, then slowly adding a chord or two. he also plays a couple in regular time.
vidography and presentation is first rate. downloads of tab and music for all the lessons included.

almost to the bottom of the list, scroll down. you want:

understanding DADGAD Laurence Juber
http://www.acousticmusicresource.com/cat.php?cPath=7

all four of the DVD's are awesome and i think they all contain DADGAD but the one specifically uses it the full DVD
http://www.acousticmusicresource.com...8p08i9q4tf69n2

http://www.acousticmusicresource.com...oducts_id=5411

http://www.acousticmusicresource.com...products_id=37

[Graylocks]

youtube is your friend. i'm working with a number of vids on open D these days. sure, some are junk but even if i pick up just one tip i'm off to the races with it.

[Doug Young]

Shameless plug :-). You might find my Mel Bay book, Understanding DADGAD, useful.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by MBee

Does anyone have any recommendations for DADGAD instruction? Any recommendations welcome: print, online, free, or paid. For me it would be best if the instruction did not require a lot of formal music theory.

Instruction for doing what?

That's not a wise guy question, I'm serious. What are you going to do in DADGAD that you need instructions for?

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Shameless plug :-). You might find my Mel Bay book, Understanding DADGAD, useful.

I have had Doug's book, "Understanding DADGAD" for years and it's an excellent resource. It's always hard for an author to plug their own creations, but I am happy to do it!

- Glenn

[PeterTaylor]

Originally Posted by MBee

Does anyone have any recommendations for DADGAD instruction? Any recommendations welcome: print, online, free, or paid. For me it would be best if the instruction did not require a lot of formal music theory.

Go to the website of Simon Fox. Great DADGAD information!
http://www.simonfoxguitar.com

[blue]

DADGAD similar to standard? Three strings are the same it is true. So you can, I guess think of it as a three string standard tuning with two "drone strings"

I think of it more as Open D with one string different. And that difference is only a half step. Open D being DADF#AD. Near the end of his career, Bob Brozman had "discovered" DADGAD and was using for fingerstyle and slide work. I've only barely tried it with slide a few times, but the potential is there for some really cool stuff!

If you think of it, Open D has got to be one of the most versatile tunings to keep a guitar in. Drop the F# to F and you have Open D minor. Raise it a half step to G and you have DADGAD.

A very nice book, not for beginners , is The Irish DADGAD book. I like it because its more a guide for how to fit in to an Irish Session than say a Laurence Juber how to play solo guitar book. No shade on Laurence. I bought my kid a Laurence Juber how to play solo Beatles book at the used bookstore and it's fabulous! But getting a strong background on rhythm and support work is something you don't necessarily see too much of. At least I don't. I got this book at the used bookstore too.

https://www.amazon.com/Irish-DADGAD-.../dp/0946005931

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by blue

DADGAD similar to standard? Three strings are the same it is true. So you can, I guess think of it as a three string standard tuning with two "drone strings"

I think of it more as Open D with one string different. And that difference is only a half step.

When you're learning a new tuning, it's often useful to relate it to something else you know. If you already are familiar with Open D, then that makes perfect sense, it's just one string different. But if you don't know Open D, that's less useful. Everyone (presumably) knows standard, so that's a good starting point for many tunings. But any tuning you know helps, and the relationships aren't always so obvious. For example, Orkney (CGDGCD) and EADEAE are both the same intervals as DADGAD, but moved over a string (like Open D vs Open G). So whatever you already know and can relate to is useful.

But ultimately, you hopefully get beyond that. Like learning another language - first you think in your own language, and are thinking "what's the word for?...". Later, you actually think in the new language. But "translating" from whatever starting point you know is a good way to begin.

[Andy Howell]

There are loads of resrouces for DADGAD, including Doug's excellent guides.

I would say be sure to supplement these with a lot of safa noodling. For years this tuning just sounded wrong to me and then one day I worked out why. I think DADGAD forces you to move down the neck more than say Dropped D. I did produce this a few years back which tries to explain what I mean!