TheDADGADChordPrimer:

HowtoBuildChordsin
DADGADTuning

Version2.2

By:MarkParnis
www.markparnis.com
mark@markparnis.com

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

DADGADisessentiallyavariantonopenDtuning,DADF#AD.Thesubtlebut
profounddifferencebetweenthetwoliesinthefactthatDADGADlacksathird
fromtheDchord,whereasDADF#ADhasanF#,whichimmediatelyreinforcesthe
keyofDmajor.DADGADlackseitheranF#orF,thepresenceofwhichwould
reinforceDmajororDminorrespectively.Asaresult,DADGADisanidealtuning
foraccompanyinginstrumentaltunesthatmovebetweenDmajorandDminor,
orthatareinothermodessuchasDMixolydian(F#,Cnatural)orDDorian(all
naturals)asfoundinsomeCelticfiddletunes.DADGADishighlyfavouredfor
guitaraccompanimentinCelticstylemusicforthisreason.Inparticular,chord
scalesinvolvingchordmovementwithascendingordescendingsequencesof
scaletonesareveryusefulforfillinginlongerstretchesofsinglechordswitha
dynamicsoundingalternativetorelieveharmonicboredom.

DADGADisalsoaversatiletuningforbothfingerstyleandrhythmchordbased
accompaniment.MypreferredstrategyforchordconstructionwithDADGADis
similartotheapproachItakewithotheropentunings.Thisistousethetreble
stringsasdroneorsustainednoteswhilemovingbetweenchordstogluethe
soundtogether.ThetoptwotreblestringsinDADGADplaythetonicand
dominanttonesoftheDscalewhicharecommontoDmajor,DMixolydian,D
DorianandDnaturalminorkeys.Theirrepeatedsoundinggivesasenseof
groundednesstothesongwhichisnotunlikethedronenotesofthebagpipes.
Aswell,theircolourchangesasthechordchanges,sothatmoreinteresting
soundingchordsemerge,oftenbychance.

ItisusefultobeginthinkingaboutDADGADforsongsinsomesortofDkey,even
thoughDADGADisalsonearlyassimpletouseinothercloselyrelatedkeyssuch
asAorG.Tobegin,letmeintroducemybasicstrategyforbuildingchordsin
DADGAD.Theideabehindmyapproachistoretainasmanyopenstringsinthe
uppertonesofthechordaspossible,tohelpgluethechordstogether.

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

Heresthebasicapproachforanychordyoulike:

1)Determinewhethertheroottoneofthechordliesonthe6thor5thstringinthe
areaofthefretboardinwhichyouwanttoplaythechord.Iftherootisonthe
6thstring,choosethatnoteandthenoteonthefourthstringatthesamefret.
Excludetheopen5thstingifitsnotthefifthofthechordbydampingit,orfretit
ataconvenientplaceinthechordtomakeanotherrootorfifth.
Iftherootisonthe5thstring,choosethatnote,andleavethe6thstringoutsince
anynotelowerthantheintendedroottonewillgenerallysoundliketheactual
root.Turnthe4thstingintoeithertheroot,thirdorfifthtoneofthechordif
convenient,orleaveitout.
2)Fromtheremainingthreeorfourstings,leaveopenanyofthestringsthatis
anacceptabletoneforthechordinquestion.Foranytypicalchord,itwillforsure
betheroot,third,orfifth.Othertonesthatmightbenicesoundingarethesixth
(major),seventh(minorordominant),ninth(major,minor,ordominant)and
eleventh(minorordominant).Letyourearbetheguide.Ifitsoundsgoodinthe
song,itisgood.Fretanystringsthathaveunacceptableopentones,ata
convenientfretthatproducesanacceptablechordtone,usuallyaroot,thirdor
fifth.
Thatsit!

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

LetsgivethisatrywithastandardDmajorchord:
1)TherootofaDchordisthenoteD,anditliesontheopen6thstring.Choose
theopen6thstringandtheopen4thstring.Theopen5thstringisactuallyanA
note,whichisthefifthofaDchord,andcanbeincluded.
2)TheremainingthreestringsareG,AandD.AandDarechordtones(fifthand
root)andsothe1stand2ndstringsmaybeplayedopen.Onlythe3rdstring
containsan11thwhichsoundsbadinamajorchord.Thesimplestsolutionisto
frettheGstringatthesecondfrettomakeanA,andnowallyourstringsare
playinganicecleanDchord:DADAAD

000200

Dpowerchord

Infact,thischordcontainsneitherthemajornorminorthirdofD,i.e.thereisno
F#orF,itisequallyusefulforDmajor,minor,mixo,oranyDchordwithaperfect
fifth.IliketothinkofthisasaDpowerchord.

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

IfyouwantatrueblueDchord,majorthird(F#)andall,youcanfretthe4thstring
atthe4thfrettogetanF#,andobtainmysecondchoiceDmajorchord:

004 200

Dmajor

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

HowaboutastandardGmajorchord:
1)TherootofaGchordisthenoteG,anditliesonthe6thstringatthefifthfret.
Fretthe6thand4thstringsatthefifthfret,orleavethe4thopentogetthefifth
toneD.Theopen5thstringisanAnote,whichisnotthefifthofG(i.e.notaD)so
wewilldampitoutwithourfingersandnotsoundit.
2)TheremainingthreestringsareagainG,AandD.GandDarechordtones
(rootandfifth)andsothe1stand3rdstringsmaybeplayedopen.Onlythe2nd
stringisaquestionabletone.The2ndstringtoneisaninth(A)andoftensounds
ok.So,ifweleaveit,wehavetwopossibleGchords:GXDGADandGXGGAD

5X00 00

5 X 5 0 00

Gmajor9

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

TheAandGsoundingtogetherisabittouchy,andaswellwehavenothird,
whichmayormaynotbeanissueforyou.AcleanerandclearerGchordhasthe
thirdtone(B)onthe3rdstring,toacleanGchord,whichwewillseeisa
moveablechordform:

5 X 5 4 00

MoveableGmajor

TheGchordcanactuallybeplayedabitdifferently,sincetheopen4thstringisthe
fifthofG,i.e.D,andthereforewouldhavealsobeenanacceptablechordtonein
thebass.Sowecouldalsoplaythischord,whichusesallsixstrings,includingaD
onthe5thstringatthe5thfret,togetmyfavoriteGchord:

5 5 0 4 00

Gmajor

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

Hereisanotheronefingerwonderchord,liketheDpowerchord,greatfor
reallyrapidchordchangesinfiddletunes.Iusethischordalot,especiallywhen
basstonesmovethroughaBtoneonaGchord.

X 2 0 0 00

G/B

Wecanalsousetheopen6thstringasaDbasstone,andgetareallysimpleuseful
Gtypechord,whichisreallyG/D,sincethebassstressesD.Thisoneisalsogreat
forrapidchangeswheresubtletyisabandonedforspeed:

0 2 0 0 00

G/D

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

ThethreemainchordsinthekeyofDmajorareD,GandAmajor,soletslookat
Amajornext:
1)TheroottoneAliesontheopen5thstring.Choosetheopen5thstringand
dampenthe6thstring(Disthe4thofAandnotagoodbasstone).
2)TheremainingtonesareDGAD.Disthe11thofAandsoundsokiftheAis
actingasadominantchord,whichisthefunctionofanAchordinthekeyofD
(thedominantchord).GisthedominantseventhofAandcouldbeleftaswell,so
thatoursimplestchordwouldbejusttoplayallthestringsexceptthe6thopen.
However,thisdoesntsoundsogood.The4thstringDstillsoundslikeabassnote
andmuddiesupthechord.BettertomakeitanE,andgetaperfectfifthtonein
thechord:

X 0 2 0 00

Adom11

ThisisthesimplestAchord,andanotheronefingerwonder.Itallowsustouse
asequenceofonefingerchordstoplaytunesinD,namely:
DpowerchordG/BchordAdom11chordDpowerchord
Trythissequencestrumming,tryingtostresstheD,BandAtonesrespectivelyin
thebassofthechords.Voila!Serviceablechordprogressionwithonefinger!

MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

YoumightwantamorestraightforwardAmajorchord,inwhichcaseyoullwant
togetridoftheGandtheD.LetsstartagainandmakeaverycleanAmajor
chordbybuildingachordonahigherfretroot.Thiswillgiveusanotheruseof
themoveableGchord:
1)UsetheArootonthe6thstringatthe7thfret.Doubleitonthe4thstring.Leave
the5thstringopensinceitsanAaswell.
2)TheremainingtonesareGAD.MaketheC#byfrettingthe4thstringatthe6th
fret.LeavetheAandDopen,togetanAmajor11.Thishasthesameformasthe
moveableGmajorchord.Fretthe1ststringattheseventhfretandgetapureA
chord,butwithahightoneonthetop:

7076 00
5

7 0 7 6 07
5

Amajor11chord
Amajor11

Amajor

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MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

Now,youwillofcoursewanttomakeotherchordsthanthesethree,andtheir
variants.LetsmakesomeoftheotherchordscommonlyusedinD.Thefirstis
Em:
1)TheroottoneEisthesecondfretofthe6thstring.Startbuildingbyincluding
the6thand4thstringsfrettedatthesecondfret.Dampoutthe5thstring,sinceit
isanAwhichisnotarootorfifthinthebass.
2)TheremainingtonesareG,AandD.GistheminorthirdofE,soitsreally
neededtogiveaminorsound.Aistheeleventh,andisnotabadtoneforaminor
chord.Youcouldleaveit,orturnitintoaB,thefifthofEminor,byfrettingthe2nd
stringatthe2ndfret.The1ststringisD,theminor7thofEm,sothatsafinetone
foranEm7chord.Letslookatthesechoices.

2X20 00

Emin11

2 X 2 0 2 0

Emin7

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MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

ThenextdiatonicchordinDmajor(chordbuiltinthirdsonascaletone)wouldbe
F#m.However,inmostCelticstyleandfolk/popmusic,themorecommonchoice
foranF#basstoneisD/F#,thatis,aDchordwithitsthird,F#,inthebass.Lets
buildthatchord:
1)F#isfoundonthe6thstringatthe4thfret.Doubleitonthe4thstringatthe4th
fret.The5thstringopengivesanA,whichisthefifthofDmajor,sowecanleave
thattoo.
2)TheremainingtonesareG,A,andD.AandDarefromtheDchord,sotheyare
goodasis.GisthefourthofDmajor,andisnotacceptable.So,letsraiseitto
anotherAbyfrettingatthesecondfret.

404200

D/F#

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MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

CarryingonuptheDmajorscale,wehaveourD,EM,D/F#,G,andAchords.
RemainingareBmandC#dim.UsuallyBmisnotused,butinsteadG/Bisusedfor
acleanersound.C#dimisrarelyused,butmorelikelytobeA7/C#.Letshavea
lookatG/B:
1)TheBtoneisfoundonthe5thstring,2ndfret.Theopen6thstringisaD,which
isthefifthofGmajor,sowecanleavethatopen,aswellastheopen4thstring.
However,betternottoplaytheverylowestDonthe6thstring,asitwillmakethe
chordsoundlikeG/D
2)TheremainingtonesareG,AandD.theGistherootofGmajor,andDisthe
fifth,sobothcanbeleftopen.Aistheninth,andabitunusualalthoughnot
unusable.MorelikelyitwouldbeturnedintothethirdofGmajor,Bbyfretting
thisstringatthe2ndfret:

X20020

G/B

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MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

NowandthenwewillactuallyneedBmininsteadofG/B.Togetthisweneedthe
F#tonetoreinforcetheBminorchordandalsoreducethenumberofGtonesin
thechord.Thisiseasilydonebyfrettingthe4thstringatthe4thfrettogetF#.We
alsocaneliminatethe3rdstringGbymakingitaBatthe4thfret.Theopen2nd
stringgivesusaniceminorseventhofBtomakeaBm7soundtoget:

X24400

Bmin7

Forspeed,youcanleavethe4thstringopen(and6th)tohaveasimplerBm7,albeit
withmoreDsoundinthebass,likeaBm7/D:

020400

Bmin7/D

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MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

ThelastDmajorchord,A7/C#:
1)C#isthe4thtoneofthe5thstring.Theopen6thand4ththeeleventhofA,sono
goodforthebass.Leavethe6thstringout,andmakethe4thintoanE.
2)Fortheremainingthreetones,GisthedominantseventhofA,andisokasa
toneonadominantchord.TheAisofcoursefine.TheDisinterestingsinceitisa
asuspendedthird.Thiswouldnotbeacceptableexceptforadominanttype
chord,whichA7happenstobeinthekeyofD.Inthatcase,itcansoundrather
interestingandpleasant:

X42000

A7sus4/C#

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MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

PlayinginotherkeysorothermodesthanDmajorrequiresotherchords,and
therearecertainlylotsofthem!Forexample,DminorgenerallyrequiresG
minor,andDMixolydianneedsaCmajortoreinforcetheflatseventh.Ingeneral,
chordsbuiltonthetonesoftheDminorpentatonicscale,i.e.,D,F,G,AandCare
goingtocropupinanymusicinDthathasabluesyfeel,sincethesetones
reinforcetheDbluesscale:DFGAbACD.
HeresaselectionoftheseotherchordsusedinDmodes:

Cmajor:
1)Therootisonthe5thstringatthe3rdfret.Leavethe6thstringout,andbring
the4thuptoanEatthe2dnfretorGatthe5th.TheGisbetter,sincethisisa
borderlinebasstoneandthefifthisalwayscleanerthanthethird.
2)RemainingtonesG,AandDareallgoodtonesinCmajor,asthefifth,sixthand
ninth.Thefifthandsixthrightnexttoeachotherisperhapsabitjarring,sowhy
notmakethataCatthethirdfretaswell.Oursimplestchordis:

X32020

Cmajor9

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MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

Aminor:
1)Theopen5thstringhastheroot,sothatseasy.Leaveoutthe6thstring,and
makethe4thstringthefifthofA(anE)atthesecondfret.
2)OftheremainingG,AandDtones,Gistheminorseventh,andisaverynice
tone,butcouldalsobeanAatthesecondfret.Aistheroot,soitsgoodtoo,but
couldbeaCatthethirdfret.TheDisokasaneleventhinaminorchord,but
mightbecleanerasanEatthesecondfret,givingseveralchoices.Allthechords
withoutaChavenothirdandiftheyhaveaDtheysoundlikesus4chords,
neithermajor,minornordominant:

X0200 0

X02030

Asus4

Amin11

X 0 2002

Asus4

X02200

Asus4

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MarkParnisDADGADChordPrimer2013

Fmajor:
1)Therootisonthe6thstringatthe3rdfret.Theopen5thstringisanA,which
wouldbeokinanFchord,buttoolowinthechordtonalitytoreallysoundgood.
So,dampitinstead.Thereisnootherusefultoneonthe4thstringexcepttheF
octave,sodoubletheFinthebassonthe4thstringatthe3rdfret.
2)FromtheremainingtonesG,AandD:GistheninthofF,socouldsoundok,
butitwouldbecleanerifweturnitintoanAatthesecondfret,whichreinforces
themajorsoundofthechord.The2ndstringmaybeleftopenasAalso.TheDon
the1ststringisokasamajorsixth,whichisacommonadditiontoamajorchord.
ThisgivesusaformthatisalsothesameasthemoveableGmajorchordform:

3X3200

Fmajor6

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