dadgad starter kit - websters guitar · pdf filestandard tuned guitar again. such is the...
TRANSCRIPT
INTRODUCTION I began playing DADGAD guitar almost by accident. In 2001, I auditioned to join a particular Scottish folk group. I showed what I could do in standard tuning on one guitar (which I was most comfortable with) and demonstrated the one song I knew in DADGAD on my other guitar. The audition went well and I got to join the band, but the piper told me not to bother bringing my standard tuned guitar again. Such is the effect of DADGAD, and other open tunings, in Celtic music. To put it simply, they sound great. If you are reading this right now, then it is very likely that you have an interest in learning how to play guitar in DADGAD tuning. There’s a good chance that you also have an interest in Celtic music and may even have experienced it live, either as a listener or by taking part in a session or band setting. The aim of this starter kit is to advance the knowledge of anyone who may be thinking of trying DADGAD or is dabbling with it at present. Some of it may even be of use to guitarists that do not know where to go next with the tuning - particularly anyone who desires to better understand the tonalities involved in Celtic music and how DADGAD tuning can be applied to them. To make best use of these pages, one should apply their content to all manner of Celtic tunes and songs too, if desired. For beginners, it will be best if this content is applied to versions of tunes that have chords provided already – many of these can be found on the Webster’s Guitar Academy site. I recommend getting used to the chord shapes first and then trying to experiment with the substitution pages after. More advanced players may find the pages on modes useful in helping to identify what mode a tune is in so that they can then work out what set of chords and substitutions can be used in accompaniment. Whatever level you are at as you use this book, I hope it lifts your level of playing and understanding, thus gifting Celtic music and the world with a good few more talented DADGAD guitarists. Andy Webster www.webstersguitaracademy.com
Webster’s Guitar Academy’s DADGAD Starter Kit Published March 2016. Copyright © Andy Webster 2016 All Rights Reserved Cover by bookdesign.
D A D G A D
6 5 4 3 2 1String:
Standard tuning: E A D G B E
Tune to:
D A D G A D
6 5 4 3 2 1String:
E E
From standard tuning, tune the 6th string (E) to the4th string (D) until they sound the same, but anoctave apart.
Next, tune the 1st string (E) to the 4th string (D) untilthey also sound the same and an octave apart.
D A D G A D
6 5 4 3 2 1String:
B
TUNING TO DADGAD
As with any tuning, the easiest way to tunenowadays is to use an electronic tuner.
Using this method, tune your strings to thenotes shown:
If tuning by ear from standard tuning, then thefollowing method can be used:
Finally, tune the 2nd string (B) to the 5th string (A)until they sound the same, but an octave apart.
EXAMPLE
Em7 at the second fret should actually be called Em7sus4, but most times inDADGDAD what most people want to hear is an Em7 chord with the high Aand D strings ringing out on top. Hence, in these charts. the Em7 aspect of thechord has been focused on when naming it.
A(sus4)
2 3 x 1 0 0
6fr
DADGAD CHORDS
In some cases, to make things simpler, the chord name given in these charts isnot the proper name. The reason for this is that, often times the 1st and 2nd
strings in DADGAD are left open to ring out as a kind of drone or inverted pedal.
In the following charts then, some chords will be named as in the manner shownabove. Where possible though, if the proper name of a chord should not happento be too long, then it will be given, such as this Asus4 at the 6th fret.
Em7 at the second fret should actually be calledEm7sus4, but often times in DADGDAD what mostpeople want to hear is their desired chord with the high Aand D strings ringing out on top.
There should be no A note in an Em7 chord; the A iswhat makes this chord an Em7sus4.
Thus, the Em7 aspect of the chord has been focused onwhen naming it.
Em7
2 3 4 0 0 0
E B E G A D
D
5 E
m7 D
/F# G
0 4 0
1 0
02 3 4
0 0
03 0 0
1 0
02 3 0
1 0
0
A
(su
s4)
B
m7 A
/C# D
2 3 x
1 0
02 3
0 1
0 0
2 0
3 1
0 0
2 0 0
1 0
0
3 4 0
2 0
0
6fr
7fr
3 4 x
2 0
03 4
0 1
0 0
3 0
4 1
0 0
9fr
3 0 0
2 0
0
11fr
4fr
D
5 E
m7 F
#m
G
0 0 0
1 0
01 2 0
0 3
02 3 4
1 0
02 x 0
1 3
(0)
A
sus4
B
m7 A
sus4
/C# D
2 x
0 0
3 (
0)
2 x
0 1
3 (
0)
2 0
0 1
4(0
)2 0 0
1 0
06fr
7fr
11fr
D
E
m7 F
#m
G
0 0 1
4 0
0x 4 2
1 (
0)(
0)
x 4 2
1 (
0)(
0)
x 4 3
1 (
0)(
0)
A
5 B
m7 A
/C# D
x 0 2
3 0
4x 1
3 4
0 0
x 4
1 2
0 0
0 0 3
1 0
0
4fr
9fr
6fr
7fr
4fr
4fr
DA
DG
AD
CH
OR
DS
– D
Maj
or
The
se 4
cho
rds
go w
ell w
ith th
e ve
rsio
ns o
f cho
rds
D5
to G
on
the
first
line
.T
hese
4 c
hord
s go
wel
l with
som
e of
the
high
er p
ositi
on v
ersi
ons
of A
and
Bm
7
(Alte
rnat
ive
finge
ring)
The
8 s
hape
s on
the
first
line
bel
ow w
ill g
ive
you
a so
lid fo
unda
tion
for
play
ing
in D
maj
or.
Mos
t tu
nes
in D
maj
or,
E d
oria
n, A
mix
olyd
ian
and
B A
eolia
n (n
atur
al m
inor
) ca
n be
acc
ompa
nied
usi
ng o
nly
thes
e. T
hefo
llow
ing
lines
offe
r ei
ther
alte
rnat
ive
vers
ions
or
subs
titut
ions
.
G
5 A
m7 G
/B C
(ad
d9)
2 x 0
0 3
(0)
x 0 1
0 3
(0)
x 2 0
0 3
0x 2 1
0 3
0
D
5 E
m7 D
/F# G
0 4 0
1 0
02 3
4 0
0 0
3 0
0 1
0 0
2 x 0
0 3
(0)
G
A
m7 B
m7 C
(su
s2)
2 x 0
1 3
02 x 1
1 3
x2 x 1
1 3
x2 x 0
1 3
(0)
D
E
m7 D
(/F
#)
G
2 x
0 0
3 (
0)
x 2
1 3
4 x
0 2
0 1
3 0
(0)
2 1
0 3
011fr
5fr
9fr
Em
7/G
D
/A (
sus4
) G
/B C
(ad
d9)
1 2 0
0 3
x1 2 0
0 3 0
1 2 0
0 3 0
1 2 0
0 3 (
0)
D
E
m7 D
G
0 2 1
1 3
(1)
x 2
0 0
3 (
0)
0 2
0 1
3 0
(0)
2 1
0 3
09fr
9fr
7fr
9fr
10fr
7fr
7fr
5fr
DA
DG
AD
CH
OR
DS
– G
Maj
or
(Alte
rnat
ive
finge
ring)
The
8 s
hape
s on
the
first
line
bel
ow w
ill g
ive
you
a so
lid fo
unda
tion
for
play
ing
in G
maj
or. M
ost t
unes
in G
maj
or, A
dor
ian,
D m
ixol
ydia
n an
dE
Aeo
lian
(nat
ural
min
or)
can
be a
ccom
pani
ed u
sing
onl
y th
ese.
The
follo
win
g lin
es o
ffer
eith
er a
ltern
ativ
e ve
rsio
ns o
r su
bstit
utio
ns.
4fr
5fr
7fr
3 x 1
1 4
x3 x 1
1 4
x
11fr
ΩΩ
Ω
12fr
A
5 B
m7 A
/C# D
5
x 0 2
3 0
4x 1 3
4 0
0x 4 1
2 0
00 4 0
1 0
0
E
(7)
F
#m
E
/G# A
(su
s4)
2 3 x
1 4
(0)
2 3
4 1
0 0
2 3
x 1
x x
2 3 x
1 0
(0)
3 4
x 1
x x
4fr
3 4 x
1 0
(0)6fr
A
5 B
m7 A
/C# D
T 0 1
4 0
22 3 0
1 0
03 0 4
1 0
02 0 0
1 0
0
E
F
#m
E
7 A
x 4
3 1
x x
x 4
2 1
2 x
x 2
1 3
4(0
)x 0 2
1 3
(0)
4fr
6fr
6fr
C
#m
D
/A
2 3 x
1 (
0)(
0)
x 0 1
4 0 0
E
7su
s4/A
F
#m
/A E
7su
s4/A
A
5
x 0 1
2 0
0x 0
1 3
0 0
x 0
1 4
0 0
T 0 1
4 0
2
11fr
6fr
9fr
4fr
DA
DG
AD
CH
OR
DS
– A
Maj
or
* T
here
are
not
man
y tu
nes
writ
ten
in th
ese
mod
es.
(Alte
rnat
ive
finge
ring)
The
8 s
hape
s on
the
first
line
bel
ow w
ill g
ive
you
a so
lid fo
unda
tion
for
play
ing
in A
maj
or.
Mos
t tu
nes
in A
maj
or,
B d
oria
n, E
mix
olyd
ian*
an
d F
# a
eo
lian
* (n
atu
ral
min
or)
ca
n b
e a
cco
mp
an
ied
usi
ng
on
lyth
ese
. T
he
fo
llow
ing
lin
es
off
er
eith
er
alte
rna
tive
ve
rsio
ns
or
subs
titut
ions
.
3 4
0 1
0 0
7fr
7fr
9fr
T =
Thu
mb
3 4
x 1
(0)(
0)
6fr
4fr
6fr
The
se 5
cho
rds
go w
ell t
oget
her.
Goo
d su
bstit
ute
for
A/C
#
Goo
d su
bstit
ute
for
A/C
#
F
G
m A
m F
/A
2 x 3
1 4
x2 3 4
1 x
x2 3 4
1 x
x2 3 x
1 x
x
B
b C
D
m C
/E
2 3 4
1 x
02 3
4 1
x x
2 0
0 1
0 0
1 2 x
0 3
x
3 4 x
1 x
x
7fr
9fr
3 0
0 1
0 0
10fr
(2fr
)5f
r
D
m C
/E F
G
m7
0 4 2
1 0
01 2 0
0 3
02 x 3
1 4
x3 x 1
1 x x
A
m7 B
b C
(su
s2)
D
m
3 x
1 1
x x
2 3
x 1
x 0
2 x
0 1
3(0
)2 0 0
1 3
05f
r7f
r10
fr
D
5 F
G
5
0 4 0
1 0
02 3 x 1
0 4
2 x 0
0 3 x
*A
(su
s4)
*
A/C
#
2 3 x
1 0
02 0
3 1
0 (
0)9f
r
DA
DG
AD
CH
OR
DS
– F
Maj
or
& D
(N
atu
ral)
Min
or
(Alte
rnat
ive
finge
ring)
The
se 8
sha
pes
will
giv
e yo
u a
solid
foun
datio
n fo
r pl
ayin
g in
F m
ajor
.
5fr
Goo
d su
bstit
ute
for
Am
Bel
ow a
re a
ltern
ativ
e sh
apes
for
pla
ying
in
D m
inor
. T
hose
mar
ked
with
* i
ndic
ate
that
thes
e ch
ords
are
act
ually
from
the
scal
e, D
har
mon
ic m
inor
.
6fr
The
8 s
hape
s be
low
will
giv
e yo
u a
solid
fou
ndat
ion
for
play
ing
in D
(na
tura
l) m
inor
.N
ote
that
the
sam
e ch
ords
are
use
d in
F m
ajor
. T
his
is b
ecau
se b
oth
keys
are
rel
ativ
eto
eac
h ot
her,
i.e.
, th
e sc
ales
of
both
key
s sh
are
the
sam
e no
tes
and
thus
, th
e sa
me
chor
ds.
3 0
4 1
0 0
B
b C
m D
m B
b/D
2 3 x
1 x
x2 3 x
1 x
x2 0 0
1 0
02 3 x
1 x
x
E
b F
G
m F
/A
1 1 1
4 1
12 3
x 1
x x
2 3
x 1
x x
2 3 x
1 x
x
3 4 x
1 x
x3 4
x 1
x x
5fr
10fr
G
m F
/A B
b C
m
2 x 0
1 3
02 3 x
1 4
x2 2 0
1 4
02 3 x
1 4 x
D
m E
b5 F
5 G
5
2 0
0 1
3 0
1 1
1 4
1 1
1 1
1 4
1 1
2 x 0
0 3
0
10fr
E
b/G
B
bm
aj7
2 3 x
1 x
x2 3 0 1
0 0
D
m
*D
/F#
0 4 2
1 0
03 0 0
1 0
0
DA
DG
AD
CH
OR
DS
– B
b M
ajo
r an
d G
(n
atu
ral)
min
or
The
se 8
sha
pes
will
giv
e yo
u a
solid
foun
datio
n fo
r pl
ayin
g in
Bb
maj
or.
10fr
Goo
d su
bstit
ute
for
Dm
Bel
ow a
re a
ltern
ativ
e sh
apes
for
pla
ying
in
Bb
and
G m
inor
. T
hose
mar
ked
with
* a
re b
est
used
with
G m
inor
and
indi
cate
that
they
are
act
ually
from
the
scal
e, G
har
mon
ic m
inor
.
The
8 s
hape
s be
low
wor
k w
ell f
or p
layi
ng in
G (
natu
ral)
min
or.
Sha
pes
from
the
line
abov
e ca
n su
bstit
ute
thos
e of
the
sam
e na
me
belo
w .
8fr
7fr
3 4 x
1 x
x
5fr
7fr
8fr
3fr
3 4 x
1 x
x
7fr
WHAT IS A MODE?
Em7 at the second fret should actually be called Em7sus4, but most times inDADGDAD what most people want to hear is an Em7 chord with the high Aand D strings ringing out on top. Hence, in these charts. the Em7 aspect of thechord has been focused on when naming it.
MODES
Even if your ear is already very good, it can help immensely to know what key, ormode, you are playing in. The following pages are by no means an exhaustivestudy of this subject, but they will hopefully help you start to understand howmodes are present in Celtic music and how your ability to accompany can beimproved by doing so.
If you have ever sat in a Celtic session, you will no doubt have heard someonesay that a tune is in Em when it may not actually be. Similarly, you might haveheard a tune described as being in the key of A, but being "a bit modal". You maynot even have been aware that they were wrong in saying this, but you may havenoticed that it was tricky to work out the chords or that some of the chords younormally use for those keys didn’t quite fit.
Most Irish and Scottish music is written using the major scales of D, G and A aswell as some of the modes that can be derived from each of these scales.
A tune many people know is “The Silver Spear” which is written using the Dmajor scale; i.e., the melody was created using the notes of this scale. Thechords used to accompany it can then be created from the scale also. Theprocess of basic chord creation is demonstrated on the following pages and thechord shapes themselves can be found on the chord charts in this booklet.
A mode is a scale, which is a group of notes that can be used to write melodies and harmonieswith and also from which chords can be created. For learning purposes, the notes of a scale ormode are ordered stepwise from lowest to highest as demonstrated below in the D major scale,also known as the Ionian mode.
The first part of the well known reel “Drowsy Maggie” is written using the modeabove: E dorian. This means that this part of the tune is written using the notes ofthe D major scale, but they have been reordered so that the note E is now moredominant than the D. The Em also becomes the most dominant chord giving thetune a minor feel, but parts of it may sound more major than “true” E minor.
As D major and E dorian share the same notes, then they will also share thesame chords, which means that one set of chords will suffice for playing in Dmajor as well as any of the modes that derive from it (such as A mixolydian or BAeolian). This rule is the same for all other keys, so once you learn the chords forG major and A major, you will have learned enough chords to be able to play inall of the most commonly used modes used in Celtic music. All with only threesets of chords!
The next three pages will hopefully demonstrate these modes to you clearly andhelp you to begin to understand them. Your next step is to start identifying whatmode the tune you are accompanying is in so that you can use the right set ofchords.
Common Modes of Scottish/Irish MusicD major based modes
D
D Major (Ionian Mode)
E F# G A
B C# D E
F# G A B
C# D E F#
G
D
A
D
G
A
D
0 2 4 5
0 2 4
0 2 4
0
0
Tune Example: Tripping Up The Stairs
2 4
0 2 4 5 4 2
etc.
0
4 2 0
4
E Dorian (often mistakenly called Em)
2 4 5
0 2 4
0 2 4
0
0 2
Tune Example: Morrison's Jig
4
0 2 4 5 7 5 4
etc.
2 0
4 2
7
A Mixolydian Mode
etc.
0 2 4
0 2 4
0
0 2 4
0 2
Tune Example: The Devil In The Kitchen
4 5 7 9 11 12 11 9 7 5 4 2
10
B Aeolian (B natural minor)
etc.
2 4
0 2 4
0
0 2 4
0 2 4
Tune Example: Maggie's Pancakes
5 7 9 11 12 14 12 11 9 7 5 4
N.B. All these modes share the same key signature which is
why they are related.
D Major Chord Substitutions
D
E
F#
G
A
B
C#
D
Chords derived from scale in order.
D
example of diatonic harmony: i.e., how to make up chords
Em
F#m
G
ABm
C#º(dim)D
Most common substitutions
Bm
G
AEm
F#m
D
A(7)
Additional substitutions
Gmaj7Cmaj7
Dmaj7
Bm
Dmaj7
Gmaj7
A/C#
F#m
Em7
Substitutions are aligned as so:
Common Modes of Scottish/Irish Music
G major based modes
G
G Major (Ionian Mode)
A B C D
E F# G A
B C D E
F# G A B
C
D
A
D
G
A
D
5
0 2 3
0 2 4
0
0 2 3
0
Tune Example: The Blackthorn Stick
2 4 5 7 9 10 9 7
etc.
5 4 2 0
A Dorian (often mistakenly called Am)
0 2 3
0 2 4
0
0 2 3
0 2
Tune Example: The Lilting Banshee
4 5 7 9 10 12 10 9
etc.
7 5 4 2
D Mixolydian Mode
etc.
0 2 4 5
0 2 3
0 2 4
0
0
Tune Example: The Hag at the Churn
2 3
0 2 4 5 4 2 0
3 2 0
E Aeolian (E natural minor)
etc.
2 4 5
0 2 3
0 2 4
0
0 2
Tune Example: The Rights of Man
3
0 2 4 5 7 5 4 2 0
3 2
G Major Chord Substitutions
G
A
B
C
D
E
F#
G
Chords derived from scale in order.
G
example of diatonic harmony: i.e., how to make up chords
Am
Bm
C
D
Em
F#º(dim)
G
GAm
BmC
D EmF#º(dim) G
Most common substitutions
Em
C
D
Am
BmG
D(7)
Additional substitutions
Cmaj7
Fmaj7
Gmaj7Em
Gmaj7
Cmaj7
D/F#
Bm
Am7
Common Modes of Scottish/Irish Music
A major based modes
A
A Major (Ionian Mode)
B C# D E
F# G# A B
C# D E F#
G# A B C#
D
D
A
D
G
A
D
0 2 4
0 2 4
1
0 2 4
0 2
Tune Example: Stan Chapman's
4 6 7 9 11 12 11 9
etc.
7 6 4 2
4
B Dorian (often mistakenly called Bm)
2 4
0 2 4
1
0 2 4
0 2 4
Tune Example: McFadden's Reel
6 7 9 11 12 14 12 11
etc.
9 7 6 4
7
E Mixolydian Mode
etc.
Tune Example: There are few of these, if any. Both McArthur Road and Calliope House could be accompanied by the chords of this mode
though, as neither have D# notes in their melodies, thus allowing the use of chords using the D natural note present in E mixolydian.
2 4 6
0 2 4
0 2 4
1
0 2 4
0 2 4 6 7 6 4 2 0
4 2
10
F# Aeolian (F# natural minor)
etc.
4 6
0 2 4
0 2 4
1
0 2 4
There are very few examples of tunes in this mode also.
Tune Example: Haud Awa' Hame.
0 2 4 6 7 9 7 6 4 2 0
4
A Major Chord Substitutions
A
B
C#
D
E
F#
G#
A
Chords derived from scale in order.
A
example of diatonic harmony: i.e., how to make up chords
Bm
C#m
D
E
F#m
G#º(dim)
A
ABm
C#mD E F#m G#º(dim) A
Most common substitutions
F#m
D
E
Bm
C#mA
E(7)
Additional substitutions
Dmaj7
Gmaj7
Amaj7F#m
Amaj7
Dmaj7
E/G#
C#m
Bm7