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January 4, 2010

DADGAD

Last week I tweeted about rediscovering some song ideas I had written in DADGAD tuning almost ten years ago. I first learned about DADGAD when Megan forwarded me a page of alternate tunings used by Richard Shindell. Since then I’ve tried to work DADGAD into my own songs:

Cut The Wire: DADGAD, capo 5th fret
In Harm’s Way: DADGAD, capo 3rd fret
Happy For Me, album version: DADGAD, capo 2nd fret (the alternate take is in standard tuning).
2 A.M.: DADGAD open D (I think, it’s been awhile)

If you haven’t tried DADGAD, you should. It’s fun. Especially if you get bored with standard chord voicings as I sometimes do. Tons of video tutorials on YouTube.

Here’s a video draft of “Blood Of Eden” by Peter Gabriel, in DADGAD tuning. I kinda want to record this song for a future EP, maybe later this year. The spot where I start grinning and my eyes pop out of my head is where I start running out of breath. That’s what I get for trying a five-minute-long tune after months of no singing.

Watch this video on YouTube.

6 Comments

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And Adam Sampson did speak thusly:

Nice. And yes, DADGAD’s fun…

For those who like to play along at home:

http://offog.org/chords/scottandrew/blood_of_eden.txt
And Josh Woodward did speak thusly:

DADGAD rules. I used to write way too much stuff in it. Then I went through a phase of CGDGBD / GGDGBD, then CGCGCE, then random notes, and now back to goold old EADGBE. The circle of life.
And scottandew did speak thusly:

Adam, that is brilliant :) I’m going to add a note to the video about your tablature!
And scottandrew did speak thusly:

Josh: I don’t play with alternate tunings nearly enough so I’ll have to try some of those. DADGAD really opened up a lot of ideas for me, weird that I haven’t really tried many other tunings.

Patrick (from Explone) uses EADABE (I think?) quite a bit.
And Erik Ostrom did speak thusly:

Josh: All my early guitar songs were in CGDCBD (actually a whole step up – broke a lot of strings for a while there). Never seen anyone else mention it, but it’s a lovely tuning.
And state shirt did speak thusly:

Very nice cover!!

I’m nearly always in DADGAD tuning. I love love DADGAD. Pretty sure I wouldn’t remember how to play anything in standard tuning!