Tuning #3: DADGAD

Though very popular in folk/Celtic circles, with Davey Graham (above) introducing it to the mainstream in the 60s, this tuning was also used by Jimmy Page to compose Kashmir and provides plenty of other opportunities to get weird and wonderful. As with our first two tunings, drop the first and sixth strings down a tone to D, then the second string down a tone to A. Leave everything else in standard, giving us (from low to high): DADGAD.

Example 13

It may sound as though we’re jumping in the deep end, but this is actually a two-finger chord, based around a D7 but adding a twist with the #5th (A#) and #9th (F). Yes, F is also the minor 3rd, but that would conflict with the D7’s F# on the fourth string, so we’re calling it an extension.

Example 14

Another extended chord made easy by an alternative tuning! This is another shape worth moving around for some nice surprises. It’s also worth moving notes up or down a semitone/fret within a shape where possible, as this can sometimes give you other useful chords.

Example 15

Here’s a movable maj7th voicing (featured here in G ) that can be taken anywhere on the fretboard, space permitting. It’s a little tricky at first but well worth the trouble. Most definitely a surprise, given this tuning’s Moroccan/ Celtic heritage.

Example 16

A first-finger barre at the 3rd fret while holding down two strings in the bass gives us this lovely Gm11 chord. The 7th (F) appears on the first string, with the 11th (C) on the second. This is another movable chord, with all six strings fretted.

Example 17

A nice choice to resolve to after the Gm11 in Example 16, this is a onefinger barre at the 4th fret of the first, second, third and fourth strings. There are several other voicings of Dmaj7/D7 to be found around here, so keep experimenting. In the meantime, check out the next example.

Example 18

Here is one of the other Dmaj7-inspired voicings found in the same area as Example 17. As we have a 9th (E) at the 2nd fret of the first string, along with the maj7th (C#) on the second, this is called a major 9th chord.