DADGAD Tuning - fingering for 24 chords of the Circle of Fifths To get started, most of the chords can be made with two simple finger positions, with small variations for using minor chords. Example: A - xx2242 and Am xx2232 or A - xx7677 and Am xx7577 You might see performers using this tuning and applying the middle finger to the top bass strings on some chords where I have it as xx (looks like they're giving the bird) There are other ways to make these chords, but these are the simplest. After learning these you will be able to play Pachelbel's Canon, or Hotel California with ease. Fingerstyle picking is fun too! D - xx0200 or xx7797 G - 55oo2o (big stretch needed) or xx5455 C - x32032 or xx5575 F - xx3233 or xx10101210 Bb - xx3353 or xx8788 Eb - xx1011 or xx99119 Ab - xx1131 or xx6566 Fm - xx3133 or xx10101110 Cm - x32o31 or xx5565 Gm - xx5535 or xx12121112 Dm - ooo201 or oo7787 Am - xx2232 or xx7757 Em - xx2022 or xx99109 Bm - xx4454 or xx9799 F#m - xx4244 or xx11111211 C#m - xx6676 or xx1191111 G#m - xx6466 or xx13131413 Ebm - xx8898 Bbm - xx3343 or xx8688 Db or C# - xx6686 Gb or F# - xx4344 or xx11111311 Cb or B - xx4464 or xx9899 E - xx2122 or xx99119 A - xx2242 or xx7677 Scales are a bit different in DADGAD, but that is for another lesson. Cheers! and Your Welcome!
I'm ashamed to say that I've been a guitar player for over 40 years, & never heard of this amazing player until today! Hey.... better late than never. I'm on board! Incredible tutorial, as well as ideas. Thank you.
Tonight Tony played for three hours at a house concert in Santa Rosa, California. Superb, understated and thrilling. Tomorrow night he is in Reno Nevada.
Met Davy graham before he passed. He played beautifully and went between talking and playing, He was in his own world and it was beautiful to see! Great you mentioned him ❤️
Saw so many videos on TH-cam about DADGAD where the main focus was just to show some regular chords played with strumming and not giving a proper explanation about the tuning and its possibilities. This video made me understand the real beauty and the possibilities playing wise. I appreciate the theory aspect and the harp example etc. Was very nice to see the fretboard and how the melodies are build moving around it. Thank you!
Excellent. I’ve been messing around with DADGAD for years but still found this very informative. Thanks very much. Beautiful playing on a lovely sounding guitar.
The best thing that happened to our house this year is an app called Radio Garden. Celtic and world wide music for us since. It is so refreshing escaping U.S. drivel. Thank You for your videos.
I am not sure what bought me here, and I am not familiar with the artist, but I am a guitar player and I enjoyed this very much! A very talented musician speaking plainly and sincerely about something he is very passionate and knowledgeble about is always a pleasure! I'll check in for more!
The DADGAD is such a beautiful tuning. I started screwing around in Strawberry Fields, Central Park while busking there & I was always complimented on my work. Ty.
Really good explanation about Dadgad tuning specialy about the scales sounding like a harp because the two notes closed sounding together. It's really the spirit of Dadgad. Thanks for lihgting m'y mind.😉
I have watched this video several times now and ask myself the same question; why have I ignored this tuning for so long? Tony in his understated way (thank you Steve D) makes such a strong case for it. I love his presentation here, he is simply a master of the instrument with a keen understanding of the fretboard and wry sense of humor.
And this is why theory in music is GOLD. You need this knowledge it opens everything up, you'll get it. Theory is the key and you have been standing on the door step for long enough now. Thank you Tony for a great and inspiring video :))
It's Saturday night, and I find myselft sitting in the sofa, eating candy and watch this man talking about cons and pros of dadgad tuning... and somehow I actually find it very amusing. Thank you
Devin Townsend plays in Open C or Open B tunings, and Emma Ruth Rundle plays a baritone in either DADGAD or a variation of it depending on the song. Both of them, perhaps coincidentally or perhaps not, utilize a lot of reverb and distortion to create big walls of sound.
Saw mr. McManus in concert around 2005... one of the best concert I went to. He's awesome on the guitar. If you're into guitar music, go see him, you won't be disappointed.
Bravo! Great introduction to open D Tony. Beautiful guitar and tone as well. I truly enjoyed watching, listening & learning. You are a great player & teacher sir. Thank you & keep enjoying music, life and all the wonderful thing that both offer,
Wow! I have played a little in DADGAD and this has really opened my eyes to playing this timing more... great lesson. Thank you! Your PRS really sparkles and sounds great!
YES! The only other time I tried double drop D was slide guitar. Not very impressed. But now, years later, forming new chords that just ring out is wonderful. And the chords are fairly simple. So many drones to play with. Already composed my first song in the last hour! At the 7th to 5th fret. Thanks!
Thankyou for a great introduction to celtic music. It sounded great but I am finding it a little dificult to do after spending fifty years of standard blues and rock guitar. Ah well back to the drawing board. Will let you know how I get on. Many thanks .😁
I spent a whole night trying to figure stan rogers' tuning on witch of westmereland in the 80s. And now i find it was a standard! Lol it was fun though
Bravo! My first time seeing you. Loved the Intro to DADGAD (or double-drop D). Something I haven't used, but will explore. I have used DADGAE quite a bit with a couple of artists that use that a lot.
Very interesting lesson (guitar+ english for me, héhé). And your explanation gives up answer about this DADGAD tuning, thank you. Your guitar sounds just wonderful. Thumbs up
Well, I 've been playing standard for 50+ yrs but cold winter on Long Island NY is coming so I'll start on that D scale tomorrow. I already tuned one of the acoustics down. My Dad ( Galway) was a great box player so my seasoned ear might pick it up pretty quick. Thanks Tony.
Thanks! I've experimented with several alternative tunings in my decades of playing, including a few I've never seen anyone else use; yet somehow I just never could wrap my head/fingers around DADGAD. I actually have used that open-D-chord (DADF#AD) tuning on a song or two that the original artist (Stan Rogers) does in DADGAD. I just need to study everything you're doing here to get a leg up on it. In addition, I knew that Joni used a lot of alt. tunings, especially the open G-chord (DGDGBD), but I never realized the bit about DADF#AD tuning. I'll have to go back and listen some more for that now. Fred
DADGAD was invented by the English guitarist Davey Graham in 1961 or '62 when he was living in Morocco studing Arabic music and the oud, the stringed instrument ancestor of the guitar called "the sultan of all instruments" and as such amply used in North and East Africa and the Middle East. The oud has 6000 years or recorded history and dozens of different tunings, but one in particular is used by the Kabylie culture (the Kabylie, aka the Berbers, are the original inhabitants of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia before the Arab invasion of the 7th century, after which they had to co-exist with the newcomers). Their oud tuning is DADGCF (they also have a more ancient 5-course tuning DADGC). Graham, who is one of the first Western artists to use Eastern/African idioms and thus considered one of the inventors of World Music, copped the tuning and adapted it for the guitar so that he could attempt to play It on his instrument. The modern 20th century version of Kabilie music is called Chaabi and, unlike the rest of Arabic music, it contains no microtones, so it lended itself quite easily to be reproduced more or less faithfully on guitar. As Graham came primarily from a Celtic music background, he started using the tuning on his renditions of Irish tunes as well and, in a destiny analogous to the employment of the Greek bouzouki, it was adopted enthusiastically by Irish musicians and lovers of Celtic music alike, with successful forays in Rock (Jimmy Page, etc.). But it comes originally from Kabilye/Chaabi music which is performed almost always in the key of D (or a D-tuning dropped down a semitone, which becomes C#, or a whole tone, which becomes C).
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
DADGAD Tuning - fingering for 24 chords of the Circle of Fifths
To get started, most of the chords can be made with two simple finger positions, with small variations for using minor chords.
Example: A - xx2242 and Am xx2232 or A - xx7677 and Am xx7577
You might see performers using this tuning and applying the middle finger to the top bass strings on some chords where I have it as xx (looks like they're giving the bird) There are other ways to make these chords, but these are the simplest. After learning these you will be able to play Pachelbel's Canon, or Hotel California with ease. Fingerstyle picking is fun too!
D - xx0200 or xx7797
G - 55oo2o (big stretch needed) or xx5455
C - x32032 or xx5575
F - xx3233 or xx10101210
Bb - xx3353 or xx8788
Eb - xx1011 or xx99119
Ab - xx1131 or xx6566
Fm - xx3133 or xx10101110
Cm - x32o31 or xx5565
Gm - xx5535 or xx12121112
Dm - ooo201 or oo7787
Am - xx2232 or xx7757
Em - xx2022 or xx99109
Bm - xx4454 or xx9799
F#m - xx4244 or xx11111211
C#m - xx6676 or xx1191111
G#m - xx6466 or xx13131413
Ebm - xx8898
Bbm - xx3343 or xx8688
Db or C# - xx6686
Gb or F# - xx4344 or xx11111311
Cb or B - xx4464 or xx9899
E - xx2122 or xx99119
A - xx2242 or xx7677
Scales are a bit different in DADGAD, but that is for another lesson. Cheers! and Your Welcome!
Wow thanks!!!
🙏
Thx dude!
I'm ashamed to say that I've been a guitar player for over 40 years, & never heard of this amazing player until today!
Hey.... better late than never. I'm on board! Incredible tutorial, as well as ideas.
Thank you.
Afurthyclays
Sometimes after listening to guys like Tony I just want to pitch the old guitar onto the bonfire.
You there rye try
I'm sitting here holding my guitar, feeling like a fast food worker getting a master class by Gorden Ramsey
DarkNightDreamer agreed
Lol same
Lmfao
I'm thinking about burning all my guitars. 😢
@@Givingitashot Sell them instead.
Really good context; I had no clue about DADGAD besides the fact that Kashmir uses that tuning. Thank You.
Tonight Tony played for three hours at a house concert in Santa Rosa, California. Superb, understated and thrilling. Tomorrow night he is in Reno Nevada.
Whose house? That would narrow it down some. I missed it!
When you change your tuning, you open a whole new world of playing. That is why the guitar is so amazing. :)
Love this guy.... Humble, skilled and a great teacher
Met Davy graham before he passed. He played beautifully and went between talking and playing, He was in his own world and it was beautiful to see! Great you mentioned him ❤️
Saw so many videos on TH-cam about DADGAD where the main focus was just to show some regular chords played with strumming and not giving a proper explanation about the tuning and its possibilities. This video made me understand the real beauty and the possibilities playing wise. I appreciate the theory aspect and the harp example etc. Was very nice to see the fretboard and how the melodies are build moving around it.
Thank you!
Saw Tony at an event a couple of years ago. He played a few tunes. My God what a player. Flawless, totally in control of the instrument.
What a great guitar instructor, very clear and pleasant approach
You're a good teacher. Thanks for this video.
You're such a great teacher Tony!
Thanks for everything you give!
😊
Excellent. I’ve been messing around with DADGAD for years but still found this very informative. Thanks very much. Beautiful playing on a lovely sounding guitar.
That guitar sounds absolutely amazing. Great video and explanation of this tuning.
Couldn't focus on what the good man was saying, too enchanted with the guitar sound.
Agreed. On both points!
It's a Paul Reed Smith acoustic, and you're right it sounds amazing!
joshua rogers PRS are amazing instruments
prs they're all that good I own 5
That was the best explanation on how tuning affects the playing I've heard.
your guitar has a beautiful voice and presence.
The best thing that happened to our house this year is an app called Radio Garden. Celtic and world wide music for us since. It is so refreshing escaping U.S. drivel. Thank You for your videos.
I am not sure what bought me here, and I am not familiar with the artist, but I am a guitar player and I enjoyed this very much! A very talented musician speaking plainly and sincerely about something he is very passionate and knowledgeble about is always a pleasure! I'll check in for more!
The DADGAD is such a beautiful tuning. I started screwing around in Strawberry Fields, Central Park while busking there & I was always complimented on my work. Ty.
What a beautiful sounding guitar
This guy has a particular set of skills...
As clearly as it can be stated. Thank you Tony.
Great player, great teacher. Should have thousands of views in my humble opinion!
Really good explanation about Dadgad tuning specialy about the scales sounding like a harp because the two notes closed sounding together. It's really the spirit of Dadgad. Thanks for lihgting m'y mind.😉
I have watched this video several times now and ask myself the same question; why have I ignored this tuning for so long? Tony in his understated way (thank you Steve D) makes such a strong case for it. I love his presentation here, he is simply a master of the instrument with a keen understanding of the fretboard and wry sense of humor.
This guitar sounds incredible!
This gives me insight into Gaughan's genious.
When he did that scale - brilliant.
This is a brilliant tuning by a brilliant guitarist of Irish music a master class..period. .
.
II’ve used DADGAD for about 50 years. This is a great video. What a nice man
So glad I found this guy. He’s really really good.
And this is why theory in music is GOLD. You need this knowledge it opens everything up, you'll get it. Theory is the key and you have been standing on the door step for long enough now. Thank you Tony for a great and inspiring video :))
Seen the master of Celtic Figerstyle Tony ,, amazing one of a kind ,mindblowing guitar player ,, in a league of his own , truly a master
It's Saturday night, and I find myselft sitting in the sofa, eating candy and watch this man talking about cons and pros of dadgad tuning... and somehow I actually find it very amusing. Thank you
What a great teacher! Totally absorbed in everything he says!
matinee310 jjñjkioioioioioiooioooo
Phi j
Yeah, I caught the Joni immediately. Love it. This is really informative. Thanks!
As a non-muso I did not have a clue what you were talking about. But your playing and relaxed teaching style made this all rather entertaining.
I use this tuning for metal. Never thought of looking up other uses for it until now. Great video
Now I wanna hear this used for metal. It seems like a weird a tuning for metal but I'm no metal head so how would I know?
why? drop d is the more commonly used metal tuning
Devin Townsend plays in Open C or Open B tunings, and Emma Ruth Rundle plays a baritone in either DADGAD or a variation of it depending on the song. Both of them, perhaps coincidentally or perhaps not, utilize a lot of reverb and distortion to create big walls of sound.
Great player.Great teacher.Great man.
The tone of his guitar is stunning. I am mesmerized.
Saw mr. McManus in concert around 2005... one of the best concert I went to. He's awesome on the guitar. If you're into guitar music, go see him, you won't be disappointed.
Bravo! Great introduction to open D Tony. Beautiful guitar and tone as well. I truly enjoyed watching, listening & learning. You are a great player & teacher sir. Thank you & keep enjoying music, life and all the wonderful thing that both offer,
What a bloody brilliant lesson, so much packed into such a short time!!
Gorgeous! Thank you. I must learn this.
Jimmy page made good use of this tuning in a rock context, in the song kashmir. Among others. Great sound love this video!
I noticed it sounded like Led Zep 3.
Many thanks Tony, fascinating stuff.
Great to watch, thanks Tony
Wow! I have played a little in DADGAD and this has really opened my eyes to playing this timing more... great lesson. Thank you!
Your PRS really sparkles and sounds great!
What a great bunch of guys !!! And who said you can't play guitar with short, plump fingers?
Wonderful !!!
Brilliant - this is really helpful. I've been putting off my exploration of DADGAD for years. Thanks Mr. McManus!
Just wow!. That was an amazing lesson.
YES! The only other time I tried double drop D was slide guitar. Not very impressed. But now, years later, forming new chords that just ring out is wonderful. And the chords are fairly simple. So many drones to play with. Already composed my first song in the last hour! At the 7th to 5th fret. Thanks!
Nicely explained- Tony really gets that "singing" quality out of his strings...thanks for sharing👍😁
Thankyou for a great introduction to celtic music. It sounded great but I am finding it a little dificult to do after spending fifty years of standard blues and rock guitar. Ah well back to the drawing board. Will let you know how I get on. Many thanks .😁
I've been playing guitar since 2007 and I'm just finding out about this tuning.
Nice change.
master class introduction
The sound of that guitar is amazing
Wonderful, Tony!
Great demonstrations ✌🏿👍🏾🎸
Thanks - this was a really insightful look into DADGAD. Really appreciate it. Very nicely and fluidly done.
I don't know what I liked more, your eloquence or the actual guitar playing, great video!
Thank you for this explanation! It sounds absolutely beautiful. I will have to try this tuning.
Tony, your Awesome. Thanks bro
Reminds me of Jimmy page w these tunings!!
in the movie "this might get loud" jimmy page shows edge and jack white kashmir with this tuning
wonderful commentary .....thank you !
Very cool. I love it! Thanks for sharing.
Tony, I really like this
Thanks for this video! The way you explain it is so peaceful :)
Thank you for a marvellous explanation. Fine touch , beautiful playing
When Tony McManus plays, even scales sound heavenly.
I spent a whole night trying to figure stan rogers' tuning on witch of westmereland in the 80s. And now i find it was a standard! Lol it was fun though
Always have loved DADGAD. But this lesson really has helped me develop my DADGAD playing even more! Great information. Thanks.
Great instruction Tony. Thanks
Great to hear you’re also a huge Joni Mitchell fan, that’s how the algorithms brought me to this video I think. Many thanks! from Brazil ☘️
beautiful playing style
My God THAT Guitar ! - Yes, we all know Mr McManus borders on genius, but THAT Guitar sound!!! Un-Believable.
Paul Reed Smith guitars for you. They go for about 10k
Borders on?
I never heard a scale played more beautifully than the D Major scale he played. I will be back Tommy!
Bravo! My first time seeing you. Loved the Intro to DADGAD (or double-drop D). Something I haven't used, but will explore.
I have used DADGAE quite a bit with a couple of artists that use that a lot.
Fantastic, thank you.
Love this little intro and the guitar sounds great btw.
great way to arpeggiate with all those open harp-like sounds...thanks!
Thank you for the lesson, have subbed. I like this ancient sound. You remind me of Val Doonican.
Thank you Tony Mcanus
A very fine video. The explanation, demonstration, insight and historical context are excellent. Many thanks.
Very interesting lesson (guitar+ english for me, héhé). And your explanation gives up answer about this DADGAD tuning, thank you.
Your guitar sounds just wonderful. Thumbs up
So glad you mention the great Davy Graham. Thankyou.
Well, I 've been playing standard for 50+ yrs but cold winter on Long Island NY is coming so I'll start on that D scale tomorrow. I already tuned one of the acoustics down. My Dad ( Galway) was a great box player so my seasoned ear might pick it up pretty quick. Thanks Tony.
that guitar sounds so damned good. such rich tone. warm. like a red velvet cake fresh out the oven
sweet. re-tuning, and will wear this video out...
Thanks for the teaching lesson and also the history lesson.
I never thought of this tuning in this way. Thank you for opening my ears and mind with your wonderful sound!
thank you for this PN...I find it very useful...Paul
Thanks! I've experimented with several alternative tunings in my decades of playing, including a few I've never seen anyone else use; yet somehow I just never could wrap my head/fingers around DADGAD.
I actually have used that open-D-chord (DADF#AD) tuning on a song or two that the original artist (Stan Rogers) does in DADGAD.
I just need to study everything you're doing here to get a leg up on it.
In addition, I knew that Joni used a lot of alt. tunings, especially the open G-chord (DGDGBD), but I never realized the bit about DADF#AD tuning.
I'll have to go back and listen some more for that now.
Fred
Beautiful lesson, love the soft spoken approach, re-tuning now!
What a fantastic video!
Very informative
Thank you
More study & exploration in future ✌🏼
DADGAD was invented by the English guitarist Davey Graham in 1961 or '62 when he was living in Morocco studing Arabic music and the oud, the stringed instrument ancestor of the guitar called "the sultan of all instruments" and as such amply used in North and East Africa and the Middle East. The oud has 6000 years or recorded history and dozens of different tunings, but one in particular is used by the Kabylie culture (the Kabylie, aka the Berbers, are the original inhabitants of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia before the Arab invasion of the 7th century, after which they had to co-exist with the newcomers). Their oud tuning is DADGCF (they also have a more ancient 5-course tuning DADGC). Graham, who is one of the first Western artists to use Eastern/African idioms and thus considered one of the inventors of World Music, copped the tuning and adapted it for the guitar so that he could attempt to play It on his instrument. The modern 20th century version of Kabilie music is called Chaabi and, unlike the rest of Arabic music, it contains no microtones, so it lended itself quite easily to be reproduced more or less faithfully on guitar. As Graham came primarily from a Celtic music background, he started using the tuning on his renditions of Irish tunes as well and, in a destiny analogous to the employment of the Greek bouzouki, it was adopted enthusiastically by Irish musicians and lovers of Celtic music alike, with successful forays in Rock (Jimmy Page, etc.). But it comes originally from Kabilye/Chaabi music which is performed almost always in the key of D (or a D-tuning dropped down a semitone, which becomes C#, or a whole tone, which becomes C).
Giorgio Curcetti Thank you. Very interesting.
I thought it was invented by Daddy Gadman in 1812
Thank you. Valuable information. I have an Oud. I'm not sure if it is a decorative one as it's very quiet.
Giorgio Curcetti he didn't invent it.he told me he found it .it's been used by guitarists for a long time.davy made it famous .
lol
Great video awesome sounds I love the sounds created from that tuning 👍👍👍
I play in this tuning frequently and I’m always looking for new insights into it
Your quite the virtuoso! Awesome playing!
That simple scale is just amazing