Understanding DADGAD is a complete introduction to using the DADGAD tuning for fingerstyle acoustic guitar. The book systematically explores the tuning, starting with simple chords and scale patterns, ultimately showing how DADGAD can be used to play in nearly any key and in many different musical styles. Topics include moveable and open-string chords and scales, intervals, the harp-effect, common chord progressions in DADGAD and more, all in the context of either short musical examples or complete tunes.

Rather than just providing scales, chords, or tunes, this book guides the reader through the process of understanding the guitar from the perspective of DADGAD tuning. Topics are organized as a series of small self-contained sections ideal for a single study session or lesson. After exploring extremely easy ways to get started with DADGAD, involving as little as a single finger on the fretting hand, the book progresses to examples that will interest even more advanced players. 200 musical examples, including several full performance-quality pieces, demonstrate each concept. Includes access to online audio featuring the author playing many of the examples.

• A complete introduction to DADGAD tuning for fingerstyle acoustic guitar.
• Begins with simple chords and scale patterns and progresses to more complex musical examples in many different keys.
• Topics include moveable and open-string chords and scales, the harp-effect, intervals, common chord progressions in DADGAD and more.

INTRODUCTION

Tuning In DADGAD
How To Use This Book

GETTING STARTED

Three Easy Chords
Playing Simple Melodies
Improvising With Third String Melodies
Improvising In Other Keys
Improvisation Examples
Learning More Chords
Simple Scale Patterns
Minor Scale Patterns
Putting It All Together

LEVERAGING STANDARD TUNING

Using Standard Tuning Chord Shapes In DADGAD
Creating Chords By Shifting Strings
Moveable Chord Forms
Converting Scales From Standard To DADGAD
Creating Blues Scales In DADGAD
The CAGED System
CAGED In DADGAD
Putting It All Together

INTERVALS AND HARMONY

Introducing Intervals
Harmonizing With Thirds
Harmonized Thirds On The Fourth And Fifth Strings
Harmonized Thirds On The Third And Fourth Strings
Harmonized Thirds On Second And Third Strings
More Harmonized Thirds
Harmonizing With Sixths
Applying Sixths
Harmonizing With Tenths
Tenths As Skeletal Chords
Using Tenths With Open Strings
Unisons
Octaves
Octave Examples
Putting It All Together

TRICKS AND TECHNIQUES

Cross-String Patterns
Slurs And Cross-String Patterns
More Cross-String Picking Patterns
Parallel Harmony
Cheater Chords
Harmonics
Harmonic Patterns
Hammer-Ons And Pull-Offs
Percussive Techniques
Ten Things You Can�t Do In Standard Tuning
Putting It All Together

CHORD PROGRESSIONS

The Blues Progression
Blues Progression With Minimalist Chords
The II-V-I Progression
Moveable II-V-I Chord Patterns
Altered Chords
Rhythm Changes
Rhythm Changes Using Open String Chords

SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS

Movable Major Scales
Learning Scale Forms
Scale Patterns
Minor Scales
Movable Minor Scales
Minor Scale Patterns
Cross-String Scales
Minor Cross-String Scales
Cross-String Examples
Arpeggios
Cross-String Arpeggios

EXPLORING DIFFERENT KEYS

C Major
D Major
D Minor
F Major
G Major
G Minor
A Major
A Minor
B Flat Major