The chord patterns listed below may be used for backing nearly any tune using DADGAD guitar tuning once the key of the tune is established and the capo placed at the proper fret.
Please note that these are not "fully formed" chords in the standard sense. My style of playing uses partial chords against drone strings in the either the root key or related II or IV suspensions.
Use the following suggested capo positions based on the root tonality (major <or> minor) of the tune:
D - None
E - 2nd Fret
G - 5th Fret
A - 7th Fret
Basic Progression for Modal Tunes:
Major: I Major -> IV Major -> V Major
or I Major -> II Minor -> IV Major -> V Major
Dorian: I Minor -> VII Major -> VI Major
Mixolydian: I Major -> VII Major -> V Major
Click here to download the .PDF chord charts with the patterns.
The patterns are written out relative to the position of the capo on the fretboard.
The numbers in the small circles represent the finger to use to fret the note.
These tunes can be used with a .ABC player like ABCMus to practice backing each mode.
With DADGAD, in general, the chords have the bottom string and one or more higher strings ringing out the root tonality of the tune. This provides a drone much like those on the Uilleann pipes.
Lets take a look at some of the chord shapes I use, for example for D Major backup:
D Major -
Fretted: 050200
Notes: DDDAAD
So that's a power D chord with no third. How handy, can use that for both major and minor, sound great.
For the G chord (IV):
Fretted: 550000
Notes: GDDGAD
So that's a G chord with no third and a high A (giving a 9th suspension that sounds great). Lots of D strings reinforcing the D tonal root of the tune. You can also fret the A string at 2 if you want a full G chord, but I like the sound of the A in the chord, reinforces the D drones.
For the A chord (V):
Fretted: 777000
Notes: AEAGAD
Wow, all kinds of stuff going on here. Its an A chord, again, no third, with a G giving a 7th sound and the high D drone keeping some continuity of the tonal center on D. If you want a full A chord, you can fret the G string at 6, giving a C#, but that tends to be dissonant against the high D, so I leave it out.
If you write out the rest of the shapes, you'll see that have similar attributes. They tend to leave out the third, and generally have either 7 or 9s added for color and coolness. I'll also often walk chord scales on the bottom two strings between the I, IV, and V.
Of course, with the capo, you can put these same sounds in any key. Notice the nearly complete lack of thirds in the chords and the droning strings reinforcing the tonal center of the tune.
Here's the same thing for the Dorian pattern:
D minor :
Fretted: 050200
Notes: DDDAAD
Looks familiar, no?
C major:
Fretted: 035500
Notes: DCGCAD
That's a C chord, no third, droning against an open 5th D chord.
B-flat major:
Fretted: 01 33 00
Notes: DBbFBbAD
or
Fretted: 8 88 700
Notes: BbFBbDAD
Both are Bb major chords sounding against a droning D power chord with no third. How convenient that the D is also the third of the Bb chord.
Again, notice that there is always a D drone throughout all the patterns, reinforcing the pedal tone of the tunes.
One could do the same thing with standard tuning with more complicated chord shapes and fingerings, but DADGAD make this really easy and sounds very appropriate for modal scale based Irish music.
Hope that makes things a bit more clear...
To improve the intonation when capo'd up the neck, when using DADGAD, I prefer to use light gauge strings on the standard tuned strings:
- A D G - -
and medium gauge strings on the dropped strings:
D - - - A D
For capos, I like the Kyser 12-string clip style, just a bit larger than the standard Kyser, easier to grip and a bit longer for the wide neck on my Martin 000-28H. I can easily clip the Kyser on the headstock when I don't need it. The Shubb and Victor capos are great if you know you won't be changing keys. They both seem to not pull the strings out of tune quite so easily as the Kyser, but can't easily clip on the headstock when you don't need the capo.
Some caveats on capo use: (Thank you Peter Damashek for this suggestion)
Often times tunes change root tonality between sections, making the capo less useful. For example, many times an E Dorian tune will move into D Major or G Major in the second section, which can be very difficult to play if the capo is on the 2nd fret. In these cases, it is best to do without the capo and learn some useable chords in the un-capo'd configuration. Check Han Speek's DADGAD site listed below for a full DADGAD chord chart.
This re-emphasizes the need for backup players to also know the tunes they are backing, to anticipate the tonality of the sections and do the right thing.
Downloadable chord charts and an excellent discussion of chord scale theory.
Han also has an excellent Irish Bouzouki page.
Chris Smith's "Celtic Backup for All Instrumentalists"
I think the best book out there on backup chord theory . Includes a CD and effective exercises for practicing backup.
Fingerstyle DADGAD Page (French)
Many fingerstyle arrangements in .PDF and MIDI format for download.
From Olivier Longuet on 29 January 2003
Subject: Cool Tricks
Here's a cheap trick for minor and major chords that you may want to add. Say you're in A. A handy A major chord would be, 7xx677 and the minor chord would be 7xx577. Handy especially when you're stuck, you can always revert to these positions. In A you can even let the A open string ring. If you slide into the minor chord : 6xx466 -> 7xx577 you get that cool John Doyle sound :). There's also xx7577 and xx7677 when you feel you don't need the tonal bass.
From Peter Damashek on 30 January 2003
Subject: DADGAD Playing Styles
There's the John Doyle style of whacka whacka whacka whacka backup. A real steady chord-oriented approach. John's right hand rhythms are so light and flexible---there's so much rhythmic interest, even just on droned muted 12th fret chords. Movement to the climax chord (usually a V chord) is often delayed just a bit to create some tension and resolution. Rhythms are literally snappy--he uses a light pick with a heavy bass 6th string. Lots of droning. The effect is jazzy. Also, he moves around so smoothly between chords and their inversions that there's interest here. John's jig rhythm is dazzling---steady down, down, up. John hardly ever uses a capo.
Then there's the way Junji Shirota plays--- a lot of bass line movement, a lot of midrange (not bass) scales under the melody. Some high string chording, such as D on the 7th fret 1st and 3rd string all the way up to 14th fret stuff. Unbelievable dexterity with the Kaiser capo (the larger one, made for 12 string guitars). H'll play the first chord of Jenny's Chickens using his capo on the 4th fret for an F# and then slide it up to the 9th fret to put the tune in Bm. Lots of "traverse pick" style of following chords around to lighten up the guitar and make it feel more like a bouzouki. No wonder so many of the best Irish players enjoy his backup. He's unobtrusively right there. Very zen..
It's worth mentioning Dennis Cahill. Although he doesn't play DADGAD, he's a lot like Junji Shirota in that he plays lots of arpeggios, not as many scales, but Dennis follows the melody like a hawk, dabbing at the melody like a painter at his canvas. He'll accent the melody on the first beat with a bass note and then echo melody with an arpeggio. Then he'll gently push the melody by hitting a bass note on the last part of the 4th beat. He also uses a traverse picking style like Junji's. Very light. At times he'll weigh the melody with just a note or two and play sparsely.
Another great player is Zan McLeod. He can play full jazz improvisatory guitar in DADGAD. Probably no one knows the guitar neck as well as Zan. Listen to the Ring Sessions with James Kelly to hear the wide range of his talent.
There are players who sound like sneezers. A choo, achoo, achoochoo. Everything's offbeat, as if that's going to lift the melody. Well, it doesn't.
Then there's Frankenstein. Like in the scene where the villagers are seeking out the monster with their torches, there are players who hit chords like giant pipe organs. G, G, G, G, A, A, A, A, D, D, D, D...you get the idea. Unfortunately, it's easy to play this way for beginners, so the best advice I can give you here is to listen to Junji Shirota, Arty McGlynn, John Doyle, Dennis Cahill, and Zan McLeod. Listen carefully to all these artists' recordings immediately, buy their instruction videos, and try to imitate their styles. Relax and remember, it's only backup.
If you have a DADGAD backup tip you'd like added to the site, or just want to say hello, please send me an email!