DADGAD - a rough guide

An instructional video for guitar showing the tuning, basic chords and use of D suspended 4 (Dsus4) tuning - known as DADGAD tuning. The video features short interludes from "She Moved Thro' The Fair" and "The Lakes Of Pontchartrain".
PDF files for the DADGAD tuning & chords, and for the music, tabs and words to "The Lakes Of Pontchartrain" are available from my website at:
www.willflyguitar.com

[@HansYork]

Hello Will, thanks for posting this, I really appreciate it. Playing in DADGAD now for more than 10 years and never tuned back:) Sending you my best wishes from Dallas, TX

[@awsomeal100]

Pleasent and informative.'She moved thro' the fair' a massive influencial song,the roots of so many love songs grabbed by so many over the years.DADGAD,timeless
and beautiful.

[@fredgriman]

that's soooo beautiful...some ancient nostalgia came upon my heart, and it made me cry, thanx a lot Will. Cheers from Brasil!

[@rexmundi1570]

Great simple guide to DADGAD chords with helpful diagrams.

[@buckskinfringes79]

That was a very informative lesson! Please do more like this. Thank you.

[@lughlongarm76]

You have such an awesome voice! I don't mean only your singing voice; your speaking voice is just very pleasant to hear. Thanks for the lesson!

[@andreadilemna]

My first song in DAGDAD style. Many many thanks for your lessons. Very good teacher.
Good and clear website.
Hugs from Italy. Andrea

[@oscarashes7236]

Thank you Mr. Fly, very helpful video, nicely done and well explained. I'm a newbie with DADGAD tunning and this really helped me a lot.

[@teddyoneills]

Thank you for taking the time to show this. very helpful!!

[@elemileTLDR]

You've just showed me the light.
Thank you.

[@dukeonmaui]

Just lovely...thank you. Love your singing. Wistful

[@Chantellyssa]

FINALLY. Someone who can help me. Your videos are straight-forward and easy to understand. Love the fact that you show the chord pictures too. This newbie needs them :)

[@corneilledriezen]

I love your songs, mate ! Very inspiring and sang with passion ! Thanks ! Corneille from belgium

[@JohnnyCyberspace]

I'm impressed. Love the sound of DADGAD tuning. Everything sounds so augmented. I play 12 string mostly and want to start doing DADGAD tunings with it.

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Thanks - years of gigging have changed my voice from a squeak to a growl! :-)

[@banacek60chord43]

Another mystery unlocked! Thank you so much.

[@MetamorphicJourneys]

Thank you for this, what a great and very clear lesson!

[@1carp]

Lovely, as always. Thanks Will.

[@VODKASOLO]

YOU ARE A GREAT GUY, A VERY GOOD TEACHER AND AS YOU SHARE WHAT YOU KNOW FOR FREE YOU DESERVE TO BE CALLED WISE.
"DAD GAD" BLESS YOU !!!!

[@aguco100]

Thank you very much for this fantastic guitar lesson

[@DaveHeagle]

Thanks for offering your knowledge and your website resources for FREE!

[@UnlocktheguitarNet]

Great tutorial, well explained!

[@armfm90]

youre the best man, make me want to play again my guitar right now! love your voice and your guitar skills. thanks to introduce me in the DADGAD world. saludos desde Perú!

[@gavmunrosongwriter5102]

Great video! Thanks for sharing your great skills

[@herculeslite]

Outstanding once again! Thank you very much indeed. Best wishes.

[@ryanbooth9292]

Thank you very much for the video! It's really helping me get started with acoustic :D

[@juliakmars]

This is great! Thank you for this great video.
Cheers!

[@martinaxman2033]

This was an eye opener. The last few seconds clicked as some Leo Kottke tunes I've heard. Unlocks that mystery! You've got me bud. Not one for traditional old tunes, "Ponchartrain" definitely got me. What a beautiful tune! I messed with it in standard tuning and it sounded nice, I'll get the guts to try it in DADGAD and I bet it sounds a whole lot better. Thanks for sharing this wealth of knowledge!

[@matthewroderick8540]

This has been very helpful, thank you.

[@cheapsurrealist]

Thank you very much for your videos and pdfs. They are of great value to me.

[@WillFlyGuitar]

+cheapsurrealist My pleasure. :-)

[@thundersatellite]

Thanks for sharing your skill and knowledge!

[@totty1963]

Very nice Will - thank you!

[@edpickford3148]

Enjoyed that - good teacher - even for an oldie like me!

[@tony59able]

Top Bloke Will. Many thanks for this gem of a video. Will certainly give this a go. Your good health!

[@anapofasistos123]

Congratulations, amazing guitar tone.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

Superb lesson, simply superb. Thank you

[@Adrilindozao]

Amazing job!

[@nickyG7515]

BEAUTIFUL AND SIMPLE ALTERNATE TUNING, GREAT FOR COMPOSING

[@WillFlyGuitar]

True - gives a different perspective. :-)

[@alexandermorison]

Very blimmin lovely and thank you so much. Beautiful.

[@MojoStrummer]

thank you for this, ive always loved the DADGAD tuning, but i never knew how to use it in my writing.

[@Harmonic53]

Nicely played!

[@woodstoney]

Nice explanation and Basic 101 on DADGAD!

[@schlaackmusic]

Thank you very much! This was very helpful!

[@guitartech_crew]

Yeah! it's very easy and very beautiful music! re-tune my Martin in DADGAD and playing tonight! THANK YOU, MAN!

[@Testacabeza]

Thanks again Will.
Muchas gracias!

[@inventaunmanana4860]

This is the neighbour I'd love to have!! You have a new fan, Sir! Thanks from Tandil, ARGENTINA!

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Thankyou sir. :-)

[@Azulnote]

Charming and educational

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Glad you found it useful. I also do "Pontchartrain in standard tuning (in C) - nice bass run down starting on the bass C... :-)

[@stefanremus8336]

Thanks a lot mate ;-) Keep on rocking

[@soloBeppe]

man, you are the Bob Ross of Music, your voice is so chill

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Glad to be of sound service! :-)

[@skateborg]

Thanks for this Will. Cheers!

[@WillFlyGuitar]

My pleasure!:-)

[@mSw736]

Very good start for DADGAD. Well done
mSw

[@hellwroughtangel]

What a warm sound. :)

[@CelticBearWoman]

so clear! Thanks

[@klasse645]

Thanks! Very helpful

[@Geotubest]

Thanks. Nicely done.

[@merryhunt9153]

Thanks, Will. This is a fine video.

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Glad you liked it. :-)

[@Pwecko]

Eek! I'll have to learn all those chord shapes anew. It's taken me thirty years to learn a reasonable number in standard tuning.
Actually, this is great. It makes you think of the structure of chords and the sounds associated with adding or subtracting parts of them (e.g. taking away the third and adding the second and fourth).
Your guitar sounds very nice, by the way. Lovely tone.
Thanks for your hard work.

[@morganowen875]

nice one
Cheers for that Will

[@a3wishine]

Thank you so much !

[@Sweetmelody2011]

Thanks, Ronnie.

[@namaste91]

Can follow that,very good made instructinal video.
Thank you,Sir.

[@kentcompton2168]

best dadgad video out there! Thanks!

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Glad you liked it! :-)

[@notpopebuthope]

THANKS for showing !! Good introduction !! Best wishes and greetings from Austria !! SALUT !!

[@WillFlyGuitar]

+notpopebuthope Thanks - and best wishes to you from the UK. :-)

[@ynyslochtyn]

Very informative - excellent

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Thanks for the kind comments. I must admit that I got the guitar sound in this video just right. The secret is not to get the mic too close to the bass end and/or the soundhole - which I've done too often in the past - and probably will again! :-)

[@usmclongrangebrainsurgeon]

Awesome tutorial. Can you do a video on how she moves through the fair? Im irish and that one hits home, especially since i am starting out on the guitar

[@niokkota]

An useful lesson !

[@morganowen875]

Good lesson Wil ,,,,, thanks for that

[@kateconway-hickman5945]

Thank you!

[@avaron100]

Beautiful, sounds very much like a sitar

[@idfkhaha6234]

will Will Fly fly?
Yes, Will Fly will fly.

[@gageblakely6860]

Lol

[@hifijohn]

when he dies he will be known as 'have flown'!!!!

[@WillFlyGuitar]

LOL!

[@Mohrlaen]

Will Fly will fly for his will is to catch a fly.

[@BlazertronGames]

Will Smith will smith.

[@donotpanic2011]

Thank you very much

[@verandi3882]

Will fly looks as if he is a member of the Dubliners, thank you for the lesson .

[@WillFlyGuitar]

My pleasure.:-)

[@jaworcyk]

In Poland, tuning is rather hardly known. Personally, I love it. It gives a very powerful sound. Wonderful island music of artists such as Bert Jansch, Anne Briggs, Sandy Denny and others.

[@juliamckechnie4094]

great tutoring.

[@WillFlyGuitar]

I haven't experienced with neck tension myself - but then I've rarely had a guitar in DADGAD for any length of time! When I use it, I've lowered the strings for a tune, then retuned to normal tuning immediately. If I was doing a longer repertoire with DADGAD tuning, I'd probably dedicate a guitar to it - and then make sure there were no neck tension problems. :-)

[@bodhran4075]

nice one very important video for the chords.

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Thanks. :-)

[@morganzh]

thank you!

[@matteopanzironi4347]

Improvvisazione in DADGAD - Chitarra Liuteria Saverio Palombo ( Saviguitar )
Thank you!
This is my impro!

[@suvetar]

I have now been seriously re-inspired to play my acoustic guitar, thank you.
Also; I now know how I want my beard to look!

[@joaquinfernandezdominguez2635]

MUCHAS GRACIAS AMIGO!!!

[@WillFlyGuitar]

@donotpanic2011 Well, it's a possibility - and DADGAD tuning does lower the strings in a similar way that some 12-strings are tuned. Certainly worth an experiment. :-)

[@klauswhitedreamer]

thank you, sir !... a very useful video lesson, subscribed !... :) cheers fro Transylvania !... Claudiu - Aeternum

[@Seringueiras2024]

Perfect

[@WillFlyGuitar]

@sahilcc7 This video was made with a Larrivée OM model - which I don't have now. :-)

[@tomcaz2632]

thanks man you are really cool

[@Northyorkspaul]

very good

[@JohnnyCyberspace]

I believe Jimmy Page is playing in DADGAD on the 1st LP Led Zeppelin did. One of the songs I'm almost sure it was called Black Mountain Side.

[@Sparta2310]

i am pretty sure Jimmy played D.A.D.G.A.D. on "Kashmir" as well! And thank you Will Fly for a great video. I always loved wee Christy Moore singing "The lakes of Ponchratrain"

[@jakewaldman6243]

BMS is dadgad down a half step

[@scottwilson1545]

Great teacher

[@WillFlyGuitar]

Cheers SCOTT

[@fretkillrfan]

Thank you for the fine lesson. If you ever find yourself in Chicago, I owe you a couple of pints.
Cheers in 2010 & beyond!

[@Foggyforeigntown]

really really useful !!!!!!!!!!

[@WillFlyGuitar]

@trevorobryant LOL! The gas boiler flue is just below my window and the hot air blows light things such as seeds, etc. past the window. The sun catches them and throws a tiny, fleeting shadow into the room - spirit orbs for free...! :-)

[@Getsuneko999]

Oooh, I absolutely adore She Moved Through the Fair, and the version you played is so nice! Would you please post the tabs? Thank you

[@WillFlyGuitar]

And cheers to you too! :-)

[@samueljames4216]

Thank you ")

[@Louisiana1975]

Wow, is that a Larrivee? I have the exact one! Awesome guitar!

[@WillFlyGuitar]

I sold it to pay for my Chisholm No. 18 - which is a wonderful guitar - but I do wish I'd kept all the guitars I've ever owned! :-)

[@tony59able]

Thanks for this Will. Are there any problems with lowering the tension on the neck. I love your version of Ponchatrain which I tend to play and sing using open chords. Would love to give your version a go.

[@MojoStrummer]

@suvetar look up the song Hope by rush. its in DADGAD on a twelve string. the openness of DADGAD as i sis really compliments a twelve string.