Re: Alternating Bass On D Chord

On 5 Nov, 20:00, "Tony Done" <tonyd...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Mr. Green" <cl...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:24384cd6-0bc7-481b-bf9c-97b717884de1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'm working out a fingerstyle version of Mellow Yellow. I'm playing it
in G major cause it's easy to finger the melody notes in that key.
Chords are just G, C and D, at least that's all I'm using ;-)

As with most tunes that use a D chord, I can't decide what bass notes
to use under the D chord. A lot of beginners books etc. say to use F#,
D, F#, D but I've never really been happy with using the third (F#) as
the first bass note in this sort of alternating pattern. I could
detune the bottom E to D but this messes up the bass on the G chord.
Another option is to alternate D on the 4th string with A on the 5th
string. I suppose I could even go A, D, A, D instead of D, A etc.

What alternating bass notes would you use under a D chord?

Green

I generally use A/D, but it depends a bit on the song. For example in
"Banks of the Ohio" in D, that version is good because I drop to the low G
on the chord change, and it adds dramatic emphasis. For "Stagolee" (Rory
Block version) dropped D works well because you don't need the low G on the
G chord. If playing in A, I might use the F#/D version, as in the Carter
Family song "Hello Stranger".

--
Tony D

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=784456http://www.flickr.com/photos/done_family/

I suppose the thing with open D chord is that the lowest D note is
always gonna be higher than the available third or fifth. I just like
the root note to be the lowest of the two bass notes.

I play a fingerstyle version of Off To California which uses dropped
D, that works well. I don't mine dropped D but, I avoid other non-
standard tunings. It took me years to get my fingerboard knowledge up
to a pretty decent level so I want to be able to use that knowledge.
For me special tunings are like starting again, I barely have enough
playing time for standard tuning. Dropped D is definately useful
though.

Did you mean you use A, D, A, D as a base line under D chords?

Green
.

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