(Admin note: this is part 4 of a 5 part series on chords. To start at the beginning of the series, click here)
The 5 string banjo D chord
Next up in our series is the D chord. The D chord has quite a reputation and some controversy surrounding it. One thing is for sure: many beginning banjo students skip making the full-on, proper 4-finger D-form shape at the second fret when it comes time to go for a D chord and instead substitute a D7 chord. Why? Because for some, the D-form shape can be tough, whereas the usual D7 shape that is played at the first fret is done with just two fingers. You don’t get much easier than two fingers…unless you can find a one finger chord! But…good ol’ Banjo Paul says Nay Nay! We must not cheat ourselves by taking the low road! Let’s start making the full-on 4 finger D chord right off the bat. If it’s going to take awhile to work our left arm into making this shape, then it’s never too soon to get started. Plus…are you ready for this? You will need that shape to make all the other chords too! (Remember the chart of chords from part 1?)
Have you seen my lesson devoted to making the D-form D chord?
Some of you reading this article may wonder “what’s all the fuss about?” If you’ve not had much of a challenge making the D-form shape, then congratulations…this blog post isn’t for you. The rest of us have a bit of an issue with that chord shape. I think the main crux of the issue is trying to get our ring fingers to stretch all the way over to 4th string, 4th fret. Not a natural reach and one we have to condition our arms for.
Click me! Click me!
I make this next point very emphatically and whole-heartedly: it is not acceptable to just stick a two finger, D7 chord in place of the D chord. Those are different chords. I’ve had established pickers take issue with me on that statement, but all I can say is “talk to the hand!” because I am right on this. The only reason your instructional book taught you D7 first is because the D-form shape is hard. The book authors know that. Now, if you are taking artistic license and capitalizing on the fact that in music theory, the D7 chord is an acceptable substitute for the D chord, well that’s one thing. Playing D7 as a stylistic choice is fine and dandy. Substituting D7 for the D-form shape because you can’t make the D-form shaped D chord is not acceptable and you are cheating yourself. You owe it to yourself to begin developing the ability to make the D-form shape as early as possible. When the song calls for D, don’t just stick in D7.
No need to reinvent the wheel and repeat what I’ve already pontificated on at length. I have an entire lesson on the D-form shaped D chord over at my main website. If you are at the beginning of your banjo journey, you may get some value out of reading it. Here’s the link to the lesson over on my main website (clicking this link should open a new window; when you are done, just close that window and this blog article should still be open) Once you click this link, look for the third lesson on the page: Lesson on the D chord.
Without further a-do, the star of our show!
Here for your edification and amusement are the 5 useable examples of the D chord on the neck. There’s that word again! It’s an important one though. Remember, experienced pickers, I acknowledge that you can sometimes get six, and on rare occasions, seven instances of a chord on the banjo neck (*Gasp! Shriek! It can’t be true!*) but those instances way up the neck aren’t typically very useable by the novice picker. So…again, here are the useable D chords on the banjo neck:
The D chords. (click for larger view)
How fast can you make these chords?
Make the lowest example of the D chord, down by the second fret, then give it a strum. Next, zip up to the next example of the D chord, give it a strum, then head for the next example, etc. How fast can you make a chord, strum it, then move to the next one, covering all 5 examples? Believe it or not, I can do this in about 4 seconds…sometimes 3 seconds if I’m really feeling froggy. Now, that’s not me being bragadocious; it’s just a testament to the fact that I have my chords down cold! 27+ years of picking will help accomplish that for sure.
Any thoughts? Questions? Comments?
You probably know the drill by now. This is where I beg for…err…request comments from you. Do you have any chord struggles? Do you have tips that a beginner can use? Have you struggled with any aspects of chords? How about other aspects of picking? Please consider leaving some thoughts in the box below. If you do leave comments, don’t forget to click the “subscribe to comments” option so that you can be notified when someone else leaves a follow up comment. And, you may also sign up to receive an email notification each time a new blog post is added to My Banjo Life.
Thanks so much. I always appreciate you visiting my blog and my website, and as I always say: pick ‘em if ya got ‘em!
Banjo Paul
“Wunse, I coodn’t even spel bango pikker…now I are one!”
www.banjosrule.com (main site)
www.mybanjolife.com (blog)
Click here: Ultimate Metronome
Cudos!! Neat-o!!!
But seriously…this is a really useful Chord Position (sometimes called the 2nd Position). Not ony does it make a “Full Major D-Chord”, but it is used to make all the other Major Chords, too. Stick with it. It will become comfortable and entirely natural.
Having said that, I’m going to put a little scare into you. I have known folks who have spent years and years and years with a banjo, but still can’t make their Chords, either quickly or properly. You may well wonder how such a thing can be. Well, near as I can tell, it’s all in how they practice. I’ve got a couple secrets about the best way to practice. Want to know what they are? Well, OK…if you insist.
First, never put your banjo in the case. Never..ever..unless you’re traveling with it, do you want to put your banjo in the case. I don’t care if enough dust settles on it to give it a fuzzy appearance from a few feet away, never put it in the case.
Why? Because of convenience, that’s why. How many times have you had five or ten minutes before having to get up and run off to do whatever? Have you ever thought of using those few minutes for a little banjo practice? Sure you have! Problem is, by the time you get the banjo out of the closet, or out from under the bed, get it out of the case, fumble around for your picks and go through the tuning, all you have time left to do is to put it back in it’s case and put it away. You’ve just spent five or ten minutes practicing “banjo case”.
Now, if that banjo had been left out where you could’ve just grabbed it up, think of how much time would add up in a month of little five and ten minute sessions, now and then.
And, really, these can be some of your best sessions! You’ve not set any particular goal for yourself. You’re not expecting to delve into any intense concentration on any one thing in particular. You’re mind is relaxed and your muscles are at ease. You may be surprised at how, at so many times like these, you’ll be doing so well…and not really expecting to…that you wish you could just “blow off” whatever it is that you have to do and just keep on picking.
But, I can hear you saying, “Jesse, you just don’t know how much of a dangerous place my house is!” I’m sure it is. None the less, there has to be someplace you can stash a banjo. One of my pals kept his under the couch. Another kept his behind the couch. Another bought a special hanger and kept his hung up on the wall. I even knew one guy who kept his in his gun cabinet. What ever you have to do, keep that banjo out of the case and handy, just in case. (Sorry ’bout that.)
My other secret? Practice while you watch TV. You don’t need your picks. Just touch the strings, lightly. You’ll be training your hands and fingers. You’ll be teaching them “reach” and “feel”. They’ll be learning how high they have to “step” to get from one string to the other and how firmly they have to react to those strings. You’ll be building accuracy and strength. Professionals call it, “familiarizing yourself with your instrument” and there’s no better way to do it.
Here again, you’re not concentrating intently on accomplishing any one thing in particuliar. You’re relaxed. You’re entertained. In short, you’re “in the zone”. If your mind is free, then you’ll be surprised how freely your thoughts and actions will flow. Plus, there’s no better way to tune out those annoying commercials than with a little banjo interlude. You’re going to want to. Oh yes, you’re going to want to.
It’s practice time. What have you got to lose.
These are fantastic tips. I’ve often passed along the advice to leave your banjo out of the case, as well as to play during television time. Any time spent with banjo in hand is invaluable.