Dictionary: D Blues Scale

When you add a diminished 5th note to the D minor pentatonic scale (the A-flat note, in this case), you now have the D blues scale.  Try it over D.  Any D.  You may like the results.

Dictionary: D Minor Pentatonic Scale

The D minor pentatonic scale is convenient to use for improvising solos and composing melodies over a D minor chord progression, especially if you are unsure whether to use the Aeolian, Dorian, or Phrygian mode at any given moment.

The D minor pentatonic scale sounds especially bluesy over a D major chord progression.  If you want an even bluesier scale, stay tuned ...

Modes in D

For larger mode maps:
D Lydian
D Ionian
D Mixolydian
D Dorian
D Aeolian
D Phrygian
D Locrian

See also:
D Major Scale
D Minor Scale

Modes with 1 Flat

For larger mode maps:
F Ionian
G Dorian
A Phrygian
Bb Lydian
C Mixolydian
D Aeolian
E Locrian

See also:
F Major Scale
D Minor Scale

Dictionary: Dm Chord

If you're looking for a simpler guitar chord chart, check out this entry from July 2007.  Here is a non-standard, non-D?-F?-A? spelling of the Dm chord, which might work in the context of certain scales:

Dictionary: D Minor Scale

This scale is the relative minor of F major.  In the table below, you'll enter D harmonic minor territory with the chords to the right:

Dm	F	Edim	Faug
Gm	Bb	Bbm	Gdim
Am	C	A	C#dim

Four #Chords for #Guitar / and for #Keyboard (#Piano, etc.)

#Modes with Three Flats for the #Keyboard (#Piano) / D Minor #Chord in #AlternateTunings for the #Fretboard (#Guitar)

#Guitar #Chords in A Minor / Seven #Modes on the #Fretboard

A Minor #Pentatonic and Harmonic Minor #Scales / Four #Chords for #Keyboard

Backtrack 103l in D

This week's giveaway is a re-recording of Jam Session 103l, without your Jam Session hosts talking over the music. We've also added drums to the mix.



Like yesterday's Jam Session 103l, the guitar and bass are in Dropped-D tuning, and the chords of this Backtrack are Dm F5 A5:  Strum along, create melodies (and/or solo licks) over the chords, and learn more by playing more!

Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

Podcast subscribers: If these jam session notes look jumbled, please visit http://www.chorddujour.com and look up Backtrack 103l (that's an 'L') - Thanks!

Jam Session 103l with Dm F5 A5

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 103l:

• Like yesterday, we're in Dropped-D tuning for both guitar (D A D G B E) and bass (D A D G).
• We've added effects to the bass, to give it some heavy fuzz-like distortion.
• We actually used a distortion, followed by auto-wah/envelope filter (with the treble up) to approximate the fuzz.
• We played with the 6/8 fast-waltz mentality (one two three FOUR two three), but 12/8 slow-blues swing could also work in this case.
  

Here's the bass groove tabbed out in 6/8:

    Dm 

G |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |-5--5--5--8--5-------|-5--5--5--8--5------|-5--5--5--8--5-------|
D |----------------0----|----------------0---|----------------0----|

    F5       A5 

G |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |-3--3--3--7--7--7----|--------------------|---------------------|

12/8 (twelve eighth notes per measure) would also work:

Read more »

Dm7b5 (Guitar, Intermediate)

Dm7b5 is almost like Dm7, except for the diminished 5th:

D string: D (root)
G string: G# (diminished 5th)
B string: C (minor 7th)
E string: F (minor 3rd)

Lesson #19: Power Chords in D Minor (Guitar, Intermediate)

Compare today's power chords in D minor: D5 E5 F5 G5 A5 Bb5 C5
with yesterday's power chords in D major: D5 E5 F#5 G5 A5 B5 C#5

F Chord Progressions: IV and iv Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. F major
ii. Gm
iii. Am
IV. Bb major
V. C major
vi. Dm
vii(b5). Edim

Remember that the F major diatonic scale is as follows: F G A Bb C D E F

Remember that the relative minor of F major (the chord and the scale) is D minor.

The D natural minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C D (compare with F major).

The D harmonic minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C# D (note the singular difference between the natural and harmonic minor scales).

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to punctuate the IV chord with a iv chord, which makes things a bit Beatlesque (for lack of a better word). Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-IV-IV: F C Bb Bb

Let's replace the V chord with its relative minor, the iii chord.

I-iii-IV-IV: F Am Bb Bb

Let's try the III chord instead.

I-III-IV-IV: F A Bb Bb

Let's replace the second IV chord with a iv chord (which is a minor chord).

I-III-IV-iv: F A Bb Bbm

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the IV and iv chords.

IV. Bb major chord (Bb D F notes)

iv. Bb minor chord (Bb Db F notes)

Experiment with different chord progressions, and the best of luck to you in the songwriting process.

F Chord Progressions: iii and III Substitutions

Remember from last time:

I. F major
ii. Gm
iii. Am
IV. Bb major
V. C major
vi. Dm
vii(b5). Edim

The F major diatonic scale is as follows: F G A Bb C D E F

Therefore, the relative minor of F major (the chord and the scale) is D minor.

The D natural minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C D

The D harmonic minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C# D

Now we have those ground rules established, it might help in the songwriting process to substitute the mellow iii chord with a more confident III chord. Going back to the simple relative minor substitutions from last time, let's try the following progression:

I-V-I-V-IV-V-I (I-V): F C F C Bb C F (play F C quickly)

Let's replace some I and V chords with their relative minors, vi and iii respectively.

I-V-vi-iii-IV-V-I (vi-V): F C Dm Am Bb C F (Dm C)

Let's replace the iii chord with a III chord (that is a major chord).

I-V-vi-III-IV-V-I (vi-V): F C Dm A Bb C F (Dm C)

Anyway, to connect with the natural minor and harmonic minor scales mentioned above, let's look at the iii and III chords.

iii. A minor chord (A C E notes)

III. A major chord (A C# E notes)

Dm/maj7 (Guitar, Intermediate)

The D natural minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C D.

The D harmonic minor scale is as follows: D E F G A Bb C# D.

The D-minor major-7th chord shown above is built on the following notes:

D string: D (root note);
G string: A (perfect 5th);
B string: C# (major 7th);
High E string: F (minor 3rd).

Dm7 (Guitar, Beginner)

To play D-minor 7th:

1. Do not play the Low E string;
2. Do not play the A string;
3. Leave the D string open;
4. Fret the G string at the 2nd fret, with your middle finger;
5. Barre the B and High E strings at the 1st fret with your index finger;
6. Play the Dm7 chord from the D string to the High E string.

D Blues Horizontal (Guitar, Intermediate)

Scale: D blues

Notes: D F G G# A C

Hollow Circles: D notes

Orange Circles: D minor pentatonic, diagonal pattern

Gray Circles: D minor pentatonic

Blue Circles (Blue Note): G# notes

Example Chord Progression for Rhythm Guitar: Dm Bb F C

D Blues Diagonal (Guitar, Beginner)

Scale: D blues

Notes: D F G G# A C

Hollow Circles: D notes

Orange Circles: D minor pentatonic

Blue Circles (Blue Note): G# notes

Example Chord Progression for Rhythm Guitar: Dm C F