{"id":146307,"date":"2024-12-18T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/?p=146307"},"modified":"2024-12-16T10:33:13","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T18:33:13","slug":"explore-open-d-tuning-with-mary-flowers-colorful-arrangement-of-dinks-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/explore-open-d-tuning-with-mary-flowers-colorful-arrangement-of-dinks-song\/","title":{"rendered":"Explore Open-D Tuning with Mary Flower\u2019s Colorful Arrangement of \u201cDink\u2019s Song\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Mary Flower Teaches Colorful Accompaniment in Open-D Tuning, Plus \u201cDink&#039;s Song&quot;\" width=\"1290\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gzVvXZe2Ink?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I credit Joni Mitchell for inspiring me to leave college and pursue a career in music. During those years, I figured out her song \u201cI Had a King\u201d in open-G tuning, which quickly became a mainstay of my repertoire. Mitchell\u2019s songs were stunningly original, and I discovered how hard it was to sound bad in open tunings\u2014whether playing the blues or creating instrumentals. It was all about using my ear to find the treble melodies and letting the open bass strings ring. The process felt like solving a puzzle, with results that almost always worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That same sense of discovery comes to me when arranging in open D. \u201cDink\u2019s Song,\u201d a classic American folk tune recorded by artists like Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, and Mitchell, is a perfect candidate for this tuning. With its simple, movable chord shapes\u2014many requiring just two fingers\u2014open D adds a shimmering quality to the song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Dink&#039;s Song\" width=\"1290\" height=\"968\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SSOtM4OdmgM?list=OLAK5uy_nnAYpV4bEqJzzZx1q2K1HQHbgqwREU1o4\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDink\u2019s Song\u201d dates back to 1909, when ethnomusicologist John Lomax recorded a woman named Dink singing it in Texas. It\u2019s a timeless story of a woman abandoned by her lover, first published in John and Alan Lomax\u2019s <em><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3OVZ3b1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">American Ballads and Folk Songs<\/a><\/em>. I recorded a version of it on my 2003 album, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/49N9irO\">Ragtime Gal<\/a><\/em>, and in this lesson, I\u2019ll walk you through the process I used to arrange it. These techniques can be applied to many of your favorite folk tunes, opening up a world of creative possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Tuning and Basic Progression<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re unfamiliar with open D, here\u2019s how to get into it from standard tuning: Lower your sixth string a whole step to D, then do the same with your first and second strings, tuning them to D and A, respectively. Finally, lower your third string a half step, from G to F#. Now your open strings (low to high: D A D F# A D) form a D chord, offering a rich, open sound ideal for folk arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no real melody written into this arrangement but instead a waterfall of movement throughout the song as accompaniment to the vocal. The picking hand plays basic arpeggios, as opposed to any common pattern, often with a pinch (thumb and index finger) on the fretted strings. <strong>Example 1<\/strong> shows the chord shapes that make up the accompaniment of the first two vocal lines. It\u2019s good to practice these in the order shown so the fretting hand becomes used to the descending chords.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you are familiar with the shapes, try <strong>Example 2<\/strong>, which shows the arpeggiated picking of that progression. Note how the fourth-fret pinch on beat 2 not only adds descending bass movement but adds harmonic color through the major seventh (C#). This is followed by the V chord, G, with the addition of the ninth (A). The progression ends on the V chord (A), played as a dominant seventh without the third. With this figure, you have most any three-chord folk song at your fingertips in open-D tuning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Adding Contrast<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To make the arrangement more dynamic and interesting, I added parts that contrast with the main arpeggiated progression. <strong>Example 3 <\/strong>shows what I play in the intro and between verses\u2014a series of descending sixths on strings 1 and 3. These dyads require a different fingering than you would use in standard tuning; fret string 3 with the first finger and string 1 with the third finger. It might take some time to get used to this figure and fingering, but it\u2019s worth the effort for the poignant sound the interval imparts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The line on the bottom three strings that starts on beat 3 of the first measure of Ex. 3 is derived from the D major pentatonic scale (D E F# A B), with the addition of a blue note (F). I use my second finger to play each hammer-on and my third finger for the slide from the third to the fourth fret, making sure it sounds as smooth as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of each verse, I play a variation on this figure. As shown in <strong>Example 4<\/strong>, instead of sixths on strings 1 and 3, I opt for thirds in a lower register, on strings 3 and 4, followed by a shortened variation of the line on the bottom strings. Note how on beat 3 of the first bar, I slide into the thirds from a half step below, which lends a bluesy quality, then down two frets. It might take a bit of practice to get this double slide to sound clean, but again it\u2019s worth it, as these are ornaments you can add elsewhere.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Putting It All Together<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example 5 <\/strong>depicts a verse of the song as it appears on the recording. Notice how in measures 11 and 12, the two-finger chords descend, each one followed by the open first string. This, for me, is a highlight of the arrangement; I love the smooth movement and the textural contrast between the fretted notes and open strings. Keep in mind as you play this tune and listen to the recording that I might improvise here and there. This is not a conscious effort, but rather the way it played out that day in the studio. With as many verses as this song has, it\u2019s good to have a little variation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you are in open-D tuning, I encourage you to explore it and notice how the chord colors become more enticing, the fingerings easier, and song arrangements become your own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lose yourself in the sounds, follow your ear, and enjoy the newfound freedom of open tunings! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"756\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-1.png?resize=756%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-146311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-1.png?resize=756%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 756w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-1.png?resize=369%2C500&amp;ssl=1 369w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-1.png?resize=768%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-1.png?resize=222%2C300&amp;ssl=1 222w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-1.png?w=1084&amp;ssl=1 1084w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 756px) 100vw, 756px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"838\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-2.png?resize=838%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-146312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-2.png?resize=838%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 838w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-2.png?resize=409%2C500&amp;ssl=1 409w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-2.png?resize=768%2C938&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-2.png?resize=246%2C300&amp;ssl=1 246w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AG350-DINKS-SONG-NOTATION-2.png?w=1083&amp;ssl=1 1083w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/store.acousticguitar.com\/products\/no-350-january-february-2025\" name=\"magazine\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 150px; height: 198px; margin: 0px 20px 10px 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/001_350_Cover-150px.jpg?w=1290&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Acoustic Guitar magazine cover for issue 350\"><\/a>\n<p style=\"font-family: sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">This article originally appeared in the <a href=\"https:\/\/store.acousticguitar.com\/products\/no-350-january-february-2025\">January\/February 2025<\/a> issue of <em>Acoustic Guitar<\/em> magazine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With its simple, movable chord shapes\u2014many requiring just two fingers\u2014open-D tuning adds a shimmering quality to this traditional song.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":146309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"With its simple, movable chord shapes\u2014many requiring just two fingers\u2014open-D tuning adds a shimmering quality to this traditional song.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1665,1151],"tags":[1961],"ppma_author":[1413],"class_list":["post-146307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alternate-tunings","category-instrumentals","tag-january-february-2025"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Mary-For-AG-Oct-28.m4v.00_07_45_14.Still001.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1","authors":[{"term_id":1413,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"mary-flower-contributor","display_name":"Mary Flower","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/working_NP_0106-2-crop-darker-copy.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/working_NP_0106-2-crop-darker-copy.jpg"},"user_url":"http:\/\/maryflower.com\/","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":"Award-winning guitarist Mary Flower hosts the Blues in the Gorge guitar camp and has recorded numerous CDs and instructional DVDs."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146307","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146307"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146307\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":146727,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146307\/revisions\/146727"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146307"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=146307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}