Two-finger acoustic blues in Drop-D Tuning

Lesson #163 • Jul 24, 2018

Video Overview

Instructional PDF 3 pages

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF! It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

Thanks for being a Premium member of Song Notes! Your support makes these lessons possible.

Download PDF

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF!

It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

To download the PDF, upgrade to premium or log in.

Editor’s notes

In this lesson I’ll show you a warm-up exercise built around simple blues riffs in drop-D tuning. This uses only 2 strings – and is easier to play than its standard tuning counterpart. If your guitar is regularly in drop-d, this is a great little exercise to pick up and play to get the blood flowing.

Simple blues riff

After tuning your thickest string down from an E to D, start with these foundational riffs. Accent the 1st and 3rd counts in each 4-count sequence.

E –––––––––––––––    –––––––––––––––     –––––––––––––––      
B –––––––––––––––    –––––––––––––––     –––––––––––––––      
G –––––––––––––––    –––––––––––––––     –––––––––––––––      
D –––––––––––––––    –––––––––––––––     –––––––––––––––      
A ––0–––0–2–––2––    ––5–––5–7–––7––     ––7–––7–9–––9––   
D ––0–––0–0–––0––    ––5–––5–5–––5––     ––7–––7–7–––7––      
    D                  G                   A                

And for each chord below, play the corresponding riff one time. E.g., begin by playing the D sequence four times in a row, then move to the G sequence four times in a row (etc).

D  D  D  D     G  G  G  G     A  A  G  G     D  D  A  A

Here’s the same sequence, written out as a full tab. Make sure you count with a consistent rhythm! e.g., “One-and-a, two-and-a, three-and-a, four-and-a” and so on… the idea being 3 sub-beats per each quarter note.

E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
G ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
D ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
A ||–0–––0–2–––2–0–––0–2–––2–|–0–––0–2–––2–0–––0–2–––2–|–5–––5–7–––7–5–––5–7–––7–|–5–––5–7–––7–5–––5–7–––7–|–
D ||–0–––0–0–––0–0–––0–0–––0–|–0–––0–0–––0–0–––0–0–––0–|–5–––5–5–––5–5–––5–5–––5–|–5–––5–5–––5–5–––5–5–––5–|–
     D           D             D           D             G           G             G           G
     1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a

E –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––||
B –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––||
G –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––||
D –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––––||
A –|–7–––7–9–––9–7–––7–9–––9–|–5–––5–7–––7–5–––5–7–––7–|–0–––0–2–––2–0–––0–2–––2–|–7–––7–9–––9–7–––7–9–––9–||
D –|–7–––7–7–––7–7–––7–7–––7–|–5–––5–5–––5–5–––5–5–––5–|–0–––0–0–––0–0–––0–0–––0–|–7–––7–7–––7–7–––7–7–––7–||
     A           A             G           G             D           D             A           A
     1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a

Jack Johnson-style riff

Very similar is this riff, which I demonstrate in the video. Here, you’ll only press your additive finger down on the 3rd count of each sequence (and be sure to accent that count). Also, there’s a transitional walkdown sequence that is used when going from the A to the G (which I mark as “A*”). Watch my video for context.

E ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––          
B ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––          
G ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––          
D ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––  ––––––––––––––          
A ––0––0––2––0––  ––7––7––9––7––  ––7––7––6––6––  ––5––5––7––5––       
D ––0––0––0––0––  ––7––7––7––7––  ––7––7––6––6––  ––5––5––5––5––          
    D               A               A*              G             

And for each chord below, play the corresponding riff one time. E.g., begin by playing the D sequence four times in a row, then move to the G sequence four times in a row (etc).

D  D  D  D     A  A  A  A*    G  G  G  G    D  D  A  A

The same sequence written out as a full tab is as follows. The main idea here is to emphasize the “2” and “4” counts, if you can – as that’s where your additive note is being played, which adds the distinctive sound to the riff for each chord.

E ||–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–
B ||–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–
G ||–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–
D ||–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–
A ||–0–0–2–0–0–0–2–0–|–0–0–2–0–0–0–2–0–|–7–7–9–7–7–7–9–7–|–7–7–9–7–7–7–6–6–|–
D ||–0–0–0–0–0–0–0–0–|–0–0–0–0–0–0–0–0–|–7–7–7–7–7–7–7–7–|–7–7–7–7–7–7–6–6–|–
     D       D         D       D         A       A         A       A*
     1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   

E –|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––||
B –|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––||
G –|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––||
D –|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––||
A –|–5–5–7–5–5–5–7–5–|–5–5–7–5–5–5–7–5–|–0–0–2–0–0–0–2–0–|–7–7–9–7–7–7–9–7–||
D –|–5–5–5–5–5–5–5–5–|–5–5–5–5–5–5–5–5–|–0–0–0–0–0–0–0–0–|–7–7–7–7–7–7–7–7–||
     G       G         G       G         D       D         A       A
     1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   

How to practice these

First, understand these foundational chord positions we’ll be using. 5th and 6th strings only for all three chords. For the G and the A, use your left index finger to barre the 5th and 6th strings on either the 5th fret (for the G chord) or the 7th fret (for the A) chord. See my video lesson for a demonstration.

E –––––––            –––––––            –––––––
B –––––––            –––––––            –––––––
G –––––––            –––––––            –––––––
D –––––––            –––––––            –––––––
A –––0–––            –––5–––            –––7–––
D –––0–––            –––5–––            –––7–––
     D                  G                  A

Next, the idea is to add a single note on top of the existing chord positions you know – and to get comfortable going back & forth between the main chord position, and the with-added-note chord position. For the D, you’ll want to add a single finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th fret (left index is fine). For the G and the A, you’ll want to use your left ring finger to play the additional note – while your left index is barring the 5th or 7th fret. Again, see my video lesson for a demonstration.

E ––––––––––            ––––––––––            ––––––––––
B ––––––––––            ––––––––––            ––––––––––
G ––––––––––            ––––––––––            ––––––––––
D ––––––––––            ––––––––––            ––––––––––
A –––0––2–––            –––5––7–––            –––7––9–––
D –––0––0–––            –––5––5–––            –––7––7–––
     D                     G                     A   

Once you have this worked out, you’ll be able to tackle the riffs shown above. Good luck!

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 213 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!

If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Interactive fretboard map! See the patterns behind every scale in any key.

View

Capo Captain

An easy way to calculate key & chord combinations, for any capo location!

View

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!


Recent Lessons

  • March 22, 2024

    Lead Guitar & the F1 Theme Song

    Let's look at the catchy Formula 1 theme song and learn how to play it on lead guitar...including handy trick for dealing with the key change.

  • March 15, 2023

    Pink Floyd's "Breathe" - with Simpler Chords Included

    Learn to play through Pink Floyd's 1973 classic! I'll teach the chords they use, while also showing a handful of useful simplifications and riffs to make this work on a single acoustic guitar.

  • March 6, 2024

    Q&A: 8 Tips to Avoid Muting Strings

    If you're frustrated by muffled, muted, or buzzing strings when playing chords, you're not alone! Here's 8 tips to avoid this common issue.

  • March 1, 2024

    Blues Shuffle Riffs - Using Just 2 Strings!

    A step-by-step introduction to blues shuffle riffs in open position, which are an amazingly fun-to-play way to get that blues sound with just a few fingers.

  • February 16, 2024

    Soulful Lead Guitar with "America the Beautiful"

    Here's a few ways to approach playing melodic lead guitar over America is Beautiful - shown both on an acoustic and electric guitar. Lots of fun!

  • February 8, 2024

    Country Honk by The Rolling Stones

    Let's learn how to play The Stones' acoustic & countrified version of Honky Tonk Women — with all the riffs included!

  • January 31, 2024

    Beginner Blues - New Course Sneak Peek!

    Watch the first three videos of my upcoming course, Beginner Blues Guitar — where I'll teach youthe 12 bar blues, dominant 7th chords, and the shuffle (swing) rhythm.

  • January 23, 2024

    Strumming with Accented Notes

    A deep-dive into this must-know intermediate strumming technique, with step-by-step exercises to get up to speed! Featuring the Green Day song Time of Your Life.

  • January 13, 2024

    Lead Guitar Finger Placement – ft. La Sitiera (The Mavericks)

    Ever find yourself learning a riff, and not being sure which fingers to use? I'll give you a few tips in this video that'll help, no matter what you're playing!

  • January 9, 2024

    Hybrid Fingerstyle - First Steps!

    Let's look at combining percussive strumming with Travis-style fingerpicking melodies. I'll show 4-5 exercises & song examples to get you started.

Browse All Recent Lessons →

Browse All My Lessons

By lesson type

By technique

By musical genre

By decade

By musical key

By popular artist


← back to homepage