Looking for songs in the key of D

Neal Berniker · Post by **Neal Berniker** » 13 Jan 2010 8:56 pm

I am looking to learn new songs in the key of D for a six string lap steel. Any suggestions would be helpful

admin · Post by **b0b** » 13 Jan 2010 9:21 pm

Any song can be played in the key of D.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 13 Jan 2010 9:40 pm

MR. Neal, Mr. Bob is right. [just my opinion] Any song can be played in any key. If you have to backup a singer you have to play songs in different keys,to accomadate their vocal range.just ONE example would be [CRAZY].If I play it as an instrumental I perfer the key of A ,for a singer I have played it in C, C sharp,D,E,E flat, etc. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 13 Jan 2010 9:58 pm

OK, I'll bite: Remington Ride is one--do you have that one? If you're tuned to C6, no problem.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 13 Jan 2010 10:30 pm

Frankly, I don't quite understand. Why would you want to limit your playing to the key of D ?

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 13 Jan 2010 11:33 pm

I am looking to learn new
songs in the key of D

Neal,

D Minor, or D Major?

Or do it matter?

~Russ

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 13 Jan 2010 11:53 pm

If you are just getting into the steel, and feel comfortable in D, just pick a tune and go for it. You didn't mention which tuning you have on there.

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 14 Jan 2010 12:35 am

Crazy Arms, HEY!!!!

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 14 Jan 2010 6:11 am

C jam blues?

Oh, wait...

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 14 Jan 2010 7:08 am

what tuning? style of music?

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 14 Jan 2010 7:19 am

I wonder if Neal is referring to the guitar being tuned to D? As in DADF#AD, low to high.

Neal Berniker · Post by **Neal Berniker** » 14 Jan 2010 8:32 am

Guys, forgive my ignorance. What I meant was I have a lap steel TUNED to D (DADF#AD). I am looking for songs that go well in that tuning. I am into country and blues.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 14 Jan 2010 9:17 am

The D tuning is real good for blues in E. E is at the 2nd fret, and there are a lot of hammer-on and pull-off licks that you can play against open strings. Also, all of the notes at the 5th fret are in the E blues scale. You can play a note at the 5th fret, pull-off to the open string and then hammer-on to the 2nd fret.

Just a few ideas for you to play with.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 14 Jan 2010 9:54 am

Get Steinar Gregertsen's CDs, he plays in D tuning.

John Burton · Post by **John Burton** » 14 Jan 2010 10:40 am

Open D?
I'll fly away:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtBcLXfwmxo
or how about Lay my Burden Down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTh0HDtCUpY
-

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 14 Jan 2010 11:12 am

D tuning can accommodate a wide variety of genres and feels .... blues, rock, folk, pop. Are you familiar with Harry Manx and Kelly Joe Phelp's work?

Here are two DVDs that teach some D tuning songs .....

http://www.bobbrozman.com/videos.html#lapslide

http://www.amazon.com/Slide-Guitar-Kell ... B0000776FC

Besides several of my original tunes, some of the cover tunes I play in open D include ...

Dust My Broom
California Dreaming
Sleepwalk
In My Room
Witchita Linema/Lonely Bull medley
Boogie Blues
Sheharazade
I feel Fine
Every Breath You Take
And a few more I can't remember

I also play a couple of tunes in open Dmaj7 - which is reached simply by lowering the 1st string D 1/2 step to C#. Here's a tab for Danny Boy in Dmaj7:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=174576

D tuning is not so hot for swing and Hawaiian (IMHO) but you'd be surprised how versatile it can be once you dig into it. Hope this helps.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 14 Jan 2010 11:28 am

As long as you don't want/need to play advanced harmonized lines, you can play pretty much anything in open-D tuning.

Here's a couple of videos with me playing in open-D:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGEo0TcEP5g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0MzkLKXdHA

Guy Cundell · Post by **Guy Cundell** » 14 Jan 2010 12:32 pm

There's that Christmas Carol "Away in D major"

(better late than never)

John D. Carter · Post by **John D. Carter** » 14 Jan 2010 5:44 pm

Shame on you Guy. That is too funny!

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 14 Jan 2010 6:05 pm

John Ed Kelly · Post by **John Ed Kelly** » 14 Jan 2010 8:52 pm

''There's that Christmas Carol "Away in D major"

Good one Guy.............that's some typical laid back Aussie humor for yer.

Tom Gray · Post by **Tom Gray** » 15 Jan 2010 12:59 pm

If I had to pick only one song for you to study for a good grounding in playing solo in D tuning, it would be "Look So Good" from David Lindley's album "Win This Record."

Stephan Miller · Post by **Stephan Miller** » 15 Jan 2010 2:16 pm

+1 on "Looks So Good".

And props to (wise)Guy... I'll be getting a lotta smileage off that one...

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 15 Jan 2010 2:27 pm

...and there's the Hank Williams song "D Blues Come Around,"

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Looking for songs in the key of D

Looking for songs in the key of D

Songs in the key of D