Stephen from West Kent, United Kingdom, writes:
Dear Dr. Banjo:
My query relates to page 10 and 11 of the book your examples of D chord show three fingers I M and P covering 3rd string 2nd fret 2nd string 3rd fret and 1st string 4th fret......where as other books also cover 4th string at 4th fret using four fingers?
April 20, 2003
#50: Basic D chord
Dear Stephen,
These are both D chords. I use the one with the open 4th whenever I can, as the low resonant D on that string supports the rest of the D chord more nicely than when it is fretted at the 4th. That note works fine in the chord, but it is not the strong, rich D that is the fundamental tone of the chord.
The 4-fingered version of the chord is very useful as a moveable closed chord position that can be used anywhere on the neck to make different chords. For instance, that D shape moved up to the 7-9 frets becomes a G.
I hope that helps.
Pete Wernick
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