D7 or not D7

P

pluck

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2014
Messages
320
Reaction score
1
I recently got Jumpin Jim's Daily Ukulele. I've been enjoying it quite a lot but I noticed that when a song calls out for a D7 Jim illustrates a D7 without a D (2020) which is actually a Gbdim or F#dim. In many cases when I substitute in a proper D7 (2223) I find it actually sounds better his way. So, why does he call it a D7 if it's not really a D7? I understand that with 9th and 11th chords you've got to drop the root but that's not the case with 7th chords and a D7 isn't that hard to play.

I assume he has a reason for doing this but to me he should just call the chord what it is. I'm confused.
 
You're right, played on it's own, 2020 is F#dim. However, if you are accompanying another instrument or someone singing and that part (usually the melody) has a D at the same place, then the sum of what is being played is a D7 chord.

I use 2020 all the time as it's easy to finger and it suits the sound I'm after. Most of the time it works just fine. Sometimes however, you find that you really need to play a proper D7 (2223). Just let your ears guide you
 
That shape is one I often use for D7, it adds the 7th (open C) but I agree it's odd that there isn't a D to be found ... oddity of a 4 stringed instrument I guess :) The other shape I use is 2023 ...
 
2020 is often referred to as "Hawaiian D7" (at least that's how I learned it). It some contexts it sounds great, but more often than not I find using the barre D7 sounds even better.

I'm guessing the Beloff songbooks are aimed at the beginner market so he's opted to use the easiest chords when possible - but this is just a guess; I've only glanced through his books and that was my impression.
 
janeray1940 said:
2020 is often referred to as "Hawaiian D7" (at least that's how I learned it). It some contexts it sounds great, but more often than not I find using the barre D7 sounds even better.
Click to expand...

Yes, janeray is exactly right. I've always been puzzled by the Hawaiian D7. There's no D in the chord. (I'm sure this is why I find the sound of it dissatisfying)
 
I use both versions depending on the song. When I play my arrangement of How great thou art I use both in different spots of the song.
 
I bought my Kala KA-6 and the Daily Ukulele book last week. I returned the book the next day -- too many of the vintage songs are incomplete, such as choruses without intros or verses. I want the ENTIRE song, dammit! As for the 2020 / D7 chord: I come from a half-century of git-picking and I still think of that pattern as A7. On a 'uke, 2020 is *most* of a D7 chord and can generally be used as such -- doesn't matter so much what it is technically. The low A on the KA-6 makes 2223 more of a D13 anyway. My advice: for most casual playing, especially when we're concerned with playing a usable chord at the right time, we needn't obsess over the exact name. If it *feels* like D7, that's good enough IMHO.
 
I love rootless chords, so I usually seek them out!
 
I love 2020 Hawaiian D7 and I like to ride my pinky off and on the A string as well, going between 2020 and 2023, back and forth. Makes a simple thing sound fancy.
 
Thanks for all the replies. It is helpful, somewhat. So next time I mention a Hawaiian Am7 y'all will know I'm talking about a Cmaj.
 
stevepetergal said:
Yes, janeray is exactly right. I've always been puzzled by the Hawaiian D7. There's no D in the chord. (I'm sure this is why I find the sound of it dissatisfying)
Click to expand...

If you mainly play instrumentals then that makes sense but if you are a singer, as I said earlier, it's quite possible the D is in the melody. As I sing, I quite often use it and it often works fine and sounds OK
 
"Hawaiian D7" for a lot of music theoretical and historical reasons. The most important one is that it contains the same "tritone" (dim5 or aug4) as the D7 chord (c-f#).

It's also why the common jazz "tritone substitution" works (Ab7-G7)--Ab7 contains the same tritone, though it's spelled differently (c-gb), and why a pretty common way to play "D7b9" on Uke is just to play Adim7 (a-c-eb-f#) which has the same tritone, giving the "Dominant 7" sound, the 3rd which dictates quality (m or M), as well as the b9.

Glen Ross calls these things "Chameleon Chords" though the formal name is "enharmonic chords" which is just a fancier way of saying the same thing. Google is your friend for more detail.
 
Ukejenny said:
I love 2020 Hawaiian D7 and I like to ride my pinky off and on the A string as well, going between 2020 and 2023, back and forth. Makes a simple thing sound fancy.
Click to expand...

I'll second this. And if you really must have a D in your D7, you can throw in a 2025. Sounds really nice strung cuatro (gCEa) as that 5 is a true root D.
 
Thanks everyone for the other suggestions on 2023 and 2025, along with my lazy-favorite 2020. Have to try them out!


McX said:
I'll second this. And if you really must have a D in your D7, you can throw in a 2025. Sounds really nice strung cuatro (gCEa) as that 5 is a true root D.
Click to expand...
 
I frequently decide on using the 0202 or the 2223 depending on the following chord. Do you want the tone to go up, or down, leading to the next chord?

Ralph
 
Using the Hawaiian D7 allows me to slide the chord up and down which creates a cool effect at times when singing as I repeat some words while doing it. Example: the line "Nobody knows you" slide[/I] "Nobody knows you when you're down and out". Add some little bluesy notes fade and you be cool.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom