Blues in D — fingerstyle
The 12-bar blues grid in D (D7-G7-A7) played fingerstyle rather than with a pick: the thumb covers the bass of each seventh chord while the index, middle and ring fingers pick the treble strings in rhythm. On a seventh chord, the note added compared with the plain chord usually sits on a treble string: played by the fingers rather than buried in a strum, it's what gives the accompaniment its full bluesy colour.
Tips
Isolate the thumb's movement alone on the bass notes of the three chords (D7, G7, A7), without the fingers, until the changes flow smoothly.
Then add the fingers on the treble strings while keeping the thumb perfectly steady: it's what carries the tempo through the whole 12-bar grid.
Compare it by ear with the pick version of this same grid elsewhere in the catalogue: the softer fingerstyle texture completely changes the character of the blues, without changing a single chord.
Chord progression — D
Chords
Related sheets
- Full round trip riff — C minor (Level 4)
- Blues in A — quick change (Level 4)
- Blues in D — syncopated rhythm (Level 4)