Rock in D (Drop D) — strumming pattern
With no muting and no syncopation, this version is the simplest entry point in the whole basic Drop D family: D5d rings open, G5d and E5d need only a one-finger barre, and each chord holds for two full beats. This is where, before any added technique, the right hand should first find a stable strumming motion.
Tips
Don't add muting or syncopation until this simple version is perfectly stable.
Use D5d (open) to check the right wrist's regularity with no left-hand constraint at all.
Once this grid is smooth, the catalogue's muted or syncopated versions will only add one difficulty at a time.
Chord progression — D
Bar 1
D5d
Bar 2
D5d
Bar 3
G5d
Bar 4
G5d
Bar 5
E5d
Bar 6
E5d
Bar 7
D5d
Bar 8
D5d
Chords
Related sheets
- Rock in A minor (variant) — fingerstyle (Level 3)
- Drop D riff — Dorian colour in D (Level 3)
- Drop D chord changes — Dorian colour in D (Level 3)