JS1219 - Posted - 01/06/2026:  10:27:51

I've been going to a local jam, and they always play in G or D, I can play in G fine, but I don't know how to play in D at all.

Should I tune to D, capo 7, play in C, and capo 2?

How do you play in D, and do you have any tips or tricks on how to play that way?

Thanks,
Juan Solo

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 01/06/2026:  10:41:26

You can also not capo at all, except the fifth string which you might want to set at F#,G or A - just depends.
You’ll get a lot of responses.

RDP - Posted - 01/06/2026:  10:54:00

You can capo at the second fret and play out of C too.

Edited by - RDP on 01/06/2026 10:55:04

Old Hickory - Posted - 01/06/2026:  11:03:15

Free YouTube lessons from some pretty good teachers on getting started with key of D on banjo in G tuning.

What I do depends on the song, what I hear or feel, and what other banjo players at the jam are doing.  (In the keys of D and E, I want to do different if I can so there's variety)  I don't have a capo spike at 12, so I'm not capoing at 7 to play in D as if in G.

Easiest for me is capoing at 2 and playing as if in C. This is especially the case on faster songs. Sometimes -- maybe only for Soldier's Joy -- I'll drop the 4th string a whole step so it's still D after I capo. This is Drop C tuning capoed 2. 

More and more, I try to play in D with no capo, including leaving the fifth string at G. I combine rolling stuff with some melodic basics. I don't practice this anywhere near enough, so jams become my practice. I just go for it. If I miss, oh well.

A band I was in from 2010 to 2013 covered the Nashville Bluegrass Band's version of "Tear My Stillhouse Down" in D. Alan O'Bryant played it with no capo but with fifth string spiked at 7. That became obvious when I listened to the recording to learn it. Learning his intro and solo on this song is what gave me the confidence to try D without capo in more instances.

If you're comfortable with melodic style at all, seek out lessons or tabs for Whiskey Before Breakfast and St. Anne's Reel. Like Blackberry Blossom in G, these are some the earliest tunes people learn when beginning D melodic. These will give you a foundation for building phrases in other tunes.

Also get a copy of Tony Trischka's "Hot Licks for Bluegrass Banjo" book. Hotness is not really the point. It's a book on improvisational banjo vocabulary for various chords and situations. There's a good section on D..

Good luck.

chuckv97 - Posted - 01/06/2026:  11:04:06

I play capo’d at the 2nd fret , spike at 7,, out of C position. Some people play open because they salivate over hitting that low D note. (Insert wink and sarcasm emoji)

here's an example youtu.be/FZIuaGH2EdQ?si=eNUOyCDgiyHubDDu

Edited by - chuckv97 on 01/06/2026 11:09:22

VIDEO: DARK HOLLOW - Grateful Dead/ easy banjo tutorial with TAB
(click to view)

 

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/06/2026:  11:14:56

I also capo up 2, spike the 5th string and then use the C, F and G chords. For me, that's the easiest way. There are some songs, mainly fiddle tunes; i.e., instrumentals, that are easier to play uncapoed with or without the 5th string capoed. Depends on the song.

For me, it's easier making the C and G chords and there's lots of licks and musical phrases that can use that G chord and licks associated with it. There are also many C licks and phrases that work well and are easy to plug in to any vocal tune.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 01/06/2026:  12:17:44

When I played bluegrass, it depended on the tune. I used: Standard C capoed 2d fret; Open D; rarely, G tuning capoed 7th fret; double-C capoed 2d fret.

NickPug - Posted - 01/06/2026:  12:29:48

Are there any specific banjo players you like? There's a number of ways to pull it off, but I found it best to find a tune that one of the greats does in D and copy them to get started



Bill Emerson does a killer job playing out of C position with a Capo on fret 2 (listen to "Carolina Star" & "I wonder where you are tonight" on the album Tony Rice Plays and Sings Bluegrass)

Also check out JD Crowe playing on "Way Downtown" on Tony Rice's self-titled album. Can't tell if he capo'd or not



I recently spent a lot of time learning tunes the way Noam Pikelny and Cory Walker play in D with no capo (standard G tuning, with 5th string at G or spiked to A, depending) - this is now my preference as you get to keep the open 1st D string to use as your drone, and the open 4th string to hit the occasional low D. You can learn a few positions/shapes for D chords within the first 7 frets and slide/hammer-on/double-stop-pinch your way in-between them



These are pretty advanced examples with Noam's otherworldly modern playing, but some inspiration for the sounds possible playing with no capo in standard tuning:



youtu.be/uZO5nJDlixk?si=lyevmb7L-5iJSEEE



youtu.be/qVN8gPixyLQ?si=6hSobp-9y0hVMene

Edited by - NickPug on 01/06/2026 12:44:11

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 01/06/2026:  12:44:26

quote:

---

Originally posted by chuckv97

I play capo’d at the 2nd fret , spike at 7,, out of C position. Some people play open because they salivate over hitting that low D note. (Insert wink and sarcasm emoji)

here's an example youtu.be/FZIuaGH2EdQ?si=eNUOyCDgiyHubDDu

---

You've got to admit that low D is pretty juicy. If I was in a jam and someone called a song in D (or on stage for that matter) I would want to be ready immediately, without fiddling with capos and retuning. 

But beyond that, the more ways you can play in "exotic " keys the better. Why limit yourself? 

VIDEO: Big Bertha
(click to view)

 

Mad Hornet - Posted - 01/06/2026:  13:07:43

Advice I was once given. Have a second banjo close by tuned to open D. You might need a long neck or cello and definitely different strings.

BobbyE - Posted - 01/06/2026:  13:29:45

Also, some G licks will work in the key of D since G is the IVth. chord in the key. They just fall in a different spot in the song. Obviously not any G lick but some will.

Bobby

chuckv97 - Posted - 01/06/2026:  13:43:21

quote:

---

Originally posted by Laurence Diehl

quote:

---

Originally posted by chuckv97

I play capo’d at the 2nd fret , spike at 7,, out of C position. Some people play open because they salivate over hitting that low D note. (Insert wink and sarcasm emoji)

here's an example youtu.be/FZIuaGH2EdQ?si=eNUOyCDgiyHubDDu

---

You've got to admit that low D is pretty juicy. If I was in a jam and someone called a song in D (or on stage for that matter) I would want to be ready immediately, without fiddling with capos and retuning. 

But beyond that, the more ways you can play in "exotic " keys the better. Why limit yourself? 

---

Nice tune! I have learned Alan Munde's version of I'll See You in my Dreams in F ,, and I put together an original in D , sans capo,  "Eddie's Shelton" , a partial mix of Turkey Knob and Shelton Special.  But to improvise at a jam I'm sounding pretty lame in D, no capo. Never practiced it is my excuse/problem/issue. ;-)   I'll be stuck in G and C prison for life, it looks like....

Edited by - chuckv97 on 01/06/2026 13:49:19

Texasbanjo - Posted - 01/06/2026:  14:06:12

I was forced to learn to play in D because most of the men in our jam sang in that key and if you wanted to pick along and take a break, you better know how to play in D. That's what really got me started learning to capo 2 and play out of the C chords for a D song.

BG Banjo - Posted - 01/06/2026:  15:57:47

Sometimes I just capo at the 2nd, spike the G at the 7th and just play the C chords. But, and I'm not necessarily recommending this, I like to play the D, F, and A shapes or partial shapes up the neck. So, a lot of time I start with the open D, then go up to the F shape at the 5th for the G and slide it up to the 7th fret for the A. If I want the Bm, I bar a B and hope it sounds okay, or move the Am shape up a couple frets. Everything is nice and close right there and it works well for me. I've gotten pretty quick switching those two middle fingers. I know that all sounds complicated, but it isn't. Like I say, there are easier ways, I just find that those sound nice in a lot of songs. Just something to play with if you like.

Nopix - Posted - 01/06/2026:  17:55:45

A standard tuned fiddle is very comfortable in D key. So we play alot of D tunes.
I don't capo the banjo generally for D. Transitional licks, from one chord shape to the next are the same, from D to G, and back. If you have some transitional licks to and from the A/bar chord shape, your good to go.
The exception would be what I call a 'banjer tune.' Where it's typically in open G, and all the licks are expected or predicted. Then I capo on 7. But your hand is scrunched by closer frets. The voice is high and brite. I really don't prefer it.

rvrose - Posted - 01/06/2026:  21:51:15

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mad Hornet

Advice I was once given. Have a second banjo close by tuned to open D. You might need a long neck or cello and definitely different strings.

---

I have a second banjo tuned down to d with low d strings. 

Rick

FenderFred - Posted - 01/07/2026:  01:54:43

Study Alan Munde and Heath Joyce at Pickin Lessons dot com. Both teach a lot of tunes in D in Standard G as well as 5th string capo#d up two. Once you get the hang of things it's as easy as playing in G

Edited by - FenderFred on 01/07/2026 01:57:35

steve davis - Posted - 01/07/2026:  06:32:39

I like using tunes as lessons.
Work out a couple of D fiddle tunes written in melodics such as Soldier's Joy and Whiskey Before Breakfast both in D.

These can be launching grounds for learning to "navigate" in the key of D.

I like the choices of playing out of D by either leaving everything in open G,capoing 2 or retuning to D tuning.

eric fuls - Posted - 01/09/2026:  17:11:33

The first song I ever learned was boil that cabbage in G. I have since proceeded to practice that song in every key just by using the 1, 4, 5 chords and this has helped me learn to play in different keys without a capo. You can vamp along during the jam and then try to work out the song during the week. Some songs in D need to be played in D tuning. Reubens train , John Henry to name a few.

writerrad - Posted - 01/09/2026:  17:50:26

I play old time not Bluegrass. If I am going to play in a jam, or a get together with players, or in my limited band, or solo performances, I usually take two banjos.

I have one banjo tuned in the G tuning, and another Banjo that is either tuned in the D equivalent of the CC or the D equivalent of the drop C tuning, that would be with the B string tuned to C#.

I have pretty much kept my Gold Tone WL-250 (the one in my hangout picture) tuned (not capoed) up to D tunings  for about 13 years.

It depends on my mood or the mood of the banjo in question if I need to play in A  whether I just tune up the 4th string on the D banjo to E and tune down the 2nd string from D to C#, or slap a capo on the G banjo and tune up the 5th string to A on the G banjo.



My experience is some banjos take capoes very well, some do not.  With some banjos I own it depends on the weather or what I ate for breakfast!  I did a lot of research about the pitching of banjos about 15-18 years ago that had to do with a theory I had that was wrong.  However, I discovered that many of the original old time Southern banjoists, Black or white pitched their banjos higher or lower than the standard pitch.  I am old enough to remember when electronic tuners were not available, and often both Bluegrass and Old Time pickers evolved their own pitches by agreement.



Old time jamming is more or less restricted to playing in G, D, and A. It is extremely rare to even play tunes in C or F. It is not like Bluegrass where you have to be ready to pitch your banjo or guitar to B flat or whatever pitch a singers wishes to explore.

Edited by - writerrad on 01/09/2026 18:03:08

steve davis - Posted - 01/10/2026:  05:45:29

Bb plays nice out of open g tuning as does F.
Each key has its own way of being played.
I like the key telling me how to play.
They each have their ways.

Don Borchelt - Posted - 01/12/2026:  05:52:58

Like Tony, I play old time these days, not much bluegrass, even though I still use picks, three fingers, and a resonator! used to be some of the old time folks would suggest I lose the picks and resonator, 'cuz they were not properly "old time,' but I never did. Eventually they gave up.

When I am playing in an old time jam, where everybody stays in one key for hours on end and mostly they play fiddle tunes, I use open D tuning, with the 5th string tuned to A (aDF#AD). I play about fiddle 175 tunes in that tuning, although it's getting harder to remember them all. Open D is a great tuning, but if you are playing with folks who don't play in one key for more than a few songs and tunes at a time, I wouldn't recommend it. Retuning from open D back to open G is a pain, even if you have Scruggs tuners. When you change the tension to that degree it throws the tension on the other strings off as well, so you are basically forced to retune all five strings every time you move. Take my word for it, they aren't going to wait for you. The rare exception is if somebody asks for Rueben or Ralph's Hard Times, which might happen once a year.

On the rare occasions when I am picking with musicians playing bluegrass or mainstream country, I will use both of the techniques others have mentioned above. For about fifteen years I played jammed with a bunch of guys every week who played country and western music. I had a contact pickup on one of my banjos, and so i could plug in with the rest of them. The two keys they used the most A and E, so I would put the capo on the 2nd fret and raise the 5th to A. I would play the A tunes using G position, and for the E tunes I would slip the 5th slip the 5th under the railroad spike, so that it would be tuned B, and use the closed D positions. (I should note that I quit fretting the 5th string years ago.) On the rare occasion when they would sing something in D, I would use C positions, and when they would go to G, which was very rare, I would use F positions, so I never had to move the capo.

When I play with bluegrass folks, I will play a song or tune in D by using the closed D chord positions in open G, when I'm playing without a capo on, but with the 5th under the spike. If I am called on to throw in a Scruggs break, I will just use the Scruggs style fingering that Earl used on his key of G up the neck breaks down in that lower position for D. I think someone above already suggested that. I would strongly suggest learning both approaches; that is, learning to play in D out of open G both with and without a capo on 2. When you put a capo on most banjos, there is some small bit of retuning required that slows everybody down, and being able to minimize that will reduce the snarky "the banjo picker is a dunce" comments.

- Don Borchelt

Just Bill - Posted - 01/12/2026:  07:42:19

My preference is G tuning with fifth string spiked/capo at A. Depending on the tune, I sometimes capo two and play C or capo seven. Capo seven provides a pretty high pitch, though. Once in a while, I turn my D-tuners down to D and capo the fifth string up to A, depending on the tune.

BanjoBowers - Posted - 01/15/2026:  15:43:05

When you have to play out of what I call a "closed position" the technique changes somewhat from playing in an "open position".
Whether you are playing out of D, Eb. Bb or whatever, learn where the melody notes are, one string at a time.
Then build your rolls, rakes, vamps, pinches around the melody. It takes time to learn this but is an excellent technique and it will improve your overall picking many times over...good luck

TTtheBear - Posted - 01/16/2026:  06:32:03

Scruggs or Keith tuners solves the open D problem pretty easily for me. I generally play most D tunes in open G un-capoed except for the 5th on 7. Some tunes, such as Ashokan Farewell, minus the 5th capo.

YMMV

steve davis - Posted - 01/17/2026:  12:19:48

I like how each key has its own personality.
It would be very boring for me if they all played the same.

steve davis - Posted - 01/18/2026:  17:23:56

How do I play in D?

Very carefully!

cottontop - Posted - 01/18/2026:  18:22:55

I play in D the way everyone described depending on the song and my mood. I even sometimes capo at the 7th fret and since all my banjos have a long sliding Shubb 5th string capo, it is very easy to capo the 5th string. I feel if bill Emerson did it, I can do it too.
Joe

Patrick1962 - Posted - 01/18/2026:  22:18:10

ok, so, probably a dumb question but, if a song is called out for key of D and for example its 1-4-5, couldn't you just play the D shape followed by the F shape (up 2 steps), and barre the A at the 2nd fret and not have to worry about a capo?

RB-1 - Posted - 01/19/2026:  00:04:35

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patrick1962

ok, so, probably a dumb question but, if a song is called out for key of D and for example its 1-4-5, couldn't you just play the D shape followed by the F shape (up 2 steps), and barre the A at the 2nd fret and not have to worry about a capo?

---

'Playing in' is so much more than just holding a chord shape and moving your right hand fingers.

It's about the melody and the accents, a.k.a.... playing music.

So a very, very small 'yes' and a really big 'but'.

steve davis - Posted - 01/19/2026:  10:08:32

Playing melodically opens the floodgates to any kind of music and is much more than simply playing the melody notes.

NewBlackDak - Posted - 01/28/2026:  08:33:28

I'm learning to play it out of open G tuning, but not so good at it yet. The 2 guys I play with now go back and forth as one of them wants to sing in G and the other in D. I tune the 5th in F#, and spike it for G when I'm playing with them.

RB-1 - Posted - 01/29/2026:  07:35:47

quote:

---

Originally posted by NewBlackDak

I'm learning to play it out of open G tuning, but not so good at it yet. The 2 guys I play with now go back and forth as one of them wants to sing in G and the other in D. I tune the 5th in F#, and spike it for G when I'm playing with them.

---

Interesting...

Why F# and not A?  (F# is a third above D and if there's anything to be avoided in back up, it's the third..)

Do you have a spike on the 6th fret?

Or else I can't understand how you manage going from F# to G.

Also..., how do you cope with the resulting semi tone shift between 1st and 5th string?

Thumb fretting of the fifth becomes (to me) way more difficult compared to having 1st and 5th parallel.

When playing in D from open G tuning, I'll spike at 7: from the 7th fret up, 1st and 5th string relation remains undisturbed...

Old Hickory - Posted - 01/30/2026:  19:59:57

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patrick1962

ok, so, probably a dumb question but, if a song is called out for key of D and for example its 1-4-5, couldn't you just play the D shape followed by the F shape (up 2 steps), and barre the A at the 2nd fret and not have to worry about a capo?

---

Of course you could. And for backup, that could be all you need. 

You can also play "closed position" (fully fretted, no open strings) D, G and A chords further up the neck. Makes great backup. Not too difficult, either.

But playing leads becomes a little more tricky when you have fewer open strings. Try it yourself. Choose a song you can play really well in G,  try to play it in D without capo.

How did you do?

Ira Gitlin - Posted - 01/31/2026:  07:18:47

Here's one thing that I don't think has been mentioned yet.



When you're playing in the key of G, in G tuning, you routinely let the 5th string--a high G--ring even when playing chords that don't contain a G. And you probably often treat the1st string the same, letting it ring regardless of the chord. (If you're not doing this, try it! You may find some sounds you like.) Note that those open strings--G and D--are the 1 note and the 5 note of the key you're in, and they BOTH work fine as drones.



When playing in the key of D out of G tuning, we often raise the 5th string to an A, to fit in with the root chord of the key. When you do that, now your 1st and 5th strings are--drumroll, please--1 note and the 5 note of the key you're in (though they've switched places), and so, as when we were in G, they BOTH work fine as drones.



In practical terms, that means you can focus your attention on the melody notes you can find on strings 2, 3, and 4 without worrying about playing a chord shape--just melody notes on the inner strings, a droning root on the 1st string, and a droning fifth on the 5th string.



Of course, you can dress it up more with harmony notes, licks, etc., but this approach can free your mind up to focus on the melody, which isn't a bad thing, so we're told.

Edited by - Ira Gitlin on 01/31/2026 07:19:34

steve davis - Posted - 01/31/2026:  16:55:20

I often use the lower 0 2 1 0 D7 then slide that up to 5 7 6 5 G7 or just let it go open for a G.

Patrick1962 - Posted - 02/01/2026:  21:19:12

quote:

---

Originally posted by Old Hickory

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patrick1962

ok, so, probably a dumb question but, if a song is called out for key of D and for example its 1-4-5, couldn't you just play the D shape followed by the F shape (up 2 steps), and barre the A at the 2nd fret and not have to worry about a capo?

---

Of course you could. And for backup, that could be all you need. 

You can also play "closed position" (fully fretted, no open strings) D, G and A chords further up the neck. Makes great backup. Not too difficult, either.

But playing leads becomes a little more tricky when you have fewer open strings. Try it yourself. Choose a song you can play really well in G,  try to play it in D without capo.

How did you do?

---

Thanks Ken. Sadly I am not that good yet to experiment like that but as you have never steered me wrong before I will take your word for it.

pastorharry - Posted - 02/06/2026:  16:49:26

Earl Scruggs supposedly came upon his style while noodling in D-tuning. A great tune to learn from is Cora is Gone. ht

RB-1 - Posted - 02/07/2026:  06:20:15

quote:

---

Originally posted by pastorharry

Earl Scruggs supposedly came upon his style while noodling in D-tuning. 

---

Surprizing himself by playing Ruben with three fingers instead of two like everyone else he knew.....

steve davis - Posted - 02/07/2026:  06:50:04

When in D tuning the same chord shapes and melodic patterns found in G tuning on strings 1,2 and 3 can be shifted to D tuning's 2,3 and 4 strings.

steve davis - Posted - 02/08/2026:  06:53:03

Learning melodic approaches in D out of G tuning for Soldier's Joy and Whiskey Before Breakfast as played by my fiddling friends in the northeast opened the floodgates for my future excursions in the key of D out of G tuning.
There are 2 open Ds in G tuning.