Session 7: The D Chord and Three-Four Time

Duration: 50 minutes

Break: Put the guitar down for 5 minutes at the end of Segment 3. No stretch of playing is then longer than 30 minutes.

Welcome to Phase 2. Your fingers are tougher, your chords are cleaner, and you are ready for new challenges. Today you learn the D major chord — a bright, ringing chord that opens up hundreds of folk, rock, and pop songs. You will also encounter a new time signature: 3/4 time (waltz time), where the music has three beats per measure instead of four. The song is “Scarborough Fair”, a traditional English folk song, played here in a simplified version with three chords: Am, Em and your new D.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

1. Play the D major chord cleanly with strings 4 to 1 ringing
2. Count aloud and strum eight measures of 3/4 without losing the beat
3. Play a waltz strumming pattern (D d d) in 3/4 time
4. Change between D and Am with a new chord every 4 beats at 60 BPM (the change test from Session 3)
5. Play a simplified accompaniment for one verse of “Scarborough Fair” (Am, Em, D) with waltz strumming

Materials Needed

• Your Saga SF-600C-BK guitar
• A guitar pick
• A clip-on tuner or phone tuner app
• A metronome
• Handout for this session: Rhythm And Time (sections “Time Signatures” and “Exercise 4: Counting in 3/4 Time”, read after the session; you read the first part of this handout in Session 4)
• Reference sheets: Chord Chart and Glossary

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Segment 1 — Warm-Up and Stretch (5 minutes)

Hand Warm-Up

Open and close both hands loosely five times. Circle each wrist five times each way. Touch your thumb to each fingertip in turn. Shake the hands out.

Tune Your Guitar

Tune all six strings (EADGBE). Before you look at the tuner, guess: too low, too high or right? Then look.

Phase 1 Review Warm-Up

Play a chord cycle at 65 BPM, strumming D/U (down on the click, up between clicks): Em → Am → E → Em, four beats per chord (one measure each). Play the cycle 4 times (16 measures). This keeps your Phase 1 chords active.

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Segment 2 — Technique Focus: 3/4 Time and Waltz Strumming (10 minutes)

Understanding 3/4 Time

Until now, every exercise has been in 4/4 time — four beats per measure. Today you learn 3/4 time — three beats per measure.

4/4 time: | 1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4 | — feels like marching (left-right-left-right) 3/4 time: | 1 2 3 | 1 2 3 | — feels like waltzing (ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three)

In 3/4 time, beat 1 is the strong beat. Beats 2 and 3 are weaker. This creates a rolling, elegant feel — think of a waltz or a lullaby.

Waltz Strumming Pattern

The simplest waltz strum:

Strum:  D   d   d
Count:  1   2   3
Accent: >

D = strong downstroke on beat 1, d = softer downstroke on beats 2 and 3, > = accent (play that strum louder)

The accent on beat 1 is what makes it feel like a waltz. Without the accent, 3/4 time loses its character.

Practice the Waltz Pattern

Set your metronome to 70 BPM and change its beats per measure from 4 to 3. This is 70 BPM in 3/4, one strum per click: the click is still one beat, and if your metronome marks the first beat it now marks every third click. Play Em with the waltz pattern:

Strum:  D   d   d   |   D   d   d   |   D   d   d   |   D   d   d
Count:  1   2   3   |   1   2   3   |   1   2   3   |   1   2   3
Chord:  Em              Em              Em              Em

Count aloud: “ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three.” Emphasise “ONE” — it is the heartbeat of the waltz.

Play 8 measures. Switch to Am and play 8 more measures. The waltz strum should feel smooth and circular, not choppy.

Waltz with Upstrokes (Advanced Variation)

Once the basic waltz feels natural, try this:

Strum:  D   U   d   U   d   U
Count:  1   &   2   &   3   &

A strong downstroke on beat 1, softer downstrokes on beats 2 and 3, and a light upstroke on every ”&”. As always, your hand goes down on the numbers and up on the ”&“s.

This is a D/U waltz — six strums per measure. Only use this if the basic pattern (D d d) is easy. For “Scarborough Fair”, the basic pattern is sufficient.

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Segment 3 — New Learning: The D Major Chord (15 minutes)

The D Major Chord

D major is a bright, happy chord that uses three fingers on strings 1, 2, and 3. Only strings 4 to 1 are strummed.

Chord Diagram:

D

XXO

1

2

3

EADGBe

Step-by-step:

1. Place finger 1 (index) on string 3 (G), fret 2.
2. Place finger 2 (middle) on string 1 (high e), fret 2.
3. Place finger 3 (ring) on string 2 (B), fret 3.
4. String 4 (D) is played open — do not fret it.
5. Do not play strings 6 and 5. Rest the pick on string 4, then strum strings 4 to 1 (four strings).

Sound check: Pluck each string:

• String 6 (E): Do not play
• String 5 (A): Do not play
• String 4 (D): Open — should ring clearly
• String 3 (G): Fret 2 — should ring clearly (finger 1)
• String 2 (B): Fret 3 — should ring clearly (finger 3)
• String 1 (e): Fret 2 — should ring clearly (finger 2)

Tuner check, string 4 to string 1: D, A, D, F#. Pluck each string of the chord slowly; the tuner should show these letters. (F#, said “F sharp”, is the note one fret higher than F.)

Common issues with D:

• Finger 3 (ring finger on string 2 fret 3) muting string 1: Curl your ring finger more so its pad does not touch string 1 (the thinnest string). This is the most common D chord problem.
• Accidentally strumming string 5 or 6: Rest the pick on string 4, then strum from there. Keep your thumb behind the neck, as for every other chord.

D and Am — Transition Practice

These two chords share no common finger positions, so the transition requires all fingers to move. This makes it harder than Em → E.

From Am to D:

1. Lift all three fingers simultaneously.
2. Finger 1 moves from string 2 fret 1 to string 3 fret 2.
3. Finger 2 moves from string 4 fret 2 to string 1 fret 2.
4. Finger 3 moves from string 3 fret 2 to string 2 fret 3.
5. Land all three fingers together.

From D to Am:

1. Lift all three fingers simultaneously.
2. Reverse the movements above.

Drill: Am → D → Am → D. One strum per chord. No metronome and no clock: place every finger before you strum. 20 slow changes.

Change test (Session 3): Set the metronome to 60 BPM and put its beats per measure back to 4. Strum Am once with a downstroke and let it ring for 4 beats, then D for 4 beats: a new chord every 4 beats, 8 chords in a row. You pass when all 8 land on their click with every string that should sound ringing, twice on the same day. If you cannot land on the click, drop to 50 BPM and climb back 5 BPM at a time.

Metronome drill in 3/4: Set the beats per measure to 3 again, at 55 BPM in 3/4, one strum per click (D d d). Play Am for one measure, then D for one measure. Alternate for 8 measures.

The song also uses the Am to Em change from Session 3. Play Am for one measure of 3/4, then Em for one measure; alternate for 8 measures at 55 BPM in 3/4, one strum per click (D d d).

These drills are where your new chord gets its practice. “Scarborough Fair” has only one measure of D, so the song alone will not teach you the chord. Do the Am ↔ D drills every practice day this week.

Break: 5 minutes. Guitar down.

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Segment 4 — Song Workshop: “Scarborough Fair” (15 minutes)

Song Information

Song: “Scarborough Fair” — simplified three-chord accompaniment (one verse) Origin: Traditional English ballad (popularised by Simon & Garfunkel, 1966) Credits: Traditional English ballad; words and tune traditional, no known author. Best-known recording: Simon & Garfunkel, “Scarborough Fair/Canticle”, on the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966). Their arrangement and added counter-melody are by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and are not used here. What you are learning: A simplified accompaniment for one verse, in 3/4 time with a waltz feel, using Am, Em and D major. (A verse is a section of a song whose music returns with new words.)

What this version is: Simplified accompaniment: one verse of the traditional tune in waltz time, with three chords you already know (Am, Em and D). It follows a published harmonisation of the tune (a choice of chords to go with it), moved so that its home note is A and its home chord is Am; it is not the Simon & Garfunkel guitar part. Not yet play-tested.

Listen first: Find Simon & Garfunkel’s recording of “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” (Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, 1966) and listen to the first verse only, three times, before you pick up the guitar: the four sung lines that follow the short guitar introduction, before the second voice part comes in. Listen for: (1) the count of three (ONE-two-three), (2) the four sung lines; each sung line is one line of the chart below. Any plain recording of the traditional song will do as well.

Do not play along with the Simon & Garfunkel recording. It is played with a capo at the 7th fret (a capo is a clamp across the strings that raises their pitch), so it sounds in a different key from this chart (its home note is E, where this chart’s is A); it is faster, about 124 to 128 BPM; and it has extra instrumental measures between the sung lines. Use it to learn the tune, then play the chart on its own.

Note: This tune is in the Dorian mode, a minor sound with one brighter note; that is why D major fits. Fuller versions also use G and C, which you learn in Sessions 10 and 11.

Tempo: Start at 50 BPM and work up to 70 BPM, following the steps in “How to Learn This Song” (in 3/4 time — each click is one beat, three beats per measure, one strum per click) Strumming pattern: D d d (waltz)

Chord Progression

"Scarborough Fair" - one verse: 16 measures of 3/4 (three beats in each measure)

Measure:   1    2    3    4
Line 1:  | Am | Am | Em | Am |

Measure:   5    6    7    8
Line 2:  | Em | Am | D  | Am |

Measure:   9    10   11   12
Line 3:  | Am | Em | Am | Em |

Measure:   13   14   15   16
Line 4:  | Am | Em | Em | Am |

Each box is one measure of 3/4 time (3 beats). The full verse is 16 measures.

One chord per measure. Each line of the chart is one sung line of the verse.

Form: Play the 16-measure verse twice (32 measures), then finish with one Am downstroke and let it ring.

Chord changes: No new shapes: Am (Session 3), Em (Session 2) and D (this session). Am to Em and back is the change learnt in Session 3. The only changes to and from D are in Line 2: Am to D going into measure 7, and D back to Am going into measure 8. Every finger moves in both, so lift the fingers together and land them together.

D appears in one measure only. That is how the tune goes, so the song gives your new chord very little practice: the Am ↔ D drills in Segment 3 are where D gets its practice.

Simplified Accompaniment Chart

Strumming pattern per measure: D d d. Play the chart above with this strum in every measure:

Strum:  D   d   d
Count:  1   2   3

The waltz pattern from this session, in every measure: one strong downstroke on beat 1, two soft downstrokes on beats 2 and 3. On D strum strings 4 to 1 only; on Am, strings 5 to 1; on Em, all six.

How to Learn This Song

Step 1 — Learn the order (no metronome): One strum per measure, saying the chord names aloud. No singing yet.

Step 2 — 50 BPM in 3/4, one strum per click: Play D d d once in every measure, changing chord as the chart shows. Play one verse. Focus on clean transitions.

Step 3 — Add the tune: Hum or sing the tune you heard on the recording while you strum, one sung line to each line of the chart. If you do not know the tune yet, play the chart on its own and count the measures aloud.

Step 4 — Build the tempo: 55 BPM, then 60 BPM: one verse without stopping. Then 65 BPM, then 70 BPM, the session target: the verse twice without stopping, then the final Am. The waltz feel should be strong — accent beat 1 of every measure.

What it should sound like: Gentle and rolling. The single D chord in Line 2 is the one bright moment. Three checks you can make alone:

• Click check: you play all 16 measures and finish with the click.
• Count check: you can say “ONE-two-three” aloud through the whole verse without losing your place in the chart.
• Recording check: record one verse and listen once for one thing: is the strum on beat 1 louder than the strums on beats 2 and 3 in every measure?

Performance tip: Let the strings ring between strums. In waltz time, the spaces between strums are as important as the strums themselves. Do not rush to the next beat — let each strum breathe.

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Segment 5 — Review and Practice Plan (5 minutes)

What You Learned Today

• The D major chord (finger 1 string 3 fret 2, finger 2 string 1 fret 2, finger 3 string 2 fret 3)
• 3/4 time signature (three beats per measure, waltz feel)
• Waltz strumming pattern (D d d with accent on beat 1)
• Am ↔ D chord transition
• “Scarborough Fair” (simplified accompaniment) — your first song in 3/4 time

Common Mistakes

1. Muting string 1 with the ring finger during D chord — The most common D chord issue. Curl your ring finger on string 2 fret 3 so it arches over string 1 without touching it.
2. Playing strings 5 or 6 during D chord — D is a “small” chord — only strings 4 to 1. Rest the pick on string 4, then strum from there.
3. Losing the “three” feel — If 3/4 time feels awkward, count “ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three” with heavy emphasis on “ONE.” Tap your foot on every beat.
4. Rushing the Am → D transition — This is a big move (all fingers change). Practise the transition in isolation before playing the full song.
5. Forgetting to accent beat 1 — Without the accent, 3/4 time loses its waltz character and just sounds like an uneven strum.

Self-Check Questions

1. Can you play D major with strings 4 to 1 all ringing clearly? Tuner check, string 4 to string 1: D, A, D, F#. If not: use “Common issues with D” in Segment 3 to find the cause and correct it; do not press harder. Check again the next day.
2. Can you count “1-2-3, 1-2-3” aloud while you strum the waltz pattern for 8 measures without losing the count? If not: repeat “Practice the Waltz Pattern” in Segment 2 on Em, counting “ONE-two-three” aloud, and try again the next day.
3. Can you pass the change test for D and Am at a new chord every 4 beats at 60 BPM? Check: all 8 chords land on their click with every string that should sound ringing, twice on the same day. If not: drop to 50 BPM and climb back 5 BPM at a time in the Transition Drill block of the practice plan, and try again the next day.
4. Can you play the 16-measure “Scarborough Fair” chart at 70 BPM in 3/4, one strum per click, without stopping? If not: go back to 65 BPM in “Step 4 — Build the tempo” for two days, then try again.
5. Can you strum the waltz pattern (D d d) with a clear accent on beat 1? Record 8 measures and listen once: is beat 1 the loudest strum in every measure? If not: repeat “Practice the Waltz Pattern” in Segment 2, saying “ONE” aloud on beat 1 and making the strums on beats 2 and 3 softer, then record again the next day.

Practice Plan for Week 7 (each practice day, 22 minutes)

Block	Time	Activity
Warm-Up	3 min	The warm-up from this session’s Segment 1, then tune
Phase 1 Review	3 min	Em → Am → E → Em, four beats per chord, D/U pattern at 65 BPM. Repeat until the time is up
D Chord Practice	4 min	Place-strum-lift-place cycle (10 reps). Then strum D for 8 measures at 70 BPM in 3/4, one strum per click (D d d). Repeat until the time is up
Transition Drill	5 min	Am → D → Am → D, one strum each, no metronome, 20 slow changes. Then the change test (Session 3) for D and Am: a new chord every 4 beats at 60 BPM. Repeat until the time is up
Scarborough Fair	7 min	Play the 16-measure “Scarborough Fair” chart at 65–70 BPM in 3/4, one strum per click. Hum the tune once the chords are comfortable. Repeat until the time is up

This is your plan for the whole week. The end-of-week check is in Weekly Plans Phase 1 2, Week 7.

Guitar Tip — Saga SF-600C-BK

The D chord only uses strings 4 to 1, the thinnest and highest-pitched strings on your Saga. They respond well to lighter strumming. When playing “Scarborough Fair” in waltz time, use a gentler touch than you would for a rock riff. The Saga’s dreadnought body will still project the sound clearly — you do not need to strum hard to be heard.

After the session (not part of the 50 minutes)

• Read: Rhythm And Time, the sections “Time Signatures” and “Exercise 4: Counting in 3/4 Time”. You read the first part of this handout in Session 4; these two sections are new. (3 minutes)