Session 7: The D Chord and Three-Four Time

Duration: 50 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 timeless folk melody built on just D and Am.

Learning Objectives

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

1. Play the D major chord cleanly with strings 1–4 ringing
2. Understand and count in 3/4 time (three beats per measure)
3. Play a waltz strumming pattern (D d d) in 3/4 time
4. Switch between D and Am at 60 BPM
5. Play “Scarborough Fair” with chord changes and waltz strumming

Materials Needed

• Your Saga SF-600C-BK guitar
• A guitar pick
• A clip-on tuner or phone tuner app
• A metronome
• Reference: Rhythm And Time

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

Finger Stretches

1. Finger spread — 3 times, hold 5 seconds each.
2. Wrist circles — 5 each direction per wrist.
3. Finger touch — 5 times per hand.

Tune Your Guitar

Tune all six strings (EADGBE).

Phase 1 Review Warm-Up

Play a quick chord cycle at 70 BPM: Em (2 strums D/U) → Am (2 strums D/U) → E (2 strums D/U) → Em (2 strums D/U). Repeat 4 times. 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

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. 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 d U d U d

Count: 1 & 2 & 3 &

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 the top four strings (1–4) are strummed.

Chord Diagram:

D

XXO

1

3

2

EADGBe

Step-by-step:

1. Place your index finger (1) on string 3 (G string), fret 2.
2. Place your middle finger (2) on string 1 (high E string), fret 2.
3. Place your ring finger (3) on string 2 (B string), fret 3.
4. String 4 (D) is open — do not fret it.
5. Do NOT play strings 5 (A) or 6 (E). Start your strum from string 4.

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)

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 the thinnest string. This is the most common D chord problem.
• Accidentally strumming string 5 or 6: Practice starting your strum from string 4. Hook your thumb lightly over the top of the neck to mute string 6 if needed (this is one situation where the thumb can come over the top).

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. Focus on clean placement. Aim for 15 clean transitions in 60 seconds.

Metronome drill: Set to 55 BPM. Play Am for 3 beats (one measure of 3/4), then D for 3 beats. Alternate for 8 measures.

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

Song Information

Song: “Scarborough Fair” Origin: Traditional English ballad (popularised by Simon & Garfunkel, 1966) What you are learning: The chord progression using D minor and Am with a waltz feel. We are using the simplified two-chord arrangement (D major and Am) in 3/4 time.

Note: The traditional version of “Scarborough Fair” uses a minor key. This simplified arrangement uses D major and Am to give you a playable version with the chords you know. The waltz feel and melodic shape remain authentic.

Tempo: 70 BPM (in 3/4 time — each click is one beat, three beats per measure) Strumming pattern: D d d (waltz)

Chord Progression

| Am  | Am  | Am  | Am  |
| D   | D   | Am  | Am  |
| Am  | Am  | D   | D   |
| Am  | Am  | Am  | Am  |

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

Complete Transcription — “Scarborough Fair”

Strumming pattern per measure: D d d

Verse:

 

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: Am Am Am Am

 

Lyrics:

"Are you go - ing to Scar - bor - ough Fair?"

 

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: D D Am Am

 

Lyrics:

"Pars - ley, sage, rose - ma - ry and thyme"

 

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: Am Am D D

 

Lyrics:

"Re - mem - ber me to one who lives there"

 

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: Am Am Am Am

 

Lyrics:

"She once was a true love of mine"

Lyrics with Chord Positions

      Am                                Am
Are   you    going    to    Scarborough Fair?

      D                     Am
Parsley,  sage,  rosemary  and  thyme

      Am                    D
Remember  me  to  one  who  lives  there

      Am                           Am
She   once   was   a   true   love  of  mine

How to Learn This Song

Step 1: Play just the chord progression (no singing, no lyrics). Set metronome to 60 BPM in 3/4 time. Play D d d on each chord for the right number of measures. Focus on clean transitions.

Step 2: Add the lyrics. Read them while you strum. Do not try to sing perfectly — just speak the words in rhythm with your strumming. The chord changes should align with the words shown above.

Step 3: Speed up to 70 BPM. The waltz feel should be strong — accent beat 1 of every measure.

What it should sound like: Gentle, rolling, slightly melancholy. The Am chords provide the sadness, the D chords provide moments of brightness. The waltz rhythm gives it an old-world, timeless feel.

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” — 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 1–4. Practise starting your strum from string 4. Mute string 6 with your thumb if needed.
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 all four top strings (1–4) ringing clearly?
2. Can you count “1-2-3, 1-2-3” steadily for 8 measures without losing the three-beat feel?
3. Can you switch between Am and D within one beat at 60 BPM?
4. Can you play through “Scarborough Fair” at 70 BPM without stopping?
5. Can you strum the waltz pattern (D d d) with a clear accent on beat 1?

Practice Plan (Daily, 20–25 minutes)

Block	Time	Activity
Warm-Up	3 min	Finger stretches + tune
Phase 1 Review	3 min	Em → Am → E cycle, D/U pattern at 70 BPM, 4 cycles
D Chord Practice	4 min	Place-strum-lift-place cycle (10 reps). Strum D at 70 BPM for 8 measures in 3/4 time (D d d)
Transition Drill	5 min	Am → D → Am → D, one strum each. Then with metronome at 60 BPM, one chord per measure (3/4 time)
Scarborough Fair	7 min	Play through the full verse at 65–70 BPM. Practice with lyrics once comfortable with chords

Guitar Tip — Saga SF-600C-BK

The D chord only uses the top four strings, which are the thinnest and highest-pitched strings on your Saga. These strings are under less tension than the bass strings and 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.