D
D.C. al fine DADGBE Damp Damping DC Dead string length Delay Detune Diatonic Digital modelling Diminished Direct current Direct sound Dirty Distortion Divebomb Dobro Dobro guitar Dominant Dot markers Dot-neck Double course double flat Double-locking system Double-locking vibrato system Double-neck guitar Double sharp Double-stop Double-stop bend Double tracking Down-bend Downpicking Downstroke Dreadnought Drop C tuning Drop D tuning Dropped headstock Dropped tuning D-string |
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| D.C. al fine | An instruction found in music notation indicating that you should return to the beginning of the song and play up to the measure that is labelled 'fine'. |
| DADGBE |
See also Standard tuning and Dropped tuning |
| Damp | Restricted in volume or intensity |
| Damping | Restricting the volume or intensity of musical sound. The term can be used to refer to muting Full article on Fret hand muting |
| DC | Short for direct current |
| Dead string length | The length of the non-vibrating sections of a guitar string, such as behind the nut or saddle. |
| Delay | A guitar effect that stops the sound for a set period of time, creating an echo-like effect. Can be used to add depth to a sound. |
| Detune | Re-tuning strings to a pitch other than standard tuning Full article on Tuning your guitar |
| Diatonic | 1. Within the notes of a major or minor scale |
| 2. Within the same key signature | |
| Digital modelling |
The use of digital technology to re-create the sounds of classic amplifiers and effects |
| Diminished | 1. A perfect or minor interval that has been reduced in pitch by a semitone. For example, a perfect fifth is an interval of 7 semitones therefore a diminished fifth is an interval of 6 semitones. Full article on Intervals |
2. A chord consisting of a major triad with a flattened third and fifth. For example, an A major triad uses the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of the A major scale (A C# E), therefore an 'A diminished' chord would contain the notes A, C and Eb. Chord charts - Diminished chords |
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| Direct current |
Electricity that only flows in one direction. Tube amps tend to use Direct current voltages. |
| Direct sound | Sound that is heard straight from the natural source without any intervention, electronic or otherwise. |
| Dirty | Distorted or unnatural sounding |
| Distortion | An unclean and aggressive sound effect caused by overloading the signal chain. |
| Divebomb | An excessive depression of the vibrato bar, causing a sudden drop in pitch. Can be referred to as a down-bend. Full article on Whammy bar techniques |
| Dobro | A brand name and series of products developed by the Dopyera brothers. |
| Dobro guitar | A guitar with a metal resonator inside |
| Dominant | The dominant note can be found on any diatonic scale. It lies a perfect fifth above the tonic. |
| Dot markers | Fret markers that are in the form of little circles. They are the most common fret markers and they are usually found on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, 17th, and 19th frets and a 'double dot' is usually found on the 12th fret. |
| Dot-neck | A fretboard with dot markers |
| Double course |
A pair of strings aligned closely to one another enabling both to be sounded with one pluck. A standard 12-string guitar has six double courses of strings. |
| Double flat | Lowered in pitch by two semitones |
| Double-locking system | Another term for locking tremolo system |
| Double-locking vibrato system | Another term for locking tremolo system |
| Double-neck guitar | A guitar that has two necks mounted on a large body. The two necks usually consist of a six-string and a 12-string or a six-string and a bass neck. |
| Double sharp | Increased in pitch by two semitones |
| Double-stop | A chord of two notes that are on adjacent strings and similar frets |
| Double-stop bend | 1. The use of one finger to bend the two notes of a double stop up a quarter of a tone |
| 2. Using separate fingers to bend a double stop up a specified number of steps | |
| Double tracking |
When an instrument is recorded on one track, then recorded again on a second track. The idea is that when the two tracks are played simultaneously any differences in timing or tone combine to make a thicker sound. |
| Down-bend | A drop in pitch brought about by depressing the vibrato bar. Extreme down-bends can be referred to as divebombs. Full article on Whammy bar techniques |
| Downpicking | The use of just downstrokes to create a consistent rhythm. Used alot in punk, rock and heavy metal. |
| Downstroke | A strum or pluck that moves downward towards the floor. |
| Dreadnought | A model of acoustic guitar that is larger than normal and produces more volume and bass than an ordinary acoustic. Originally used to describe models of guitar designed by Frank Martin and Harry Hunt. |
Drop C |
Where all strings are tuned down a tone then the 6th string (low E-string) is tuned down another tone, CGCFAD. Full article on Tuning your guitar |
| Drop D tuning |
Where the 6th string (low E-string) is tuned down a tone and the other strings are left in standard tuning. Full article on Tuning your guitar |
| Dropped headstock | A long headstock that points down towards the floor |
| Dropped tuning | Where the lowest string is tuned a tone lower in relation to the normal intervals between strings. For example, a standard tuned guitar that has its low E-string tuned to D would be in 'dropped D' tuning. Dropped tunings allows easy playing of power chords on the lower strings and are used mainly in heavy metal music. See also Drop C tuning |
| D-string | The fourth highest sounding (fourth thinnest) string on a guitar. Named so because it is tuned to 'D' in standard tuning. Full article on String labelling |