Originally conceived as part of our “Easy Songs for Beginners” series, “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas might initially seem straightforward, especially if you’ve dabbled in Travis fingerstyle guitar. If you’ve explored our lessons on basic Travis picking, like “Let Your Fingers Do the Talking” and “Add a Pinch”, you’re already well-equipped to tackle this iconic song. In fact, those familiar with “Add a Pinch” might recognize the introduction immediately. If these lessons are new to you, taking a detour to explore them will provide a solid foundation for learning “Dust in the Wind” guitar chords and fingerstyle techniques.
The initial thought was that “Dust in the Wind” would be too simple for a full lesson. After all, you grasp the fundamental picking pattern, so deciphering the chord changes should be the only remaining step. “Dust in the wind,” and you’re done, right? It appeared there wouldn’t be much more to teach.
However, the aim of song lessons at guitarplayers.net extends beyond simply learning a particular song. While mastering “Dust in the Wind” is a great achievement, our true goal is to equip you with techniques, concepts, and arrangements that are transferable to countless other songs in your repertoire. Learning a song is merely the starting point.
Delving Deeper into Fingerstyle Arrangements
The decision to present “Dust in the Wind” as a more in-depth lesson came from a realization about what truly makes a fingerstyle arrangement shine. A query from a guitarplayers.net forum member highlighted this perfectly. They wondered why, despite having the correct chords and picking pattern, their rendition of “Dust in the Wind” still lacked the authentic sound. This prompted a closer examination of the original recording and personal arrangements developed over time. The key difference emerged: incorporating more of the melody directly into the fingerpicking pattern. This subtle yet significant detail elevates a simple chord progression into a captivating fingerstyle piece.
Consequently, this lesson finds its place in our “Intermediate” section. While the core techniques aren’t inherently complex, mastering the nuances of melody integration and refining your fingerstyle approach requires dedicated practice and a deeper understanding. However, like many “Intermediate” lessons, the challenge lies more in the commitment you bring than in insurmountable difficulty. So, take the plunge and discover the enriching details within “Dust in the Wind” guitar chords.
The Familiar Fingerpicking Foundation
The good news is, if you’ve mastered the “pinch pattern” from Example 2 in our “Add a Pinch” lesson, you’re already 90% of the way to playing “Dust in the Wind.” With only minor adjustments, this pattern forms the backbone of the entire song.
Structurally, “Dust in the Wind” is elegantly simple. It follows a classic song structure: an introduction (largely covered in “Add a Pinch”), verse and chorus, a second verse and chorus, a brief instrumental interlude, a final verse and chorus, and a concluding outro that gently fades out.
As mentioned, the “Add a Pinch” tutorial lays almost complete groundwork for the introduction. The only element missing is the “pickup”—a slight variation at the very end of the introduction that seamlessly transitions into the first verse. This pickup is a modification we’ll add to the end of “Example 7” from the “Add a Pinch” lesson:
Takedown NoticeDownload MP3
This chord progression is familiar from numerous lessons on guitarplayers.net, with Blackbird being a prominent example. Drawing inspiration from “Blackbird,” we can introduce a slight variation (“Example 1A”) that incorporates the A and G notes on the G string, creating a richer, more intricate pattern reminiscent of the Beatles classic. This variation serves a practical purpose: sometimes transitioning away from the continuous sixteenth notes of the original pattern can be challenging. If your fingers are accustomed to constant motion, adding an extra string to the pattern provides a natural outlet for that energy.
There are multiple ways to finger the G/B chord—the crucial element is understanding its role within the Am to C chord change. If you typically play Am in the open position, with your index finger on the 1st fret of the B string, ring finger on the 2nd fret of the G, and middle finger on the 2nd fret of the D, visualize the C chord as your destination. One efficient fingering for G/B involves shifting your middle finger from the 2nd fret of the D string to the 2nd fret of the A string, and using your pinky to fret the D note at the 3rd fret of the B string. Some guitarists prefer shifting all fingers, using the index finger on the A string and ring finger on the B string for G/B, but this can be less economical movement-wise. Given that the G/B chord reappears, experimenting with different fingerings to find your most comfortable approach is beneficial.
Let’s practice the complete introduction before moving on to the verse.
Download MP3
The verse section is constructed from a four-measure phrase repeated twice, with a subtle variation between the fourth and eighth measures:
Download MP3
While this arrangement closely mirrors the original guitar part, it might sound somewhat sparse in a solo guitar setting. The initial measure effectively uses the “pinch” technique to mirror the melody, but this melodic connection diminishes in the third measure. Therefore, with your permission, let’s explore a slight chord alteration to maintain the melodic thread throughout the verse:
Download MP3
This “minor alteration” involves substituting Dm for Dm7. While seemingly simple, this change unlocks the ability to play along with the melody line for these two measures of the verse. Use your pinky to pull off from the G note (3rd fret of the high E string) to the F note at the 1st fret. Your pinky can then fret the D note at the 3rd fret of the B string later in the measure—if you typically use your pinky for Dm chords. If not, this adjustment should be even more straightforward.
The slight “hiccup” in the melody when returning to the Am chord in the subsequent measure is a deliberate artistic choice to simplify the fingerpicking. Playing the fourth and eighth measures as presented in Example 3 and Example 3A remains perfectly viable.
“All We Are…” – Embracing Melodic Choruses
Having explored the introduction and verses, let’s turn our attention to the chorus. Similar to the verse, we can approach the chorus in a straightforward manner or opt for a more melodic interpretation. Let’s examine both:
Download MP3
The chorus essentially revolves around a repeating two-measure chord progression: D (first two beats of the first measure), G (second two beats of the first measure), and Am (second measure). Each cycle through this progression corresponds to one iteration of “…dust in the wind…” To enrich the chord progression, Kerry Livgren, the song’s writer, incorporated a walking bass line. This begins with F# (2nd fret of the low E string) played over the D chord (creating a D/F#), moving to G for the G chord, A for the Am chord, and then back to G during the last two beats of Am, technically transforming the chord into Am7 or Am/G, or even Am7/G, depending on notation preference. Am7/G (302010) is often favored due to the ease of fretting the G bass note with the ring finger rather than the pinky. If the stretch to the full Am/G (302210) fingering is comfortable, feel free to use it.
This pattern repeats, with (you guessed it!) a slight variation in the final measure, which also includes the “pickup” back into the verse. While we could technically call this a “turnaround,” let’s avoid unnecessary jargon at this stage.
Adding melodic fragments to the chorus is relatively simple to initiate. The opening melody note is D (3rd fret of the B string), which we naturally “pinch” on the D chord in the original pattern. To sustain this note when transitioning to G, employ a five-string G chord voicing (32003x), particularly as the high E string isn’t part of our picking pattern.
Notice the deliberate pause in the background accompaniment on the last beat of the first measure, focusing solely on the melody notes C and B (1st fret of B string and open B string, respectively). This is partly for simplification, but also introduces a brief moment of sonic space in the otherwise continuous picking pattern. Subtle touches like this can effectively capture listener attention.
Upon reaching the Am chord, the melody note is A at the 2nd fret of the G string. Emphasize this note strongly on the first beat, as it will be overlaid with the same note an instant later in the picking pattern. Strike it firmly initially, and then more lightly the second time – this nuance requires a bit of practice.
On the second pass through the progression, additional D notes are introduced (“…all we are is…”). This can be achieved by picking the B and G strings simultaneously with two fingers, or by “sweeping” one finger upwards across both strings. The MP3 example demonstrates the latter technique.
While incorporating the melody line (or parts of it) into both the verse and chorus is appealing, the B to C hammer-on on the B string in the choruses adds a distinct flavor. This element was integrated into the last measure of the chorus in this arrangement, evolving into the flourish detailed in the final example.
It’s worth noting that the final solo (after the third verse, before the outro) is twice as long, cycling through the chord changes four times.
Interlude and Outro: Variations on a Theme
With the intro, verse, and chorus addressed, we now arrive at the interlude and outro. Except for a minor detail, the interlude maintains the familiar picking pattern. The primary change lies in the introduction of more harmonically rich chord voicings:
Taking a moment to familiarize yourself with the chord changes independently of the picking pattern is highly recommended. Index and ring fingers will likely handle most of the chord work, but consider using your pinky instead of the ring finger for the two F(#11) chords. This facilitates a smoother transition between the first and second F(#11) chords, as you’ll soon see.
It’s important to note that the interlude chord progression actually begins in the final measure of the second chorus. As you sing “wind” the second time, the interlude chords and picking pattern commence. Vocals continue (primarily “oh oh oh”) through the first pass of the progression, followed by two additional instrumental repetitions featuring string accompaniment.
Now, let’s examine the slight variation within the interlude. It occurs at the very end of the first measure:
Download MP3
Example 6 reveals a pull-off between the 7th and 5th frets of the D string. With a little practice, this is manageable. However, a basic understanding of fretboard geography can be helpful here. Even if you primarily rely on tablature, you might recall that the 5th fret of the D string corresponds to G, the same pitch as the open G string—a common tuning reference. Therefore, you can, if preferred, simply utilize the open G string, as demonstrated in Example 6A, to achieve the identical notes. The resonant quality of open strings is also appealing, making this approach to the interlude quite attractive. As demonstrated in the accompanying MP3, both methods sound equally effective.
Finally, we reach the outro. As previously mentioned, the final chorus is repeated twice, and upon reaching the last “wind,” the outro pattern, illustrated in Example 7, begins.
This marks the most significant departure from the consistent pinching/picking pattern used throughout the song. Approach this section deliberately and slowly, breaking it down into smaller segments. Begin by focusing solely on your thumb’s movement on the A and D strings to establish a steady rhythm, then gradually incorporate the higher strings:
Download MP3
Again, emphasizing slow, deliberate practice for this final section is crucial. With focused effort and consistent repetition, mastering this pattern change is within reach. If, however, you encounter significant difficulty, reverting to the intro pattern for the outro is a viable alternative – few listeners will discern the difference.
And there you have it—the complete arrangement.
A comprehensive “playing all parts” MP3 is intentionally omitted. If you’ve diligently worked through this lesson, it’s unnecessary. The more valuable exercise is playing through the arrangement yourself to the best of your ability. Maintaining a consistent pattern like this throughout an entire song presents a challenge, making personal variations and subtle changes all the more important. These nuances not only provide welcome variety for the player but also enhance the listening experience, distinguishing your performance from a simple replication of the original Kansas recording.
Hopefully, this exploration has been enjoyable and inspires you to incorporate melodic elements into other songs you play or are learning. At the very least, adding melodic touches to your fingerpicking can enrich solo guitar performances, preventing them from sounding rhythmically monotonous.
As always, feel free to post questions and suggestions on the Guitar Noise Forum’s “Guitar Noise Lessons” page or reach out directly via email at [email protected].
Until the next lesson…
Peace
Liner Notes
“Dust in the Wind” achieved hit single status for the American progressive rock band Kansas in 1977. It reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the week of February 18, 1978, becoming Kansas’ sole top ten Billboard Hot 100 single. Penned by Kerry Livgren, it marked one of the band’s pioneering forays into acoustic instrumentation.
