Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” resonates deeply with guitarists and music lovers alike. Originally conceived on a 12-string guitar in the legendary Abbey Road Studios, this title track from their 1975 masterpiece is often approached with standard open position guitar chords in G. While beautifully simple in its original form, there’s a way to unlock even more of its sonic potential. This exploration dives into playing “Wish You Were Here” using DADGAD tuning, offering a richer, more expansive soundscape for acoustic guitar players seeking a fresh perspective on this classic.
Discovering New Depths with DADGAD Tuning
The magic of this DADGAD arrangement lies in how it reimagines David Gilmour’s initial guitar riff. Gilmour’s foundational chords—G, Em7, and A7sus4—are ingeniously constructed around consistent top notes: D and G. By tuning your guitar to DADGAD and placing a capo at the fifth fret, these same top notes become readily available as open strings. This simple shift opens up a world of harmonic possibilities, which this arrangement fully embraces. The beauty of DADGAD and similar open tunings is their ability to naturally enhance chords with resonant extensions from open strings. In this adaptation, the IV chord (G with capo) transforms into a Gsus2, the V becomes an Aadd4, and the vi chord evolves into a poignant Em11. These aren’t just chord changes; they’re textural enrichments that elevate the song’s emotional depth.
Navigating the Arrangement: Intro, Verse, and Outro
This arrangement provides notation for the intro (which also serves as a recurring interlude), the rhythmic verse pattern, and an outro that gracefully lifts the intro riff an octave higher. Within the verse, you’ll encounter unique chord voicings beyond standard chord libraries, such as the Em11 and D5 shapes that conclude the section. A key technique in the verse’s progression from Gsus2 to G/F#, Em11, and D5 involves keeping your fourth finger anchored on the 5th fret of the 5th string. This acts as a pivot point, streamlining chord transitions and maintaining fluidity. As you move into the outro, be prepared for alternate shapes for Bm7 and E7sus4. For the E7sus4, a first-finger barre across strings 3–5 is effective, while the final chord benefits from fretting the sixth string with your second finger. For those seeking further sonic exploration, experimenting with alternate voicings higher up the neck for G, A, Em, and D chords, as demonstrated in the original video for the last verse, can add dynamic variation and intensity.
The Partial Capo Connection: An Esus Alternative
Interestingly, this DADGAD arrangement wasn’t the initial spark. The idea emerged from using a partial capo covering strings 3–5 at the second fret, sometimes known as an Esus or DADGAD capo. This partial capo setup mirrors the open string intervals of DADGAD but a whole step higher. This similarity allows for easy translation between Esus partial capo arrangements and DADGAD (with a regular capo at the second fret to achieve E tuning), with nearly identical sound results. For live performances, employing the partial capo can be a practical choice, saving the need for a full retuning between songs.
Gilmour’s Iconic Intro Solo and Duet Possibilities
For enthusiasts eager to delve deeper, a transcription of David Gilmour’s iconic intro guitar solo is also available in the original source. Played in standard tuning without a capo (key of G), Gilmour’s solo incorporates electric-style string bending techniques. Players can adapt these bends with slides as needed to suit acoustic guitar strings. For a richer performance dynamic, consider a duet arrangement. Combining a standard-tuned guitar playing in G with the DADGAD arrangement (capo 5) creates a compelling interplay, blending the familiar with the newly discovered textures of the DADGAD voicing.
Please note: Due to copyright restrictions, detailed notation and tablature are not included here. For full musical notation, please refer to the July/August 2021 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine, where this arrangement is featured on page 54.
This article is inspired by content originally published in the July/August 2021 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.
