https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/waypoints-learning-the-banjo-neck-d-chord-banjo-intermediate
You know those banjo pickers that know exactly where to put their fingers? I want you to be one, too. We continue our Waypoints Study where I systematically teach you the banjo neck in a fun and memorable way! You know the G & C chord, now let’s learn the “waypoints” on the banjo neck for the D chord and how to use them!
I say, I say, the day is finally here when @Archie can do a cartwheel across his Scottish living room with no worries about his kilt…I’ve finally made it!
Holy cow! We’d better all go buy lottery tickets. I thought this day would never come.
*Edit to say that this looks like it’ll go a long way toward learning how to play in the key of D without a capo.
love it!
Is this an acceptable substitution:
Sure is, thanks!
With my wife’s customer appreciation event behind us, I can finally get to this long awaited lesson. Something that I forgot I had learned in the past is the “cheat code” for knowing how to move up and down the 1st 2 strings. Going from low to high, finger spacing on strings 1 and 2 will go 2 frets apart, 1 fret apart, side by side, so 2, 1, 0 over and over.
The cheat code to stack on top of that is that between each inversion, you will skip over 2 frets. Learn those 2 things and you can play the entire fretboard. This is why it’s so important to watch the videos and not just work from the tabs,
I forgot how much these Waypoints lessons make me think, which is one of the reasons I appreciate them so much. Maybe in the next 6 years we’ll get a follow up lesson showing how Ben combines the G, C, and D Waypoints lessons to create an improv lead. I know, I know. The information is all there already. I just figured it’d be a softball lesson.
Hi @Mark_Rocka funny that you should reference the "lesson showing how Ben combines the G, C, and D Waypoints lessons to create an improv lead. " @BanjoBen did mention that the D Waypoints Lesson is the one we have all been waiting for “the one that completes the Waypoints Course” So don’t hold your breath 
So I have been working with this lesson on and off since Ben uploaded it. I am on last leg now Adding Licks. I thought this is going to be easy but my brain has a different approach and I am struggling to play it through. So I am working backwards on this. I worked on it for about an hour today and I am about two thirds of the way through. Once I’ve nailed it I will be revisiting Waypoints G & C
Well after a long spell in the banjo doldrums I finally got round to completing this segment of the Waypoint’s Course. I’ve just got to go back and revise the G & C Waypoints lessons and I’ll be ready for the Combination Lesson G, C & D @Mark_Rocka.
Without doubt this Waypoints Course should be the first series of lessons for all students completing the Beginners Section to tackle. I know from my own banjo journey moving Up The Neck was a really scary experience. All the tunes I learned as a beginner were confined to the first five frets and it was a real struggle to venture beyond the 5th not knowing how to make partial chords or where to put my fingers. This Course really opens a doorway to the TOP OF THE NECK.
That is great feedback, my friend!
