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!
is this right for minor chords - can you use 5th string open
Em
2 —5---9—14—17—21
0—5---8—12—17—20
Am
2—7---10—14—19—22
1—5---10—13—17—22
Bm
4—9---12—16—21
3—7---12—15—19
Yes, the open 5th string will sound fine. It’s part of the Emin chord, it’s the 7th of the Amin chord. It will sound more dissonant with the Bmin but still part of the scale.
