Tenor banjo chords in DGdg tuning

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Basic chords in DGdg tuning

In the DGdg tuning you can play in the key of G. The basic chords in the key G major are G, C, and D.
Here is the voicing of the G chord:

   G
_______
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |

This is no mistake, you need not to press any string and you receive the G chord. Actually it is uncompleted triad, as there is no third (no note B).
Try to play the G chord this way:
(thumb plays alternating bass and index and middle fingers play pinch)

g------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-
d------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-
G--0---------------|-0---------------|- etc.
D----------0-------|---------0-------|-
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|
   T   M   T   M     T   M   T   M
       I       I         I       I

Here is the voicing of the D chord:
(1 = left index finger, 2 = left middle finger)

   D
_______
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| 1 | 2
| | | |
| | | |

This voicing is also uncompleted triad, as there is no third (no note F^#).
Try to play the D chord similar way as G chord:
(note the bass strings changed the order)

g------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-
d------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-
G----------2-------|---------2-------|- etc.
D--0---------------|-0---------------|-
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |
   T   M   T   M     T   M   T   M
       I       I         I       I

Here is the voicing of the C chord:
(1 = left index finger, 2 = left middle finger)

   C
_______
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
1 | 2 |
| | | |
| | | |

Also this voicing is uncompleted triad, as there is no root (no note C).
You can play the C chord same way as G chord:

g------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-
d------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-
G--0---------------|-0---------------|- etc.
D----------2-------|---------2-------|-
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |
   T   M   T   M     T   M   T   M
       I       I         I       I

In frailing you need sometimes to hold this C chord voicing by MIDDLE finger on D string and RING finger on d string, in order to have left index finger free for phantom pull-off from 2nd fret to open G string, if the melody calls for (e.g. in 500 miles in G, 4th and half of 5th measure):

   C                 Am
g------0-0-----0-0-|-----2-2--
d------2-------2---|-----2----
G------0-----0-----|-2---2----etc.
D--2-------2-------|----------
   |   |_| |_|_|_|   |   |_|
   T   R I T P R I   T   R I

The 2-0-2-0 voicing is simple and it is used in playing the melody. But you can hear that for the backup purposes it uses wrong bass notes (as there is no root). Here is better voicing of C chord for the backup:
(1 = left index finger, 4 = left little finger)

   C
_______
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | 1 |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| 4 | |
| | | |
| | | |

The backup with correct bass notes is then played this way:

g------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-
d------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-
G--5-------0-------|-5-------0-------|- etc.
D------------------|-----------------|-
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |
   T   M   T   M     T   M   T   M
       I       I         I       I

Or, you can hold also 5th fret of D string by your ring finger:

g------0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-
d------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-
G--5---------------|-5---------------|- etc.
D----------5-------|---------5-------|-
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |
   T   M   T   M     T   M   T   M
       I       I         I       I

Finally, try the chord progression with simple walking bass connecting the chords:

   G                                   C
g------0-------0---|-----0-----------|-----0-------0---|-----0-----------|
d------0-------0---|-----0-----------|-----2-------2---|-----2-----------|
G--0---------------|-0-------2---4---|-5---------------|-5-------4---2---|
D----------0-------|-----------------|---------5-------|-----------------|
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |
   T   M   T   M     T   M   T   T     T   M   T   M     T   M   T   T
       I       I         I                 I       I         I

   G                                   D
g------0-------0---|-----0-----------|-----2-------2---|-----2-----------|
d------0-------0---|-----0-----------|-----0-------0---|-----0-----------|
G--0---------------|-0---------------|---------2-------|-----------------|
D----------0-------|---------4---2---|-0---------------|-0-------2---4---|
   |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |     |   |   |   |
   T   M   T   M     T   M   T   T     T   M   T   M     T   M   T   T
       I       I         I                 I       I         I

Closed chord shapes

Up the neck there are used mainly two shapes, derived from G chord and D chord voicings shown above:

barre shape
| | | |
| | | |
1 1 1 1  barre by index finger
| | | |
| | | |

D shape
| | | |
| | | |
1 1 1 1  barre by index finger
| | | |
| | | |
| 3 | 4  added ring and little fingers
| | | |
| | | |

The root of the chord is highlighted in bold and red.

Sometimes the E shape which uses the left thumb is used:

E shape
| | | |
| | | |
| | | 1
| | | |
| | | |
T | 2 |  thumb presses the root
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| 4 | |
| | | |
| | | |

Major and minor chords - narrow and wide voicings

Here is used the abbreviation system describing the number of fret pressed by the finger on each string in order from bass to treble. "x" means the respective string is not played. The three basic chords shown at the very beginning can be abbreviated to
G: 0-0-0-0
D: 0-2-0-2
C: 2-0-2-0

Let us look how can be played major and minor chords on the DGdg banjo assuming that we want to play just the three notes of the chord (each only once), so the remaining string will not be striked (anyway we have three picking fingers so it is OK). The problem is that the voicings are not always comfortable to play, so one cannot use them.

We will work with G major chord consisting from G, B, and D notes in this order. Narrow voicing means that you play just these notes as close as possible, so there is no other chordal note left inbetween two played notes.

G-B-D on DGdg banjo:

5-4-0-x
x-12-9-7

You can also play the chord starting from another note (while still keeping the narrow voicing principle). This is called chord inversions:
B-D-G on DGdg banjo:

9-7-5-x
x-16-12-12 (there is the barre by index finger)

D-G-B on DGdg banjo:

12-12-9-x
x-7-5-4

For other major chords shift these voicings up or down the neck.
(I will not specify here at this moment how to find the right place - sorry. Look into some theory book.)

Here are the narrow voicings for G minor chord G-Bb-D. Evaluation of playability is again up to you.

G-Bb-D on DGdg banjo:

5-3-0-x
x-12-8-7

Bb-D-G on DGdg banjo:

8-7-5-x
x-15-12-12

D-G-Bb on DGdg banjo:

12-12-8-x
x-7-5-3

Going back to G major chord, let us look at so called wide voicings - the voicing where are spaces between the played notes for other chordal notes which are intentionally not played. For G major chord it looks like this: G-(B)-D-(G)-B where notes in brackets are not played. And also here you can make inversions. Note that in case of wide voicings the unplayed string can be either the outer or the inner one.

G-D-B on DGdg banjo:

5-7-9-x or 5-7-x-4
x-0-0-4

B-G-D on DGdg banjo:

9-12-12-x
x-4-5-7 or 9-x-5-7

D-B-G on DGdg banjo:

0-4-5-x or 0-4-x-0
x-7-9-12 or 12-x-9-12

Finally the wide voicing for G minor chord.

G-D-Bb on DGdg banjo:

5-7-8-x or 5-7-x-3
x-0-0-3

Bb-G-D on DGdg banjo:

8-12-12-x
x-3-5-7 or 8-x-5-7

D-Bb-G on DGdg banjo:

0-3-5-x or 0-3-x-0
x-7-8-12 or 12-x-8-12

It is up to you which of these voicings you will choose.
I practice these wide voicings for G major chord going gradually up the neck:
0-4-x-0
x-0-0-4 = 5-7-x-4
x-4-5-7 = 9-x-5-7 = 9-12-12-x
12-x-9-12 = 12-16-x-12 (which is octave above the first chord 0-4-x-0)

And for G minor:
0-3-x-0
x-0-0-3 = 5-7-x-3
x-3-5-7 = 8-x-5-7 = 8-12-12-x
12-x-8-12 = 12-15-x-12 (which is octave above the first chord 0-3-x-0)

More chords

While in the previous chapter there are listed the complete three-note voicings of major and minor chords, which are sometimes hard to play, in this chapter there are also four-note voicings, often uncomplete (one note of the chord is missing, others are played twice), but more easily to hold.

(I omit the minuses in the voicings as they do not go up the neck so one digit = one string)

Here is the overview of major chords voicings
C: 2020 or X520 or 5520 or 5555
C^#: 6666
D: 0202 or 0242 or 7777
E^b: 1310 or 1313
E: 2421 or X421 or 2424
F: 323X or 353X or 753X or 3532 or X532 or 3535
F^#: 4646
G: 0000 or 0400 or 5400 or X754 or 5754 or 5757
A^b: 1111
A: 2222
B^b: 3333 or 3303 or 330X
B: 4444 or 441X

Minor chords
Cm: 5510 or 1010
C^#m: 2121
Dm: 0232
E^bm: 4343 or 1343
Em: 2420 or X420
Fm: 3131
F^#m: 4242
Gm: 0300 or 5300 or 0753
A^bm: 1411 or X411
Am: 2522 or X522
B^bm: 3633 or X633
B: 4404 or 440X or 4444 or 4744

Some dominant seventh chords
C7: X320 or 2320 or 5320 or 5523
D7: X542 or 0542 or 0245
E7: 2401
F7: 3212
G7: 0430 or 5430 or 0034
A7: 2220
B7: 4401

G6, C6 and D6 picked chords

Try this sound based on Scruggs style rolls:
(T = thumb, I = index, M = middle finger)

   G6
g|-----0-----0-----|-0-----0-----0----|
d|-0-----0-----0---|---0-----0--------|
G|---9-----9-----9-|-----9-----9------|
D|-----------------|------------------|
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|   |_|_|_| |_| |
   I T M I T M I T   M I T M I T M

LISTEN

   C6
g|-0-----0-----0---|---0-----0--------|
d|----10----10-----|10----10----10----|
G|--14----14----14-|----14----14------|
D|-----------------|------------------|
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|   |_|_|_| |_| |
   M T I M T I M T   I M T I M T I

LISTEN

   D6
g|-----------------|------------------|
d|-----0-----0-----|-0-----0-----0----|
G|---4-----4-----4-|-----4-----4------|
D|-7-----7-----7---|---7-----7--------|
   |_|_|_| |_|_|_|   |_|_|_| |_| |
   T I M T I M T I   M T I M T I M

LISTEN

Swing backup

Three-note wide voicings of seventh chords (so called 10th chords) used in swing guitar backup see here.