The ULTIMATE Dust In The Wind Chords And Guitar Lesson

Did you know one of Kansas’ most iconic songs all started with guitarist Kerry Livgren trying to improve his fingerstyle guitar? 

The best guitar players are always searching for how they can improve their skills. They don’t rest on their laurels. In this post, I want to share with you how a tiny little fingerpicking pattern became the genesis for a massively huge hit.

So, grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “Dust In The Wind” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Dust In The Wind?

"Dust in the Wind" was written by Kerry Livgren the guitarist for the American rock band Kansas. The song has an interesting backstory. You see, it all started with him looking to improve his fingerpicking guitar techniques. He picked up a book that had a bunch of fingerpicking patterns in it, and he started experimenting with them.

One day, as he was sitting at home in between tours practicing, his wife walked by and said, “That sounds really nice”.

He said, “Nah, it’s just an exercise.” She urged him to turn it into a song. Shortly after he was reading another book of American Indian poetry and ran across the line, “All we are is dust in the wind”, and it hit him like a ton of bricks.

Then he started humming that line along with the fingerpicking exercise, and 15 minutes later, knocked out one of Kansas’ most iconic songs. He put the idea down on a little four-track tape recorder and then took it to a rehearsal with his bandmates. When they heard it they were stunned. 

It was recorded and included in their 1977 album, Point of Know Return. The song was different from their usual style, which made it stand out. "Dust in the Wind" was recorded at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles. The track features Kansas' trademark blend of acoustic guitar, violin, and melodic vocals. It’s a simple song musically speaking. But the guitar is tricky. It’s built around Livgren’s fingerpicking, with haunting violin lines from Robby Steinhardt. 

"Dust in the Wind" became Kansas' most successful commercial single. It peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1978, making it one of the band's most recognized songs. The song has been certified Gold by the RIAA, with over one million copies sold in the U.S. alone. It became an anthem for the 1970s, resonating with its deep, introspective lyrics and acoustic simplicity, a contrast to the band's more elaborate rock compositions. The song continues to receive airplay on classic rock and adult contemporary radio stations.

Now, if you’re trying to play this iconic song on guitar you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for the guitar in Dust in the Wind?

The tuning for "Dust In The Wind'" as recorded by Kansas is standard tuning. 

However, the guitar part is made from two guitars playing the same fingerpicking pattern doubled in unison. One guitar is a standard 6 string guitar tuned: 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch) 

The second guitar is playing the same exact part but it’s played on a guitar strung up in Nashville tuning. 

Nashville tuning is a variation of standard guitar tuning that gives an acoustic or electric guitar a brighter, more shimmering sound. It sounds closer to a 12-string guitar. What you do is replace the lower four strings (E, A, D, and G) with lighter gauge strings and tuning them an octave higher than standard tuning. The top two strings (B and high E) remain the same as in standard tuning.

In standard tuning, the strings are tuned E-A-D-G-B-e.

In Nashville tuning, the top two strings (B and high E) stay the same, but the E, A, D, and G strings are tuned an octave higher by using lighter strings that can handle higher tension.

For example:

The 6th (low E) string is replaced with a string usually used for a 12-string guitar’s octave E (thinner, tuned an octave higher).

The 5th (A) string is replaced and tuned an octave higher as well.

The same applies for the 4th (D) and 3rd (G) strings.

Nashville tuning was developed in the studios of Nashville, Tennessee (hence the name), as a way to simulate the sound of a 12-string guitar without the headaches of tuning and playing a 12-string. It's primarily used in recording sessions to add sparkle and depth to guitar arrangements, especially in country, folk, and rock music.

Often in the studio, a Nashville tuning guitar is paired with one in standard tuning and this can create a rich, layered sound. It’s similar to a 12-string guitar but without doubling every string. This technique adds texture to a recording without cluttering the mix. The high-octave strings create a bright, chiming effect that complements strummed chords, fingerpicking, and arpeggios.

Let’s next take a look at the…

Dust In The Wind Chords

If you want to play "Dust In The Wind'" on guitar there are 15 chords you need to know, C, Cmaj7, Cadd9, Am9, Am11, Am, G/B, G, Dm7, D/F#, Am/G, Am9, G/A, Am9#5, and F6/A. Don’t worry many of them are simple variations on common “cowboy” chords.

Let’s take a look at a few ways these shapes can be played on the fretboard.

C is played from the 5th string down like this:

Cmaj7 gets a jazzier sound by simply lifting off the index finger from C like this:

Cadd9 adds the pinkie to the 3rd fret on the 2nd string like this:

Do you see how these are all variations on a simple C chord? Let’s now do the same thing for Am, beginning with Am9 like this:

Am11 adds the pinkie to the 3rd fret on the 2nd string just like Cadd9 did:

Am is played from the 5th string down like this:

G/B is played on the middle strings with your middle and pinkie fingers in the fretting hand like this:

G is played in a folk style like this:

Dm7 has a little 2-string bar in it and is played from the 4th string down like this:

D/F# functions as a secondary dominant and comes in during the chorus. I play this chord using my fretting hand thumb. If that’s uncomfortable you can alternatively use your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers:

Am/G is played like this:

Then we get to the last 4 shapes which come in during the bridge. Here are those for our chord grand finale:

Now that you know the “Dust In The Wind” chords let’s talk about…

Does Dust in the Wind use a capo?

No. “Dust In The Wind” does not use a capo. However, it does have a sparkling, brighter sound to it due to the use of the doubled guitar parts, one in standard tuning, and one strung up using Nashville tuning. These two guitars played in unison but as two different takes created a very unique sound. But both were played without a capo.

Is Dust in the Wind hard to play on guitar?

“Dust In The Wind” is quite tricky to play. The chord shapes are not too advanced, but getting the fingerpicking patterns up to speed is not a walk in the park. You will need to have solid fingerstyle fundamentals in place. And, also understand rhythms like 16th notes, and some more advanced harmony, particularly in the bridge. Remember, the song started with an advanced touring guitar player trying to improve on a specific area of his playing – FINGERSTYLE. 

If you’ve struggled to learn fingerstyle guitar and want some exercises like what Kerry Livgren used to go pro, grab my free fingerstyle jumpstart PDF guide right here:

What key is Dust In The Wind in?

“Dust In The Wind” as recorded by Kansas is in the key of Cmajor/Aminor. It starts on C and ends fading out on an A minor vamp. A minor is the relative minor of C major. The only chord in the song that is not diatonic is the D/F# that comes in during the chorus. This chord adds movement to the chorus section and provides a nice contrast. It functions as a secondary dominant. Here’s a breakdown of the main chords and how they all relate in the key of C major. 

First, let’s look at the primary scale for the key.

C Major Scale

The C major scale is built from the following notes:

• C (Root)
• D (Major 2nd)
• E (Major 3rd)
• F (Perfect 4th)
• G (Perfect 5th)
• A (Major 6th)
• B (Major 7th)
  
  

C Major (C)

Roman Numeral: I (Tonic)

Notes: C - E - G

Function: This is the tonic chord in the key of C major, meaning it’s the “home” chord. It feels stable and resolved, forming the foundation of the key.

A Minor (Am)

Roman Numeral: vi (Relative Minor)

Notes: A - C - E

Function: This is the relative minor chord in the key of C major. It shares two notes with the C major chord (C and E) and adds a minor flavor. It often provides a softer, sadder contrast to the major chords.

D/F# (D Major with F# in the bass)

Roman Numeral: V/V (Secondary Dominant)

Notes: D - F# - A

Function: This is a secondary dominant chord, specifically the V of V (dominant of the dominant). In the key of C, the dominant (V) chord is G, and D major is the V of G. The F# in the bass gives the chord a leading-tone feel toward G, creating tension that resolves to the G major chord in the chorus. This is the one chord that is note naturally in the C major scale.

D Minor (Dm)

Roman Numeral: ii (Supertonic)

Notes: D - F - A

Function: The ii chord is the minor supertonic in C major. It’s a common pre-dominant chord, often leading to a dominant chord like G (V). It adds a minor, contemplative sound in contrast to the brighter major chords.

G Major (G)

Roman Numeral: V (Dominant)

Notes: G - B - D

Function: The dominant chord in C major, G major is one of the most important chords in the key. It creates tension that naturally resolves back to the tonic (C major). The dominant’s role is to lead the listener back “home” to the tonic chord, C.

Now that you understand the key and chords, let’s talk about the…

Dust In The Wind Fingerpicking Pattern 

The “Dust in the Wind” fingerpicking pattern is a common pattern used in millions of songs. Remember, it came from a fingerstyle guitar book. This shows the power of a good fingerpicking pattern. Patterns like this can be used to make any simple chord progression sound beautiful. It’s just 2 beats long and begins with a pinch. This means the first two notes are plucked at the same time. After this pinch (which lasts ½ a beat, an eighth note in 4/4 time) play all 16th notes like this:

The main underlying groove for “Dust In The Wind'" is a 16th-note bubbling groove. This rhythm is the driving motor of the song. All fueled by the fingerpicking pattern.

To get this “feel” down, you need to understand how to count 16th notes within each measure. In a 4/4 time signature, each measure has four beats. When subdividing each beat into 16th notes, each beat is divided into four equal parts, giving you a total of sixteen 16th notes per measure.

To count 16th notes, use the following syllables: 

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a 

When counting out loud, it sounds like: 

"One e and a, Two e and a, Three e and a, Four e and a" 

This rhythm drives the consistent fingerpicking groove throughout.

Conclusion

To wrap it up, "Dust in the Wind" is a timeless masterpiece. It showcases the power of a simple fingerpicking pattern. Not only in how much it can improve your guitar playing, but also how this little ideas can be used to create your own music. 

Apply them to your own songs, and see where it takes you.

Keep practicing, and if you’ve struggled to learn fingerstyle guitar and want some exercises like what Kerry Livgren used to go pro, grab my free fingerstyle jumpstart PDF guide right here now: 

Jon MacLennan