Whaat is this chord?

I start with a Dm = 2 0 0 1
and raise the G string to 3001

I like that chord a lot. What is the name of it?
thanks,
Nick

Bb-D-A-F . . . I'd say Bbmaj7.

Haven’t got my mandolin with me but how does this sound? With Bb on top, 2 0 8 6

Or Dmb6. A guitarist might call it Dmb13

I'm with twaaang there - Bbma7. It's the easiest, most straightforward analysis.

So I was just noodling around a bit - definitely, decidedly not practicing ;) - and I thought I'd play this 3001 chord, instead of just thinking about it. It's nice enough, I suppose, sort of moody. And I liked how well it goes with my patented Fma7 chord, 5300©, as well as that nearby patented Am chord, 5200©. These all work one or another open string fifth interval, and just hang in the air rather nicely. :mandosmiley:

As an aside, if you play 2001, 3001, 4001, 3001, you get the James Bond theme (sort of)

and as a secondary aside in an Irish music setting, in the second part of the second jig in this set of 3 jigs, the great late arty mcglynn uses this type of chord motif to accompany the tune...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYgL...64zqQ&index=12

PS I agree with Bbmaj7 as the most obvious chord here, or simply Dm/Bb

What is the context? Is this a solo mandolin thing...no other instruments?

If there are other instruments LOWER than a mandolin, it could be any number chords, depending on what you hear as the lowest note. Your 4 mandolin notes may only be the upper portion of your "chord". (or polychord)

By itself with a Bb on the bottom, your ear will hear it a BbMaj7 (unless the bottom note is only there for a strum or two, and moves up to something like C.)

If the bassist is playing a G note - you will hear it as a Gm9.

Also...it is a (prominent) chord defining tonality, or is it some sort of passing chord, or a chord with a moving line on the bottom? (ie. Bond, James Bond)

When I was working with my organ bass pedals (pedalbass). I would spend hours trying out all sorts of (mando) shapes and note combinations superimposed above different bass notes or basslines. (No bass player would be patient enough to provide this experimental bottom while I tried all sorts of stuff, but doing it all myself.... quite educational, and entertaining.) 3 note "chords" (if that's what they really were, or tone clusters) that sounded totally ambiguous by themselves would take on a whole different sonic life/identity in context with the bass notes or basslines. Playing those bass pedals (and/or drums) with the mando really gave me a education of what groove and backup was all about.

I think the only context is that he just likes the sound of the chord, moving from that Dm. So we can name it whatever but there is a bit of sweetness to be heard moving from Dm to Dmb6. The most straight forward sound, in isolation, is BbM7.

On the rare occasion I like 5002 for a D7 depending on the context

I realize that has nothing to do with the OP question (which has been answered) but it does make use of open ring of D & A similar to the chords discussed

I do a sort of Robert Johnson style of Kindhearted Woman Blues in A, and D7 shows up as 5002, 5402 & 545x in my playing of it, depending on what comes before or after ;)