Open D tuning (D A D F♯ A D)
Slide players, singer-songwriters and anyone who wants big, resonant major chords with one finger.
Open D tunes the open strings to a D major chord: D A D F♯ A D. It is DADGAD with the third string lowered a further half step to F♯, which turns the suspended chord into a full major.
It is a classic slide and fingerstyle tuning, bright and ringing, with a deep root on the sixth string. Joni Mitchell and Elmore James both lived in it.
Notes and frequencies
From the thickest string to the thinnest, at concert pitch (A4 = 440 Hz). Changed strings are highlighted.
| String | Note | Frequency (A4 = 440 Hz) | Change from standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | D2 | 73.42 Hz | −2 semitones from E2 |
| 5 | A2 | 110.00 Hz | as standard |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 Hz | as standard |
| 3 | F♯3 | 185.00 Hz | −1 semitone from G3 |
| 2 | A3 | 220.00 Hz | −2 semitones from B3 |
| 1 | D4 | 293.66 Hz | −2 semitones from E4 |
From standard tuning
- String 6: lower E2 down a whole step to D2.
- String 3: lower G3 down a half step to F♯3.
- String 2: lower B3 down a whole step to A3.
- String 1: lower E4 down a whole step to D4.
The other 2 strings stay in standard.
Tuning to Open D in TuneGlass
- The app opens in 6-string guitar mode; if you changed the instrument, switch back in Settings.
- Tap any string circle to open the tuning editor and choose Open D from the presets. Presets beyond the thickest string are part of TuneGlass Pro, a one-time purchase.
- Play one string at a time. The needle turns green and the scale fills when the string is in tune. Hold a string circle to hear its reference note.
Tips
- Four strings move: the sixth, third, second and first. Only the fifth and fourth stay in standard.
- The F♯ on the third string is the note that defines the chord. Tune it last, against the fretted F♯ on the fourth string (4th fret) if you want to double-check.
Questions
What are the notes of Open D?
D A D F♯ A D, low to high, which sounds a D major chord when strummed open.
Open D vs DADGAD?
They differ by one string: the third. DADGAD has G there (a suspended fourth); Open D has F♯ (a major third).
Related tunings
English · Deutsch · Español · 日本語 · Українська