Open D Tuner
Press Start, allow the microphone and play a string. Open D is set: D A D F# A D, a D major chord on the open strings.
Press Start and allow the microphone.
Tap a string to hear its note and tune to it by ear.
Open D tuning notes
Open D tuning is D2 A2 D3 F#3 A3 D4. Strummed open, the six strings play a D major chord. From standard, lower the 1st, 2nd and 6th strings a whole step (E to D, B to A, E to D) and the 3rd string a half step (G to F#); the 4th and 5th strings stay.
| String | Note | Frequency | From standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th | D2 | 73.42 Hz | down a whole step |
| 5th | A2 | 110.00 Hz | unchanged |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 Hz | unchanged |
| 3rd | F#3 | 185.00 Hz | down a half step |
| 2nd | A3 | 220.00 Hz | down a whole step |
| 1st | D4 | 293.66 Hz | down a whole step |
Frequencies at A4 = 440 Hz; change A4 in the tuner and the table follows.
What Open D is for
An open tuning turns the guitar into a chord. A straight barre across any fret plays a major chord: the 5th fret G and the 7th fret A, all you need for a three-chord blues in D. That is why Open D is a slide-guitar tuning, used in Delta blues, folk and singer-songwriter music.
Open D shares five strings with DADGAD; only the 3rd string differs, F# in Open D and G in DADGAD, which makes the open chord suspended instead of major. Open E has the same intervals a whole step higher (E B E G# B E). Many players use Open D with a capo at the 2nd fret instead, because Open E raises the string tension.
How to tune to Open D from standard
- Press Start tuning and allow the microphone. Open D is already selected.
- Lower the 6th string from E to D2 and the 1st string from E to D4, a whole step each.
- Lower the 2nd string from B to A3 (a whole step) and the 3rd string from G to F#3 (a half step). The 4th and 5th strings stay at D and A.
- Strum all six strings: you should hear a clean D major chord. Fix any string that sounds off on the tuner.
Strings and slide setup
Open D lowers four strings, so the guitar is a little looser than in standard. Your usual set works for fingerpicking. For slide, a heavier set (11s or 12s) and slightly higher action keep the slide from hitting the frets.
Open D tuning: frequently asked questions
What are the notes in Open D tuning?
D A D F# A D, from the 6th string to the 1st: D2, A2, D3, F#3, A3 and D4.
What is the difference between Open D and DADGAD?
Only the 3rd string: F# in Open D, G in DADGAD. Open D strums a D major chord; DADGAD strums a Dsus4, neither major nor minor.
Is Open D good for slide guitar?
Yes, it is one of the two classic slide tunings, with Open G. A slide laid straight across a fret plays a major chord, so the fretboard becomes a row of chords.
How do I play chords in Open D?
Barre all six strings: open is D, the 5th fret G and the 7th fret A, the I, IV and V chords in D. For a minor chord, play the 3rd string one fret lower than the barre.
What is Open D minor?
D A D F A D: Open D with the 3rd string a half step lower, F instead of F#. Strummed open it plays D minor. Tune it in Chromatic mode.
How do I go back to standard tuning?
Raise the 1st, 2nd and 6th strings a whole step and the 3rd string a half step, or switch the Tuning menu to Standard and tune each string until it says In tune.
Open G tuning
D G D G B D: a G major chord on the open strings.
Drop D tuning
D A D G B E: only the low E goes down to D.
D standard tuning
D G C F A D: every string a whole step down.
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