Open A Tuning (E A E A C♯ E)

Open A tunes the strings from low to high to E A E A C♯ E (typed E A E A C# E), so the open strings sound an A major chord. From standard you raise strings 4, 3 and 2 by a whole step; strings 6, 5 and 1 stay as they are.

Strings 6 → 1: E2 A2 E3 A3 C♯4 E4
From standard: Strings 4 3 2 up a whole step
Open strings: A (A C♯ E)

Tuner · Open A

A4 · 440 Hz

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Mic off

±0 ¢

Auto string detect

Uses your microphone. Audio stays on this device. No mic? Tap a string to hear its note.

TuningE A E A C♯ E

Strings · tap to hear

How to tune to open A from standard

String 6: E2 → E2, no change
String 5: A2 → A2, no change
String 4: D3 → E3, up 2 semitones (whole step) · tension +26 %
String 3: G3 → A3, up 2 semitones (whole step) · tension +26 %
String 2: B3 → C♯4, up 2 semitones (whole step) · tension +26 %
String 1: E4 → E4, no change

The tuner above is locked to E A E A C♯ E, so each string reads against its own target. Tap a string button to hear its note.

Open A (E A E A C♯ E) chords

Frets are listed from string 6 to string 1 (× = do not play). The notes line is what each string sounds in this tuning.

A · five strings open

Frets × 0 0 0 0 0

× A E A C♯ E

I (home chord). Strum from string 5 so the root A is the lowest note. Add string 6 for a deeper A/E.

A7 · one finger

Frets × 0 0 0 0 3

× A E A C♯ G

I7. Fret 3 on string 1 adds G, the flat seventh. Leads into D.

D · barre fret 5

Frets × 5 5 5 5 5

× D A D F♯ A

IV. Flat finger across strings 5 to 1 at fret 5. Leave string 6 out.

E · barre fret 7

Frets × 7 7 7 7 7

× E B E G♯ B

V. Same barre two frets up. A, D and E are the blues in A.

F♯m · two fingers

Frets × × 2 0 0 2

× × F♯ A C♯ F♯

vi. Fret 2 on strings 4 and 1, strings 3 and 2 open. Strum strings 4 to 1.

A straight barre on strings 5 to 1 is a major chord, named by counting half steps up from A: fret 2 = B, fret 3 = C, fret 5 = D, fret 7 = E, fret 12 = A an octave up.

How open A is built

Open A is open G moved up a whole step: the same intervals, the same chord shapes, a brighter pitch. Strings 6, 5 and 1 keep their standard notes (E, A, E); the three middle strings go up to E, A and C♯.

As in open G, the lowest string is the fifth of the chord (E), not the root. Strum from string 5 and the open A string is the bass note, which is why the shapes below leave string 6 out.

The top three strings are A, C♯ and E, a full A triad, so short riffs and partial chords on strings 3 to 1 sound complete on their own.

Note	Open strings
A	2 of 6
C♯	1 of 6
E	3 of 6

What open A is used for

Slide and blues in A, a common key for harmonica and for singers who find G too low: open strings for A, fret 5 for D and fret 7 for E.

Open G riffs and songs moved up a whole step to suit a voice, played with the same fingerings.

Open A and your guitar: tension first

Strings 4, 3 and 2 each go up a whole step, which adds tension to those strings (see the figures in the steps above). A sound steel-string guitar with light strings copes; skip it on a nylon-string classical guitar or a fragile old instrument.

The gentler route: tune to open G and put a capo on fret 2. Same pitches, and every string stays at or below standard tension.

Back to standard: lower strings 4, 3 and 2 a whole step each and recheck all six.

FAQ

Is open A the same as open G with a capo?

The pitches are the same as open G with a capo on fret 2: E A E A C♯ E. The capo route keeps string tension lower; tuning up to open A frees the whole neck.

Which strings change from standard?

Three, all up a whole step: string 4 from D to E, string 3 from G to A and string 2 from B to C♯. Strings 6, 5 and 1 stay E, A, E.

Why leave string 6 out of the chords?

String 6 is E, the fifth of A. It is in the chord, so it may ring, but the chord sounds settled only when the root A on string 5 is the lowest note.

The key of A majorthe open strings ring an A chord
Standard tuning (EADGBE)back to the reference tuning
Guitar tunerswitch tunings, or tune back to standard
Capo calculator and chord transposercapo shapes for any key
Open G (DGDGBD)same family of tuning
Open D (DADF♯AD)same family of tuning
All guitar tuningsopen, drop and modal, compared