Open D Tuning (D A D F♯ A D)

Open D tunes the strings from low to high to D A D F♯ A D, so strumming all six open strings plays a D major chord. From standard you lower four strings and leave strings 5 and 4 alone.

Strings 6 → 1: D2 A2 D3 F♯3 A3 D4
From standard: Strings 6 3 2 1 change
Open strings: D (D F♯ A)

Tuner · Open D

A4 · 440 Hz

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Mic off

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Auto string detect

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

TuningD A D F♯ A D

Strings · tap to hear

How to tune to open D from standard

String 6: E2 → D2, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %
String 5: A2 → A2, no change
String 4: D3 → D3, no change
String 3: G3 → F♯3, down 1 semitone (half step) · tension −11 %
String 2: B3 → A3, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %
String 1: E4 → D4, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %

Already in DADFAD (open D minor) (D A D F A D)? Only string 3 changes: F3 → F♯3, up 1 semitone (half step).

Already in DADGAD (D A D G A D)? Only string 3 changes: G3 → F♯3, down 1 semitone (half step).

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

Open D (D A D F♯ A D) chords

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

D · all open

Frets 0 0 0 0 0 0

D A D F♯ A D

I (home chord). Strum all six strings. This is the tuning.

G · barre fret 5

Frets 5 5 5 5 5 5

G D G B D G

IV. One finger flat across fret 5. With a slide, hold it over the fret wire instead of pressing.

A · barre fret 7

Frets 7 7 7 7 7 7

A E A C♯ E A

V. Same flat barre two frets higher. D, G and A are the three chords of a blues in D.

Bm · two fingers

Frets × 2 0 0 2 0

× B D F♯ B D

vi. Fret 2 on strings 5 and 2, skip string 6. The open D and F♯ fill in the chord.

Em · four strings

Frets × × 2 1 2 2

× × E G B E

ii. Index on string 3, fret 1; the other three fingers on fret 2. Strum strings 4 to 1.

Any straight barre is a major chord, named by counting half steps up from D: fret 2 = E, fret 3 = F, fret 5 = G, fret 7 = A, fret 10 = C, fret 12 = D an octave up.

Why open D sounds so full

Three of the six strings are D, in three octaves, and two are A. Only string 3 carries the major third, F♯. The open chord is mostly root and fifth, which is why open D rings deep and wide rather than bright.

Because the whole chord is already in the open strings, a single straight bar across one fret moves the same major chord up the neck. That is the reason slide players like it: the slide only has to sit over the right fret.

String 3 decides major or minor. Lower it a half step to F and the open strings become D minor (DADFAD); raise it a half step to G and you are in DADGAD. Three tunings, one string apart.

Note	Open strings
D	3 of 6
F♯	1 of 6
A	2 of 6

What open D is used for

Slide guitar, on acoustic and resonator guitars: the open strings give the I chord, fret 5 the IV and fret 7 the V, so a twelve-bar blues needs nothing more than the open strings and a straight bar.

Fingerstyle and folk songwriting: the low D on strings 6 and 4 can drone under a melody played on the top strings. The older parlour-guitar name for open D, "Vestapol", comes from "Sebastopol", a 19th-century parlour guitar piece written in it.

Playing in open D: practical notes

Tension: four strings go down (6, 2 and 1 by a whole step, 3 by a half step), so the guitar is slacker than in standard. Light strings may rattle under a heavy strum or a slide; a medium set helps if the guitar stays in open D.

Capo: capo 2 gives open E (E B E G♯ B E) with less string tension than tuning up to open E, and capo 4 gives open F♯. The shapes above keep working, counted from the capo.

Back to standard: raise strings 6, 2 and 1 a whole step and string 3 a half step, then check all six again.

FAQ

Is open D the same as DADGAD?

No. Open D has F♯ on string 3 and sounds a D major chord. DADGAD has G on string 3 and sounds Dsus4, neither major nor minor. Going from open D to DADGAD you raise only string 3 a half step.

Is open D good for slide guitar?

Yes. The open strings are a major chord, so a slide held straight over any fret plays a major chord: fret 5 is G and fret 7 is A, the IV and V of D.

What is the difference between open D and open E?

The intervals are identical; open E is every string a whole step higher. Open D lowers strings from standard, open E raises three of them, so open D with a capo on fret 2 gives the same pitches with less tension.

Is there an open D tuning chord chart?

Yes, the chord shapes above are the chart: D with all strings open, G with a barre at fret 5, A with a barre at fret 7, plus Bm and Em. Any straight barre is a major chord: fret 2 is E, fret 3 is F, fret 5 is G, fret 7 is A, fret 10 is C and fret 12 is D an octave up.

Standard tuning (EADGBE)back to the reference tuning
The key of D majorthe open strings ring a D chord
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 E (EBEG♯BE)same family of tuning
All guitar tuningsopen, drop and modal, compared