Open D tuning is what you get when you tune the six open strings to D A D F# A D: played together, with no fretting at all, they ring out as a D major chord. It's one of the most-loved open tunings for slide, blues, folk, and fingerstyle playing, thanks to its full, deeply resonant tone.
In short: start from standard tuning and lower four strings (the 6th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st); the 5th and 4th stay put. The open strings form a D major chord, made up of the notes D, F#, and A.
Getting from standard tuning to Open D
Compared to EADGBE, four strings change, all moving down. The 5th (A) and 4th (D) stay the same:
- 6th string: from E to D, a whole step down
- 5th string: A, unchanged
- 4th string: D, unchanged
- 3rd string: from G to F#, a half step down
- 2nd string: from B to A, a whole step down
- 1st string: from E to D, a whole step down
The result is D A D F# A D. A practical upside: since every string that changes is lowered, overall tension drops slightly compared to standard tuning. That means there's no risk of over-tightening the strings, unlike what can happen with tunings that raise them.
To tune, play each open string and bring it to the note listed above. With a browser-based chromatic tuner like EasyGuitarTuner, you can hit every target note straight from your microphone with nothing to install — just compare the pitch it reads against the note you're aiming for.
The sound of Open D
With the open strings already tuned to a D major chord, Open D sounds full and bright before you even touch the fretboard. The three notes of the chord (D, F#, and A) repeat across several octaves, giving the tuning a tone that's rich in overtones and deeply resonant — almost like the guitar is accompanying itself.
The most immediate advantage is that you can play a full major chord with a single barre: lay a finger, or a slide, straight across all the strings at any fret and you instantly get a major chord. Move it up or down the neck and you change chords without changing your fingering.
String frequencies
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 6th | D2 | 73.4 Hz |
| 5th | A2 | 110.0 Hz |
| 4th | D3 | 146.8 Hz |
| 3rd | F#3 | 185.0 Hz |
| 2nd | A3 | 220.0 Hz |
| 1st | D4 | 293.7 Hz |
These values assume standard concert pitch, with A at 440 Hz.
What to play in Open D
Open D shines wherever you need resonance and open strings ringing under the melody:
- Slide and blues: it's one of the tunings most associated with slide guitar; a bottleneck barre glides from one chord to the next with no effort. Dig deeper with blues and slide tunings.
- Folk and fingerstyle: the open strings create natural drones under your arpeggios, perfect for fingerstyle playing.
- Songs in the key of D: if a piece revolves around D major, Open D gives you open basses and octaves that standard tuning can't.
Open D vs. Open E: same shape, a whole step apart
Open E has exactly the same interval structure as Open D, just a whole step higher: E B E G# B E. It's essentially the same open-chord shape moved up the neck. The real difference is how you get there: for Open E you raise three strings, adding tension, while for Open D you lower them. That's why many players prefer to start from Open D, which is gentler on the neck, and then reuse the same set of shapes. If open tunings have caught your interest, take a look at Open G too — another of the most widely used ones.
How to get back to standard tuning
To get back to EADGBE, raise the four strings you changed: the 1st from D to E, the 2nd from A to B, the 3rd from F# to G, and the 6th from D to E. The 5th (A) and 4th (D) are already where they need to be. Take it slow and double-check as you go: strings tend to creep up gradually as you raise their tension, so after a first pass, do a second round to settle the intonation.