DADGAD with a low B tuning
DADGAD with the sixth string lowered a further semitone to B. The bass string is then a sixth below the fifth string, which is a larger interval than any other pair in the tuning.
- 1st D
- 2nd A
- 3rd G
- 4th D
- 5th G
- 6th B
- Notes, highest to lowest
- B G D G A D
- Notes, lowest to highest
- D A G D G B
- Strings
- 6
- Interval pattern
- 6th to 5th: 8 semitones; 5th to 4th: 7 semitones; 4th to 3rd: 5 semitones; 3rd to 2nd: 2 semitones; 2nd to 1st: 5 semitones
- Family
- modal
- Typical scale length
- 26.5–27 in
- Written use
- A variant of DADGAD used where a bass note below C is needed. On a 25.5-inch scale the sixth string is very slack and normally requires a heavier gauge.
- Key of this tuning
- B
Strings
Each string of this tuning, with its scientific pitch, its MIDI note number (middle C is 60) and its distance above the lowest string.
| String | Note | Octave | MIDI | Semitones above the lowest | Interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (highest) | D | 4 | 62 | 27 | Minor third plus two octaves above the lowest string |
| 2nd | A | 3 | 57 | 22 | Minor seventh plus an octave above the lowest string |
| 3rd | G | 3 | 55 | 20 | Minor thirteenth above the lowest string |
| 4th | D | 3 | 50 | 15 | Augmented ninth above the lowest string |
| 5th | G | 2 | 43 | 8 | Minor sixth above the lowest string |
| 6th (lowest) | B | 1 | 35 | 0 | the reference string |
Common chord shapes
The shapes below were found by searching this tuning's fretboard. The search prefers the lowest playable position, requires every chord tone, spans no more than four frets and allows no muted string between two sounding ones. Shapes in an altered tuning are not the standard ones: they are the shapes this tuning actually produces.
| Chord | Shape (lowest string first) | Notes | Degrees | Span | Sounding | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 0-0-0-0-x-x | B G D G x x | 3 1 5 1 x x | 0 | 4 | Major |
| Dsus4 | x-0-0-0-0-0 | x G D G A D | x 4 1 4 5 1 | 0 | 5 | Suspended fourth |
| Bm | 0-4-0-4-2-4 | B B D B B F# | 1 1 b3 1 1 5 | 4 | 6 | Minor |
| C | 1-0-2-0-x-x | C G E G x x | 1 5 3 5 x x | 2 | 4 | Major |
| Em | 0-0-2-0-2-2 | B G E G B E | 5 b3 1 b3 5 1 | 2 | 6 | Minor |
| D | 3-2-0-2-0-4 | D A D A A F# | 1 5 1 5 5 3 | 4 | 6 | Major |
Diatonic chords in B
The seven triads built on the major scale of this tuning's home key, each as a playable shape in this tuning.
| Numeral | Chord | Notes | Shape (lowest string first) | Sounding | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | B | B D# F# | 0-4-1-4-2-4 | 6 | Major |
| ii | C#m | C# E G# | 2-1-2-1-x-x | 4 | Minor |
| iii | D#m | D# F# A# | 4-3-1-3-1-4 | 6 | Minor |
| IV | E | E G# B | 0-1-2-1-2-2 | 6 | Major |
| V | F# | F# A# C# | 2-3-4-3-1-4 | 6 | Major |
| vi | G#m | G# B D# | 0-1-1-1-x-x | 4 | Minor |
| vii° | A#dim | A# C# E | 2-3-2-3-1-2 | 6 | Diminished |
What this tuning is used for
A variant of DADGAD used where a bass note below C is needed. On a 25.5-inch scale the sixth string is very slack and normally requires a heavier gauge.
- GenreFolk
- GenreExperimental and alternate tuning
Related tunings
- TuningDADGAD
- TuningDADGAD with a low C
- TuningSeven-string standard
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