Open A tuning

The open strings sound an A major triad. It is open G raised a tone, with the third on the second string. The layout gives a very wide stretch between the third and second strings, so the two inner strings are often played together rather than as part of a six-string shape.

1st E
2nd A
3rd E
4th C#
5th A
6th E

Notes, highest to lowest: E A C# E A E
Notes, lowest to highest: E A E C# A E
Strings: 6
Interval pattern: 6th to 5th: 5 semitones; 5th to 4th: 4 semitones; 4th to 3rd: 3 semitones; 3rd to 2nd: 5 semitones; 2nd to 1st: 7 semitones
Family: open
Typical scale length: 24.75–25.5 in
Open strings contain: A
Written use: A slide tuning used less often than open G or open D, partly because the interval layout makes some shapes awkward.
Key of this tuning: A

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)	E	4	64	24	Perfect unison plus two octaves above the lowest string
2nd	A	3	57	17	Perfect eleventh above the lowest string
3rd	E	3	52	12	Perfect octave above the lowest string
4th	C#	3	49	9	Major sixth above the lowest string
5th	A	2	45	5	Perfect fourth above the lowest string
6th (lowest)	E	2	40	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
A	0-0-0-0-0-0 (6→1)	E A C# E A E	5 1 3 5 1 5	0	6	Major
D	2-0-1-2-0-2 (6→1)	F# A D F# A F#	3 5 1 3 5 3	2	6	Major
E	0-2-3-0-2-4 (6→1)	E B E E B G#	1 5 1 1 5 3	4	6	Major
F#m	2-0-0-2-0-2 (6→1)	F# A C# F# A F#	1 b3 5 1 b3 1	2	6	Minor
A7	0-0-0-0-0-3 (6→1)	E A C# E A G	5 1 3 5 1 b7	3	6	Dominant seventh
E7	0-2-1-0-2-4 (6→1)	E B D E B G#	1 5 b7 1 5 3	4	6	Dominant seventh
Asus4	0-0-1-0-0-0 (6→1)	E A D E A E	5 1 4 5 1 5	1	6	Suspended fourth

Chord

Shape (lowest string first)

Notes

Degrees

Span

Sounding

Quality

0-0-0-0-0-0 (6→1)

E A C# E A E

5 1 3 5 1 5

Major

2-0-1-2-0-2 (6→1)

F# A D F# A F#

3 5 1 3 5 3

Major

0-2-3-0-2-4 (6→1)

E B E E B G#

1 5 1 1 5 3

Major

F#m

2-0-0-2-0-2 (6→1)

F# A C# F# A F#

1 b3 5 1 b3 1

Minor

0-0-0-0-0-3 (6→1)

E A C# E A G

5 1 3 5 1 b7

Dominant seventh

0-2-1-0-2-4 (6→1)

E B D E B G#

1 5 b7 1 5 3

Dominant seventh

Asus4

0-0-1-0-0-0 (6→1)

E A D E A E

5 1 4 5 1 5

Suspended fourth

Diatonic chords in A

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	A	A C# E	0-0-0-0-0-0 (6→1)	6	Major
ii	Bm	B D F#	2-2-1-2-2-2 (6→1)	6	Minor
iii	C#m	C# E G#	0-4-0-0-4-4 (6→1)	6	Minor
IV	D	D F# A	2-0-1-2-0-2 (6→1)	6	Major
V	E	E G# B	0-2-3-0-2-4 (6→1)	6	Major
vi	F#m	F# A C#	2-0-0-2-0-2 (6→1)	6	Minor
vii°	G#dim	G# B D	4-2-1-4-2-4 (6→1)	6	Diminished

Numeral

Chord

Notes

Shape (lowest string first)

Sounding

Quality

A C# E

0-0-0-0-0-0 (6→1)

Major

B D F#

2-2-1-2-2-2 (6→1)

Minor

iii

C#m

C# E G#

0-4-0-0-4-4 (6→1)

Minor

D F# A

2-0-1-2-0-2 (6→1)

Major

E G# B

0-2-3-0-2-4 (6→1)

Major

F#m

F# A C#

2-0-0-2-0-2 (6→1)

Minor

vii°

G#dim

G# B D

4-2-1-4-2-4 (6→1)

Diminished

What this tuning is used for

A slide tuning used less often than open G or open D, partly because the interval layout makes some shapes awkward.

GenreBluesUsed in the slide tradition, particularly for playing in A.
GenreRockUsed by players who want a major triad with a high repeated tonic.

Related tunings

TuningOpen Gthe same tuning a tone lower
TuningOpen Ethe same tuning a fourth lower
TuningOpen Cthe same triad with a lower bass

Everything in A · All tunings

TuningOpen G tuning — D G D G B DD G D G B D · 6 strings
TuningOpen E tuning — E B E G# B EE B E G# B E · 6 strings
TuningOpen C tuning — C G C G C EC G C G C E · 6 strings
TuningDrop A tuning — A E A D F# BA E A D F# B · 6 strings
ChordA11 — Dominant eleventh1 9 3 11 5 b7 · A B C# D E G
ChordA13 — Dominant thirteenth1 9 3 5 13 b7 · A B C# E F# G
ChordA6 — Sixth1 3 5 6 · A C# E F#
DegreesA — degree mapA major and natural minor · frets 0–22

Everything in this key: A · Tunings · Theory Atlas