Open D tuning
The open strings sound a D major triad. Bass and treble are both rooted on D, and the third appears on the third string. It is open G transposed down a fourth, so the shapes are the same ones moved five frets.
- 1st D
- 2nd A
- 3rd F#
- 4th D
- 5th A
- 6th D
- Notes, highest to lowest
- D A D F# A D
- Notes, lowest to highest
- D A F# D A D
- Strings
- 6
- Interval pattern
- 6th to 5th: 7 semitones; 5th to 4th: 5 semitones; 4th to 3rd: 4 semitones; 3rd to 2nd: 3 semitones; 2nd to 1st: 5 semitones
- Family
- open
- Typical scale length
- 24.75–25.5 in
- Open strings contain
- D
- Written use
- A slide tuning with a wide, low root. Slack enough at pitch that heavy strings are usual.
- Key of this tuning
- D
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 | 24 | Perfect unison plus two octaves above the lowest string |
| 2nd | A | 3 | 57 | 19 | Perfect twelfth above the lowest string |
| 3rd | F# | 3 | 54 | 16 | Major third plus an octave above the lowest string |
| 4th | D | 3 | 50 | 12 | Perfect octave above the lowest string |
| 5th | A | 2 | 45 | 7 | Perfect fifth above the lowest string |
| 6th (lowest) | D | 2 | 38 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 0-0-0-0-0-0 | D A D F# A D | 1 5 1 3 5 1 | 0 | 6 | Major |
| G | 0-2-0-1-2-0 | D B D G B D | 5 3 5 1 3 5 | 2 | 6 | Major |
| A | 2-0-2-3-4-2 | E A E A C# E | 5 1 5 1 3 5 | 4 | 6 | Major |
| Bm | 0-2-0-0-2-0 | D B D F# B D | b3 1 b3 5 1 b3 | 2 | 6 | Minor |
| D7 | 0-0-0-0-3-0 | D A D F# C D | 1 5 1 3 b7 1 | 3 | 6 | Dominant seventh |
| A7 | 2-0-2-1-4-2 | E A E G C# E | 5 1 5 b7 3 5 | 4 | 6 | Dominant seventh |
| Dsus4 | 0-0-0-1-0-0 | D A D G A D | 1 5 1 4 5 1 | 1 | 6 | Suspended fourth |
Diatonic chords in D
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 | D | D F# A | 0-0-0-0-0-0 | 6 | Major |
| ii | Em | E G B | 2-2-2-1-2-2 | 6 | Minor |
| iii | F#m | F# A C# | 4-0-4-0-4-4 | 6 | Minor |
| IV | G | G B D | 0-2-0-1-2-0 | 6 | Major |
| V | A | A C# E | 2-0-2-3-4-2 | 6 | Major |
| vi | Bm | B D F# | 0-2-0-0-2-0 | 6 | Minor |
| vii° | C#dim | C# E G | 2-4-2-1-4-2 | 6 | Diminished |
What this tuning is used for
A slide tuning with a wide, low root. Slack enough at pitch that heavy strings are usual.
- GenreBlues
- GenreFolk
- GenreAlternative rock
Related tunings
Related