Open G tuning

The open strings sound a G major triad: D, G, D, G, B, D. The third is on the fourth string, so the tuning is a major tuning; lowering that string to F produces open G minor.

1st D
2nd B
3rd G
4th D
5th G
6th D

Notes, highest to lowest: D G D G B D
Notes, lowest to highest: D B G D G D
Strings: 6
Interval pattern: 6th to 5th: 5 semitones; 5th to 4th: 7 semitones; 4th to 3rd: 5 semitones; 3rd to 2nd: 4 semitones; 2nd to 1st: 3 semitones
Family: open
Typical scale length: 24.75–25.5 in
Open strings contain: G
Written use: A slide and fingerstyle tuning in which a single barre produces a major chord across all six strings.
Key of this tuning: G

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	B	3	59	21	Major thirteenth above the lowest string
3rd	G	3	55	17	Perfect eleventh above the lowest string
4th	D	3	50	12	Perfect octave above the lowest string
5th	G	2	43	5	Perfect fourth 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
G	0-0-0-0-0-0 (6→1)	D G D G B D	5 1 5 1 3 5	0	6	Major
C	2-0-2-0-1-2 (6→1)	E G E G C E	3 5 3 5 1 3	2	6	Major
D	0-2-0-2-3-4 (6→1)	D A D A D F#	1 5 1 5 1 3	4	6	Major
Em	2-0-2-0-0-2 (6→1)	E G E G B E	1 b3 1 b3 5 1	2	6	Minor
Am	2-2-2-2-1-2 (6→1)	E A E A C E	5 1 5 1 b3 5	1	6	Minor
D7	0-2-0-2-1-4 (6→1)	D A D A C F#	1 5 1 5 b7 3	4	6	Dominant seventh
G7	0-0-0-0-0-3 (6→1)	D G D G B F	5 1 5 1 3 b7	3	6	Dominant seventh
Gsus4	0-0-0-0-1-0 (6→1)	D G D G C D	5 1 5 1 4 5	1	6	Suspended fourth

Chord

Shape (lowest string first)

Notes

Degrees

Span

Sounding

Quality

0-0-0-0-0-0 (6→1)

D G D G B D

5 1 5 1 3 5

Major

2-0-2-0-1-2 (6→1)

E G E G C E

3 5 3 5 1 3

Major

0-2-0-2-3-4 (6→1)

D A D A D F#

1 5 1 5 1 3

Major

2-0-2-0-0-2 (6→1)

E G E G B E

1 b3 1 b3 5 1

Minor

2-2-2-2-1-2 (6→1)

E A E A C E

5 1 5 1 b3 5

Minor

0-2-0-2-1-4 (6→1)

D A D A C F#

1 5 1 5 b7 3

Dominant seventh

0-0-0-0-0-3 (6→1)

D G D G B F

5 1 5 1 3 b7

Dominant seventh

Gsus4

0-0-0-0-1-0 (6→1)

D G D G C D

5 1 5 1 4 5

Suspended fourth

Diatonic chords in G

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

Numeral

Chord

Notes

Shape (lowest string first)

Sounding

Quality

G B D

0-0-0-0-0-0 (6→1)

Major

A C E

2-2-2-2-1-2 (6→1)

Minor

iii

B D F#

0-4-0-4-0-4 (6→1)

Minor

C E G

2-0-2-0-1-2 (6→1)

Major

D F# A

0-2-0-2-3-4 (6→1)

Major

E G B

2-0-2-0-0-2 (6→1)

Minor

vii°

F#dim

F# A C

4-2-4-2-1-4 (6→1)

Diminished

What this tuning is used for

A slide and fingerstyle tuning in which a single barre produces a major chord across all six strings.

GenreBluesBlues slide guitar, particularly the Mississippi and Delta traditions.
GenreCountry and bluegrassUsed for Dobro-style playing and for banjo-influenced fingerpicking.
GenreRockUsed by players who want the open-string drone of a major triad.

Related tunings

TuningOpen Dthe same tuning a fourth lower
TuningOpen Athe same tuning a tone higher
TuningOpen Ea major triad two tones higher than G
TuningOpen Ca wider C major tuning
TuningDADGADthe major third removed from an open D

Everything in G · All tunings

TuningOpen D tuning — D A D F# A DD A D F# A D · 6 strings
TuningOpen A tuning — E A C# E A EE A C# E A E · 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
TuningDADGAD tuning — D A D G A DD A D G A D · 6 strings
ChordG11 — Dominant eleventh1 9 3 11 5 b7 · G A B C D F
ChordG13 — Dominant thirteenth1 9 3 5 13 b7 · G A B D E F
ChordG6 — Sixth1 3 5 6 · G B D E

Everything in this key: G · Tunings · Theory Atlas