INTRODUCTION TO OPEN D TUNING

This tuning is called Open D because when the strings are strummed a D major chord is produced. It is one of the loveliest of tunings, resulting in a rich and spacious harp-like sound. Open D is also a good choice for the novice guitarist, since a different complete major chord can be produced simply by barring each fret all the way up the neck. Another advantage of Open D is that it is an extremely effective tuning for both accompaniment and solo work.

In addition, because most of the strings are tuned lower than standard tuning, Open D is easier on your instrument's neck than Open E tuning, which in terms of relative tonality is the same as Open D, except each string is tuned one step higher. Open E has gained in popularity of late, attracting even rock musicians (listen to the Allman Brother's Little Martha, for example). However, you can always achieve the brighter Open E sound by tuning your guitar to Open D and then placing a capo on the second fret.

Almost all acoustic guitar guitarists have used Open D tuning, and some use it primarily or exclusively. Mastering some of the Open D basics will begin to prepare you for the more complex DADGAD tuning, which is a staple of many of today's New Age soloists, who favor the droning, Celtic flavor that DADGAD tuning makes possible.

TUNING YOUR GUITAR

So, let's begin. Start by tuning your guitar to the right notes. They are DADF#AD. If you have and know how to use a piano or keyboard, this is fairly easy. Start with the D below middle C for your 6th string tone, followed by the next highest A, D, F#, A, and D. If you don't have a keyboard, but you're sure your guitar is properly tuned to standard guitar tuning (EADGBE), you can proceed as follows: Strike your D string, and then loosen your E string until you are sounding the same note, one octave lower. Leave your A string as is. Strike the note on the fourth fret of your D string, and loosen your G string until the notes are exactly the same. Next, strike the note on the third fret of your re-tune G string, and loosen your B string until the notes are exactly alike (listen for a warbling in the frequency of the two tones as they are struck together. Adjust your B string until the warbling disappears.) Finally, strike your fourth string, and loosen your first string until both tones are alike, but an octave apart.

CHORDS

One of the beauties of Open D tuning is that you can play standard chords (by striking the open strings, or barring any fret straight across the neck, or play beautiful altered chords which can act as exotic substitutions for standard chords.

Now, because this page is for some learning and lot of fun, I'm not going to get into the tonal intricacies of what alternate chords you are producing. I will, however, indicate the positions and what standard chords they are standing in for.

OK. Enough theory. Let's do some playing.

First, strike all of the open strings at once. This is a D major chord. Get this sound into your head. It will serve as the root, or tonic chord of the chord patterns to follow. Think of the root chord as the foundation, or as the chord that all the other chords in a pattern tend to resolve to. In other words, it sounds right and satisfying to begin and end the pattern (or song) with this chord. This is typically referred to as the I chord (I being the D, or the first note of the scale that represents the key that the song is in) of a very common song pattern illustrated as I (D major), IV (G major), V (A major). You will note that G is the fourth tone of the D scale, and A is the fifth tone.

Doesn't that sound wonderful? Now try it again, this time muting the fifth string with the pad of your middle finger. Use this as a substitution for a standard G (IV) chord.

For practice (ear and hand) alternate these chords a few times, strumming each four times. Sound familiar? Many songs in every key (the scale upon which the song is built) incorporate the I and IV chords.

Strum only the sixth string through the second string. If you like the sound of the A on the bottom, strum only strings five through two.  Use this chord as a substitution for the A major or A dominant seventh (A7). By now you know that this would be the V (or V7) chord in the Key of D.

Try practicing the entire I, IV, V cycle by strumming each chord four times before beginning the cyle all over again.

APPLYING THE I, IV, V CYCLE TO SONGS

You can play many songs using just these three chords. Traditional folk songs that come to mind are On Top of Old Smokey and Home on the Range. How many more can you think of?

ANOTHER GREAT CHORD PATTERN

The reason the F and the C are sharp (#) has to do with the way major scales are constructed and the number of half steps and whole steps between each tone. It's a little too technical for this space, but if you'd like to know more about it, let me know, and I'll consider posting a short lesson on scale theory.

But back to the chords. Looking at the scale above, you can see that I refers to Do or D, and would be a D major chord in the the I VI minor IV V pattern. The VI minor would be a B minor chord, the IV would be G major, and the V would be A. If you want to replicate this pattern in any other key, just plug in a different scale beneath the do re mi line.

There. Now that we've got some theory under our belts (it's nice to know why things work the way they do, isn't it?), let's review the chords.

Isn't that a great chord? And you're only using one finger. (Don't play the sixth string on this one.)

And of course you already know the chords we've been substituting for G and A major.

Don't forget to mute the fifth string.

Don't play the sixth string.

Once you play these chords a few times, you'll recognize the thousands of songs that use this pattern in their basic harmonic structures. Try it in several different time signatures:

4/4 (four beats to a measure, quarter note gets one beat)

|D///|Bm///|G///|A///|

I think my favorite is 6/8 (six beats to a measure, eighth note gets one beat):

|D/////|Bm/////|G/////|A////|

After you've strummed it a few times, try arpeggios (plucking one note at a time, beginning with the do of the chord:

1|-----------0--------|-----------0--------|
2|--------0-----0-----|--------0-----0-----|
3|-----0-----------0--|-----0-----------0--|
4|--------------------|--------------------|
5|--------------------|--2-----------------|
6|--0-----------------|--------------------|

1|-----------0--------|-----------0--------|
2|--------0-----0-----|--------------------|
3|-----5-----------0--|--------1-----1-----|
4|--------------------|-----2-----------2--|
5|--------------------|--0-----------------|
6|--5-----------------|--------------------|

Using this arpeggio pattern, try plucking other non-do strings to get more of the dissonance that characterizes open tunings and makes them so beautiful and different. Don't be afraid to experiment! You'll be really surprised (and delighted) with what you come up with!

MORE CHORDS

Here are some more chords in Open D tuning for you to experiment with.

Major chords.

Minor Chords

You will notice that if you were using this formation in standard tuning, you would be playing and E Major chord. Part of the fun of alternate tunings is playing standard chord forms and seeing what happens to them when the guitar is tuned differently. Experiment with the chords you know. Have fun with it!

Dominant Seventh Chords

FINGERPICKING

Open D tuning is great for fingerpicking. Check out my new finger picking page by clicking on the link below.

YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT

Please let me know what you thought of this lesson and of this site in general. Would you rather just have the chords, and the heck with the theory? Would you rather have a separate page with the chords and a link to the chords and the theory? Do you like it just as it is? Please let me know by sending an email to (see home page). Or maybe you'd just like to say hi, or have a question. I will be responsive to your comments!

MORE TO COME

Look for additional pages on other alternate tunings to come soon. Thanks for visiting Strummer1's Acoustic Guitar Page.