Open D Tuner
This open D tuner listens through your microphone and shows how far each string is from D A D F# A D, the notes of open D from the 6th string to the 1st. Press start, allow the microphone, and pluck one string at a time. The tuner names the string it heard, shows the cents you are off, and tells you which way to turn the peg.
Open D strums as a D chord with no fingers down, and players love it for slide and for big, ringing open chords in D. From standard, four strings drop: the 6th, the 3rd by just one semitone, the 2nd and the 1st. The small move on the 3rd string is easy to overshoot, so watch the tuner closely on that one.
The notes of this tuning
| String | Standard | This tuning | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | E | D | −2 |
| 5 | A | A | No change |
| 4 | D | D | No change |
| 3 | G | F♯ | −1 |
| 2 | B | A | −2 |
| 1 | E | D | −2 |
How to tune from standard
- Begin in standard tuning. Loosen the 6th string two semitones, from E to D.
- Loosen the 3rd string one semitone, from G to F#, the smallest move of the whole tuning.
- Loosen the 2nd string two semitones, from B to A.
- Loosen the 1st string two semitones, from E to D, then strum all six open strings and recheck.
Frequently asked questions
What is open D tuning?
Open D tunes the open strings to a D major chord: D A D F# A D from the 6th string to the 1st. Strummed open, the guitar already sounds a full D chord, which is why slide players reach for it. Only four strings move from standard, and three of them land on D or A.
Which strings change for open D?
The 6th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st. The 6th string drops two semitones to D, the 3rd drops one semitone to F#, and the 2nd and 1st drop two semitones to A and D. The 5th and 4th strings stay at A and D, so you only touch four pegs.
Why does the 3rd string only drop one semitone?
Because the D major chord needs an F#, and the 3rd string only sits one semitone above F# in standard tuning. It is the smallest move in the whole retune, so go gently: a half turn can already be too much, and the tuner will show the cents before you cross the line.