Open tunings are tunings where the open strings make a chord, so strumming the open strings plays a chord without fretting any notes. Open G tuning makes a G major chord, open D makes a D major chord, and open E makes an E major chord, and they are used for slide guitar, blues, and folk, for the ringing, open sound.
What are open tunings for guitar?
Open tunings are tunings where the open strings make a chord, so strumming the open strings plays a chord without fretting any notes. Open G tuning makes a G major chord, open D makes a D major chord, and open E makes an E major chord, and they are used for slide guitar, blues, and folk, for the ringing, open sound, because the open strings ring freely, and the chord is full and resonant, with no fingers fretting the notes. The open tunings are used for slide guitar, because the slide can bar the strings at any fret, and the chord will be major, because the open tuning is major, and the slide moves the chord up the neck, so the slide guitar can play any major chord, by moving the slide. The open tunings are also used for fingerpicking, because the open strings ring, and the drone notes give the fingerpicking a full sound, and for blues, because the open tuning gives a raw, ringing sound, that suits the blues. The guitar tuner tunes the guitar to any open tuning, and the G major guitar chord is the chord open G tuning is built on.
How open tunings work
An open tuning works by tuning the open strings to the notes of a chord, so the open strings, strummed together, make the chord, without any fingers fretting. Open G tuning tunes the strings to D, G, D, G, B, D, which are the notes of G major, G, B, D, with the root, the 3rd, and the 5th, repeated across the strings, and the open strings make a G major chord. Open D tuning tunes the strings to D, A, D, F#, A, D, which are the notes of D major, D, F#, A, and the open strings make a D major chord. Open E tuning tunes the strings to E, B, E, G#, B, E, which are the notes of E major, E, G#, B, and the open strings make an E major chord. The open tuning changes the chord shapes, because the open strings are different, and the barre chord becomes the main chord, because barring the strings at any fret makes a major chord, in the key of that fret. A bar at the 5th fret in open G tuning makes a C major chord, because G plus five semitones is C, and a bar at the 7th fret makes a D major chord, because G plus seven semitones is D, and the slide guitar uses the bar, or the slide, to make the chords, moving up the neck. The D major guitar chord and the E major guitar chord are the chords the open tunings are built on.
Worked example — open G tuning. Tune the guitar to open G, D, G, D, G, B, D, by tuning the 6th string down a whole tone, from E to D, the 5th string down a whole tone, from A to G, and the 1st string down a whole tone, from E to D, and the open strings are now D, G, D, G, B, D. Strum the open strings, and the notes are G, B, D, which are the root, the major 3rd, and the 5th of G major, and the chord is G major, played without fretting any notes. Now bar the strings at the 5th fret, with one finger, or with a slide, and the notes are C, E, G, which are the root, the major 3rd, and the 5th of C major, because G plus five semitones is C, and the chord is C major, played with a bar. The key of G major lists the chords the tuning is built for.
How to practise open tunings
Practise open tunings by tuning your guitar to one, and strumming the open strings, and barring the chords, so the new tuning becomes familiar, and the open sound is learned.
- Tune your guitar to open G, D, G, D, G, B, D, using the guitar tuner, and strum the open strings, listening for the G major chord.
- Bar the strings at the 5th fret, with one finger, and listen for the C major chord, because G plus five semitones is C, and the bar makes the chord.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in G major in open G tuning, using the bar for the chords, and listen for the open sound.
- Practise slide guitar in open G tuning, moving the slide up and down the neck, and naming each chord as you play it.
- Retune to standard tuning, E, A, D, G, B, E, when you are done, so the next song is in tune, and the guitar is back to standard.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to retune to standard — An open tuning changes the strings, and forgetting to retune to standard will make the guitar sound wrong, when the next song is in standard tuning. Retune to standard, E, A, D, G, B, E, when the open tuning song is done.
- Tuning a string too low — A string tuned too low will be loose, and it will buzz, and it will not hold its pitch, because the tension is too low. Tune each string to the right pitch, and check it with a tuner, so the tension is right.
- Using standard tuning chord shapes — An open tuning changes the chord shapes, because the open strings are different, and using standard tuning shapes will make the chords wrong. Learn the open tuning chord shapes, especially the bar, and the chords will be right.
Quick reference
This table shows the three common open tunings, with the open strings and the chord each one makes, so you can see the tunings side by side and choose the one that fits the song. Each tuning makes a major chord, with the open strings, and the bar makes any major chord, by moving up the neck.
| Tuning | Open strings | Chord |
|---|---|---|
| Open G | D – G – D – G – B – D | G major |
| Open D | D – A – D – F# – A – D | D major |
| Open E | E – B – E – G# – B – E | E major |
Use the table to try an open tuning: pick one, tune your guitar to it, strum the open strings, and listen for the chord, and bar the strings at the 5th fret, and listen for the chord a perfect 4th higher. When you can play in an open tuning, you have a new sound, and the guitar has new possibilities.
Frequently asked questions
What are open tunings for guitar?
Open tunings are tunings where the open strings make a chord, so strumming the open strings plays a chord without fretting any notes. Open G makes a G major chord, open D makes a D major chord, and open E makes an E major chord.
What is open G tuning?
Open G tuning is tuning the open strings to D, G, D, G, B, D, which are the notes of G major, G, B, D, so the open strings make a G major chord, and it is used for slide guitar, blues, and folk, for the ringing, open sound.
What is open D tuning?
Open D tuning is tuning the open strings to D, A, D, F#, A, D, which are the notes of D major, D, F#, A, so the open strings make a D major chord, and it is used for slide guitar, blues, and folk.
Can I play slide guitar in standard tuning?
Yes, but open tunings are better for slide, because the open strings make a chord, and the slide can bar the strings at any fret, and the chord will be major, so the slide guitar can play any major chord, by moving the slide.
Should I learn open tunings as a beginner?
Not at first. Learn standard tuning first, because it is the most versatile, and most music is written for it, and then learn open tunings, one at a time, when you want a ringing, open sound, or a slide guitar, and the standard tuning is solid.