Open D Guitar Tuning
Chords · Scales · Progressions · Blues · Technique · History
Learn one of the most useful open tunings for blues, slide, folk, fingerstyle, and acoustic guitar.
Free Open D Chord Chart
Download 48 essential Open D chords. Free, no email required.
Download the Free Open D Chord ChartOpen Tunings Guitar Learning Path
Open D is one part of a larger open-tuning system. For a practical path through Open D, Open G, DADGAD, and Drop D, visit the Open Tunings Guitar Learning Path.
Visit the Open Tunings Learning PathNew Book Coming: Open D Guitar - The Complete Reference
I've been working on this book for several years, developing it in live teaching situations and years of practice into a one-of-a-kind resource for Open D players. It's shaping up to be the most complete Open D reference available anywhere. Stay tuned.
What Is Open D Guitar Tuning?
Open D tuning (D-A-D-F#-A-D) creates a major chord when you play all six strings open. Unlike standard tuning, Open D positions the root note (D) on both the lowest and highest strings. This setup lets you build complex, resonant chords with minimal finger movement.
Once you master Open D, the logic extends to Open G, DADGAD, Drop D, and beyond.
- Blues and slide guitar become intuitive - the open strings sing at the root
- Fingerstyle and classical techniques open new sonic possibilities
- Folk, Celtic, and Americana traditions thrive in this tuning
- Songwriting and composition benefit from the harmonic depth
- Professional slide guitarists consider it essential
Who Uses Open D?
Open D has a rich history spanning folk, blues, and classical traditions. Elmore James helped popularize the Open D/Open E slide guitar sound through his electric blues style. Blind Willie Johnson recorded the haunting "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" in 1927. Today, Open D is used by blues artists, folk musicians, fingerstyle players, and anyone seeking a deeper harmonic palette.
The tuning isn't just historical - it's alive and relevant. Understanding Open D means understanding a core part of American music.
How to Tune to Open D
Reference Pitches
Open D from low to high: D - A - D - F# - A - D
Tuning from Standard Tuning
If your guitar is currently in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), follow these steps to tune to open D by ear:
- 6th string (low E → D): Lower the 6th string down a whole step. It should match the open 4th string (D) but sound an octave lower. Listen carefully.
- 1st string (high E → D): Lower the 1st string down a whole step from E to D. You now have three D's: 6th, 4th, and 1st.
- Verify the D's: Play all three D strings and adjust until they blend into a single, clear resonance. This is your anchor.
- 3rd string (G → F#): Lower the 3rd string down a half step (one fret). This is approximately a quarter turn on the tuning peg. The interval from D to F# is a major third. This note gives the open strings their D major sound, so tune it carefully.
- Final check: Play all six open strings. You should hear a rich, consonant D major chord. If it sounds harsh or muddy, check each string individually.
Common Mistakes
- The 3rd string: Beginners often lower it too much. A half step, not a whole step. Use a tuner if uncertain.
- The 6th string: Going too low. Use a tuner to verify it's exactly D.
- Impatience: Tuning by ear takes practice. Use a digital tuner until the pitches become familiar.
- Checking the open chord: Once tuned, strum all six strings. It should sound unified, not dissonant. If it doesn't, you've made an error.
String Gauge Recommendation
Open D uses lower pitches, especially the low D string. Standard gauges (0.010–0.046) may feel loose or sound thin. Consider heavier strings (0.013–0.056) for better tone and tension. Experiment and find what feels right on your guitar.
The Open D Fretboard & Music Theory
Understanding the Notes
The Open D fretboard follows a specific intervallic pattern. Understanding this layout is key to transposing chords and building movable shapes.
Use this fretboard map to locate any note in Open D. The root notes (R) show where to position movable chord shapes.
D - E - F# - G - A - B - C# - D
Primary Chords (I, IV, V):
• I = D Major
• IV = G Major
• V = A Major
Secondary Minor Chords (ii, iii, vi):
• ii = E minor
• iii = F# minor
• vi = B minor
When you see a chord diagram, the root note is your compass. Once you identify the root, you can transpose the shape up or down the neck.
Nashville Numbers System
The Nashville Numbers system lets you transpose any progression into any key. Instead of thinking "D-A-Bm-G," you think "I-V-vi-IV." This skill is invaluable when adapting songs or writing arrangements.
• In D: D-A-Bm-G
• In G: G-D-Em-C
• In A: A-E-F#m-D
Once you learn the harmonic function (I-V-vi-IV), you can play this progression in any key by finding the new root and moving the shapes accordingly.
Complete Chord Library
You need to know three categories of chords: open position chords (that rely on open strings), movable major shapes, and movable minor shapes. Together, these give you 36+ ways to voice any chord in Open D.
Open Position Major Chords
These chords use open strings and are not movable. They're the foundation:
Watch: Open D Major Chords
Major chords in Open D: D, A, G, C, E, F#, Bb, F, Ab. Learn these shapes first.
Open Position Minor Chords
The secondary minor chords in D major are E minor, F# minor, and B minor. Learn these, then move them up the neck:
Watch: Open D Minor Chords
Minor chords in Open D: Em, F#m, Bm, Cm, Dm, Gm, Am, G#m. Essential for folk, blues, and contemporary music.
Dominant 7th Chords
7th chords add color and movement. Key ones to know:
- D7 - adds a flat-7 to the D major chord
- A7 - common in blues progressions
- E7 - useful turnaround chord
- G7 - blues staple
Each chord can be played in root position (root on bottom), first inversion (third on bottom), or second inversion (fifth on bottom). These inversions create smoother voice leading and different harmonic textures.
Scales & Soloing Patterns
The Blues Scale in Open D
The blues scale is the foundation for blues, rock, and country soloing. In Open D, the blues scale is easy to visualize because the open D notes already outline the chord.
Learn this pattern starting on the 6th string. Then move it up the neck by frets to play blues scales in other keys (E blues, F blues, G blues, etc.).
The Major Scale
The D major scale is essential for fingerstyle and classical playing.
Pentatonic Minor Scale
The relative minor to D major is B minor. The B pentatonic minor scale is pure and widely applicable:
This is the same scale as D major pentatonic, just starting from B. Perfect for blues and folk soloing.
Three D Blues Scale Positions
Here are three D blues scale positions to get a quick start to learning the scales in open D tuning. The top fretboard shows all the notes up to the twelfth fret, and the bottom fretboard shows only the D blues scale notes.
The scales are divided into three hand positions that are easy to learn.
- First scale - Open Position: The notes use open strings and fretted notes.
- Second scale - Fifth Position: Use your 1st finger on the fifth fret, 2nd on the sixth, 3rd on the seventh, and 4th on the eighth fret.
- Third scale - Tenth Position: Use your 1st finger on the tenth fret, 2nd on the eleventh, and 3rd on the twelfth fret. If you plan on playing mostly in the key of D, memorize these scale shapes thoroughly.
12 Essential Open D Progressions
These progressions span pop, country, folk, blues, and classical styles. Learn the chord shapes, then practice them at various tempos. Use a metronome and spend 2-3 minutes on each progression daily.
Watch: Open D Chord Progressions
12-Bar Blues in Open D
The Form
The 12-bar blues is the foundation of blues, rock, and countless other styles. In Open D, it's natural because the open strings already ring the chord.
Listen: 12-Bar Blues Solo
Try It Yourself: Backing Track
Learn the solo above, then play along with this backing track:
Watch: Open D Blues Scale
This video breaks the solo down riff by riff, then plays the whole solo with scrolling tab so you can follow along.
• Bars 1-4: D major (I chord)
• Bars 5-6: G major (IV chord)
• Bars 7-8: D major (I chord)
• Bars 9-10: A major (V chord)
• Bars 11-12: G major to D major (IV to I, turnaround)
The Blues Scale for Soloing
The D blues scale (D-F-G-G#-A-C-D) is your toolkit for blues solos. Learn it in Position 1 (open position), then move it up the neck for other keys.
Building a 12-Bar Solo
Creating a blues solo is simpler than it seems. Follow these steps:
Build a short riff using notes from the blues scale. Feel free to go outside the blues scale by adding extra notes not in the scale - particularly the 3rd of the chord. In a D chord, the 3rd is an F#. Notice F# is not in the D minor blues scale. You can borrow from the D major blues scale or just think of the 3rd of the chord and target that note.
Create at least 2 or 3 more riffs that complement the first one. Use basic techniques like call and answer, transposition, or contrasting riffs. Notice all the riffs are quite different but when added together, create interest by not being overly repetitive.
Make the riffs fit the chords you are playing over. This is done by transposing the riffs to different frets to coincide with the chords of the 12-bar blues progression.
Three Quick Tips for Guitar Solos
- Learn the blues scale in the key you are improvising.
- Make a short, memorable 1 or 2 bar riff.
- Repeat, repeat, and repeat (sometimes with a bit of variation to keep it fresh).
Many students get freaked out when asked to do a solo. Keep these three points in mind and you'll be fine.
Apply the Solo Across the 12-Bar Form
- Bars 1-4 (D chord): Use the D blues scale. Start simple - play D, F, G, A. Feel the rhythm.
- Bars 5-6 (G chord): Move your patterns up 5 frets, or think "G blues scale." The root changes, but the intervallic relationships stay the same.
- Bars 7-8 (D chord): Return to D blues patterns.
- Bars 9-10 (A chord): Move patterns up 2 frets (A is 2 semitones above G).
- Bars 11-12 (Turnaround): Land on D. Use this space to set up the next chorus.
Technique Guide
Slide Guitar in Open D
Open D is ideal for slide because the open strings ring the target chord. Use a glass or metal slide on your ring finger or pinky.
- Straight slides: Slide from one note to another on the same string. Keep even pressure.
- Approach slides: Slide from a fret below the target note, then land cleanly.
- Bending with the slide: Apply pressure and bend the string slightly for expressive tones.
- Open string droning: Let open strings ring while sliding on another. This creates the classic open-tuning sound.
Fingerstyle Patterns
Open D fingerstyle is expressive and resonant. Use these basic patterns as a starting point:
T = Thumb
I = Index
M = Middle
R = Ring
Travis Picking in Open D
Travis picking is a classic fingerstyle technique that creates a bouncy, driving rhythm. Here are four essential Travis picking patterns for Open D. Learn these patterns slowly and practice them until they become muscle memory. Once you have the fingering down, you can apply these patterns to different chords.
Work through each pattern at a slow tempo. Focus on even finger movement and clean note articulation. Once you master these, you can transpose them to other chords and create fingerstyle arrangements of songs.
Kalymi Music Resources
This guide teaches you the fundamentals. These resources deepen your mastery.
Learn the Tuning
Open D Guitar Chord Poster
A full Open D wall reference with 108 chord diagrams, a fretboard map, and a bonus Open D chord book PDF.
View Open D Chord PosterBuild Blues Vocabulary
101 Blues Riffs and Solos in Open D
Complete handbook with riff ideas, scale patterns, and solo frameworks.
Get 101 Blues Riffs and Solos
Build Repertoire
Apparel
Open D Sweatshirt
View Open D SweatshirtOpen D Quarter Zip
View Open D Quarter ZipThe Kalymi Method: How to Practice Open D
Many players buy a book or read a lesson hoping it will make them improve. The reality is most students give up too early. It's not that you can't learn. What you need is focus and a process that works.
Playing something once is not enough. To really know a riff, chord shape, or tune, you need to follow a process. This is the teaching system I've used and developed with students over the years.
The Six-Step Learning Process
- Look - Start by looking at the example before you play it. Pay attention to the key, chord, rhythm, fingering, picking direction, and how the phrase ends.
- Understand - Explain what's happening in plain language.
- Play - Play it slowly and cleanly.
- Recall - Play it from memory without looking at the page.
- Use - Once you've got it, use it in a progression, backing track, or tune.
- Move - Finally, move it to a new key, tempo, position, or rhythm.
You don't need to follow this exactly every time. Use it as a starting point. Tinker with it and find what works best for how you learn.
Check Your Progress
These five checks show whether the material is really starting to stick.
- Can you remember it without the page?
- Can you play it cleanly at a slow, steady tempo?
- Can you still play it tomorrow without relearning it?
- Can you move it to a new key, tempo, or position?
- Can you use it to build a variation, make your own riff, or work it into an improvisation?
The first two checks come quickly. The third is where most players find out they didn't really learn what they thought they did. The fourth and fifth are the real goal.
Isolate the Problem
Playing the same progression over and over with the same mistake just makes the mistake permanent. Get specific instead.
Instead of: "I'm going to practice this progression"
Say: "I'm going to play bars 5 to 8 slowly until the rhythm is steady."
Instead of: "I need to get faster"
Say: "I'm going to play this riff clean at 70 bpm three times, then raise the tempo."
Instead of: "I keep messing this up"
Say: "The shift from the D chord to the A chord is awkward. I'll isolate that change."
Good practice is specific. Find the chord change, the scale pattern, or the technique that's causing the problem. Slow it down, clean it up, and then put it back into the music.
How to Practice Different Material in Open D
Chords: Don't just memorize the shape. Name the chord, find the root, and practice changing between chords in a progression. Test yourself later to see if it sticks.
Progressions: Keep the hand moving steadily. Use a metronome. Feel the main pulse and the subdivisions. Work at slow, medium, and fast tempos.
Blues Scales: Spot the scale pattern in use. Play it clean, play it with a backing track, then move it to another position and key.
Fingerstyle Patterns: Find the best hand position. Get the thumb and fingers organized. Start slow. Once it's in muscle memory, gradually increase tempo.
Slide Technique: Focus on pitch, muting, and synchronizing both hands. Control comes before speed.
12-Bar Blues: Start with simple, short riffs. Add complexity once you understand the chord changes and rhythm. Build your solo vocabulary slowly.
What to Practice First
New to Open D? Start with rhythm, chords, and short riffs before you reach for fast solos.
- Learn the basic chords and movable shapes.
- Practice smooth chord transitions.
- Work through the 12 progressions slowly.
- Learn the blues scale in three positions.
- Practice Travis picking patterns.
- Learn simple 12-bar blues changes.
- Start building your own riff ideas.
Speed comes later. Clean tone, steady rhythm, good timing, and memory come first.
Set Your Own Schedule
Don't worry about practicing seven days a week unless you actually have the time. Be honest about what you can do. If you can practice three or four times a week, say "I will practice three or four times this week." That's enough.
Pick one category to focus on each session. Choose from chords, progressions, scales, 12-bar blues, fingerstyle, or whatever section you're working on. Focus on just a few items per session. Your brain can only handle so much at once.
Keep track of what you practiced and when you did it. You don't need anything fancy. A scrap piece of paper is fine. Write down "Tuesday: worked on D-A chord changes and the Pop Anthem progression" or "Thursday: learned blues scale positions 1 and 2." When you come back to the material later, you'll know exactly where you left off.
Do not measure progress only by how many pages you finish or how much material you cover. The real test is whether the idea comes back tomorrow and shows up when you're playing.
History of Open D (Vestapol)
Open D has a documented history stretching back over 160 years, rooted in both classical guitar and folk traditions.
Henry Worrall's "Sebastopol" was published in Cincinnati in 1860 and is one of the key early printed guitar pieces associated with Open D tuning (D-A-D-F#-A-D). It's a virtuoso showpiece that demonstrates the power of the tuning.
"Vestapol" is a folk corruption of "Sebastopol," referencing the Crimean War siege of Sebastopol. The tuning becomes associated with this historical event in parlor guitar circles.
Worrall's Sebastopol joins Spanish Fandango (Open G) as one of the "standard" open tunings taught in parlor guitar traditions. Tutors and instruction books proliferate.
Some slide guitar players adopt Open D for blues contexts. The tuning's harmonic richness suits the genre's expressiveness.
One of the most influential recordings in blues history. Johnson's haunting slide guitar in Open D becomes a touchstone for blues musicians for decades.
Elmore James helps popularize Open D and Open E on electric guitar through his influential slide guitar style. His playing spreads the sound of open-tuned slide guitar across rock and blues.
Open D remains a go-to tuning for blues, folk, slide, fingerstyle, and contemporary music. It's essential knowledge for serious guitarists across genres.
Frequently Asked Questions
