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DADGAD Guitar Tuning
DADGAD tuning notes:
D2A2D3G3A3D4
This tuner is preset to DADGAD guitar tuning. Tune D2-A2-D3-G3-A3-D4 from low D to high D for Celtic, folk, and acoustic fingerstyle drones.
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Popular Songs in DADGAD
Practice these carefully selected songs to get familiar with DADGAD tuning. Each song showcases different techniques and chord progressions possible with this tuning.
Songs
16
Beginner
1
Genres
10
AdvancedRock1975
Kashmir
Led Zeppelin
Epic DADGAD masterpiece with complex fingering and exotic scales.
Great for practicing dadgad techniques
BeginnerFolk
The Water is Wide
Traditional
Beautiful traditional ballad perfect for learning DADGAD fingerpicking.
Great for practicing dadgad techniques
AdvancedAcoustic2001
Drifting
Andy McKee
Modern acoustic guitar masterpiece showcasing DADGAD's capabilities.
Great for practicing dadgad techniques
IntermediateRock Ballad1993
Two Steps Behind
Def Leppard
Shows how DADGAD works in rock ballads.
Great for practicing dadgad techniques
IntermediateFolk Rock1971
Going to California
Led Zeppelin
Another Zeppelin classic demonstrating DADGAD's folk potential.
Great for practicing dadgad techniques
AdvancedFolk Rock1969
Black Mountainside
Led Zeppelin
Intricate DADGAD fingerpicking piece inspired by Bert Jansch.
Great for practicing dadgad techniques
Why These Songs Work Well in DADGAD
These songs were specifically chosen because they take advantage of DADGADtuning's unique characteristics. Whether it's the open chord voicings, easier fingering patterns, or the distinctive sound that this tuning provides, each song demonstrates why many guitarists choose DADGAD for their music. Practice these songs to develop your ear for this tuning and discover new playing techniques.
Start Here in DADGAD
The Water is Wide
Traditional
Practice Tips for DADGAD
- Start with the beginner-level songs to get comfortable with the tuning
- Focus on how chord shapes differ from standard tuning
- Listen to the original recordings to understand the intended sound
- Practice transitioning between DADGAD and standard tuning
- Experiment with the open strings to discover new chord voicings
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Learn DADGAD After You Tune
Use this page as a short practice route: tune to D2-A2-D3-G3-A3-D4, hear how the open strings behave, then move into songs, related tunings, and chord shapes that make DADGAD useful.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Best approached as a intermediate guitar tuning.
Songs
16
Filter the song list by difficulty and genre once you are tuned.
Best for
DADGAD tuning online, DADGAD guitar tuner, D-A-D-G-A-D tuning notes, Dsus4 chords and Celtic fingerstyle
First practice targets
The Water is Wide
Traditional
About DADGAD Guitar Tuning (DADGAD)
DADGAD tuning (D-A-D-G-A-D) is a suspended tuning — the open strings form a Dsus4 chord rather than a major or minor chord. This ambiguous, neither-major-nor-minor quality gives DADGAD its distinctive ethereal, ringing sound that works beautifully for Celtic, folk, and fingerstyle music.
Use the DADGAD tuner here as a D-A-D-G-A-D note check: 6th string D2, 5th string A2, 4th string D3, 3rd string G3, 2nd string A3, and 1st string D4.
British folk guitarist Davey Graham developed DADGAD in the 1960s after hearing Moroccan oud music. Jimmy Page adopted it for Led Zeppelin tracks like "Kashmir," "Black Mountain Side," and "White Summer." Modern acoustic virtuosos like Pierre Bensusan and Andy McKee have pushed the tuning to extraordinary technical levels.
DADGAD rewards fingerpicking and open-string drone techniques. The three D strings (6th, 4th, and 1st) create a powerful drone foundation, while the A and G strings provide melodic movement. Many players find that DADGAD unlocks musical ideas that would never occur to them in standard tuning — the unfamiliar fretboard layout forces creative exploration.
DADGAD is not the same as Open D. Open D uses D-A-D-F#-A-D and forms a D major chord, while DADGAD uses D-A-D-G-A-D and keeps the third out of the open chord for a suspended, modal sound.
Target tuning
D-A-D-G-A-D
DADGAD guitar tuning notes from the 6th string to the 1st string.
Open chord
Dsus4
The open strings create a suspended D sound with no major or minor third.
Strings changed
6th, 2nd, 1st
From standard tuning, lower E2 to D2, B3 to A3, and E4 to D4.
DADGAD Tuning Notes (DADGAD)
From lowest to highest: D2-A2-D3-G3-A3-D4
6th string
73.42 Hz
Low D, tuned one whole step below standard low E and used as the main drone bass note.
5th string
110.00 Hz
A string, unchanged from standard tuning and a perfect fifth above the low D.
4th string
146.83 Hz
Middle D, unchanged from standard tuning and one octave above the 6th-string D.
3rd string
196.00 Hz
G string, unchanged from standard tuning and the suspended fourth that gives DADGAD its modal sound.
2nd string
220.00 Hz
High A, lowered one whole step from standard B and another fifth above D.
1st string
293.66 Hz
High D, lowered one whole step from standard high E and the top drone string.
Recommended String Gauges for DADGAD Guitar Tuning
.011-.050 or .012-.054
Slightly heavier strings than standard work best for DADGAD. The 6th and 1st strings are both tuned down (E→D), and the 2nd string drops from B to A. Heavier gauges maintain tension and produce the full, resonant drone sound that DADGAD is known for. Phosphor bronze acoustic strings are the classic choice.
Common Chords in DADGAD Guitar Tuning
Dsus4 (open)
Strum all strings open. The signature DADGAD sound — a suspended chord that feels both resolved and floating.
D Major
Fret the 3rd string at the 2nd fret (F#) while strumming open strings. Turns the Dsus4 into a bright D major.
D Minor
Fret the 3rd string at the 1st fret (G#/Ab) to create Dm. The contrast with the open Dsus4 is hauntingly beautiful.
G Major
Various voicings possible — one common shape uses the 5th fret. DADGAD excels at rich, ringing G voicings.
How to Tune a Guitar to DADGAD (D2-A2-D3-G3-A3-D4)
1
Select the DADGAD preset and start from standard tuning. Three strings change: the 6th, 2nd, and 1st. The 5th (A), 4th (D), and 3rd (G) stay the same.
2
Tune the 6th string down from E to D. Same as Drop D — match it against the open 4th string (one octave lower).
3
Tune the 2nd string down from B to A. Fret the 2nd string at the 12th fret — it should match the open 5th string (A, one octave up).
4
Tune the 1st string down from E to D. Fret the 1st string at the 12th fret — it should match the open 4th string (D, two octaves up).
5
Strum all strings open — you should hear a shimmering Dsus4 chord. The sound is characteristically open and ambiguous, neither clearly major nor minor.
DADGAD Tuning FAQ
Quick answers for choosing strings, learning songs, and practicing this tuning.
What notes are in DADGAD tuning?
DADGAD tuning uses D-A-D-G-A-D from lowest to highest string. With exact octaves, the notes are D2, A2, D3, G3, A3, and D4.
How do I tune a guitar to DADGAD?
Start from standard tuning, lower the 6th string from E to D, lower the 2nd string from B to A, and lower the 1st string from E to D. The 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings stay at A, D, and G.
What chord is DADGAD tuning?
The open strings in DADGAD form a Dsus4 sound. Because there is no F# or F natural in the open strings, the tuning feels suspended and modal instead of clearly major or minor.
Is DADGAD an open tuning?
DADGAD is often grouped with open tunings because several strings ring as drones, but the open strings form Dsus4 rather than a full major or minor chord. That makes it a modal tuning instead of a true open major tuning like Open D.
Is DADGAD good for fingerstyle guitar?
Yes. DADGAD is especially useful for acoustic fingerstyle because the D, A, and G strings create drones while fretted notes move around them. That is why it appears often in Celtic, folk, and modern acoustic arrangements.
Is DADGAD the same as Open D tuning?
No. DADGAD is D-A-D-G-A-D and creates a suspended Dsus4 sound. Open D is D-A-D-F#-A-D and forms a D major chord when all open strings ring together.
Do I need different strings for DADGAD?
Most guitars can use normal strings for DADGAD, but .011-.050 or .012-.054 sets often feel better for acoustic fingerstyle because the 6th, 2nd, and 1st strings are tuned down.
What is DADGAD tuning best for?
DADGAD is especially useful for DADGAD tuning online, DADGAD guitar tuner, D-A-D-G-A-D tuning notes. It changes the way open strings and chord shapes feel, so spend a few minutes listening to the open strings before learning full songs.
Is DADGAD tuning good for beginners?
DADGAD is an intermediate tuning. Beginners can use it, but it helps to learn the target notes first and start with slower songs before trying fast chord changes.
What songs use DADGAD tuning?
Popular examples in DADGAD include Kashmir by Led Zeppelin, The Water is Wide by Traditional, Drifting by Andy McKee. Use the song list on this page to filter by difficulty and pick a first practice target.