Guitar Alternate Tunings Explained: Drop D, Open G, DADGAD and More

Standard guitar tuning, E A D G B E, is where almost every player starts. But a huge range of guitar styles, sounds, and songs rely on alternate tunings, where one or more strings are retuned to create different chord voicings, different resonance, or simply to make certain songs physically playable.

A chromatic tuner like Tuner Buddy detects whichever note you’re playing — making it ideal for alternate tunings. You don’t need a preset for Drop D or Open G: just pluck each string and tune to the target note.

Reference Table: Common Alternate Tunings

Tuning	String notes (low→high)	Changes from standard	Best for
Drop D	D A D G B E	6th string: E→D	Rock, metal, folk
Open G	D G D G B D	6th: E→D, 5th: A→G, 1st: E→D	Blues, slide, folk
Open D	D A D F# A D	6th: E→D, 3rd: G→F#, 2nd: B→A, 1st: E→D	Slide, folk, fingerstyle
Open E	E B E G# B E	5th: A→B, 4th: D→E, 3rd: G→G#	Blues, slide guitar
DADGAD	D A D G A D	6th: E→D, 2nd: B→A, 1st: E→D	Celtic, folk, fingerstyle
Half Step Down	Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb	All strings down ½ step	Rock (Hendrix, Guns N’ Roses)
Full Step Down	D G C F A D	All strings down 1 full step	Heavy rock, metal

Drop D (D A D G B E)

Drop D is the most commonly used alternate tuning in rock guitar. You only detune one string — the lowest E string drops one full step to D.

Why use it: You can play a power chord on the lowest three strings by barring all three with one finger. In standard tuning, power chords require two fingers in an awkward stretch.

How to tune it: Tune your 6th string down from E until the tuner reads D (73.42 Hz). All other strings stay the same.

Songs: “Everlong” by Foo Fighters, “Moby Dick” by Led Zeppelin, “Dear Prudence” by The Beatles, “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine.

Open G (D G D G B D)

Open G is the most famous open tuning in rock and blues. Strumming the open strings produces a G major chord. This is the tuning Keith Richards uses almost exclusively.

How to tune it: From standard, lower the 6th string from E to D, the 5th string from A to G, and the 1st string from E to D.

Songs: “Brown Sugar,” “Start Me Up” — most classic Rolling Stones songs. “Little Red Rooster” in blues tradition.

DADGAD (D A D G A D)

DADGAD (pronounced “dad-gad”) is the standard tuning for Celtic and folk guitar. It was developed by Davy Graham in the 1960s. DADGAD produces a Dsus4 — an ambiguous, unresolved sound that’s central to Celtic music.

How to tune it: From standard: lower the 6th string E to D, the 2nd string B to A, and the 1st string E to D. The 5th (A), 4th (D), and 3rd (G) strings stay the same.

Songs: “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin is the most famous mainstream use. Also foundational to Irish fingerstyle players.

When Should You Start Exploring Alternate Tunings?

• ✅ Learn standard tuning comfortably first. Alternate tunings are much easier to navigate once you have a solid foundation in standard.
• ✅ Start with Drop D. It’s one string, one step down — the easiest alternate tuning to try.
• ✅ Use a chromatic tuner. A preset guitar tuner expects standard EADGBE. A chromatic tuner reads whatever note you play — that’s what you need for alternate tunings.

Common Questions

Will alternate tunings damage my guitar?

For modest changes (Drop D, half-step down, open tunings), no. Avoid tuning any string significantly higher than standard — that’s where you risk snapping a string or stressing the neck.

How do I use Tuner Buddy for alternate tunings?

Use Tuner Buddy in chromatic mode — it reads whatever note you play. Simply look at the note displayed and tune each string to the target note for your alternate tuning. The needle shows whether you’re sharp or flat.

Tune to any alternate tuning with the free Tuner Buddy chromatic tuner →