DADGAD tuner
Tune to D A D G A D with your microphone, or tap a string to hear it.
DADGAD
Start tuner
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Tap a string to hear it and tune that string.
DADGAD lowers three strings from standard: the 6th, 2nd, and 1st each go down a whole step, giving D A D G A D. Strummed open it rings as a Dsus4 chord, neither major nor minor, which is why it suits drones and open, modal melodies.
It is at home in Celtic and folk guitar and in fingerstyle playing, where open strings ring against fretted notes.
DADGAD: notes and frequencies
| String | Note | Pitch | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | D | D2 | 73.42 Hz |
| 5 | A | A2 | 110.00 Hz |
| 4 | D | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3 | G | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2 | A | A3 | 220.00 Hz |
| 1 | D | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
From standard tuning to DADGAD
- String 6: lower it from E2 to D2, 2 semitones down.
- String 5: stays at A2.
- String 4: stays at D3.
- String 3: stays at G3.
- String 2: lower it from B3 to A3, 2 semitones down.
- String 1: lower it from E4 to D4, 2 semitones down.
Only three strings move, each by a whole step. The 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings stay where standard tuning has them.
Tune to DADGAD by ear
Tune string 6 (D2) to a reference first: tap it in the tuner above, or use a piano or another instrument. Then tune each string to one that is already in tune:
- Play string 6 at fret 7, then tune open string 5 until the two sound the same (A2).
- Play string 5 at fret 5, then tune open string 4 until the two sound the same (D3).
- Play string 4 at fret 5, then tune open string 3 until the two sound the same (G3).
- Play string 3 at fret 2, then tune open string 2 until the two sound the same (A3).
- Play string 2 at fret 5, then tune open string 1 until the two sound the same (D4).
Songs in DADGAD
A few well-known recordings played in DADGAD:
- Kashmir, Led Zeppelin
- Black Mountain Side, Led Zeppelin
Learning a song in DADGAD?
Record it or upload it, and Tabtify turns it into tab you can play along with. Choose DADGAD under Tuning in the converter's options so the frets match your guitar.
Turn a recording into tabDADGAD tuner FAQ
What are the notes of DADGAD?
From string 6 to string 1: D2, A2, D3, G3, A3, D4. With A4 at 440 Hz, that is 73.42 Hz, 110.00 Hz, 146.83 Hz, 196.00 Hz, 220.00 Hz, 293.66 Hz.
Why is DADGAD called Celtic tuning?
It became a standard tuning for Irish and Scottish folk guitar, where its droning open strings suit the music's modal tunes.
What chord do the open strings of DADGAD make?
Dsus4: the notes D, A, and G, with no third. That open, unresolved sound is what lets one tuning carry both major and minor melodies.