Last Updated on 13 April 2024 – 12:56

DADGAD (aka dad-gad Tuning, Open Dsus4 Tuning, or Celtic Tuning) is an alternative guitar tuning most associated with Celtic music, though it has also found use in rock, folk, metal and several other genres.

Instead of the standard tuning (E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4) the six guitar strings are tuned, from low to high, D2 A2 D3 G3 A3 D4.

Essentially, you tune to a Dsus4 chord (that is what you hear if you play all string open). Since the tones are close to many D chords, the tuning is extra suitable for playing in the D key.

The name says it all, but just to be extra clear, to get this alternate tuning you should tune your guitar according to this: D A D G A D. Don’t increase the string tension when you re-tune.

Is DADGAD Tuning an Open Tuning?

DADGAD Tuning is an open tuning because it forms a Dsus4 chord across the open strings. A Suspended fourth chord is neither Major nor minor, so DADGAD Tuning isn’t a Major or minor open tuning.

What’s the deal with DADGAD? – by Stringjoy

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