Open F Tuning (FACFCF)

Open F tunes the strings from low to high to F A C F C F (typed FACFCF). Strum all six open strings and you hear an F major chord.

Strings 6 → 1: F2 A2 C3 F3 C4 F4
From standard: Strings 6 4 3 2 1 change
Open strings: F (F A C)

Tuner · Open F

A4 · 440 Hz

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Mic off

±0 ¢

Auto string detect

Uses your microphone. Audio stays on this device. No mic? Tap a string to hear its note.

TuningF A C F C F

Strings · tap to hear

How to tune to open F from standard

String 6: E2 → F2, up 1 semitone (half step) · tension +12 %
String 5: A2 → A2, no change
String 4: D3 → C3, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %
String 3: G3 → F3, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %
String 2: B3 → C4, up 1 semitone (half step) · tension +12 %
String 1: E4 → F4, up 1 semitone (half step) · tension +12 %

The tuner above is locked to F A C F C F, so each string reads against its own target. Tap a string button to hear its note.

Open F (F A C F C F) chords

Frets are listed from string 6 to string 1 (× = do not play). The notes line is what each string sounds in this tuning.

F · all open

Frets 0 0 0 0 0 0

F A C F C F

I (home chord). Strum all six strings. This is the sound the tuning is named for.

F7 · one finger

Frets 0 0 0 0 3 0

F A C F E♭ F

I7. Fret 3 on string 2 turns C into E♭, the flat seventh. It pulls towards B♭.

B♭ · barre fret 5

Frets 5 5 5 5 5 5

B♭ D F B♭ F B♭

IV. Lay the first finger flat across all six strings at fret 5.

C · barre fret 7

Frets 7 7 7 7 7 7

C E G C G C

V. Same flat barre, two frets higher. F, B♭ and C are the three main chords of F major.

C7 · barre fret 7 + fret 10

Frets 7 7 7 7 10 7

C E G C B♭ C

V7. Barre fret 7 and add the third finger on string 2, fret 10, for the B♭. It leads straight back to F.

Dm · one finger, mute string 2

Frets 0 0 2 0 × 0

F A D F × F · Dm/F

vi. Fret 2 on string 4 turns C into D. Mute string 2 so the open C does not turn it into a D minor 7.

Any straight barre is a major chord, named by counting half steps up from F: fret 2 = G, fret 3 = A♭, fret 5 = B♭, fret 7 = C, fret 10 = E♭, fret 12 = F an octave up.

Why open F sounds the way it does

The six open strings hold three notes: F, A and C, the root, major third and fifth of F major. Three strings are F, two are C and one is A, so the open sound is mostly root and fifth, with the single A on string 5 making the chord major.

The low F on string 6 is a half step above standard E, and the top string is also F. Strings 6, 3 and 1 are F in three octaves; strings 4 and 2 are C in two octaves. Played open they keep ringing under anything you fret on the other strings, which gives the tuning its drone.

The strings do not stack in thirds the way a barre chord in standard does: from the bottom the gaps are a major third, a minor third, a fourth, a fifth and a fourth. Open F is therefore not open E or open G moved up or down, and its fingerings are its own.

Note	Open strings
F	3 of 6
A	1 of 6
C	2 of 6

Playing in open F: practical notes

Tension: no string moves more than a whole step. Strings 6, 2 and 1 go up a half step and strings 4 and 3 go down a whole step, so some strings pull a little harder and some a little less than in standard. Tune the three raised strings slowly and stop at pitch.

Capo: a capo moves every open chord with it. Capo 2 gives G major (G B D G D G) and capo 7 gives C major (C E G C G C). The shapes above keep working, counted from the capo.

Back to standard: raise strings 4 and 3 a whole step and lower strings 6, 2 and 1 a half step, then check all six again, because moving five strings shifts the neck load and pulls the first ones slightly out.

FAQ

What is open F tuning?

A tuning where the open strings, low to high, are F A C F C F, so strumming them without fretting sounds an F major chord. It is written FACFCF or F A C F C F.

Which chords can I play in open F?

F with every string open, B♭ and C with a flat barre at frets 5 and 7, and F7 or Dm with one finger. Any straight barre at another fret gives another major chord.

Which strings change from standard tuning?

Five of six: string 6 goes from E to F, string 4 from D to C, string 3 from G to F, string 2 from B to C and string 1 from E to F. String 5 stays on A. Strings 6, 2 and 1 go up a half step, strings 4 and 3 down a whole step.

Is open F the same as open E or open G, a step higher or lower?

No. Open E and open G stack the same intervals, so their chord shapes match. Open F puts F A C F C F on the strings, a different arrangement, so you cannot just move an open G or open E shape. What carries over is the barre rule: a straight barre is major.

Standard tuning (EADGBE)back to the reference tuning
The key of F majorthe open strings ring an F chord
Guitar tunerswitch tunings, or tune back to standard
Capo calculator and chord transposercapo shapes for any key
Open G (DGDGBD)same family of tuning
Open D (DADF♯AD)same family of tuning
All guitar tuningsopen, drop and modal, compared