Open D Minor Tuning (DADFAD)

DADFAD, also called open D minor, tunes the strings from low to high to D A D F A D. Strum all six open strings and you hear a D minor chord.

Strings 6 → 1: D2 A2 D3 F3 A3 D4
From standard: Strings 6 3 2 1 down a whole step
Open strings: Dm (D F A)

Tuner · DADFAD

A4 · 440 Hz

–

Mic off

±0 ¢

Auto string detect

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

TuningD A D F A D

Strings · tap to hear

Retune from standard to DADFAD

String 6: E2 → D2, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %
String 5: A2 → A2, no change
String 4: D3 → D3, no change
String 3: G3 → F3, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %
String 2: B3 → A3, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %
String 1: E4 → D4, down 2 semitones (whole step) · tension −21 %

Already in Open D (D A D F♯ A D)? Only string 3 changes: F♯3 → F3, down 1 semitone (half step).

Already in DADGAD (D A D G A D)? Only string 3 changes: G3 → F3, down 2 semitones (whole step).

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

Chord shapes in DADFAD

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

Dm · all open

Frets 0 0 0 0 0 0

D A D F A D

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

D major · one finger

Frets 0 0 0 1 0 0

D A D F♯ A D

I (major version of home). First finger on string 3, fret 1 turns F into F♯. Lift it to go back to minor.

B♭ · two fingers

Frets 0 1 0 0 1 0

D B♭ D F B♭ D · B♭/D

VI. Fret 1 on strings 5 and 2. The open D strings stay in, so it rings as B♭ with D in the bass.

Gm · barre fret 5

Frets 5 5 5 5 5 5

G D G B♭ D G

iv. Lay the first finger flat across all six strings at fret 5. No other fingers needed.

Am · barre fret 7

Frets 7 7 7 7 7 7

A E A C E A

v. Same flat barre, two frets higher. Softer than the A major next to it.

A major · barre 7 + fret 8

Frets 7 7 7 8 7 7

A E A C♯ E A

V (harmonic minor, with C♯). Barre fret 7 and add the second finger on string 3, fret 8. A to Dm is the strongest way home in D minor.

Any straight barre is a minor chord: the fret number is how many half steps above D it sits (fret 3 = Fm, fret 5 = Gm, fret 7 = Am, fret 10 = Cm). Add one fret on string 3 and the same barre becomes major.

Why DADFAD sounds the way it does

The six open strings hold only three notes: D, F and A, the root, minor third and fifth of D minor. Three strings are D and two are A, so the open sound is mostly root and fifth with one string, the F on string 3, deciding that the chord is minor.

That single F is the reason the tuning is so flexible. Fret string 3 at the first fret and it becomes F♯: the same six strings now ring a D major chord, which is open D tuning (D A D F♯ A D). Moving between minor and major is one finger, so a song can sit on a dark D minor drone and lift to D major without changing hand position.

The low D on string 6 is a whole step below standard E, and strings 6, 4 and 1 are all D in three octaves. Played open, they keep sounding under whatever you fret higher up, which gives the tuning its drone. Because four strings are tuned down, string tension is lower than in standard and the guitar sounds darker and looser.

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

Playing in DADFAD: practical notes

Tension: four strings go down a whole step, so they are slacker than in standard. Light-gauge strings can buzz or flap when you dig in; if they do, pick a little softer or use a medium set if you plan to stay in the tuning.

Capo: a capo moves every open chord with it. Capo 2 gives open E minor (E B E G B E), capo 3 gives open F minor, capo 5 gives open G minor. The shapes above keep working, counted from the capo.

Back to standard: reverse the steps. Tune strings 6, 3, 2 and 1 up a whole step, then check all six again, because raising four strings at once adds tension to the neck and pulls the first ones slightly flat.

A song in DADFAD

Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues · Skip James
His "cross-note" tuning is an open minor tuning; this recording is usually transcribed in open D minor.

FAQ

Is DADFAD the same as open D tuning?

No. Open D is D A D F♯ A D and sounds D major. DADFAD has F instead of F♯ on string 3, so it sounds D minor. Going from open D to DADFAD you only lower string 3 by a half step.

Will tuning to DADFAD damage my guitar?

No. Every string either stays the same or goes down, so total tension on the neck is lower than in standard tuning. You may need to check the tuning again after a few minutes while the strings settle.

Which strings change from standard tuning?

Four: string 6 from E to D, string 3 from G to F, string 2 from B to A and string 1 from E to D, each down a whole step. Strings 5 (A) and 4 (D) stay as they are.

What is a capo on fret 2 in DADFAD?

Open E minor: E B E G B E. All the shapes on this page still work and sound one whole step higher.

Standard tuning (EADGBE)back to the reference tuning
The key of D minorthe open strings ring a D minor 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 E (EBEG♯BE)same family of tuning
All guitar tuningsopen, drop and modal, compared