DADGAD Tuning on Guitar: Notes and Chords

I first heard of DADGAD when I was watching somebody play a celtic tune and couldn't do the same on my guitar. That led me to asking around and realising that there are alternate tunings. Many people prefer tunings like DADGAD. If you're here, you already know.

DADGAD has an open, lush, beautiful sound. One open strum and you'll get hooked.

Jimmy Page used it for Kashmir. Pierre Bensusan uses it heavily. If you haven't heard how it sounds, listen to Mike Dawes playing here.

Or Nick Bannan with his beautiful interpretation.

Psyched?

Here's how it works, how to sound like it, and how to steal it for your songs!

How to tune to DADGAD

DADGAD is an alternate tuning; that means, you have to tune your strings to something other than EADGBE (which is the standard). So you have to tune three strings differently.

From standard tuning (EADGBE), three strings change:

If you're tuning by ear: match the high e string to open D string (string 4). Match the B string to open A string (string 5). Low E drops to match the open D string, one octave lower.

Maybe use a chromatic tuner.

Tuned? Hear how a strum sounds.

What you hear open

You'll hear all six open strings together: D - A - D - G - A - D. That's a Dsus4 chord (D - G - D). Basically first, fourth and fifth notes in the key of D major scale. It's not a major or minor chord (because no 3rd). Doesnt sound sad. Sounds like you're floating.

Easy DADGAD chords

The magic of DADGAD is - you can get full, lush open voicings even with just one finger.

Open, no finger, Dsus4

D5 (one finger)

Just the root and fifth.

G (one finger)

Finger on the low D string, 5th fret. Let the open strings ring.

A (one finger)

Finger on the D string (4th), 2nd fret. Mute the low D.

D major scale in DADGAD

The D major scale is D - E - F# - G - A - B - C# as always. What changes is where they sit on the fretboard. Read our awesome guide on D major scale if that's new to you.

This is what the notes look like in DADGAD.

Try it with a backing track.

Most players use DADGAD to play fingerstyle.

One-octave shape (D string to A string)

You can start strumming and seeing what happens, but I think one-octave is a good place to start. Root D on the open D string.

Two octaves

Same scale, two octaves, starting from the lowest D string.

Common progressions

D - G - A

Three chords. Covers a huge amount of Celtic and folk music.

D - Em - G - A (folk-pop)

Add Em and it immediately sounds like fingerstyle folk. This progression loops beautifully.

Em - D (the Celtic drone)

Two chords, slowly alternating with open strings ringing between changes. This is the essence of DADGAD sound. Don't rush it.

How to use DADGAD

DADGAD's advantage is the drone. Let the D and A open strings ring. When you change chords, let the open strings bleed into each other.

Try:

Drones: Pick a melody on the higher strings while holding open lower strings.

Open string fills: After each chord change, pick across the open strings before landing on the next chord. That "strum → open → chord" motion sounds like Celtic fingerstyle.

Hammer-ons from open: In DADGAD, hammering onto frets from open strings gives you fast legato runs without picking. Try hammering from 0.4 to 2.4 (D to E), keep other strings ringing.

Songs and artists in DADGAD

DADGAD is used by many artists. Here are a few.

Try Kashmir or Pink Moon.

DADGAD vs standard tuning- which should you play?

If you're playing fingerstyle, and want that fuller ringing sound, stick to DADGAD. It's instantly gratifying, has a learning curve, but it's worth it if you're into that style.

It's not a good idea if you need a definite major or minor third- if you're playing standard chords anyway, you don't really need an open tuning, do you?

What key or scale or mode is DADGAD tuning in?

DADGAD not in one key or scale/mode. If you look at standard E - A - D - G - B - E, there's a major third.

Open strings form a Dsus4 chord (D - G - A notes, no #F, which is the major third). If it had F#, it would sound major. If it had F, it would sound minor. It has no third; it floats.

You can have DADGAD fit different modes easily. If you play a C (you get D myxolydian), it sounds folk or Celtic. If you add a F (you get D dorian), it sounds somewhat sad and moody. If you play F# and C#, it feels happy (because you get major scale/ ionian mode).

You can treat the open D and A strings as drones instead of chord tones. And have fun with it.

So: DADGAD isn't "in" D. It's centered on D, and everything else is up to you.

Where to go from here

DADGAD is rewarding; but might take some time getting used ot.

Listen to Pierre Bensusan; he's done a ton in DADGAD. When you find something that sounds fun to you, try playing it.

Spend some time with DADGAD.

FAQs

What does DADGAD tuning mean? DADGAD is an alternate tuning where three strings change from standard EADGBE: the low E and high E drop to D, and the B drops to A, giving D-A-D-G-A-D.

What key is DADGAD tuning in? The open strings form a Dsus4 chord, so DADGAD is most often used for D major and modal progressions. Strumming all six open strings gives a floating, unresolved D sound.

What are the basic chords in DADGAD? D, G, and A cover most progressions in DADGAD; D-G-A foundation, D-Em-G-A for folk-pop, and Em-D for the Celtic drone sound.

What songs use DADGAD tuning? Well-known DADGAD songs include Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir,' Nick Drake's 'Pink Moon,' the Rolling Stones' 'The Last Time,' and much of Pierre Bensusan's fingerstyle catalog.

Is DADGAD hard to learn? DADGAD requires re-learning chord shapes from standard tuning, but it's easy because open strings carry the harmony, so simple shapes sound full and musical.