Learning guitar in standard tuning is hard enough. Why on earth would anyone ever want to try an alternate tuning like DADGAD? How do you even play DADGAD chords?
Allow us to demystify alternate tunings for you just a bit. DADGAD is not nearly as difficult to manage as you may initially think. In fact, 3 of the middle strings are still tuned to standard tuning.
That means you are already part of the way there. Learning the other 3 strings is also pretty easy since 2 of them are tuned to the same note.
Let's go into a little more detail, shall we?
DADGAD Chords And Tuning
What is DADGAD Tuning?
DADGAD tuning is when you take the standard EADGBe tuning and, as the name says, change it to DADGAD. You do this by tuning the low E and high e to D and the B down to an A. You only want to detune, not tune up.
When you are tuned correctly to DADGAD, when you strum the strings open, they should sound like a Dsus4.
Why Use This Tuning?
There are several reasons why people use alternate tunings.
Spark creativity
Standard tuning can get boring after a while. We all get in songwriting ruts from time to time. Alternate tunings, like DADGAD or Open G tuning, give you a brand new way of looking at your instrument.
Utilizing a tuning like DADGAD can also add in some more variety to your sound and style of playing. It's also pretty easy and a lot of fun!
How To Make Chords
The same rules of music theory apply when using this tuning. To build a major chord you will still use a major triad.
Inversions
One interesting thing about building chords in DADGAD tuning is that inversions are incredibly easy. If you are unfamiliar with inversions, it is when you swap the order of the notes in a chord.
For example, in standard tuning, a D chord is D - F# - A. The way we first learn to play it is with:
- index finger (1) on the A note of the G string on the 2nd fret
- middle finger (2) on the F# note of the high e string on the 2nd fret
- ring finger (3) on the D note of the B string on the 3rd fret
But with an inversion, you can play it like this:
- index finger (1) on the A note of the G string on the 2nd fret
- middle finger (2) on the D note of the B string on the 3rd fret
- ring finger (3) on the F# note of the B string on the 4th fret
It's the same chord, with the same notes, but has a bit of a different sound to it.
Inversions are very easy in DADGAD since half the strings are tuned to a D note. You can always find the note you need within a short finger distance.
Octaves
Much like standard tuning has low E and high e strings, DADGAD has low D and high d. This makes finding the octave pretty easy. Many chords in this tuning sound great allowing the octave to ring out as an addition to your chords.
DADGAD Chords
With all this talk of chord building, inversions, and octaves, it would be nice to have some actual chords to play! The following chord charts should give you a great start. We have included the Major, Major 7th, Minor, and Minor 7th for each note; C, D, E, F, G, A, and B (where the notes are available).
C Chords
Here are a few examples for the C chord in DADGAD.
C Chord
- index finger (1) on the E note of the middle D string on the 2nd fret
- middle finger (2) on the C note of the low A string on the 3rd fret
- ring finger (3) on the C note of the high A string on the 3rd fret
- mute the other strings
C7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the E note of the middle D string on the 2nd fret
- middle finger (2) on the E note of the low E string on the 2nd fret
- ring finger (3) on the C note of the low A string on the 3rd fret
- pinky finger (4) on the A# note of the G string on the 3rd fret
- mute the other strings
Cm Chord
- index finger (1) on the D# note of the middle D string on the 1st fret
- middle finger (2) on the C note of the low A string on the 3rd fret
- ring finger (3) on the C note of the high A string on the 3rd fret
- mute the other strings
Cm7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the A# note of the high A string on the 1st fret
- middle finger (2) on the D# note of the middle D string on the 1st fret
- pinky finger (4) on the C note of the high A string on the 3rd fret
- mute the other strings
D Chords
D Chord
- index finger (1) on the A note of the G string on the 2nd fret
- ring finger (3) on the F# note of the high D string on the 4th fret
- play the other strings open
D7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the A note of the G string on the 2nd fret
- middle finger (2) on the C note of the low A string on the 3rd fret
- play the other strings open
Dm Chord
- index finger (1) on the A note of the G string on the 2nd fret
- ring finger (3) on the F note of the high D string on the 3rd fret
- play the other strings open
Dm7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the A note of the G string on the 2nd fret
- ring finger (3) on the C note of the high A string on the 3rd fret
- pinky finger (4) on the F note of the high D string on the 3rd fret
- play the other strings open
E Chords
E Chord
- index finger (1) on the B note of the G string on the 4th fret
- middle finger (2) on the G# note of the middle D string on the 6th fret
- ring finger (3) on the E note of the low A string on the 7th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the E note of the high A string on the 7th fret
- mute the low and high D strings
E7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the B note of the G string on the 4th fret
- middle finger (2) on the G# note of the middle D string on the 6th fret
- ring finger (3) on the E note of the low A string on the 7th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the E note of the high A string on the 7th fret
- play the high D string open
- mute the low D string
Em Chord
- index finger (1) on the B note of the G string on the 4th fret
- middle finger (2) on the G note of the middle D string on the 5th fret
- ring finger (3) on the E note of the low A string on the 7th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the E note of the high A string on the 7th fret
- mute the low and high D strings
Em7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the E note of the middle D string on the 2nd fret
- middle finger (2) on the B note of the high A string on the 2nd fret
- play the G and high D strings open
- mute the low D and A strings
F Chords
F Chord
- index finger (1) on the G# note of the G string on the 1st fret
- middle finger (2) on the F note of the middle D string on the 3rd fret
- ring finger (3) on the C note of the high A string on the 3rd fret
- pinky finger (4) on the F note of the high D string on the 3rd fret
- mute the low D and A strings
Fm Chord
- index finger (1) on the C note of the G string on the 5th fret
- middle finger (2) on the G# note of the middle D string on the 6th fret
- ring finger (3) on the F note of the low A string on the 8th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the F note of the high A string on the 8th fret
- mute the low and high D strings
G Chords
G Chord
- index finger (1) on the B note of the low A string on the 2nd fret
- pinky finger (4) on the G note of the low D string on the 5th fret
- play the middle D and G strings open
- mute the high A and D strings
G7 Chord
- ring finger (3) on the F note of the G string on the 10th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the G note of the high A string on the 10th fret
- play the middle and high D strings open
- mute the low D and A strings
Gm Chord
- index finger (1) on the A# note of the G string on the 3rd fret
- ring finger (3) on the G note of the middle D string on the 5th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the D note of the high A B string on the 5th fret
- play the high D open
- mute the low D and A strings
Gm7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the Bb note of the middle D string on the 8th fret
- middle finger (2) on the G note of the low A string on the 10th fret
- ring finger (3) on the F note of the G string on the 10th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the G note of the high A string on the 10th fret
A Chords
A Chord
- index finger (1) barred across the middle D, G, high A, and high D strings on the 2nd fret
- ring finger (3) on the C# note of the high A string on the 4th fret
- play the low A open
- mute the low D
A7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the A note of the middle D string on the 7th fret
- ring finger (3) on the A note of the high D string on the 7th fret
- play the G and high A strings open
Am Chord
- index finger (1) on the E note of the middle D string on the 2nd fret
- pinky finger (4) on the C note of the G string on the 5th fret
- play the low and high A strings open
- mute the low D
Am7 Chord
- ring finger (3) on the G note of the middle D string on the 5th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the C note of the G string on the 5th fret
- play the low and high A strings open
- mute the low D
B Chords
B Chord
- index finger (1) on the D# note of the G string on the 8th fret
- middle finger (2) on the B note of the middle D string on the 9th fret
- ring finger (3) on the F# note of the high A string on the 9th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the B note of the high D string on the 9th fret
- mute the low D and A strings
Bm Chord
- index finger (1) on the D note of the G string on the 7th fret
- ring finger (3) on the B note of the middle D string on the 9th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the F# note of the high A string on the 9th fret
- play the high D open
- mute the low D and A strings
Bm7 Chord
- index finger (1) on the B note of the low A string on the 2nd fret
- ring finger (3) on the F# note of the middle D string on the 4th fret
- pinky finger (4) on the B note of the G string on the 4th fret
- play the high A and D strings open
- mute the low D string
DADGAD Chord Progression
To get you started, here is a fun little chord progression you can play in DADGAD tuning. It makes ample use of a single string droning throughout the progression. Play around with this and have fun building your own.
Songs That Use DADGAD
Want an idea of what this tuning can sound like? We mentioned earlier that DADGAD is most commonly found in Celtic music. However, it has found it's way into other genres (you'll notice Jimmy Page LOVED this tuning).
- Black Mountain Slide by Led Zeppelin
- Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
- White Summer by Jimmy Page
- Photograph by Ed Sheeran
- That’s When You Came In by Steel Panther
- Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden
- Goin’ Back by Neil Young
Final Word
It turns out, the world of alternate tunings isn't quite as scary as you may have thought. In fact, once you get the hang of them, they can open up the fret board to new poosibilities.
Consider adding the DADGAD tuning and some DADGAD chords to your arsenal and see what you can come up with!
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