Standard tuning and popular alternative tunings

Starting with the thickest (6th, or 'bottom') string, this is standard tuning for a guitar:

E, A, D, G, B, E

Another popular tuning, particularly in the rock world, is to simply drop the thickest string down one tone to D:

D, A, D, G, B, E

One advantage of this tuning is that one finger across the three thickest strings gives a power-chord. Used quite frequently by the likes of Nirvana and Rage Against The Machine.

Another popular rock tuning is to take all the strings down one tone, often referred to as dropped-D tuning:

D, G, C, F, A, D

This obviously makes everything lower and suits darker sounding rock. It works best if you use a thicker gauge of string. Within the rock-world, players will sometimes drop down as low as C (C, F, A#, D#, G, C) ~ thicker strings are essential in that case.

For slide guitar I tend to use open-E tuning. This is where the open strings are tuned to an E major chord, as if an open-E chord is being fingered:

E, B, E, G#, B, E

Another popular tuning for slide and blues playing is open-G tuning, although it has also been adopted by bands such as Queens Of The Stone Age. It can seem a bit of a confusing name as the thickest string is actually tuned to a D, not a G. Upon closer inspection it all makes sense, as the open strings are all the notes that form a G major chord. By barring all but the thickest string, you create a major chord:

D, G, D, G, B, D

An alternative tuning that is often used to create a Celtic or ethnic sound is DADGAD:

D, A, D, G, A, D


Click here to use a great, free, online guitar tuner that uses your built in microphone to detect the notes as you play them.

There are some great, innovative players who use a lot of alternative open tunings. Check out the tremendous Jon Gomm!


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