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25 Tunings (and the Artists Who Love Them) The notes of each tuning are given from the lowest (sixth) string to the highest (first). Numbers and letters in parentheses indicate the scale degree (R stands for root, 3 for third, etc.), with a root note on the fifth or sixth string. D A D G B D (R 5 R 5 6 R). Double dropped-D or D modal. Frequently used by Neil Young. Doobie Brothers, "Black Water" Neil Young, "Ohio" D A D G A D (R 5 R 4 5 R). Usually referred to by its pronunciation (dad-gad), this tuning is like open D but with a suspended fourth (G) on the third string. This characterizes it as neither major nor minor. It’s a favorite tuning of modern fingerstylists and Celtic rhythm guitarists. Jimmy Page, "Black Mountain Side" David Wilcox, "Strong Chemistry" D A D F# A D (R 5 R 3 5 R). Open D. Favored by blues and slide guitarists as well as many folksingers and modern fingerstylists. Sometimes referred to as Vestapol tuning after the song of the same name in open-D tuning. Joni Mitchell, "Chelsea Morning" Ry Cooder, "Paris, Texas" D A D F A D (R 5 R b3 5 R). D minor. Skip James, "Hard Time Killing Floor" John Cephas and Phil Wiggins, "John Henry" D A D E A D (R 5 R 2 5 R). A close relative of open D and D A D G A D with a distinctive character from the close interval between the third and fourth strings. Pat Kirtley, "Daisy Goes a Dancing" D A D D A D (R 5 R R 5 R) Arlo Guthrie, "Highway in the Wind" D D D D A D (R R R R 5 R). A favorite of Stephen Stills. Stephen Stills, "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" D A E E A A (4 R 5 5 R R or R 5 2 2 5 5) Michael Hedges, "All along the Watchtower" D G D G B D (5 R 5 R 3 R). Open G. Probably the most popular tuning for slide guitar. Often called Spanish tuning, referring to the popular open-G song "Spanish Fandango." Also favored by Hawaiian slack-key guitarists, who refer to it as Taro-patch tuning. Jorma Kaukonen, "Water Song" Leo Kottke, "Vaseline Machine Gun" D G D G B E (5 R 5 R 3 6). G6. Catie Curtis, "I Still Want To" Doyle Dykes, "Hurricanes, Earthquakes, and Tomatoes" D G D G Bb D (5 R 5 R b3 R). G minor. Chris Proctor, "California Dreaming" John Fahey, "Dance of Death" D G D G A D (5 R 5 R 2 R) Nanci Griffith, "Ghost in the Music" D G D F# B D (5 R 5 7 3 5). G major 7, G Wahine. Popular among slack-key guitarists. "Wahine" means that the tuning contains a major seventh. Ray Kane, "Punahele" Ledward Kaapana, "Whee Ha Swing" C G D G B E (4 R 5 R 3 6 or R 5 2 5 7 3) Chet Atkins, "Just As I Am" Richard Thompson, "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" C G D G B D (4 R 5 R 3 5 or R 5 2 5 7 2). Like open-G tuning, but with a nice low C on the bottom. Slack-key guitarists refer to this tuning as C Wahine. Chris Proctor, "Cheap Vacations" Ray Kane, "Hi’ilawe" C G C G C E (R 5 R 5 R 3). Open C. Leo Kottke, "Busted Bicycle" David Wilcox, "Eye of the Hurricane" C G C G C D (R 5 R 5 R 2) Patty Larkin, "Wolf at the Door" C G D G A D (4 R 5 R 2 5 or R 5 2 5 6 2). A favorite of Dave Evans and Celtic fingerpicker El McMeen. Michael Hedges, "I Want You" Adrian Legg, "Queenie’s Waltz" C G D G C D (4 R 5 R 4 5 or R 5 2 5 R 2) Martin Simpson, "Donal Og/My Generous Lover/The Coo Coo Bird/Santa Cruz" C C D G A D (R R 2 5 6 2) Michael Hedges, "Aerial Boundaries" E B D G A D (R 5 b7 b3 4 b7) David Crosby, "Déjà Vu" David Crosby, "Guinnevere" E B E G A D (R 5 R b3 4 b7). A close relative of D A D G A D, used heavily by Peter Finger. Peter Finger, "Pictures" Chris Proctor, "Tap Room" E B B G B D (R 5 5 b3 5 b7) Ani DiFranco, "Not a Pretty Girl" E A D G C F (R 4 b7 b3 b6 b9) Will Ackerman, "The Bricklayer’s Beautiful Daughter" A A D G B D (R R 4 b7 2 4) Michael Hedges, "The 2nd Law"
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