DADGAD Tuning for Guitar
Strings run D2 A2 D3 G3 A3 D4, in playing order. Tune by microphone below, or read the exact frequencies and what changes from standard guitar tuning.
Select a note to lock the tuner to that string, or use automatic matching.
Synthesized reference tones at A4 = 440 Hz. Playback pauses the microphone to avoid measuring the speaker. Start the mic again when you are ready.
| # | Note | Frequency (Hz) | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 73.42 | ||
| 5 | 110.00 | ||
| 4 | 146.83 | ||
| 3 | 196.00 | ||
| 2 | 220.00 | ||
| 1 | 293.66 |
Pitch is detected live in your browser and never recorded, stored or uploaded. Frequencies use A4 = 440 Hz.
Starting from standard, lower string 6 from E2 to D2, string 2 from B3 to A3, and string 1 from E4 to D4. Leave A2, D3 and G3 unchanged. Use the reference buttons to compare the three D strings in separate octaves, then compare A2 with A3. Recheck each string after the tension settles.
Getting to DADGAD from standard
What each string does relative to standard Guitar tuning. Work down the list in order — retuning one string changes the neck tension slightly, so go back and re-check the first string once you've finished.
| String | Standard | This tuning | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | E2 | D2 | down 2 semitone(s) |
| 5 | A2 | A2 | unchanged |
| 4 | D3 | D3 | unchanged |
| 3 | G3 | G3 | unchanged |
| 2 | B3 | A3 | down 2 semitone(s) |
| 1 | E4 | D4 | down 2 semitone(s) |
Why players use DADGAD
A suspended fourth voicing that is deliberately neither major nor minor, which is what makes it sound modal rather than resolved. Strongly associated with Celtic and folk fingerstyle, where the ambiguity lets a melody imply the harmony instead of fighting it.
The interval structure of DADGAD
Spelling D, A, D, G, A, D, this is a Dsus4 — root, fifth, root, fourth, fifth, root — with no third at all. The absence is the entire point: without a third the tuning refuses to commit to major or minor, so a melody note can imply either and the harmony follows rather than argues. That ambiguity maps directly onto modal folk repertoire, where tunes often sit between modes rather than in a key. Practically it also means a barre gives you a suspended chord rather than a triad, so the tuning rewards partial shapes and open-string drones over conventional grips.
DADGAD tuning FAQ
What are the notes in DADGAD tuning for Guitar?
DADGAD runs D2, A2, D3, G3, A3, D4, in playing order. The lowest-pitched string is D2 (73.42 Hz) and the highest is D4 (293.66 Hz), measured against A4 = 440 Hz. Those are the exact target frequencies the tuner on this page listens for.
How do I get to DADGAD tuning from standard?
3 of the 6 strings move: E2 down 2 semitone(s) to D2; B3 down 2 semitone(s) to A3; E4 down 2 semitone(s) to D4. Work through them in order, then go back and re-check the first string — retuning shifts the neck tension slightly, so the earlier strings drift as you go.
What is DADGAD tuning used for?
A suspended fourth voicing that is deliberately neither major nor minor, which is what makes it sound modal rather than resolved. Strongly associated with Celtic and folk fingerstyle, where the ambiguity lets a melody imply the harmony instead of fighting it.
What frequency is the D2 string?
D2 is 73.42 Hz at concert pitch (A4 = 440 Hz). That's the fundamental — the string also produces harmonics above it, which is why a tuner reading the wrong octave usually means it locked onto a harmonic rather than the fundamental. This is the lowest string in this guitar tuning.
How is DADGAD tuning structured?
Spelling D, A, D, G, A, D, this is a Dsus4 — root, fifth, root, fourth, fifth, root — with no third at all. The absence is the entire point: without a third the tuning refuses to commit to major or minor, so a melody note can imply either and the harmony follows rather than argues. That ambiguity maps directly onto modal folk repertoire, where tunes often sit between modes rather than in a key. Practically it also means a barre gives you a suspended chord rather than a triad, so the tuning rewards partial shapes and open-string drones over conventional grips.
Tune it by ear, with a meter.
The tuner above snaps to this tuning's strings — no app, no sign-up.
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