DADGAD tuning and tuner
DADGAD is the favorite tuning of Celtic and acoustic fingerstyle players. Three strings change from standard, and the open strings ring an airy Dsus4 chord.
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String notes: DADGAD
At A = 440 Hz. The tuner measures each plucked string against these frequencies.
| String | Note | Frequency | vs. standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | D2 | 73.4 Hz | ↓ 2 semitones |
| 5. | A2 | 110.0 Hz | unchanged |
| 4. | D3 | 146.8 Hz | unchanged |
| 3. | G3 | 196.0 Hz | unchanged |
| 2. | A3 | 220.0 Hz | ↓ 2 semitones |
| 1. | D4 | 293.7 Hz | ↓ 2 semitones |
How to tune
- Press “Start tuning” and allow the microphone. The sound stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
- You lower three strings by a whole step: the 6th (E→D), the 2nd (B→A) and the 1st (E→D).
- The open strings are neither major nor minor (there's no third), so the melody sets the mood.
- When the needle sits in the green middle zone (±3 cents), the string is in tune. Anything within 5 cents sounds in tune to the ear.
All tuned? Here are the chords, with shapes and sound →
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Frequently asked questions
What is DADGAD tuning?
D – A – D – G – A – D, low to high. The open strings form a Dsus4 chord.
What music is it good for?
Irish and Scottish folk, acoustic fingerstyle, and droning, ringing accompaniment where open strings sustain under many shapes.
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