DADGAD spells out the tuning: low to high, D-A-D-G-A-D. Compared to standard, you drop both E strings to D, and the B string drops to A. The other three strings stay where they are.
The result: strum all six strings open and you get a big Dsus4 chord. Add one finger anywhere and you get a new chord, often with three or four ringing open strings.
How to retune
Open the chromatic tuner
Tunes by ear via your laptop or phone mic. Pluck a string, watch the indicator center.
From standard:
- Low E → D (drop a whole step, same as Drop D)
- B → A (drop a whole step)
- High E → D (drop a whole step)
Other strings (A, D, G) stay where they are.
Why fingerstyle players love it
The tuning is modal. There's no 3rd in the open strings, which means the open strings don't commit to major or minor. Any chord you fret has the open strings ringing underneath, creating drones and harmonies. The sound is automatically Celtic or "world music."
Basic chord shapes in DADGAD
D major (open): just strum all six strings. That's Dsus4, technically, but it functions as D.
G major: 5th fret barre across all six (or just the top three).
A major: 7th fret barre across the top three.
Bm: 9th fret barre across the top three (sort of; the voicings are unusual).
Most DADGAD songs aren't built on standard chord names; they're built on shapes and drones.
70 BPM. Strum the open Dsus4. Move your index finger up to the 2nd fret across all six strings (a sort of Esus4). Back to open. Up to the 5th fret. Back. Just moving one finger gives you a four-chord progression that sounds vaguely Celtic.
Songs in DADGAD
Pierre Bensusan's entire catalog. Andy McKee's Drifting. Davy Graham's Anji. Most Irish folk arrangements use either DADGAD or its cousin DGDGBD.
Retuning back
When done, retune the three loosened strings up to standard. Each one tunes up gradually; use the tuner to confirm.
Next: Tears in Heaven. The intermediate fingerstyle masterclass.