Music Open Tunings Summary
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1SEVEN ARROWS MUSIC “OPEN TUNINGS” SUMMARY
(“open” means tuning the instrument to a chord)
INSTRUMENT
STANDARD TUNING
OPEN C TUNING
OPEN G TUNING
OPEN D TUNING
Major major/minor
Major
major/minor
Major
major/minor
String numbers
6 5 4 3 2 1
(or capo C tuning)
6/12 string guitar
E A D G B E
EGCGCE
N/A
DGBGBD EGBGBD
DADF#AD
N/A
dobro guitar
G B D G B D
EGCGCE
N/A
DGBGBD EGBGBD
DADF#AD
N/A
(open G)
(alternative open G)
bass guitar *
E A D G
EGCG
N/A
DBDG
N/A
DADF#
N/A
* ( not normally used for chording – best using a finger picking style of play )
tenor guitar (4 string)
C G D A
CGEG
N/A
BGDG
N/A
DF#DA
BF#DA
tenor banjo (4 string)
C G D A
CGEG
N/A
BGDG
N/A
DF#DA
BF#DA
banjo (5-string)
g D G B D
f CGCE
N/A
gDGBD
N/A
gDF#AD
N/A
(see note 3 below)
(Csus-C ‘open’)
(Dsus-D ‘open’)
baritone ukulele
D G B E
CGCE
N/A
DGBD
EGBD
DF#AD
N/A
(largest)
tenor ukulele
G C E A
GCEG
ACEG
GBDG
N/A
ADF#A
N/A
(mid-sized)
soprano (concert) uk
g C E A
gCEG
N/A
gBDG
N/A
aDF#A
N/A
(smallest) (banjo uk tuned the same)
mandolin *
G D A E
GCGE
N/A
GDBD
N/A
F#DAD
N/A
* ( lower stress options GCEG
ACEG
GDGB )
lap dulcimer
AA A D
GGEC
N/A
GGBD
N/A
AAF#D
N/A
strumstick (basic)
G D G
GEC
N/A
GDB
N/A
ADF#
N/A
(grand)
D A D
EGC
N/A
DGB
N/A
DF#A
N/A
balalaika (prima)
E E A
CEG
N/A
GDB
N/A
DF#A
N/A
(secunda)
A A D
GEC
N/A
GBD
N/A
AF#D
N/A
(alto)
E E A
CEG
N/A
GDB
N/A
DF#A
N/A
(bass)
E A D
EGC
N/A
DGB
N/A
F#AD
N/A
Notes: (1) chord labeling begins with open tuning = major chord, e.g., D tuning begins with a D chord.
(2) “boxed” tunings preferred in most cases, especially for playing both major & minor chords.
th
(3) on the 5-string banjo; (a) C & D tuning – include the short string only at 5
fret & below,
(b) G tuning – short string not played when barreing chords at frets 1 thru 4.
(4) with many of these tunings it is possible to easily play the “open” dominant 7 and maj 7
st
chords by fretting just the smallest (1
) string at the appropriate fret. For example, for the
st
rd
guitar in the G tuning mode, fretting the 1
string at the 3
fret and strumming across all
st
the strings “open” produces a G7 chord. In the C tuning mode, fretting the 1
string at the
th
7
fret produces a C maj7 chord (see the fingering chart on the last page of the Level I
Method Book). Please also refer to the chord chart at the end of our book, “The Magical
Musical Spiraled Seashell and Friends” for more information.
(5) in the case of the “boxed” major/minor tunings above, strumming across all the strings
th
st
produces the minor 7
chord, all but the smallest 1
string the minor chord, and all but the
largest string the major chord (this is covered in more detail in the Level II Method Book
and the User’s Guide). Using a “finger picking” style makes this chording even easier.
(6) if you are wanting to ‘open tune’ some other instrument, pick & re-tune to an ‘open’ chord
that will not be to slack or to tight for the strings or consider unique string sizing.
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