Open D Guitar Scales
Open D tuning on guitar is D, A, D, F#, A, D, from the 6th string to the first.
Guitar · 6-string (Open D), tuned low to high: D, A, D, F#, A, D. 24 frets.
- D string: fret 0 D (4), fret 2 E (5), fret 5 G (flat 7), fret 7 A (root), fret 10 C (flat 3), fret 12 D (4), fret 14 E (5), fret 17 G (flat 7), fret 19 A (root), fret 22 C (flat 3), fret 24 D (4).
- A string: fret 0 A (root), fret 3 C (flat 3), fret 5 D (4), fret 7 E (5), fret 10 G (flat 7), fret 12 A (root), fret 15 C (flat 3), fret 17 D (4), fret 19 E (5), fret 22 G (flat 7), fret 24 A (root).
- D string: fret 0 D (4), fret 2 E (5), fret 5 G (flat 7), fret 7 A (root), fret 10 C (flat 3), fret 12 D (4), fret 14 E (5), fret 17 G (flat 7), fret 19 A (root), fret 22 C (flat 3), fret 24 D (4).
- F# string: fret 1 G (flat 7), fret 3 A (root), fret 6 C (flat 3), fret 8 D (4), fret 10 E (5), fret 13 G (flat 7), fret 15 A (root), fret 18 C (flat 3), fret 20 D (4), fret 22 E (5).
- A string: fret 0 A (root), fret 3 C (flat 3), fret 5 D (4), fret 7 E (5), fret 10 G (flat 7), fret 12 A (root), fret 15 C (flat 3), fret 17 D (4), fret 19 E (5), fret 22 G (flat 7), fret 24 A (root).
- D string: fret 0 D (4), fret 2 E (5), fret 5 G (flat 7), fret 7 A (root), fret 10 C (flat 3), fret 12 D (4), fret 14 E (5), fret 17 G (flat 7), fret 19 A (root), fret 22 C (flat 3), fret 24 D (4).
Above: the A minor pentatonic drawn on a guitar in Open D tuning. Every note is placed and named for this tuning, not transposed from a standard-tuning diagram — so the note names are the ones you actually play.
Why players use it
Open D means the open strings sound a D major chord, so a barre anywhere gives you a major chord at that fret. It's the classic slide tuning, and the reason slide players can play changes without fretting individual notes.
Open strings
D, A, D, F#, A, D — sixth string to first.
Scales in Open D
Each link opens the interactive fretboard with that scale and this tuning already applied. You can change key, hear any note, and export a printable PDF from there.
| Scale | Key |
|---|---|
| Minor Pentatonic | A · E · D · G · C · B |
| Major Pentatonic | A · E · D · G · C · B |
| Minor Blues | A · E · D · G · C · B |
| Natural Minor | A · E · D · G · C · B |
| Major | A · E · D · G · C · B |
| Dorian | A · E · D · G · C · B |
| Phrygian | A · E · D · G · C · B |
| Mixolydian | A · E · D · G · C · B |