Open D tuning chords: 5 shapes you need to know

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A favorite of Mumford & Sons, open D tunes your guitar to DADF#AD and makes a great platform for fingerstyle blues excursions

Marcus Mumford plays a Martin D-45, capo'd at the 7th fret
(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for the American Museum of Natural History)

Having introduced 5 chord shapes for DADGAD tuning, let's turn our attention to open D (aka D A D F# A D).

As with DADGAD, drop the sixth string down a tone to D, then drop the first and second strings down a tone to D and A, respectively.

The final step is to drop the G string down a semitone to F#. The open D tuning is great for blues and fingerstyle acoustic pieces.

1. F#5

(Image credit: Future)

This powerchord shape features in Mumford And Sons’ The Cave, transposed to various fret positions.

2. Esus2

(Image credit: Future)

If we move the F#5 fingering down two frets and leave the third string ringing, this Esus2 is created.

3. Gadd9/D

(Image credit: Future)

This one is nice and easy, and sounds great when followed by a D chord played on the open strings.

4. Aadd11/D

(Image credit: Future)

This fingering uses the open strings as drones. Simply move the shape around the fretboard to find different sounds.

5. Amadd11/D

(Image credit: Future)

This final chord fingering is the minor version of the previous chord – it only differs by one note.

Jon Bishop
Jon Bishop

Jon Bishop is a UK-based guitarist and freelance musician, and a longtime contributor to Guitar Techniques and Total Guitar. He's a graduate of the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford and is touring and recording guitarist for British rock 'n' roll royalty Shakin’ Stevens.