Open D tuning chords: 5 shapes you need to know

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.

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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.

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Open D tuning chords: 5 shapes you need to know

1. F#5

2. Esus2

3. Gadd9/D

4. Aadd11/D

5. Amadd11/D