Open G Tuner
← All toolsOpen G is D2 73.42 Hz, G2 98.00 Hz, D3 146.83 Hz, G3 196.00 Hz, B3 246.94 Hz and D4 293.66 Hz. Three strings drop a whole tone from standard — the sixth, the fifth and the first — and the open set then spells a G major chord, so a bare strum is already music. Tap any string for its reference tone and tune by ear, or allow the microphone for live pitch detection.
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Guitar — Open G (DGDGBD)
| String | Note | Frequency | Reference tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th | D2 | 73.42 Hz | |
| 5th | G2 | 98.00 Hz | |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 Hz | |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz | |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 Hz | |
| 1st | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
Tap Tone to hear a string and tune to it by ear — no microphone needed. Auto is on, so the needle below follows whichever string you are nearest.
Live pitch — microphone
Microphone audio is processed on-device and never leaves your browser — and the chart and reference tones above never need it at all.
How to use the Open G Tuner
- Lower the sixth string from E2 82.41 Hz to D2 73.42 Hz and the fifth from A2 110.00 Hz to G2 98.00 Hz.
- Lower the first string from E4 329.63 Hz to D4 293.66 Hz, and leave the fourth, third and second strings exactly where they are.
- Strum all six open strings and listen for a G major chord that sits still — any beating means one string is not quite home.
- Lay a slide or a straight finger across the twelfth fret and check the chord is still in tune an octave up.
Barre it anywhere: open G under a slide
With the open strings sounding G major, a straight barre at any fret transposes the entire chord. The fifth fret gives C, the seventh gives D, the twelfth gives G an octave up. That is the whole harmonic vocabulary of a great deal of blues and rock rhythm playing, available without a single chord shape.
Under a slide the same idea applies with one hard rule: the slide sits directly over the fret wire, not behind it. No fret is doing the stopping, so the slide is the stopping point, and a slide placed where your finger would go sounds flat by half a fret. Keep it parallel to the fret as well, or the outer strings drift in opposite directions.
Damp behind the slide with the fingers of the fretting hand. In an open tuning every string is a chord tone, so anything left ringing rings in the chord — the tuning's greatest strength, and the reason it turns to mud without damping.
Into open G from standard, and back out
All three moves are downward, so the guitar sheds tension and the untouched strings drift slightly sharp. Tune the sixth, fifth and first, then check the fourth, third and second before you decide you have finished.
The reliable checks are octaves rather than a display. The open fifth string G2 98.00 Hz is an octave below the open third at G3 196.00 Hz; the open sixth D2 73.42 Hz is an octave below the open fourth at D3 146.83 Hz and two octaves below the open first at D4 293.66 Hz. Sound each pair and listen for the beats to stop.
Going back to standard means raising three strings, which is where intonation trouble starts: a string that sat slack for an hour keeps creeping after you bring it up. Approach each from below, play hard for a few seconds to seat the winding at the post, then check again before you trust it.
Open G, open D, and the banjo tuning behind both
An open tuning sounds a full chord with no fingers on the fretboard. Open G gives a G major triad, open D gives a D major triad with the same shapes moved, and the 5-string banjo has been tuned to open G all along — which is where guitarists borrowed it from.
| Tuning | Strings, low to high | Frequency (Hz, A4 = 440) |
|---|---|---|
| Guitar — Standard (EADGBE) | E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4 | 82.41 110.00 146.83 196.00 246.94 329.63 |
| Guitar — Open G (DGDGBD) | D2 G2 D3 G3 B3 D4 | 73.42 98.00 146.83 196.00 246.94 293.66 |
| Guitar — Open D (DADF#AD) | D2 A2 D3 F♯3 A3 D4 | 73.42 110.00 146.83 185.00 220.00 293.66 |
| Banjo — Open G (gDGBD) | G4 D3 G3 B3 D4 | 392.00 146.83 196.00 246.94 293.66 |
FAQ
- Which strings actually change?
- Three, all down a whole tone: the sixth from E2 82.41 Hz to D2 73.42 Hz, the fifth from A2 110.00 Hz to G2 98.00 Hz, and the first from E4 329.63 Hz to D4 293.66 Hz. The fourth, third and second stay exactly as they were, at D3 146.83 Hz, G3 196.00 Hz and B3 246.94 Hz. That half-unchanged set is why open G is quick to reach and quick to leave again.
- Why do some players take the sixth string off?
- Because the sixth is a D, a fifth below the root, so a full strum puts the chord in second inversion with D2 73.42 Hz at the bottom instead of G. Remove it and G2 98.00 Hz becomes the lowest note, so every open strum is a root position G and the rhythm playing sits square underneath a band. Five string electrics set up this way are a long tradition in open G rhythm guitar.
- Is open G the same as Spanish tuning?
- Yes. Open G has been called Spanish tuning since the nineteenth century, after a piece written in it, in the same way that open D is called Vestapol. Both names survive mostly among slide and blues players. There is also a raised variant that puts the sixth string up at G rather than dropping it, but the standard modern set is the one on this page.
- Do I need a special setup for slide?
- Higher action helps, because a slide rides on top of the strings and low action lets them rattle against the frets underneath it. Many players keep a second instrument with the action raised at nut and saddle and a heavier gauge fitted, which also stops the slackened sixth and fifth strings from buzzing. Slide on a normal setup is possible with a light touch, but you will be fighting the guitar.
