This article contains a list of guitar tunings that supplements the article guitar tunings. In particular, this list contains more examples of open and regular tunings, which are discussed in the article on guitar tunings. In addition, this list also notes dropped tunings.
Standard tuning E-A-d-g-b-e'
Throughout, this list references standard tuning, i.e. for comparison.
Open
Major
Major open-tunings give a major chord with the open strings.
Open A E-A-C-E-A-E Alternatively: A-E-A-E-A-C (one step down from "Open B") "Slide" Open A: E-A-E-A-C-E (identical to "Open G" tuning but with every string raised one step or two frets) Used by Jimmy Page on "In My Time of Dying" and Jack White on "Seven Nation Army" and "Catch Hell Blues"". Alternatively: D-A-E-A-C#-E (E-A-E-A-C#-E but low E is tuned a full step down) Used by various bands such as Algernon Cadwallader, Tiny Moving Parts, and Merchant Ships. →
Open B B-F-B-F-B-D Alternatively: F-B-D-F-B-D Used by Nickelback on "Should've Listened" and Big Wreck on "Albatross".
Open C C-G-C-G-C-E
This open C tuning is used by William Ackerman for his "Townsend Shuffle" and by John Fahey for his tribute to Mississippi John Hurt. This tuning is also commonly used by John Butler on his 12-string guitar. This tuning is used on most work by Devin Townsend in his solo work as well as his work with Strapping Young Lad. When playing on a 7-string guitar, he would have a low G as the lowest string to complete the fifth. David Wilcox also recorded his most songs, "Eye of the Hurricane" and "Rusty Old American Dream", both from How Did You Find Me Here, in this tuning, as well as "New World", "Show the Way", "Hold It Up to the Light", and his cover of "It's the Same Old Song" from Big Horizon, and "Mango" from East Asheville Hardware.
C-E-G-C-E-G The English guitar used a repetitive open-C tuning that approximated a major-thirds tuning.
C-C-G-C-E-G
This open-C tuning gives the initial harmonic series when a C-string is struck.: The C-C-G-C-E-G tuning uses the harmonic sequence (overtones) of the note C. When an open-note C-string is struck, its harmonic sequence begins with the notes (C,C,G,C,E,G,B♭,C). This overtone-series tuning was modified by Mick Ralphs, who used a high C rather than the high G for "Can't Get Enough" on Bad Company. Ralphs said, "It needs the open C to have that ring," and "it never really sounds right in standard tuning".
Open D
D-A-D-F-A-D
Open-D tuning is used by Joni Mitchell for her "Big Yellow Taxi", Nick Drake for "Place To Be", Alt-J for "Interlude 2", Boys Like Girls for "Thunder", Adrianne Lenker for "anything", Harry Styles for Matilda, David Wilcox for "Wildberry Pie", "Mighty Ocean", "Kindness", and "Never Enough", and by Soko for "No More Home, No More Love". Open-D tuning has been called Vestapol tuning.
Kevin Cronin used Open D in "Time for Me to Fly", the 1978 REO Speedwagon song, with four top-string variations for G and A.
Alternatively: D-A-D'-A'-D-D This alternative Open D tuning was used by Keith Richards on "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and the Stone Roses in "Love Spreads".
C-G-C-F-G-C
This tuning is the same as Open D but tuned a half-step down, also known as Open C♯ Major tuning. It is used by Alice In Chains on the songs "Over Now", "Nothin' Song", and "Shame in You"; by Guns N' Roses on the song "Bad Obsession" and its cover of "Jumpin' Jack Flash"; and by Switchfoot on the song "Daisy".
Open E E-B-E-G♯-B-E (use light-gauge strings because three strings must be raised) Open E is used by: Brian Jones on "No Expectations", "I Wanna Be Your Man"; Keith Richards on "Salt of the Earth", "Prodigal Son", "Gimme Shelter", "Jigsaw Puzzle", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and by Bob Dylan on his 1975 album Blood on the Tracks. The tuning is also used by Hoobastank on their first and second albums, by Judy Collins on her cover of "Both Sides Now", and by Junior Campbell on the Marmalade recordings "Reflections of My Life" and "I See the Rain". Lastly, the Open E tuning is used by Johnny Marr of the Smiths on "The Headmaster Ritual" and Rush in "Headlong Flight".
A variant, E-G#-B-E-B-E does not need lighter strings because three strings are dropped.
Open F F-A-C-F-C-F (requires light-gauge strings)
Alternatively (without light-gauge strings): C-F-C-F-A-C C-F-C-F-A-C is the more common of the two. Used by Elizabeth Cotten on her song "When I Get Home" Led Zeppelin on "When the Levee Breaks" and "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp" (studio) F-Sharp Tuning: F-A-C-F-C-F Alternative: C-F-C-F-A-C F-F-C-F-A-C is also used by Dave Mason on "Only You Know and I Know"
FACGCE / Math Rock Tuning F-A-C-G-C-E is also used, most famously by American Football (band). Periphery uses this tuning one and a half step down (D-F#-A-E-A-C#) on the song "Wax Wings".
Open G
D-G-D-G-B-D (also known as Spanish Tuning or Chicago Tuning) Open G was used in rock by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin in the songs "Dancing Days", "That's The Way" and "Black Country Woman", Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones as well as in Mississippi blues by Son House, Charley Patton, and Robert Johnson, some songs by Alter Bridge (including down-tuned and minor variations on "In Loving Memory", "Watch Over You", "Wonderful Life", "Words Darker Than Their Wings", "Cradle to the Grave", and "Dying Light"), and in "Fearless" by Pink Floyd. David Wilcox used this tuning on "The Nightshift Watchman".
G-G-D-G-B-D Listing the initial six harmonics of the G note, this open-G tuning was used by Joni Mitchell for "Electricity", "For the Roses", and "Hunter (The Good Samaritan)". It was also used by Mick Ralphs for "Hey Hey" on Bad Company's debut album. and on the Meowtain song "Alleyway" Stone Gossard also used this tuning in the song "Daughter" by Pearl Jam.
Alternatively: G-B-D-G-B-D (slack-key guitar) Alternatively: C-G-D-G-B-D (used by Big Wreck on multiple songs, most notably "Inhale" and "Mistake"—They downtune it a half step—and by David Wilcox on "It's Almost Time", "Just a Vehicle", "Distant Water", "Golden Day", and his covers of "The Kid" and "Missing You". Also used by Andrew Peterson on his song "Faith to be Strong" Dobro Open G: G-B-D-G-B-D (occasionally adopted for ordinary guitar, but requires lighter fifth and sixth strings). Russian-guitar Open G: The tuning of the Russian guitar D-G-B-D-G-B-D is an open G tuning, approximately in major thirds.:
Minor: Cross-note The following open-tunings use a minor third, and give a minor chord with open strings. To avoid the relatively cumbersome designation "open D minor", "open C minor", such tunings are sometimes called "cross-note tunings". The term also expresses the fact that, compared to Major chord open tunings, by fretting the lowered string at the first fret, it is possible to produce a major chord very easily.
Cross-note or open E-minor was used by Bukka White and Skip James.
Cross-note tunings include (low to high): Cross-note A: E-A-E-A-C-E Alternative: E-A-C-E-A-E Cross-note C: C-G-C-G-C-E C-C-G-C-E-G, a cross-note overtones tuning C-C-G-C-E-A a cross-note overtones tuning that facilitates seventh chords. Cross-note D: D-A-D-F-A-D (used by John Fahey on the song "Red Pony") Alternative: D-A-D-A-D-F (used by William Ackerman on "Barbara's Song") Cross-note E: E-B-E-G-B-E (used by ZZ Top on the song "Just Got Paid" and by Joey Eppard on the 3 song "Bramfatura") Cross-note F: F-A-C-F-C-F (extremely rare) Alternative: F-C-F-A-C-F (used by Albert Collins; requires light gauges) Cross-note G: D-G-D-G-B-D
Alternative Cross A: E-A-E-A-E-A. «Sitar A» - an alternative low guitar system. Recalls the sound of Indian sitar.
Modal
In modal tunings, the strings are tuned to form a chord which is not definitively minor or major. These tunings may facilitate very easy chords and unique sounds when the open strings are used as drones. Often these tunings form a suspended chord on the open strings. A well known user of modal tunings is Sonic Youth.
Asus2: E-A-B-E-A-E Asus4: E-A-D-E-A-E (used by Davey Graham in "Lord Mayo/Lord Inchiquin" on The Complete Guitarist) B modal: B-F-B-E-G-B (used by Neil Young on his 1962 Martin D-28) Bsus4: B-F-B-E-F-B (DADGAD but three notes (1-1/2 steps) lower, a main tuning of Sevendust, who have used it since Animosity) Badd9: B-F-C-F-B-D, Used by Devin Townsend on "Bastard", a minor variation is used by Alter Bridge on the song "This Side of Fate" tuned B-F-C-F-B-D Csus2: C-G-C-G-C-D (first five strings equivalent to Double-C tuning for the banjo Csus4+9: C-G-C-F-C-D (used by Martin Simpson in "We Are All Heroes", and by David Wilcox on "Come Away to Sea" from The Nightshift Watchman with the high string raised to E) Csus4: C-G-C-F-G-C (used by John Renbourn on "Bouree I & II") Csus4: C-G-C-F-G-C - used by 3301 in the puzzle song "The Instar Emergence". Low C: C-G-D-G-A-D (used by David Wilcox on "High Hill", "Covert War", "Chet Baker's Unsung Swan Song", "Break in the Cup", "Show Me the Key", "Silent Prayer", and "Leaving You") Dsus2: D-A-D-E-A-D (used by David Wilcox on "How Did You Find Me Here") Dsus4: D-A-D-G-A-D (devised by British guitarist Davey GrahamDazzling Stranger: Bert Jansch and the British Folk and Blues Revival Colin Harper (©2000, published by Bloomsbury) in the late 1950s, associated with French acoustic guitarist Pierre Bensusan,The Guitar Book Pierre Bensusan (©1986, published by Hal Leonard) and used by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin for a number of songs including "Kashmir" and "Black Mountain Side"; also used by David Wilcox on multiple songs, occasionally tuning half a step down). Also used by 3301 in the puzzle song "Interconnectedness". Esus2: E-B-E-F-B-E (used by My Bloody Valentine in "Only Shallow" and by John Mayer in "Something's Missing," "Wherever You Go," "Heart So Heavy," and "In Your Atmosphere"). Esus4: E-B-E-A-B-E, E-A-B-E-B-E (the latter used by Jars of Clay on their debut album Jars of Clay) E7sus4: E-A-D-E-B-E (used by Ed Sheeran in "Tenerife Sea.") EEEEBE a.k.a. "Bruce Palmer Modal Tuning," as named and used by Stephen Stills in "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes where Stills uses this tuning while the other guitar is in standard tuning.Classic Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Selections from Déjà Vu and Crosby Stills & Nash [Authentic Guitar-Tab Edition] © 1993 Warner Bros. Music) E modal: E-B-E-E-B-E E modal alternative: E-E-B-B-B-B (used by Soundgarden on the songs "The Day I Tried To Live", "My Wave", and "Been Away Too Long") Drake's Drone: B-E-B-E-B-E (used by Nick Drake in many of his songs, including "Man in a Shed" and "From the Morning") Gsus2: D-G-D-G-A-D Gsus4: D-G-D-G-C-D (first five strings equivalent to Sawmill tuning for the banjo) Gsus4/4 / Orkney Tuning: C-G-D-G-C-D Alternative Gsus4: G-C-D-G-C-D (used by Swervedriver throughout their career, starting with the album Mezcal Head)
Extended chord In extended chord tunings, the open strings form a seventh, ninth, or eleventh chord. B add4: E-B-D-F-B-E (used by This Town Needs Guns on "Adventure, Stamina, and Anger" and "Left-Aligned", and Bon Iver on "Perth") C6: C-A-C-G-C-E (used by Jimmy Page in "Bron-Yr-Aur", "Friends" and "Poor Tom") C6/9: C-G-C-E-A-D Cmaj11: C-F-C-G-B-E (used by Soundgarden on the song "4th of July") Cm add4: C-F-C-G-C-D (used by This Town Needs Guns on "Baboon" and "Lemur") Open Page/Csus2/Gsus4: D-G-C-G-C-D (used by Jimmy Page in "The Rain Song") Dm7: D-A-D-F-A-C (used by Richie Havens in "From the Prison") Dm9: D-A-D-F-C-E Dm add9: D-A-D-F-A-E (used by Opeth on Ghost Reveries) Dadd9: D-A-D-F-A-E (used by Coby & Simone on "Butterflies in Space")Coby & Simone, Something to Do with Time, published February 1, 2020, https://hist.bandcamp.com/album/something-to-do-with-time D6: D-A-D-F-B-D D7: D-A-D-F-A-C