Learn › Open D Tuning Chords for Folk, Fingerstyle and Slide
New Released in April 2026
Open D Tuning Chords for Folk, Fingerstyle and Slide
Open D tuning (D A D F# A D) gives a deep D major chord on the open strings, with three D notes across the neck. Four strings change from standard, and open D tuning chords ring wide and long, which is why fingerpickers and slide players love it.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Why it sounds so big
The 6th string drops to a low D, and the open strings keep ringing under anything you fret higher up. Play a melody on the top two strings while the open low strings drone, and one guitar sounds like two.
The barre chart
- Fret 0: D
- Fret 2: E
- Fret 3: F
- Fret 5: G
- Fret 7: A
- Fret 8: Bb
- Fret 10: C
- Fret 12: D
Open D Tuning Chords for Folk, Fingerstyle and Slide
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps.
Play the demoShapes worth knowing
- Dsus4: open strings with the 3rd string at fret 1 (G).
- D7: open strings with the 2nd string at fret 3 (C).
- Dmaj7: open strings with the 2nd string at fret 4 (C#).
- Minor: barre a fret and play the 3rd string one fret lower.
- DADGAD: raise the 3rd string from F# to G and you are in another famous tuning.
Train the drone and the change
Open D, 5th fret (G) and 7th fret (A) are I, IV and V. ChordRunner hears the real chord through the microphone, so you can drill those three positions and keep the low strings ringing while you move.
The levels in ChordRunner
- Beginner: major, minor, augmented and diminished chords.
- Intermediate: adds sus2 and sus4.
- Advanced: adds 6th, 7th and 9th chords.
- Pro: adds 11th, 13th and altered chords; an adaptive mode adds the next family when you are ready.
Common questions
How do I tune to open D?
From standard, lower the 6th string to D, the 3rd from G to F#, the 2nd from B to A and the 1st from E to D.
What is the difference between open D and DADGAD?
Only the 3rd string: F# in open D (a major chord), G in DADGAD (a sus4 sound).
How do you play a minor chord in open D?
Barre the fret and lower the 3rd string by one fret.
Which instruments work?
A USB MIDI keyboard, detected automatically, or a piano or guitar through the microphone. Everything runs in Chrome or Edge on a computer, tablet or phone.
How is this different from apps where you tap the screen?
Tapping trains your eyes and fingers on glass. Here you press real keys or fret real strings, and the game hears the actual notes, so what you practise is exactly what you will play on your instrument.
Is everything in the demo?
The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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