Drop D and Open D chord charts
Drop D and Open D both lower the 6th string to D, so chords in the key of D get a deep low root. Drop D changes only one string, so most standard shapes still work. Open D changes four strings, so the open strings ring as a D major chord.
Drop D (D A D G B E)
Lower only the 6th string:
- 6th string: E → D (down 2 semitones)
A quick check: the 6th string at the 7th fret should sound the same as the open 5th string (A). Chord shapes on the top five strings are the same as in standard tuning; only chords that use the 6th string change. The open 6th, 5th, and 4th strings make a D5 power chord, so one finger across those strings at any fret plays a power chord.
Drop D chords
The first shapes the app finds for each chord. The black dot is the lowest note; the letters in the dots are the intervals (R is the root). “x” means do not play that string.
0 0 0 2 3 x0 0 0 2 3 20 0 0 2 3 10 0 0 2 1 25 5 5 4 0 xx 0 2 2 2 0x 0 2 0 2 0x 2 0 4 0 22 2 2 0 0 0x 3 2 0 1 0All positions (numbers are frets from the 6th string to the 1st; “—” means no natural shape was found there):
| Chord | Low (to fret 4) | Middle (from frets 3–6) | High (fret 7+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| D5 | 0 0 0 2 3 x | — | 0 0 0 7 10 10 |
| D | 0 0 0 2 3 2 | 0 0 0 7 7 5 | 0 0 7 7 7 x |
| Dm | 0 0 0 2 3 1 | 0 0 7 7 6 x | 0 0 0 10 10 10 |
| D7 | 0 0 0 2 1 2 | 0 0 0 5 7 5 | 0 0 0 7 7 8 |
| E5 | 2 2 2 4 0 0 | — | x 7 9 9 0 7 |
| Em | 2 2 2 0 0 0 | x 7 5 0 5 7 | 14 14 14 12 12 12 |
| F | 3 0 3 2 1 x | 3 3 3 5 6 5 | x 8 10 10 10 8 |
| G | — | 5 5 5 4 0 x | x 10 12 12 12 10 |
| G5 | x x x 0 3 3 | 5 5 5 7 8 x | x 10 0 0 8 10 |
| A | x 0 2 2 2 0 | x 0 7 6 5 5 | x 0 14 14 14 x |
| A5 | — | — | 7 7 7 9 10 x |
| A7 | x 0 2 0 2 0 | x 0 5 6 5 5 | 7 7 7 9 8 9 |
| Bm | x 2 0 4 0 2 | — | 9 9 9 7 7 7 |
| C | x 3 2 0 1 0 | x 3 5 5 5 3 | 10 10 10 12 13 12 |
Open D (D A D F# A D)
From standard tuning, change four strings. The 5th and 4th strings stay the same.
- 6th string: E → D (down 2 semitones)
- 3rd string: G → F# (down 1 semitone)
- 2nd string: B → A (down 2 semitones)
- 1st string: E → D (down 2 semitones)
The open strings ring as D. As in Open G, one finger (or a slide) across all strings at a fret plays a major chord: the 5th fret is G and the 7th fret is A, the I, IV, and V chords of D.
Open D chords
0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 3 0 00 0 0 1 0 05 5 5 5 5 5x 0 2 3 4 2x 0 2 1 4 2x 2 0 0 2 0x x 2 1 2 24 4 4 0 0 40 0 0 3 0 3All positions:
| Chord | Low (to fret 4) | Middle (from frets 3–6) | High (fret 7+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 3 5 4 | 12 12 12 12 12 12 |
| D5 | 0 0 0 3 0 0 | 0 5 0 3 5 x | 0 0 7 8 0 7 |
| Dsus4 | 0 0 0 1 0 0 | 0 0 0 3 5 5 | 12 12 12 13 12 12 |
| Dm | 0 0 0 3 0 3 | 0 0 0 3 5 3 | 0 0 0 8 8 7 |
| Em | x x 2 1 2 2 | x 7 5 5 7 5 | x x 14 13 14 14 |
| F#m | 4 4 4 0 0 4 | 4 4 4 7 0 7 | x 9 7 7 9 7 |
| G | — | 5 5 5 5 5 5 | x 10 0 8 10 9 |
| Gmaj7 | — | x x 5 5 5 4 | x 10 9 0 9 9 |
| A | x 0 2 3 4 2 | — | 7 7 7 7 7 7 |
| Asus4 | x 0 0 3 0 2 | 7 5 0 8 7 x | 7 7 7 8 7 7 |
| A7 | x 0 2 1 4 2 | x 0 5 3 4 5 | x 0 11 10 10 11 |
| Bm | x 2 0 0 2 0 | — | x 14 12 12 14 12 |
Which one should I use?
- Drop D if you want a heavier low end but still play mostly standard shapes — common in rock and for songs in D.
- Open D for slide guitar and for ringing open-string sounds in folk and fingerstyle. Minor chords take more effort, because the open strings are major.
- DADGAD sits in between: it is Open D with the 3rd string at G instead of F#. See DADGAD chords.
See also: alternate tunings explained.