Open G Tuning for Guitar

1 What Is Open G Tuning?

Open G tuning is one of the most popular and versatile alternate tunings for guitar. When you strum all six strings without fretting any notes, the guitar produces a full G major chord. The tuning is D-G-D-G-B-D, from the lowest string to the highest. Three strings change from standard tuning: the sixth string drops from E to D, the fifth string drops from A to G, and the first string drops from E to D.

Open G has a rich history spanning multiple genres and continents. It was a foundational tuning for early Delta blues players like Robert Johnson, Son House, and Charley Patton, who used it for both slide and fretted playing. It became the signature tuning of Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, who used it to write some of the most iconic riffs in rock history. Ry Cooder, Joni Mitchell, and countless folk and country players have also relied on Open G extensively.

The appeal of Open G lies in its resonance and simplicity. Because strumming open strings produces a complete chord, you can create full-sounding music with minimal left-hand effort. Single-finger barre chords give you access to every major chord on the neck. And the arrangement of intervals across the strings creates possibilities for voicings and licks that simply do not exist in standard tuning.

2 How to Tune Your Guitar to Open G

Starting from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), make these three changes: lower the sixth string from E down to D, lower the fifth string from A down to G, and lower the first string from E down to D. The three middle strings (D, G, B) stay exactly where they are. Use a chromatic tuner for accuracy, as you are lowering each string by a whole step and inaccurate tuning will sound noticeably off.

Standard Tuning:  E  A  D  G  B  E
Open G Tuning:    D  G  D  G  B  D

String 6: E down to D (lower by whole step)
String 5: A down to G (lower by whole step)
String 4: D (no change)
String 3: G (no change)
String 2: B (no change)
String 1: E down to D (lower by whole step)

Strum all open strings = G major chord (D-G-D-G-B-D)
        

After tuning, check the intonation by playing the harmonics at the 12th fret and comparing them with the fretted notes at the 12th fret. They should match. Because you are reducing string tension on three strings, you may notice some buzz or floppiness, especially on the low D string. If this is a problem, consider using a slightly heavier gauge for the sixth string (a .054 instead of .052, for example).

3 Basic Chords and Barre Shapes in Open G

The beauty of open tunings is that major chords become single-finger barre shapes. In Open G, laying a flat finger across all six strings at any fret produces a major chord. Barre at the 2nd fret for A major, 4th fret for B major, 5th fret for C major, 7th fret for D major, and 12th fret for G major an octave higher. This makes the 12-bar blues progression incredibly easy to play.

Open G Chord Chart:
Open    = G major
Fret 2  = A major
Fret 4  = B major
Fret 5  = C major
Fret 7  = D major
Fret 9  = E major
Fret 10 = F major
Fret 12 = G major (octave)

12-Bar Blues in G:
| G (open) | G | G | G |
| C (fr.5) | C | G | G |
| D (fr.7) | C (fr.5) | G | D (fr.7) |
        

Beyond barre chords, Open G offers unique voicings that are impossible in standard tuning. A minor chord can be created by barring a fret and lifting one finger to lower the third. Seventh chords, suspended chords, and add9 voicings all have distinctive shapes in this tuning. Experiment by holding a barre and then lifting or adding individual fingers to hear the different chord qualities available.

The blues scale works beautifully in Open G as well. Because the open strings form a G chord, you can use the G minor pentatonic and blues scale positions with open-string pull-offs and hammer-ons that are not available in standard tuning. The clash between the major chord of the open strings and the minor pentatonic notes creates the classic blues tension that defines the genre.

4 Blues and Slide Guitar in Open G

Open G is arguably the most important tuning in the history of blues guitar. The Delta blues tradition is deeply rooted in open tunings, and Open G (along with Open D) was the tuning of choice for the founding fathers of the genre. The reason is practical: a slide placed across all strings at any fret produces a clean major chord, making slide guitar intuitive and musically complete.

When playing slide in Open G, the basic approach is to use the slide on single strings or pairs of strings for melody, while strumming across all strings for chords. The slide should hover directly above the fret wire (not between frets, as in regular fretting) and apply only enough pressure to make contact with the string without pressing it to the fretboard. Behind the slide, your unused fingers lightly dampen the strings to prevent unwanted noise.

Open G Slide Blues Lick:
D|--0---3---5---3---0----------|
B|--0---3---5---3---0----------|
G|--0---0---0---0---0----------|
D|--0---0---0---0---0----------|
G|--0---0---0---0---0----------|
D|--0---0---0---0---0----------|

Slide positions: open, 3rd fret, 5th fret
Play with slide on strings 1-2, strum lower strings open
        

Robert Johnson's recordings from 1936 and 1937 remain the gold standard for Open G slide blues. His precise intonation, rhythmic drive, and ability to play bass, rhythm, and lead simultaneously were extraordinary. Son House and Charley Patton used a more raw, aggressive approach, with heavy vibrato and percussive strumming. Modern players like Derek Trucks have taken Open G slide guitar into jazz, rock, and world music territory, proving the tuning's versatility.

5 The Keith Richards Approach

No discussion of Open G is complete without Keith Richards, who made this tuning the foundation of the Rolling Stones' sound. Richards uses a distinctive variation: he removes the sixth string entirely, playing a five-string guitar tuned G-D-G-B-D. Eliminating the low D string simplifies the barre chord shapes and avoids the sometimes muddy bass that the low string can produce, especially with distortion.

Richards' style in Open G is built on partial chords, open-string drones, and rhythmic syncopation. Rather than full barres, he typically frets only two or three strings at a time, allowing open strings to ring and create rich, layered chord voicings. His riff to "Start Me Up" is the quintessential Open G Richards riff: a rhythmic pattern built on partial chords that weaves between fretted notes and open strings with infectious groove.

Other iconic Rolling Stones songs in Open G include "Brown Sugar," "Tumbling Dice," "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," and "Honky Tonk Women." Studying these songs reveals how Richards uses the tuning: simple chord shapes played with rhythmic sophistication, call-and-response between fretted and open strings, and a raw, driving energy that comes from the tuning's inherent resonance. His approach is proof that simplicity, groove, and attitude can be more powerful than technical complexity.

6 Fingerpicking Patterns in Open G

Open G is excellent for fingerpicking because the open strings provide a rich harmonic bed that lets melodies shine. The spacing of the notes (D-G-D-G-B-D) gives you root and fifth intervals on adjacent strings, which creates natural bass patterns perfect for Travis picking and alternating-bass fingerstyle. The doubled D notes on strings 6, 4, and 1 create a drone effect that adds depth to fingerpicked arrangements.

A basic fingerpicking pattern in Open G involves the thumb alternating between the sixth string (D) and fourth string (D), while the fingers pick the upper three strings. Because both thumb strings are tuned to D, the bass has a drone-like quality that is particularly effective in folk, Celtic, and country styles. Adding hammer-ons and pull-offs on the fretted strings while the bass drones creates a lush, layered sound.

Many classic folk and Americana arrangements use Open G fingerpicking. Ry Cooder's film soundtracks frequently feature Open G fingerstyle, blending blues, folk, and world music influences into a distinctive, atmospheric sound. For a more modern approach, experiment with combining Open G fingerpicking with the percussive body-hit techniques common in contemporary fingerstyle playing—the tuning's resonant open strings sustain beautifully even while your picking hand adds rhythmic percussion.

7 Songs and Styles That Use Open G

Learning songs in Open G is the best way to internalize the tuning's unique character. Here are essential songs to study, spanning multiple genres and difficulty levels. For blues beginners, start with Robert Johnson's "Crossroad Blues" and "Walkin' Blues" to experience the Delta blues tradition. For rock, learn the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" and "Brown Sugar" to understand Richards' rhythmic approach.

For slide guitar, Muddy Waters' electric Chicago blues recordings in Open G are essential. His "Rollin' Stone" (the song that gave the band their name) is a powerful example of electric slide in Open G. For more advanced slide work, study Derek Trucks' live performances, which take Open G slide into melodic territory that draws from Indian classical music, jazz, and gospel.

Beyond blues and rock, Open G appears in bluegrass banjo-influenced guitar playing, Hawaiian slack-key guitar, and West African music traditions. The tuning's simplicity and resonance make it a natural fit for any style that values open-string ringing and drone effects. Once you have explored the songs listed above, start experimenting with your own compositions and arrangements in Open G—the tuning's unique intervals will suggest melodic and harmonic ideas that would never occur to you in standard tuning.