The DABDAB Tuning: An Overview

The DABDAB tuning is an intriguing and unique open guitar tuning, crafted for players seeking a rich, resonant sound with a distinctive harmonic quality. While it prominently features D and A notes, forming a strong D-centric foundation, the consistent inclusion of B notes across octaves gives this tuning a bright, yet slightly suspended or melancholic character, departing from traditional major or minor open tunings.

Technical Analysis

This tuning sets the guitar strings to the notes D2-A2-B2-D3-A3-B3, from the lowest (6th) string to the highest (1st) string. When played open, these notes combine to create an open D6 chord (D-A-B-D-A-B). The structure repeats a D-A-B pattern across octaves, offering a drone-like quality and making it easy to discover movable chord shapes and melodic patterns. The intervals between the strings are:

• String 6 (D2) to String 5 (A2): A perfect fifth (7 semitones).
• String 5 (A2) to String 4 (B2): A major second (2 semitones).
• String 4 (B2) to String 3 (D3): A minor third (3 semitones).
• String 3 (D3) to String 2 (A3): A perfect fifth (7 semitones).
• String 2 (A3) to String 1 (B3): A major second (2 semitones).

This arrangement lends itself to a full, harmonically rich sound when strummed open, and the repeated intervals facilitate easy transposition of chord voicings up and down the neck by simply barring across frets.

Open and Reachable Chords

The DABDAB tuning's open strings naturally form an expansive D6 chord (D-A-B-D-A-B). This provides a foundational sound that is both robust and harmonically interesting. Due to the repeating D-A-B structure, various D-based chords are easily accessible:

• D Major / Dsus2: By simply strumming the open strings, you get a D6. To imply a Dsus2, focus on the D and A notes, letting the B add a suspension.
• Movable Barre Chords: Barring all strings at a single fret will produce a series of movable 6th chords. For instance, barring at the 2nd fret will yield an E6 chord (E-B-C#-E-B-C#), and at the 3rd fret, an F6 chord (F-C-D-F-C-D). This makes for very easy chord progression across the fretboard.
• Simple Power Chords: Given the prevalence of D and A, forming D5 power chords (D-A-D) or A5 power chords (A-E-A, though E isn't open) is straightforward, often requiring only one or two fingers on specific strings.
• B Minor 7th (incomplete): With B and D present, and another A, you're close to a Bm7 (B-D-F#-A). Adding an F# on the 3rd string (e.g., at the 7th fret) could complete a full Bm7 voicing.

This tuning is particularly well-suited for fingerstyle playing, allowing for rich arpeggios, and for slide guitar due to its open chord structure and the consistent intervals. It encourages exploration beyond standard chord shapes, offering a fresh sonic palette for songwriting and improvisation.

How to Tune Your Guitar to DABDAB

To achieve the DABDAB tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E, you will need to adjust several strings. Please note that significant downward tuning (more than 4 semitones) might benefit from a lighter gauge string to maintain optimal tension and intonation.

• String 6 (Low E): From standard E2, tune down to D2. Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 5 (A): From standard A2, keep it as is. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4 (D): From standard D3, tune down to B2. Tune down 3 semitones.
• String 3 (G): From standard G3, tune down to D3. Tune down 5 semitones. For this significant drop, a lighter gauge string is advised for better playability and string longevity.
• String 2 (B): From standard B3, tune down to A3. Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 1 (High E): From standard E4, tune down to B3. Tune down 5 semitones. Similar to the 3rd string, a lighter gauge string is recommended due to the substantial pitch drop.