DABDAD Guitar Tuner

DABDAD Dabdad - Guitar tuning, chords & scales

Description - Dabdad

Dab Dad tuning for all the dabbing daddies out there

Welcome to the Dabdad tuning, affectionately described as 'Dab Dad tuning for all the dabbing daddies out there'. This unique open tuning opens up a rich sonic landscape, particularly for resonant chord voicings and drone-like textures.

Verbal Analysis:
The Dabdad tuning creates a full, ringing sound with a distinct character. The presence of multiple D notes across the strings provides a strong foundational root, while the A notes reinforce the perfect fifth. The intriguing addition of the B note transforms what could be a simple D major or Dsus2 into something more sophisticated. This gives the tuning a bright, yet slightly melancholic, open quality. It's particularly well-suited for fingerstyle playing where the open strings can resonate freely, or for creating expansive soundscapes with sustained chords that shimmer with harmonic depth.

Technical Analysis:
The open strings of this tuning are arranged as D2 A2 B2 D3 A3 D4. When strummed open, these notes collectively form a beautiful D6 chord (D-A-B-D-A-D). This means that a full, rich D6 chord is immediately available without fretting any notes, making it incredibly easy to establish a melodic and harmonic foundation. The harmonic structure is built upon these intervals:

6th String (D2) to 5th String (A2): Perfect 5th
5th String (A2) to 4th String (B2): Major 2nd
4th String (B2) to 3rd String (D3): Minor 3rd
3rd String (D3) to 2nd String (A3): Perfect 5th
2nd String (A3) to 1st String (D4): Perfect 4th

The repetition of D and A notes provides a strong root and fifth, while the strategically placed B creates the characteristic D6 sound. This tuning greatly simplifies playing D6 and related chords. A simple one-finger barre across all six strings at any fret will yield the corresponding 6th chord (e.g., barring at the 2nd fret produces an E6 chord, 5th fret yields G6, and 7th fret gives A6), opening up a vast array of harmonic possibilities with minimal effort and allowing for easy transposition up and down the neck.

Open String Notes:

6th String (Low): D2
5th String: A2
4th String: B2
3rd String: D3
2nd String: A3
1st String (High): D4

How to Tune from Standard EADGBe:

To achieve the Dabdad tuning, you will adjust your strings from standard EADGBe (E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4) as follows. Please exercise caution, especially with significant downward tunings, as string tension will decrease. For movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, considering a different gauge string is advisable to maintain optimal playability and tone.

6th String (E2): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
5th String (A2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to A2.
4th String (D3): Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
3rd String (G3): Tune down 5 semitones to D3. (Caution: This is a significant drop. We recommend considering a thicker gauge string to maintain optimal tension and prevent a 'floppy' feel.)
2nd String (B3): Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
1st String (E4): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.