Verbal and Technical Analysis

The Open D7 tuning transforms your guitar into a resonant dominant seventh chord. As its name suggests, when strummed open, all strings form a full D dominant seventh chord (D-F#-A-C). This creates a rich, bluesy, and often soulful sound, perfect for genres like blues, folk, rock, and slide guitar where a strong, resolving dominant chord is frequently desired.

Technically, this tuning is derived from standard tuning by significantly altering most strings. The primary feature is the lowering of the fourth string from D to C, which introduces the crucial minor seventh interval (C) and distinguishes it from a standard Open D tuning. The open notes are D2, A2, C3, F#4, A3, D4, clearly outlining the root (D), major third (F#), perfect fifth (A), and minor seventh (C) of a D7 chord across the strings. This setup makes it incredibly easy to play dominant seventh chords across the fretboard simply by barring, as each fret will then yield a new dominant seventh chord. For instance, barring at the first fret produces a D#7, at the second an E7, and so on. This simplifies chord progressions that rely heavily on dominant seventh harmonies, offering a wide array of musical possibilities with minimal effort.

Chords within Reach

• Open D7 Chord: Strumming all open strings immediately gives you a powerful D7.
• Barre Dominant Seventh Chords: By placing a capo or barring across any fret, you can effortlessly play any dominant seventh chord along the neck. For example, a barre at the 5th fret yields a G7 chord.
• Improvisation: The open D7 provides an excellent harmonic foundation for improvisation, especially using blues scales or modes over the D7 tonality.

How to Tune

To achieve the Open D7 tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these string movements. Please note that all movements are within a safe range for standard gauge strings, but always tune carefully.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to A2.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 2 semitones to C3.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F#4.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.