The DAEDAD tuning for guitar is a deeply resonant and versatile open tuning, as suggested by its description as a "great var voice." This tuning creates a rich, open Dsus2/add9 chord across all six strings, offering a sound that is both full and harmonically ambiguous, making it suitable for a wide range of musical styles.

Verbal Analysis

When strummed open, DAEDAD produces a powerful, ringing D chord quality with an added E. This E note (the 2nd/9th of D) gives the tuning a bright, airy character that avoids the strong major or minor tonality, making it incredibly adaptable. It's excellent for creating drones, especially with the repeated D and A notes across different octaves. Fingerstyle players will find new melodic and harmonic possibilities, while slide players can easily achieve sweeping, resonant chord changes by barring a single fret. The open sound is expansive and full, inviting experimentation with melodic lines and sustained textures.

Technical Analysis

From the 6th (low) to the 1st (high) string, the notes are D2-A2-E3-D3-A3-D4. Analyzing the intervals from the root (D):

• D2 (6th string): Root (P1)
• A2 (5th string): Perfect Fifth (P5)
• E3 (4th string): Major Second / Ninth (M2 / M9)
• D3 (3rd string): Octave Root (P8)
• A3 (2nd string): Octave Perfect Fifth (P8 + P5)
• D4 (1st string): Double Octave Root (P15)

This configuration results in a Dsus2/add9 voicing (D-A-E) with strong octaves and fifths. The absence of a major or minor third makes it harmonically neutral and highly flexible. A simple bar across any fret will yield the corresponding sus2/add9 chord (e.g., barring the 2nd fret creates an Esus2/add9). Due to the consistent pattern of D and A, common chord shapes can be easily adapted to create rich, open voicings. For instance, fretting the 4th string at the 2nd fret (F#) introduces the major third, transforming the open Dsus2 into a D Major chord, while fretting it at the 1st fret (F) would yield a D Minor chord.

Target Tuning Notes

• 6th String (Low E): D2
• 5th String (A): A2
• 4th String (D): E3
• 3rd String (G): D3
• 2nd String (B): A3
• 1st String (High E): D4

How to Tune (from Standard EADGBe)

Carefully adjust each string as follows:

• 6th String (E): Tune down 2 semitones from E2 to D2.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at A2.
• 4th String (D): Tune up 2 semitones from D3 to E3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 5 semitones from G3 to D3. Note: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a heavier gauge string for this string to maintain proper tension and tone, and to prevent string breakage.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 2 semitones from B3 to A3.
• 1st String (E): Tune down 2 semitones from E4 to D4.

Always tune carefully and in small increments to avoid over-tightening or snapping strings, especially when tuning up.