This intriguing tuning, known as Open D (Feet Rogers), is a vibrant adaptation of the classic Open D major tuning, purportedly popularized by the Hawaiian guitar legend David "Feet" Rogers. It transforms the guitar into an instrument perfectly suited for lush, resonant sounds, particularly excelling in slide and fingerstyle Hawaiian music.

Verbal Analysis

The Open D tuning instantly grants the guitar a full, ringing D Major chord when strummed open, making it incredibly intuitive for slide guitarists. The inherent harmony allows for rich drones and sustained notes, which are hallmarks of Hawaiian and blues slide playing. This specific iteration, attributed to "Feet" Rogers, likely emphasizes a particular brightness and clarity, making the guitar sing with an almost piano-like resonance. The wide array of intervals present across the strings, including multiple octaves of D and F#, creates a rich harmonic landscape, inviting melodic exploration over a sustained major chord.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to D2-D3-F4#-A3-D4-F5# (from low E to high E string). When strummed open, these notes collectively form a robust D Major chord (D, F#, A). The presence of D across multiple octaves (D2, D3, D4) provides a strong fundamental, while the F# notes on the 4th and 1st strings (F4#, F5#) add significant brightness and a high-register shimmer to the overall chord. The A3 on the 3rd string serves as the perfect fifth, anchoring the major tonality.

The unique aspect of this tuning lies in the higher octaves for strings 4 (F4#) and 1 (F5#), which makes the overall sound particularly brilliant and piercing compared to some other Open D variations. This wide melodic range across the open strings opens up possibilities for intricate arpeggios and melodic phrases that utilize the open string resonances.

Chord Opportunities:

• Instant Major Chords: As the open strings form a D Major chord, simply barring across any fret will yield a major chord corresponding to that fret. For instance, a bar at the 5th fret produces a G Major chord, and at the 7th fret, an A Major chord. This makes accompanying simple chord progressions very straightforward.
• Slide Guitar Heaven: This tuning is exceptionally well-suited for slide playing. The open major chord provides a perfect foundation, and the ability to glide effortlessly between major chords by simply moving the slide up and down the neck is a core feature.
• Beyond Major: While major chords are easily accessible, minor chords and seventh chords require specific fingerings. For example, to achieve a D minor, you would typically need to flatten the F# notes to F (e.g., fretting the 4th string at the 3rd fret for an F, or the 1st string at the 4th fret for an F). Similarly, dominant seventh chords (e.g., D7) would involve adding a C note (e.g., fretting the 1st string at the 8th fret if the target is C5, or the 2nd string at the 10th fret if the target is C4). The resonant nature of the open strings also makes drone-based playing and partial chord voicings highly effective.

How to Tune

To achieve this specific Open D (Feet Rogers) tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps for each string. Please exercise caution, especially with significant upward tuning adjustments.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones from E2 to D2. This is a common and safe adjustment.
• String 5 (A): Tune up 5 semitones from A2 to D3. This is a substantial upward adjustment. For string safety and optimal tone, using a slightly heavier gauge string for this position is highly advised, as it exceeds a 4-semitone change.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 4 semitones from D3 to F#3. This is a notable upward adjustment. Consider using a slightly heavier gauge string to accommodate the increased tension, as it reaches the limit where a different gauge is often recommended.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 2 semitones from G3 to A3. This is a moderate and generally safe adjustment.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 3 semitones from B3 to D4. This is a moderate upward adjustment; proceed with caution and ensure your string is in good condition.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 2 semitones from E4 to F#4. This is a common and safe adjustment.

Note: Movements exceeding negative 4 or positive 4 semitones often indicate that a different string gauge might be more appropriate to prevent string breakage, ensure proper intonation, and achieve the best tone. For this tuning, specifically, String 5 (up 5 semitones) and String 4 (up 4 semitones) fall into this category, requiring extra care or potentially a change in string gauge.

String 6: D2
String 5: D3
String 4: F4#
String 3: A3
String 2: D4
String 1: F5#