The DADGAD Capo 3 tuning is an intriguing and highly resonant guitar setup that builds upon the popular DADGAD framework. While its name suggests playing DADGAD shapes with a capo at the 3rd fret, it actually describes a full retuning of your open strings to achieve those transposed pitches without a physical capo. This creates an open Fsus4 chord, offering a rich, suspended sound ideal for modal playing, drone passages, and unique harmonic textures often found in Celtic, folk, and contemporary music.

Technical Analysis

From low to high, the open strings are tuned to F2-C3-F3-A#3-C4-F4. This specific arrangement is a direct transposition of the renowned DADGAD tuning (D-A-D-G-A-D) up by three semitones. The resulting chord formed by the open strings is an Fsus4 chord (F, A#, C), providing a natural resonance and harmonic foundation. The intervals from the lowest F are P1 (F), P5 (C), P8 (F), P4 (A# is a perfect 4th above F), P5 (C, octave higher), and P8 (F, octave higher), offering a distinct open quality.

Chords and Accessibility

• Open Fsus4: The most immediate benefit is the full Fsus4 chord created by simply strumming all open strings. This is excellent for atmospheric drones, intros, and sustaining harmonic beds.
• F Major: By fretting the 3rd string (A#3) at the 1st fret (to A3), you can effortlessly shift to an F Major chord, expanding the harmonic palette.
• Modal Exploration: The suspended nature of the open chord encourages exploration of F Lydian or F Mixolydian modes, allowing for expressive melodies and improvisations over the open string resonance.
• Power Chords: The lower three strings (F2-C3-F3) naturally form a strong root-fifth-root structure, making two-finger power chords quick and powerful, particularly useful for rhythmic accompaniment.

How to Tune

To achieve the DADGAD Capo 3 tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps. Please exercise caution when tuning, especially when increasing string tension. For movements greater than 4 semitones up or down, considering a different string gauge is often advised, though the individual string movements in this particular tuning are within generally safe limits.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 1 semitone from E2 to F2.
• String 5 (A): Tune up 3 semitones from A2 to C3.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 3 semitones from D3 to F3.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 3 semitones from G3 to A#3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone from B3 to C4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 1 semitone from E4 to F4.

String 6 (Low E): F2

String 5 (A): C3

String 4 (D): F3

String 3 (G): A#3

String 2 (B): C4

String 1 (High E): F4