About Open G tuning
Open G tunes the guitar to a G major chord: strum the open strings and you're already playing music. It's the backbone of Delta blues slide and the engine behind Keith Richards' five-string Stones riffs — barre a fret, and you have a new chord.
From standard, three strings come down a whole step: sixth E→D, fifth A→G, and first E→D. The middle D, G and B strings don't move. Keith famously removes the low sixth string entirely — optional, but it cleans up the voicing.
Open G tuning notes & frequencies (A4 = 440 Hz)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | D2 | 73.42 Hz |
| 5 | G2 | 98.00 Hz |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1 | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
How to tune to Open G from standard
- String 6 (E2): tune down a whole step to D2.
- String 5 (A2): tune down a whole step to G2.
- String 1 (E4): tune down a whole step to D4.
After changing string tension this much, make a second tuning pass — the neck settles slightly and the first strings you tuned will have drifted.
Songs & artists in Open G
- Start Me Up — The Rolling Stones
- Brown Sugar — The Rolling Stones
- Honky Tonk Women — The Rolling Stones
- Fearless — Pink Floyd
- Walkin' Blues — Robert Johnson
String gauge advice
Standard sets work; slide players often go a gauge heavier with higher action.
FAQ
What are the notes of Open G tuning on guitar?
Open G tuning is D2, G2, D3, G3, B3, D4 from the lowest string to the highest.
How do I tune my guitar to Open G?
Starting from standard tuning: String 6 (E2): tune down a whole step to D2. String 5 (A2): tune down a whole step to G2. String 1 (E4): tune down a whole step to D4. Use the tuner above — it highlights the string it hears and shows exactly how many cents you are from the target.
Is this tuner free and private?
Yes — no ads, no signup, and all audio is processed locally in your browser. Nothing is recorded or uploaded.
Embed this tuner
Add the Open G tuner to your own site or blog post with an iframe:
<iframe src="https://tunewell.net/embed/guitar/open-g" width="420" height="560" style="border:0" title="Open G Guitar Tuner"></iframe>