Cross Road Blues

Required String Notes:E - A - E - A - C# - E

How to Tune from Standard to Open A

Start in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and change 3 of 6 strings to play “Cross Road Blues”:

String	Standard	Target	What to do
String 6	E2	E2	Leave as is
String 5	A2	A2	Leave as is
String 4	D3	E3	Tune up a whole step
String 3	G3	A3	Tune up a whole step
String 2	B3	C#4	Tune up a whole step
String 1	E4	E4	Leave as is

Recommended string gauge: .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046) · affiliate link

Song Overview & Tuning Breakdown

"Cross Road Blues" by Robert Johnson is played in Open A (E - A - E - A - C# - E). Starting from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), you retune 3 of 6 strings: string 4 up to E, string 3 up to A, string 2 up to C#. Overall string tension rises, so tune up slowly to avoid breaking strings. Robert Johnson uses this same tuning on 6 other songs in our catalog, so you can stay tuned and keep playing.

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Tunings Close to Open A

Already tuned to E - A - E - A - C# - E? These tunings are just one small change away.

Open G Tuning59 songs

D - G - D - G - B - DSame chord shapes, every string a whole step lower.

Name Alt-Tuning28 songs

D - A - E - A - C# - EOnly string 6 differs: D instead of E.

Custom Tuning (EAEABE)1 song

EAEABEOnly string 2 differs: B instead of C#.

Custom Tuning (EAEACE)1 song

EAEACEOnly string 2 differs: C instead of C#.

Robert Johnson’s Guitar Tunings

Robert Johnson plays 7 of 10 songs in our catalog in Open A. Most-used tunings:

Open A TuningE - A - E - A - C# - E7 songs
Open D TuningD - A - D - F# - A - D1 song
Open G TuningD - G - D - G - B - D1 song
Custom Tuning (GDGB)GDGB1 song

Gear for Open A

Strings and tools that make playing "Cross Road Blues" in Open A easier.

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046)

Recommended gauge .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.

View strings

D'Addario Universal Micro Headstock Tuner

A headstock tuner makes switching in and out of this tuning quick, even on stage or without a mic.

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D'Addario Pro-Winder (winder + cutter)

Retuning 3 strings means a lot of turning — a winder speeds it up and trims new strings too.

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“Cross Road Blues” Tuning FAQ

What tuning is "Cross Road Blues" by Robert Johnson in?

"Cross Road Blues" is played in Open A: E - A - E - A - C# - E, from the lowest to the highest string.

How do I tune my guitar to play "Cross Road Blues"?

Start from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E). String 4: tune up a whole step (D3 → E3). String 3: tune up a whole step (G3 → A3). String 2: tune up a whole step (B3 → C#4). Leave the other strings as they are.

What string gauge should I use for Open A?

Use a .010–.046 set. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.

Which other Robert Johnson songs use this tuning?

"Come On In My Kitchen", "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day", "Last Fair Deal Gone Down", "Milkcows Calf Blues", "Traveling Riverside Blues", "Walkin Blues" — all in E - A - E - A - C# - E, so you can play them without retuning.