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DADGAD Celtic Guitar Tuner

DADGAD Celtic
±0
D
Target: 73.4 Hz
-50WAITING+50
Waiting for sound
D73
A110
D147
G196
A220
D294

How to Tune to DADGAD Celtic

The ultimate modal tuning, DADGAD creates a suspended 4th chord (Dsus4) when strummed open — neither major nor minor, it floats in a beautifully ambiguous sonic space. Originally popularized by British folk guitarist Davey Graham after a trip to Morocco, it was later made famous by Jimmy Page on Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" and has become the standard tuning for Celtic fingerstyle guitar.

Start in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and change 3 of 6 strings:

StringStandardTargetWhat to do
String 6E2D2Tune down a whole step
String 5A2A2Leave as is
String 4D3D3Leave as is
String 3G3G3Leave as is
String 2B3A3Tune down a whole step
String 1E4D4Tune down a whole step
Printable DADGAD Celtic chart (PNG / PDF)
Fun Fact

DADGAD was reportedly invented by British folk guitarist Davey Graham in the early 1960s after he traveled to Morocco and wanted to mimic the sound of the oud (a Middle Eastern lute). He brought it back to the UK folk scene, where it spread rapidly. Pierre Bensusan later built an entire career around DADGAD, declaring it 'the only tuning you need.'

String Tension & Setup Tips

Recommended Gauge:Standard or Medium-Lights (.012-.054 for acoustic). The tuning involves only dropping strings down from standard, so there's no risk of string breakage. The slightly lower tension makes it comfortable to play for extended sessions.

Gear for DADGAD Celtic

Tools that make tuning to D - A - D - G - A - D easier.

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.

View tuner

D'Addario Pro-Winder (winder + cutter)

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

View winder

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DADGAD TuningIntermediate
D - A - D - G - A - DNo Capo
Song Details
DADGAD TuningBeginner
D - A - D - G - A - DCapo 2nd Fret
Song Details
DADGAD CelticIntermediate
D - A - D - G - A - DNo Capo
Song Details
DADGAD CelticIntermediate
D - A - D - G - A - DNo Capo
Song Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DADGAD major or minor?
Neither! DADGAD creates a Dsus4 chord when strummed open — it contains D, G, and A but no 3rd (no F# for major, no F for minor). This suspended quality is what makes it so versatile: you can easily create major, minor, or modal sounds by adding just one or two fretted notes to the open strings.
How to tune guitar to DADGAD?
From standard tuning: drop the low E to D (one whole step), keep A as-is, keep D as-is, keep G as-is, drop B to A (one whole step), drop high E to D (one whole step). Three strings change, three stay the same. All changes are downward, so there's zero risk of string breakage.
Is there a DADGAD chord chart?
DADGAD chord shapes are completely different from standard tuning. Key shapes to learn: D5 = 0-0-0-0-0-0, Dmaj = 0-0-0-2-2-0, Dmin = 0-0-0-1-0-0, G = 5-5-0-0-0-0, A = 0-0-2-2-2-0. Many Celtic guitarists use DADGAD as a 'drone' tuning, keeping the outer D strings ringing while moving shapes on the inner strings.
Does Pierre Bensusan only play in DADGAD?
Algerian-French guitarist Pierre Bensusan is famous for playing almost exclusively in DADGAD for his entire career. He has demonstrated that this single tuning is versatile enough for jazz, classical, folk, and world music. His approach proves that deeply exploring one alternate tuning can be more rewarding than constantly switching between many.
What tuning is Kashmir in?
Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" uses DADGAD tuning. Jimmy Page's descending chromatic riff is played on the 4th and 5th strings while the open D and A strings drone beneath. The DADGAD tuning gives the song its hypnotic, Middle Eastern quality — fitting, given the tuning's own origins in oud-inspired folk music.