Dsus4 at the nut
DADGAD tuner
DADGAD is not a dropped-D variant with a fancy name. The low E goes to D2 (73.42 Hz), the B goes down to A3 (220 Hz), and the high E goes down to D4 (293.66 Hz). A, D and G stay. The open strings spell D, A, D, G, A, D — a Dsus4, not a major chord. That missing third is why melodies can sit on a drone without forcing major or minor.
What your hands will get wrong at first
Any chord you memorized that used the B string has moved. The second string only travels a whole step down, from B to A, so you are loosening it, not tuning up toward a harmonic. If you are unsure of the direction, play the reference tone before you turn the peg. Then confirm the three strings you did not mean to change.
Where it shows up
Celtic and contemporary folk players use it because the outer Ds and the A drone invite open strings inside a melody. It is a poor match for a set of barre-chord rock tunes unless you retune between songs. The fretboard trainer can be switched to this tuning’s open notes when you want to see where the new A sits.
Questions
- Is the second string higher or lower than standard?
- Lower. B3 is 246.94 Hz. A3 is 220 Hz. You loosen the peg.
- Can I still play a D major?
- Yes, but not with the old open-D shape untouched. The B string is now A, so the third of D has to be fretted somewhere else, often on the third string.