Guitar Scales — DADGAD

About DADGAD Tuning on Guitar

DADGAD tuning creates an open Dsus4 chord when strummed open, producing a hauntingly beautiful, droning sound that has become synonymous with Celtic folk music and modern acoustic songwriting. The tuning's natural resonance and overtones make even simple fingerpicking patterns sound rich and complex.

Popularized by Davey Graham in the 1960s and later championed by Pierre Bensusan and Jimmy Page, DADGAD has become one of the most beloved alternate tunings for acoustic guitarists. Its suspended quality — neither clearly major nor minor — creates an ethereal, meditative atmosphere that invites exploration. The tuning excels at creating drone-based arrangements where open strings ring against fretted notes.

Notable artists: Pierre Bensusan, Jimmy Page, Andy McKee, Davey Graham, Laurence Juber

Best for: Celtic folk, acoustic songwriting, drone-based fingerpicking, and meditative compositions

Browse 1104 guitar scales in DADGAD tuning. Click any scale below to view the interactive fretboard diagram.

Explore Guitar Scales in Other Tunings

• Guitar Scales in Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-E)
• Guitar Scales in Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D)
• Guitar Scales in Baritone (B Standard) (B-E-A-D-F#-B)
• Guitar Scales in 7-string (B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
• Guitar Scales in 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
• Guitar Scales in Drop C (C-G-C-F-A-D)
• Guitar Scales in Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
• Guitar Scales in Open D (D-A-D-F#-A-D)

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