What is Open A tuning?

Open A tuning is E-A-E-A-C#-E (low to high). Strumming all strings produces an A major chord. It's structurally the same as Open G but one whole step higher.

Is Open A the same as Open G with a capo?

Yes, musically they are identical — Open G with a capo at fret 2 gives you the same pitches as Open A. Many players use this approach. Without a capo, Open A has higher string tension which some slide players prefer for better control.

What scales work in Open A?

The A major pentatonic and A blues scale are natural choices. A Mixolydian gives a bluesy feel, and the A major scale works for country and folk styles.

C# Locrian Guitar Scale

Guitar scale in Open A tuning — fretboard diagram

Tuning

Frets

C# Locrian in Open A — Notes and Intervals

The C# Locrian scale is the seventh and most unstable mode of the major scale. On Guitar, the notes are C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B. It sounds highly dissonant and unresolved, as its home chord is a diminished triad. While rare as a primary key, it is a crucial technical tool for jazz musicians improvising over half-diminished chords in tension-heavy passages. The diatonic chords of C# Locrian are C#m7b5, DMaj7, Em7, F#m7, GMaj7, A7, Bm7. Commonly used in Jazz, Metal, Experimental, Avant-Garde. Notable players include John Coltrane, Meshuggah, Dream Theater. Use over m7b5 (half-diminished) chords. Essential for jazz ii-V-i in minor keys where the ii chord is half-diminished.

Notes: C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B

Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5d, 6m, 7m

Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7

Formula: H-W-W-H-W-W-W

Number of notes: 7

Tuning: Open A (E-A-E-A-C#-E)

Diatonic Chords

C♯m7♭5 — DMaj7 — Em7 — F♯m7 — GMaj7 — A7 — Bm7

About Open A Tuning

Open A tuning (E-A-E-A-C#-E) produces an A major chord when strummed open. It is structurally identical to Open G tuned up one whole step, delivering a brighter, more tense sound that works particularly well for slide guitar centered on the key of A.

Jimmy Page used Open A with a slide on Led Zeppelin's 'In My Time of Dying' from Physical Graffiti (1975). Rory Gallagher also employed Open A for his raw, energetic slide work. Many players achieve Open A by simply placing a capo at the 2nd fret in Open G tuning, which is why dedicated Open A usage is less commonly discussed. However, without a capo, Open A gives direct access to the open A string resonance and a different feel under the fingers due to the higher tension.

BluesSlide GuitarRockDelta Blues

Notable artists: Jimmy Page, Rory Gallagher, Delta blues players

Best for: Slide guitar in the key of A, blues playing, and situations where you need the brightness of Open G tuned up without a capo

Musical Character

UnstableDissonantDarkTense

The only mode with a diminished 5th (b5) from the root, making its home chord a diminished triad. This instability means Locrian is almost never used as a key center — it is a tool for tension.

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

← All Guitar scales in Open A tuning