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.

E Locrian Major Guitar Scale

Guitar scale in Open A tuning — fretboard diagram

Tuning

Frets

E Locrian Major in Open A — Notes and Intervals

The E Locrian Major scale is a 20th-century hybrid that combines the stability of a major third with the dissonance of a Locrian base. On Guitar, it contains the notes E, F#, G#, A, Bb, C, D. It was used by experimental composers to create a sound that is both familiar and alien. Commonly used in Experimental, Contemporary Classical, Avant-Garde. Notable players include Bela Bartok, Gyorgy Ligeti. Use in experimental composition over polytonal or atonal passages. A tool for creating cognitive dissonance.

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

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

Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7

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

Number of notes: 7

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

Also known as: arabian

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

AlienFamiliar-StrangeExperimental

A major 3rd within a Locrian framework — the contradiction creates a sound that is both familiar (major) and alien (b2, b5) simultaneously.

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

← All Guitar scales in Open A tuning