12-String Guitar tuner – D Modal
D-D-A-A-D-D-G-G-A-A-D-D · Modal
Press “Start tuner” – the browser will ask for microphone access. Sound is analysed on this device and never uploaded.
This free online tuner listens through your microphone and shows how close each string of your 12-String Guitar is to D Modal tuning (D-D-A-A-D-D-G-G-A-A-D-D). Play a string, watch the needle, and turn the peg until the meter glows green. If you prefer tuning by ear, tap any string card to hear its reference tone.
About D Modal tuning
Compared with Standard, D Modal moves 6 strings. Every change is downward, the largest by 2 semitones, so the instrument sits at lower tension than in Standard.6 strings stay exactly where they were.
| String | Standard | D Modal | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E2 | D2 | down 2 semitones |
| 2 | E3 | D3 | down 2 semitones |
| 9 | B3 | A3 | down 2 semitones |
| 10 | B3 | A3 | down 2 semitones |
| 11 | E4 | D4 | down 2 semitones |
| 12 | E4 | D4 | down 2 semitones |
Played open, the strings sound D-D-A-A-D-D-G-G-A-A-D-D – from D2 at the bottom to G4 at the top, a span of 2 octaves and 5 semitones.
D Modal is re-entrant: the strings do not rise steadily in pitch, so the string nearest your thumb is not the lowest note available. That is deliberate, and it is a large part of why the instrument sounds the way it does.
Strummed open, with nothing fretted, the strings spell Dsus4. That is what makes a tuning like this useful for slide playing and drones – a full chord is one straight barre away at any fret. See Dsus4 shapes in this tuning →
The drop is small enough that a standard set handles it. If the lowest string starts to rattle against the frets, one step up in gauge fixes it.
History
Where the D Modal tuning comes from
D modal (DADGAD) on a twelve-string follows Davey Graham's discovery of the early 1960s. The doubled strings enhance the Celtic, harp-like resonance that made DADGAD famous, and many folk guitarists use it on twelve-string.
Other 12-String Guitar tunings
Standard
Drop
Chords for this tuning
How do I tune my 12-String Guitar to D Modal?
Allow microphone access, pluck a string, and the tuner will detect it automatically. The needle shows whether the string is flat or sharp – adjust until the reading is within ±5 cents (D-D-A-A-D-D-G-G-A-A-D-D).
Which notes are used in D Modal tuning?
D Modal tuning for 12-String Guitar uses the notes D-D-A-A-D-D-G-G-A-A-D-D, listed from the lowest string to the highest.
Can I tune without a microphone?
Yes. Every string card plays a reference tone – tap it and match your string to the sound by ear.