Famous Artists Who Play in Open G Tuning — Song Guide

Open G tuning has been at the heart of some of the most recognisable music of the past century. From Delta blues recorded in the 1930s to stadium rock in the 1970s and beyond, the tuning has attracted players across genres who discovered the same thing: D–G–D–G–B–D makes the guitar ring in a way that standard tuning simply cannot match.

This guide covers the most significant artists associated with Open G, the songs they recorded in it, and the tuning variants (half-step and full-step down) that some players prefer.

Keith Richards — The Rock Standard-Bearer #

No guitarist is more identified with Open G than Keith Richards. He adopted it as his primary tuning around 1968 and has used it on the majority of Rolling Stones recordings since. His signature move: remove the low 6th string entirely, leaving a five-string guitar tuned D–G–D–G–B (low to high). This strips out the bass note and pushes the voicing into a punchy, trebly mid-range that cuts through a full band mix.

Rolling Stones songs in Open G:

The riff vocabulary Keith developed — partial barres, pull-offs to open strings, the chord-plus-bass-note interplay — is specific to Open G and almost impossible to replicate convincingly in standard tuning.

Ry Cooder — Slide Guitar Mastery #

Ry Cooder is widely considered one of the finest slide guitarists alive, and Open G is his primary vehicle. His approach is rooted in blues and Hawaiian slack-key traditions, using the open strings as a constant resonant bed beneath the slide melody. He plays with a glass or ceramic slide on his ring finger, and his right-hand picking style draws out individual string voices rather than strumming full chords.

Notable work in Open G includes his slide parts on the Paris, Texas film soundtrack (1984), his album Into the Purple Valley (1972), and his extensive recordings with Mavis Staples. His collaborations with African and Cuban musicians on the Buena Vista Social Club recordings (1997) also show his Open G technique adapted for different musical contexts.

Robert Johnson — The Delta Foundation #

Robert Johnson’s recordings from 1936–1937 are among the foundational documents of blues guitar. He used open tunings — including Open G and Open A variants — throughout his recorded work, and his use of the open strings as a constant drone beneath slide lines is directly traceable to every blues and rock player who came after him.

Key recordings: “Cross Road Blues,” “Walkin’ Blues,” “Come On in My Kitchen,” “Preachin’ Blues.” Many of his recordings are pitched between standard Open G and half-step down variants depending on how the 78 rpm masters were transferred — his actual concert pitch varied and was not always consistent with modern standard.

George Thorogood — Blues Rock in Open G #

George Thorogood built his career on heavy electric blues in Open G, playing with a thick glass slide and a raw, aggressive tone. His covers of Bo Diddley and classic blues material kept Open G prominent in rock throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His rhythm playing — thick barre chords hammered with a pick — shows the other side of Open G from Keith Richards’ trebly five-string approach.

Notable songs: “Who Do You Love” (Bo Diddley cover), “Move It On Over” (Hank Williams cover), “Madison Blues.”

Jack White — Open G in the 21st Century #

Jack White has been one of the most visible Open G players of the modern era. His work with The White Stripes brought the raw, stripped-down blues vocabulary of Open G to a new generation. He frequently uses a single pickup on a cheap guitar, high action, and a heavy slide — deliberately crude tools that suit the directness of Open G playing.

Notable songs: “Death Letter” (Son House cover), “Prodigal Son” (Robert Wilkins cover on Beggars Banquet, though this is a Stones track; White’s version appears on various live recordings), and numerous White Stripes tracks drawing on the Open G blues tradition.

Bonnie Raitt — Open G Fingerstyle Slide #

Bonnie Raitt is one of the few major artists who plays fingerstyle Open G slide with a high level of sophistication. Her slide work draws on both Delta blues and country influences. She uses a slide on her ring finger and plays with a bare-finger technique that allows her to simultaneously fret bass notes and apply the slide to melody strings.

Her 1971 debut album and subsequent records through the 1970s established her as one of the most skilled slide players — male or female — in American music.

Tuning Variants: Half-Step and Full-Step Down #

Many Open G players don’t use standard pitch. The most common variants:

Half-Step Down (Open F♯ / Open G♭) #

All six strings tuned down one half-step from standard Open G:

The open chord sounds as F♯ major. All the same shapes apply — it’s effectively a capo in reverse. Players choose this for lower string tension (easier slide movement and bends), a slightly darker timbre, or to match a vocalist who sings in a lower key.

Full-Step Down (Open F) #

All strings down one full step from standard Open G:

The open chord sounds as F major. This is common among resonator guitar and Dobro players, where heavy strings and high action benefit from reduced tension. Many country and bluegrass players prefer this configuration.

Why Tune Down? #

• String tension: Lower pitch = less tension = easier slide glide and more expressive bends
• Tone: Slightly more slack strings produce a warmer, thicker sound
• Vocal matching: Easier to play in flat keys without a capo
• Resonator action: High-action resonator guitars become more playable at lower pitch

A capo at fret 2 on a half-step-down guitar returns you to standard Open G pitch with the tone characteristics of lower-tuned strings — a common slide player’s trick.

See Also #

• Open G Chord Shapes — Moveable Majors, Minors and More — the shapes these artists use, explained step by step
• Standard Tuning Shapes That Still Work in Open G — how Keith Richards-style D–G–B shapes work in any tuning
• Tune Your Guitar to Open G — reference tones for getting into this tuning