Open D tuning is the other major open tuning for slide guitar, and it’s perfect for playing in the key of D. The 12 bar blues progression works exactly the same way as in Open G – just transposed to a new key.
If you’ve already learned the 12 bar blues in Open G, you’ll find the fret positions are identical. Let me show you where your I, IV, and V chords sit in Open D.
Your I-IV-V Positions in Open D
The distances between chords are always the same in any key:
I chord (D): Open position (or 12th fret)
IV chord (G): 5th fret
V chord (A): 7th fret
From D to G is 2½ tones (5 frets). From G to A is 1 tone (2 frets). These intervals never change – which means once you learn them in one open tuning, you know them in all of them.
Watch: 12 Bar Blues in Open D
The 12 Bar Structure
The progression breaks down the same way it always does:
Bars 1-4: I chord (D – open or 12th fret)
Bars 5-6: IV chord (G – 5th fret)
Bars 7-8: I chord (D)
Bar 9: V chord (A – 7th fret)
Bar 10: IV chord (G – 5th fret)
Bars 11-12: I chord (D), with turnaround
The beauty of learning this in multiple tunings is that you can choose whichever key suits the song – or your voice, if you’re singing.
The Chromatic Turnaround
Just like in Open G, you can use the chromatic passing note to create a classic blues turnaround. In the key of D:
G (5th fret) → G# (6th fret) → A (7th fret)
There’s your four, your chromatic passing note, and then your five. That walk-up from the IV to the V creates the tension that makes the blues so satisfying when it resolves back to the I chord.
Structuring Your Fills
One approach Colin demonstrates: break your fills into a simple structure. Play one bar of D rhythm, one bar of G, then come back with a two-bar fill over D.
This gives you a clear framework:
Bar 1: D chord rhythm
Bar 2: G chord rhythm
Bars 3-4: Slide fill centered on D
The fill answers the rhythm, and then the cycle repeats. It’s a simple concept, but it keeps your playing organized and musical.
Making Your Own Slide
Colin has a fun suggestion for getting that authentic slide sound: “Steal your mother’s wine bottle, take a glass cutter, cut the neck off it, sand the edges down…” – you’ve got yourself a real bottleneck slide.
Of course, you can just buy a proper glass slide, but there’s something to be said for the DIY approach. The old blues players made do with whatever they could find.
Why Learn Both Open G and Open D?
Having both tunings in your toolkit gives you flexibility. Some songs just sound better in D, others in G. If you’re playing with other musicians, you can match their key. And if you’re singing, you can pick whichever key sits better in your vocal range.
The good news: the muscle memory transfers directly. Same fret positions, different key. Learn it once, use it twice.
More Open D Resources
For techniques on combining rhythm and lead in Open D, check out Open D slide guitar tricks. And if you want to explore a dominant 7th variation of this tuning, see the Open D7 tuning guide.
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