Drop D tuner: tune your guitar to D A D G B E
Free online tuner, set to D A D G B E — press Start tuner and play a string
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4.2 (6)What Drop D tuning is for
Drop D lowers only the sixth string, a whole step from E to D. The bottom three strings then make a D5 power chord with one finger across them, and the low D gives riffs and fingerstyle bass lines a note that standard tuning doesn’t have. The other five strings stay where they were, so every chord shape on the top strings still works.
Press Start tuner above, allow the microphone and play one open string at a time. The tuner is already set to Drop D, so in Auto mode it picks the nearest string and shows how many cents sharp or flat it is; switch to Manual to aim at one string. Bring each string up to the note from below, which helps it hold.
The strings: D A D G B E
Thickest string first, with the frequency at the standard A = 440 Hz. Each note opens the tuning drone on that pitch, for tuning by ear.
How to get there from standard tuning
- Tune the 6th string down a whole step (2 frets), from E2 to D2.
- Leave the 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st strings as in standard guitar tuning.
Check it by ear
Once one string is right, each neighbouring string can be checked against it — the beating between the two notes slows and stops when they agree.
- Press the 6th string (D2) at the 7th fret: it should match the open 5th string (A2).
- Press the 5th string (A2) at the 5th fret: it should match the open 4th string (D3).
- Press the 4th string (D3) at the 5th fret: it should match the open 3rd string (G3).
- Press the 3rd string (G3) at the 4th fret: it should match the open 2nd string (B3).
- Press the 2nd string (B3) at the 5th fret: it should match the open 1st string (E4).
Songs in Drop D tuning
Well-known recordings in this tuning. Each title opens its sheet music on MuseScore.
- Everlong — Foo Fighters
- Dear Prudence — The Beatles
- Harvest Moon — Neil Young
- Killing in the Name — Rage Against the Machine
More about Drop D tuning
View scores on MuseScore
What musicians say
- 5★4
- 4★1
- 3★0
- 2★0
- 1★1
Cool, though basic
Frequently asked questions
- What are the notes of Drop D tuning?
- From the thickest string to the thinnest: D2 (6th), A2 (5th), D3 (4th), G3 (3rd), B3 (2nd), E4 (1st). At A = 440 Hz that is D2 73.42 Hz, A2 110.00 Hz, D3 146.83 Hz, G3 196.00 Hz, B3 246.94 Hz, E4 329.63 Hz.
- How do I tune to Drop D tuning from standard?
- Tune the 6th string down a whole step (2 frets), from E2 to D2. Leave the 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st strings as in standard guitar tuning. Use the tuner above, set to Drop D, or check by ear with the fret method on this page.
- Can I use a chromatic tuner for Drop D tuning?
- Yes. A chromatic tuner reads any note, so aim each string at D A D G B E in turn. This tuner has a Drop D preset, so it shows the target for each string and picks the nearest one for you.
- What songs use Drop D tuning?
- “Everlong” by Foo Fighters, “Dear Prudence” by The Beatles, “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young, “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine are well-known examples. Each title on this page opens its sheet music on MuseScore.