Drop D tuning

What is Drop D tuning?

Drop D tuning is a guitar tuning style that lets the guitarist drop the sixth string (low E) to a D. This method is used mostly for heavy metal and rock music. Drop D brings a lower, heavier sound to the tune, and enables the guitarist to transition through power chords with more ease.

Drop D tuning will effectively change your tuning from EADGBe to DADGBe. Playing chords with Drop D can either omit or mute the sixth string, or played two semitones higher. Drop D also opens up new possibilities with fingerpicking, especially higher on the fretboard.

How do I tune my guitar in Drop D?

It's relatively easy to get to Drop D from standard tuning. Since we're only changing the lowest (sixth) string, it's also easy to jump back into standard tuning pretty quickly.

Starting with standard tuning, play the open fourth string (D). Now play a 12th fret harmonic on the sixth string, and drop the tuning of the sixth string down until it is tuned with the open fourth string. Adding some distortion can help you hear when the strings are in harmony and when they starts crashing. Now you're in Drop D! Go play some System of a Down! ;)

Returning to standard tuning from Drop D is simple. Just tune the sixth string, fifth fret, with the open fifth string.

For an even deeper sound, take it a few steps further with drop C.