Guitar tuning

Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-E)

Drop D changes only one string from standard: the sixth drops a whole step, from E to D. That leaves the three low strings at D-A-D, so you can play a power chord with a single finger barred across a fret.

🎸 Open the tuner in this tuning

The tuner opens already preconfigured; you only need to allow microphone access.

Strings and frequencies

String Note Hz
String 1 E4 329.63 Hz
String 2 B3 246.94 Hz
String 3 G3 196.00 Hz
String 4 D3 146.83 Hz
String 5 A2 110.00 Hz
String 6 D2 73.42 Hz

How it sounds

It sounds heavier and darker than standard because of that extra low D, and it makes fast fifth-based riffs far easier. It is one of the most used alternate tunings precisely because it changes little and adds a lot.

Styles and genres

Rock Hard rock Metal Grunge Modern folk

Example songs

Recommended string gauges

A standard set works, but the sixth feels a touch loose dropped to D. The ideal is a "heavy bottom / light top" set (thick lows, light highs) such as 9-46 or 10-52, which restores firmness to the sixth without stiffening the treble strings.

Tuning tip

To drop from standard to Drop D by ear, fret the seventh fret of the sixth string and match it to the open fifth string (A): when you release it, the open sixth gives the correct D an octave below.

Frequently asked questions

What does Drop D tuning mean?

Drop D tuning means lowering only the sixth (lowest) string from E to D, a whole step, and leaving the other five as they are in standard tuning. The result is D-A-D-G-B-E: the three low strings sit at D-A-D, which lets you play a power chord with a single finger.

In Drop D, do you only lower the sixth string?

Yes. In classic Drop D only the sixth string changes, dropping from E to D; the other five stay exactly where they were in standard tuning. That is why switching to it and back is so quick.

Is Drop D a half step or a whole step down?

A whole step. The sixth string goes from E to D, which is two semitones (a whole step), not a half step. Dropping only a half step would land on D#/Eb, which is not Drop D.

Does staying in Drop D damage the guitar?

No. The effect on the neck is practically nil, because only one string's tension changes. You can leave the guitar in Drop D permanently with no special setup and no risk to the instrument.

What string gauge is best for Drop D?

A standard set works, but the sixth string feels a little loose dropped to D. The usual fix is a "heavy bottom / light top" set — thicker low strings, normal high ones — such as 9-46 or 10-52: the sixth firms up without stiffening the treble strings.

Is Drop D the same as Drop Db or Drop D#?

No. Drop D leaves the sixth string on D. Drop Db is everything a half step lower (Db-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb) and "Drop D#" would be a half step higher. Separately, there are "whole guitar down" Drop D forms where all six strings drop while keeping the Drop-D relationship, but the overall pitch is different: that is what Alice in Chains, metalcore and modern Tool do, and also Nirvana on "Heart-Shaped Box" and "All Apologies", which are in Drop Db (Db-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb) rather than Drop D.

Can you play in Drop D on a classical (nylon) guitar?

Yes. Nylon handles dropping the sixth to D perfectly, and the adjustment is even gentler than on a steel-string. The low D on nylon does sound a little looser and less defined than on an electric or steel acoustic; that is a matter of timbre, not a fault.

How do I tune to Drop D without a tuner?

By ear: fret the seventh fret of the sixth string and match it to the open fifth string (A); when you release it, the open sixth gives the correct D an octave below. And if you use this tuner, there is nothing to configure — it is chromatic and detects the low D directly.

Related tunings

Updated