Drop D tuning is tuning the low E string down a whole tone, to D, so the open strings are D, A, D, G, B, E, and the guitar has a low, heavy bass, and a power chord can be played with one finger. It is used in rock and metal, for the heavy sound, and the low D gives the guitar a deeper voice.
What is Drop D tuning?
Drop D tuning is tuning the low E string down a whole tone, to D, so the open strings are D, A, D, G, B, E, and the guitar has a low, heavy bass, and a power chord can be played with one finger, barring the 6th, 5th and 4th strings. It is used in rock and metal, for the heavy sound, and the low D gives the guitar a deeper voice, because the lowest note is D2, 73.42 Hz, instead of E2, 82.41 Hz, and the bass is lower, and the sound is heavier. Drop D is the simplest alternate tuning, because it changes only one string, the low E, and the other five strings stay in standard tuning, so the chord shapes are mostly the same, and the player does not need to relearn the guitar. The power chord is the main benefit: in standard tuning, a power chord needs two or three fingers, but in Drop D, the 6th and 5th strings are a perfect 5th apart, D and A, so a power chord can be played with one finger, barring the 6th, 5th and 4th strings, and the power chord is fast and easy, which is why rock and metal use Drop D. The guitar tuner tunes the guitar to Drop D, and the D major guitar chord is the chord the tuning is built on.
How Drop D tuning works
Drop D tuning works by lowering the low E string by a whole tone, two semitones, from E2 to D2, so the open strings are D, A, D, G, B, E, and the 6th string is now D, not E, and the 5th string is A, and the interval between the 6th and 5th strings is a perfect 5th, D to A, seven semitones, instead of a perfect 4th, E to A, five semitones, in standard tuning. The power chord is played by barring the 6th, 5th and 4th strings at the same fret, with one finger, and the notes are the root, the 5th, and the octave, because the 6th string is the root, the 5th string is the 5th, and the 4th string is the octave, and the power chord is complete, with one finger. The Drop D tuning also gives a low D, which is the root of the key of D, and the key of D is a common key for rock and metal, because the low D is the tonic, and the songs are built on it. The tuning is used for songs in D major and D minor, and for power chords, and for riffs, and the low D is the foundation, and the guitar sounds heavier, because the bass is lower. The key of D major and the key of D minor are the keys Drop D is built for, and the I–V–vi–IV progression in D major is a good progression to play in Drop D.
Worked example — tuning to Drop D and playing a power chord. Tune the low E string down a whole tone, from E2, 82.41 Hz, to D2, 73.42 Hz, using the guitar tuner, and the open strings are now D, A, D, G, B, E. Play a power chord at the 5th fret, barring the 6th, 5th and 4th strings with one finger, and the notes are G, D, G, which are the root, the 5th, and the octave of G, and the power chord is G5, played with one finger, because the 6th string at the 5th fret is G, the 5th string at the 5th fret is D, and the 4th string at the 5th fret is G. The power chord is fast and easy, and the low G gives the guitar a heavy sound, and the Drop D tuning has done its job.
How to practise Drop D tuning
Practise Drop D tuning by tuning your guitar to it, and playing power chords, and riffs, so the low bass becomes familiar, and the one-finger power chord becomes a habit.
- Tune your guitar to Drop D, by tuning the low E string down a whole tone, to D, using the guitar tuner, and play the open strings, D, A, D, G, B, E.
- Play a power chord at the 5th fret, barring the 6th, 5th and 4th strings with one finger, and listen for the notes, G, D, G, to ring cleanly.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in D major in Drop D tuning, and listen for the chords to sound different, with the low bass.
- Practise playing riffs in Drop D, using the one-finger power chord, and moving it up and down the neck, naming each chord as you play it.
- Retune to standard tuning, E, A, D, G, B, E, when you are done, so the next song is in tune, and the guitar is back to standard.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to retune to standard — Drop D changes the low E string, and forgetting to retune to standard will make the guitar sound wrong, when the next song is in standard tuning. Retune the low string to E, 82.41 Hz, when the Drop D song is done, or the next song will be out of tune.
- Tuning the low string too low — The low string should be tuned to D2, 73.42 Hz, not lower, because a string tuned too low will be loose, and it will buzz, and it will not hold its pitch. Tune it to D, and check it with a tuner, so the tension is right.
- Using standard tuning chord shapes — Drop D changes the 6th string, so the chord shapes that use the 6th string are different, and using standard tuning shapes will make the chords wrong. Learn the Drop D chord shapes, especially the power chord, and the chords will be right.
Quick reference
This table shows the strings in standard tuning and in Drop D tuning, so you can see the difference at a glance. Only the 6th string changes, from E to D, and the other five strings stay the same, so Drop D is the simplest alternate tuning, and the easiest to learn.
| String | Standard tuning | Drop D tuning |
|---|---|---|
| 6th string | E2 (82.41 Hz) | D2 (73.42 Hz) |
| 5th string | A2 (110 Hz) | A2 (110 Hz) |
| 4th string | D3 (146.83 Hz) | D3 (146.83 Hz) |
| 3rd string | G3 (196 Hz) | G3 (196 Hz) |
| 2nd string | B3 (246.94 Hz) | B3 (246.94 Hz) |
| 1st string | E4 (329.63 Hz) | E4 (329.63 Hz) |
Use the table to tune to Drop D: tune the 6th string down a whole tone, to D, and leave the other five strings alone, and the guitar is in Drop D tuning. When you can tune to Drop D and back to standard, quickly, you have the tuning, and the low bass is yours.
Frequently asked questions
What is Drop D tuning?
Drop D tuning is tuning the low E string down a whole tone, to D, so the open strings are D, A, D, G, B, E, and the guitar has a low, heavy bass, and a power chord can be played with one finger.
Why is Drop D tuning used in rock and metal?
Because it gives a low, heavy bass, and a power chord with one finger, so the riffs are fast and easy, and the sound is heavy, with the low D as the foundation, and the key of D is a common key for rock and metal.
How do I tune to Drop D?
Tune the low E string down a whole tone, from E2, 82.41 Hz, to D2, 73.42 Hz, using a tuner, and the other five strings stay in standard tuning, so only one string changes, and the tuning is quick and easy.
Can I play open chords in Drop D?
Yes, most open chords are the same, because only the 6th string changes, and the chords that do not use the 6th string are unchanged, but the chords that use the 6th string, such as E major and G major, are different, and they must be relearned.
Should I use Drop D as a beginner?
Not at first. Learn standard tuning first, because it is the most versatile, and most music is written for it, and then learn Drop D, when you want a low, heavy sound, or a one-finger power chord, and the standard tuning is solid.