FretPitch

D A D G B E

Drop D Tuning

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Ready when you are

The tuner listens through your microphone.

    Choose a tuning

      Standard tuning with the low E lowered a whole step to D — heavier riffs and one-finger power chords.

      Press Start tuning, pluck a string and turn its peg until the needle is centred and green. The tuner already knows the Drop D notes, so it tells you which string you are tuning.

      Drop D notes and frequencies

      From the thickest string to the thinnest, and how far each one moves from standard tuning:

      StringNoteFrequencyFrom standard
      6th (thickest)D273.42 HzDown 2 semitones (a whole step)
      5thA2110.00 HzNo change
      4thD3146.83 HzNo change
      3rdG3196.00 HzNo change
      2ndB3246.94 HzNo change
      1st (thinnest)E4329.63 HzNo change

      About Drop D

      Drop D changes just one string: the 6th (low E) goes down a whole step to D. The other five strings stay in standard tuning, so every chord shape you already know still works on them.

      With the three lowest strings tuned D A D, a power chord is a single finger laid across one fret, which is why Drop D is everywhere in rock, grunge and metal. Acoustic players like it for the deep, ringing low D under D-major chords. Well-known examples include “Everlong” by Foo Fighters and “Dear Prudence” by the Beatles.

      Tips

      • Tune slightly below D, then bring the string back up to it — tuning up to a note helps it stay in pitch.
      • Check by ear: the open 6th string should sound exactly one octave below the open 4th string (D).

      Other tunings

      See all tunings →