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Preset
F - Standard Tuning |
F - Drop D Tuning |
C - Minor Pentatonic |
C - Min. Penta. Drop D

Drop D Tuning

Drop D Tuning

Visualizing Drop D Tuning: An Interactive Guide

Drop D is one of the most popular alternate tunings for guitar. From hard rock and metal to folk and blues, lowering that low E string opens up new power chords and deeper bass lines. But it also changes your fretboard map... If you are used to Standard Tuning, Drop D can feel confusing. Your scales and chords just don't look the same anymore. This interactive guide will show you exactly what changes, and how to navigate the fretboard in Drop D.

What is Drop D Tuning?

In Standard Tuning, your strings are tuned: E A D G B E. In Drop D, you simply lower the thickest string (Low E) down one whole step to D. So only one string changes and you get D A D G B E, but that one change makes a significant difference.

The "One Finger" Power Chord

Perhaps the biggest advantage of Drop D is the ability to play power chords (Root-5th-Octave) with just one finger. In Standard Tuning, an F5 power chord looks like chord 1 below. In Drop D, because the low string is lower, you play everything on the same fret as showed in chord 2.

1.
F - Standard Tuning
EADGBE
1
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
2
5
1
4
6
2
2.
F - Drop D Tuning
DADGBE
1
♭7
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
7
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
1
5
1
4
6
2

Scales in Drop D

This is usually where players get stuck. "My pentatonic box doesn't work!" It still works though, you just have to shift the notes on the low D string up by 2 frets, or just simply play the same notes as you normally do at 4th string (now high D).

In Standard tuning, you might play the C Minor Pentatonic starting on the 8th fret of the Low E. In Drop D, you play it starting on the 10th fret, see chart 3 and 4 below.

Feel free to compare other scales using these interactive charts:

3.
C - Minor Pentatonic
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
C
D♭
D
E♭
E
F
G♭
G
A♭
A
B♭
B
1
14
E
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
B
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
G
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
D
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
A
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
E
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
1234567891011121314
4.
C - Min. Penta. Drop D
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
C
D♭
D
E♭
E
F
G♭
G
A♭
A
B♭
B
1
14
E
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
B
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
G
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
D
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
A
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
D
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
1234567891011121314

Practice Tips

  1. Tune Down: Don't just read this! :-) Grab your guitar.
  2. Find the Roots: Play every 'D' note on the fretboard using the chart above.
  3. Shift Your Riffs: Take a riff you know in Standard, and try to adapt it to Drop D by moving the low notes up 2 frets.

Want to create your own charts here is a quick guide.

Rock on!

Visualizing Drop D Tuning: An Interactive Guide

Drop D is one of the most popular alternate tunings for guitar. From hard rock and metal to folk and blues, lowering that low E string opens up new power chords and deeper bass lines. But it also changes your fretboard map... If you are used to Standard Tuning, Drop D can feel confusing. Your scales and chords just don't look the same anymore. This interactive guide will show you exactly what changes, and how to navigate the fretboard in Drop D.

What is Drop D Tuning?

In Standard Tuning, your strings are tuned: E A D G B E. In Drop D, you simply lower the thickest string (Low E) down one whole step to D. So only one string changes and you get D A D G B E, but that one change makes a significant difference.

The "One Finger" Power Chord

Perhaps the biggest advantage of Drop D is the ability to play power chords (Root-5th-Octave) with just one finger. In Standard Tuning, an F5 power chord looks like chord 1 below. In Drop D, because the low string is lower, you play everything on the same fret as showed in chord 2.

1.
F - Standard Tuning
EADGBE
1
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
2
5
1
4
6
2
2.
F - Drop D Tuning
DADGBE
1
♭7
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
2
7
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
3
1
5
1
4
6
2

Scales in Drop D

This is usually where players get stuck. "My pentatonic box doesn't work!" It still works though, you just have to shift the notes on the low D string up by 2 frets, or just simply play the same notes as you normally do at 4th string (now high D).

In Standard tuning, you might play the C Minor Pentatonic starting on the 8th fret of the Low E. In Drop D, you play it starting on the 10th fret, see chart 3 and 4 below.

Feel free to compare other scales using these interactive charts:

3.
C - Minor Pentatonic
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
C
D♭
D
E♭
E
F
G♭
G
A♭
A
B♭
B
1
14
EADGBE
1
4
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
2
♭5
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
3
5
1
4
♭7
2
5
4
♭6
♭2
♭5
7
♭3
♭6
5
6
2
5
1
3
6
6
♭7
♭3
♭6
♭2
4
♭7
7
7
3
6
2
♭5
7
8
1
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
9
♭2
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
10
2
5
1
4
6
2
11
♭3
♭6
♭2
♭5
♭7
♭3
12
3
6
2
5
7
3
13
4
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
14
♭5
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
4.
C - Min. Penta. Drop D
1
♭2
2
♭3
3
4
♭5
5
♭6
6
♭7
7
C
D♭
D
E♭
E
F
G♭
G
A♭
A
B♭
B
1
14
DADGBE
1
♭3
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
2
3
7
3
6
♭2
♭5
3
4
1
4
♭7
2
5
4
♭5
♭2
♭5
7
♭3
♭6
5
5
2
5
1
3
6
6
♭6
♭3
♭6
♭2
4
♭7
7
6
3
6
2
♭5
7
8
♭7
4
♭7
♭3
5
1
9
7
♭5
7
3
♭6
♭2
10
1
5
1
4
6
2
11
♭2
♭6
♭2
♭5
♭7
♭3
12
2
6
2
5
7
3
13
♭3
♭7
♭3
♭6
1
4
14
3
7
3
6
♭2
♭5

Practice Tips

  1. Tune Down: Don't just read this! :-) Grab your guitar.
  2. Find the Roots: Play every 'D' note on the fretboard using the chart above.
  3. Shift Your Riffs: Take a riff you know in Standard, and try to adapt it to Drop D by moving the low notes up 2 frets.

Want to create your own charts here is a quick guide.

Rock on!

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