Drop D Tuning: How to Get It and When to Use It

Drop D is the simplest of all the alternate tunings: you get it by lowering the 6th string a whole step, from E to D. The result is a deeper, more powerful sound that's widely used in rock and metal.

In short: lower only the 6th string from E to D. The other five stay exactly as in standard tuning. It takes about a second with a tuner.

How to Get Drop D

Start from standard EADGBE tuning. The only change is on the 6th string (the lowest one):

• Standard: E2 — 82.4 Hz
• Drop D: D2 — 73.4 Hz

Strings 5 through 1 (A D G B E) stay identical to standard tuning. The full tuning becomes: D A D G B E.

To tune, use a tuner: play the 6th string open and lower it until the display shows D. With EasyGuitarTuner you can tune directly in your browser, no installation required.

Why Use Drop D

One-finger power chords

In standard tuning, a power chord on the bass strings takes two fingers (e.g., E5 at the 2nd fret). In Drop D, two strings played with a flat barre are enough: you can slide the power-chord shape up and down the whole neck with a single finger, ideal for fast rock and metal riffs.

A darker sound

The 6th string at D2 adds resonance in the low frequencies. The result is a heavier tone, well suited to blues, grunge, metal, and folk.

Compatibility with standard tuning

The first five strings don't change. Your open-position chords — G, C, Em, Am — stay exactly the same. Only chords that involve the 6th string need adjusting.

String frequencies in Drop D

When to use Drop D

• Rock and metal: heavy power-chord riffs, intros in the style of Neil Young or Soundgarden.
• Blues: the drone on the 6th string gives a slide-guitar feel.
• Folk and fingerstyle: the open D rings nicely with chords like Dsus2 and Dadd9.
• Famous Drop D songs: Everlong by Foo Fighters, Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden, The Pretender by Foo Fighters.

How to go back to standard tuning

Simple: raise the 6th string from D2 back to E2 using a tuner. Thirty seconds, tops.