Drop D Tuning: Notes, Chords and Setup Checks
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Drop D lowers only the low E string, by two semitones, from E2 to D2. The other five strings stay in standard tuning. From low to high, the result is D2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4.
Drop D notes
| String | Standard | Drop D |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (low) | E2 | D2 |
| 5 | A2 | A2 |
| 4 | D3 | D3 |
| 3 | G3 | G3 |
| 2 | B3 | B3 |
| 1 (high) | E4 | E4 |
The target pitch for the sixth string is D2, which is 73.42 Hz.
How to tune to Drop D
- Tune the guitar to standard first.
- Lower the sixth string with a tuner until it reads D2 (73.42 Hz).
- To check by ear, play the 12th fret harmonic on the sixth string. It should match the open fourth string, which is D3.
- Check the other strings again, because a small change in neck tension can pull them slightly out.
What happens to string tension
Tension rises and falls with the square of the note’s frequency. Dropping two semitones lowers the frequency to about 0.891 of the original, and 0.891 squared is about 0.794. That means the same string in Drop D runs at about 79.4% of its standard tuning tension.
Worked example
Say a low E string holds 100 units of tension in standard tuning. In Drop D, the same string holds about 79.4 units. It loses roughly a fifth of its tension, so it feels looser and may buzz or wobble in pitch if you pick hard. To compare string sets, try the string tension calculator. It uses historical D’Addario data for plain steel and XL nickel-wound strings.
One-finger power chords
The lowest three strings are now D, A and D: a root, a fifth and an octave. Lay one finger flat across those three strings at the same fret to play a power chord. The shape moves anywhere on the neck.
| Fret | Notes (low to high) | Chord |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | D A D | D5 |
| 2 | E B E | E5 |
| 3 | F C F | F5 |
| 5 | G D G | G5 |
| 7 | A E A | A5 |
The chord name always matches the note on the sixth string. Learning the sixth string notes in this tuning makes the shape quick to use. The fretboard trainer can help you learn where notes sit on the neck. In Drop D, a given pitch on the sixth string is found two frets higher than its standard-tuning position.
Knowing the guitar fretboard notes in standard tuning makes this shift easy to track, since every sixth string note simply moves up two frets. Another way to reach lower notes is to add a string instead of dropping one. That is where seven-string guitars come in, and they bring their own scale length, nut width and tuning choices.
Chords that need changes
Chords that don’t use the sixth string work just as they do in standard tuning. Chords that use it need some thought:
- If a chord frets the sixth string, move that note up two frets. For example, a note at the 3rd fret in standard becomes the 5th fret.
- If a chord uses the open low E, that string now sounds D. Either skip the sixth string or fret it at the 2nd fret.
- Barre chords with the root on the sixth string need a new fingering, because the usual shape no longer lines up.
Not every chord moves over this neatly. Play each one and listen before you rely on it.
Setup checks
Drop D usually doesn’t need a full setup, but check these:
- Buzz: the looser sixth string may hit the frets. A lighter picking touch or slightly higher action can help.
- Nut slot: make sure the string still sits firmly in the slot and doesn’t rattle.
- Intonation: check the sixth string at the 12th fret, since lower tension can shift it slightly.
If you want to go lower than Drop D, a heavier set will help. See string gauge for Drop C for starting points.
