Drop D tuning is the most popular alternate tuning for guitar. By lowering your 6th string from E to D, you unlock massive power chords with one finger, deeper bass notes, and a heavier sound. Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is Drop D Tuning?
Drop D tuning lowers the 6th (lowest) string by one whole step, from E to D.
Standard tuning: E-A-D-G-B-E
Drop D tuning: D-A-D-G-B-E
Only one string changes. Everything on strings 1-5 stays exactly the same — all your regular chord shapes still work.
How to Tune to Drop D
Method 1: By ear. Play the open 4th string (D) and tune the 6th string down until it matches, one octave lower.
Method 2: With harmonics. Play the harmonic at the 12th fret of the 6th string and tune it to match the open 4th string.
Method 3: With a tuner. Simply tune the 6th string down until your tuner reads “D.”
Drop D Power Chords
This is the biggest advantage of drop D: one-finger power chords on the bottom three strings.
In standard tuning, a power chord requires two or three fingers. In drop D, barre one finger across the bottom three strings at any fret:
– D5: Open (000XXX)
– E5: 2nd fret (222XXX)
– F5: 3rd fret (333XXX)
– G5: 5th fret (555XXX)
– A5: 7th fret (777XXX)
This makes fast chord changes and riffs much easier.
Open Chords in Drop D
Most open chords work the same, with minor adjustments:
D Major: 000232. Now all 6 strings ring! The 6th string is D, which is the root.
Dm: 000231. Same benefit — full 6-string voicing.
G Major: 520033 (or 500033). The 6th string fretted at the 5th fret gives you G.
C Major: X32010. No change — you avoid the 6th string anyway.
E Major/Em: 220100 / 220000. Fret the 6th string at the 2nd fret to get E.
A Major: X02220. No change.
F Major: 332211 (shift barre shape) or 3X3211.
Songs in Drop D Tuning
Grunge/Alternative:
– Everlong (Foo Fighters)
– Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana)
– Killing in the Name (Rage Against the Machine)
Metal/Hard Rock:
– Slither (Velvet Revolver)
– Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin)
Rock:
– Dear Prudence (Beatles)
– Going to California (Led Zeppelin)
Acoustic:
– The Cave (Mumford & Sons)
– Harvest Moon (Neil Young)
Tips for Playing in Drop D
Remember your 6th string chords are different
Any chord that uses the 6th string needs adjustment. The 6th string is now two frets lower than standard. So if you’d normally play a note at the 3rd fret for G, you now need the 5th fret.
Use the open D string as a drone
One of the best sounds in drop D is letting the open 6th string ring as a bass drone while playing other chords.
Switching back to standard
Only one string to retune! This makes drop D the most practical alternate tuning for live performance.