Alternate tunings open up sounds that are hard or impossible in standard tuning: huge one-finger power chords in Drop D, ringing open chords for slide in Open G. Here are the most common ones, the exact notes, and how to get there fast.
| Tuning | Low to high | What changes from standard | Heard in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | E A D G B E | — | Most guitar music |
| Drop D | D A D G B E | Low E down a whole step to D | Heavy riffs, rock, metal, folk |
| Whole step down | D G C F A D | Every string down a whole step | Heavier rock, easier bends, lower vocals |
| Open G | D G D G B D | Low E, A and high E each down a whole step to D, G and D | Blues, slide guitar, classic rock |
| Open D | D A D F♯ A D | Low E, G, B and high E lowered to D, F♯, A and D | Folk, slide, fingerstyle |
| Open E | E B E G♯ B E | A, D and G raised to B, E and G♯ | Blues and slide |
Open the tuner and pick the tuning from the dropdown. It shows the target note for each string, so you are never guessing which note a string should be. Pluck a string, turn the peg until the needle centers, and move on.
Tip: when tuning a string down, go slightly below the note and come back up to it. The string holds its pitch better that way.
The ear trainer uses the same tuning setting, so its fretboard map matches the notes on your strings after you retune.
Lower only the low E to D. Power chords with the root on the sixth string become a one-finger barre across the bottom three strings, and you get a deeper low note for riffs.
Every string drops a whole step. Chord shapes stay the same, but everything sounds a step lower, strings feel slacker for bends, and songs sit lower for singers.
Strumming the open strings plays a G major chord. Barre straight across any fret for a new major chord, which is perfect for slide and for big, ringing rhythm parts.
The open strings play a D or E major chord. Open D is a favorite for fingerstyle and folk; Open E suits slide blues. Open E raises three strings, which adds tension, so some players use Open D with a capo at the second fret instead to get the same key.
Once you are in tune, record a riff, loop it with the looper, or use the song slow-downer to learn a song that uses the same tuning.
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