Guitar tunings
Updated November 8, 2020
Introduction
I designed this page as a quick reference to popular guitar tunings and specially the ones used in the metal genre. I was often lost when I had to set-up my guitars or when I wanted to find alternate playing positions in the different tunings. So for beginners -myself included :)- I decided to create this small summary page dedicated to guitar tunings, and containing a few remarks regarding guitar set-up for down tunings and dropped tunings.
Notation
I am using on this page the octave numbers as defined by the Scientific Pitch Notation. Check the following link for more information : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_pitch_notation. The figures on this page are using the following color convention for octaves :
Quick reference
Here is a quick reference list for the most popular tunings used in metal guitar :
- Standard tuning (E) : EADGBE (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4)
- Half-step down (E flat) : D#G#C#F#A#D# (D#2-G#2-C#3-F#3-A#3-D#4)
- Drop D : DADGBE (D2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4)
- Drop C# : C#G#C#F#A#D# (C#2-G#2-C#3-F#3-A#3-D#4)
- D tuning : DGCFAD (D2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4)
- Drop C : CGCFAD (C2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4)
- C# tuning : C#F#BEG#C# (C#2-F#2-B2-E3-G#3-C#3)
- Drop B : BF#BEG#C# (B1-F#2-B2-E3-G#3-C#4)
- C Tuning : CFA#D#GC (C2-F2-A#2-D#3-G3-C4)
- B tuning (B standard) : BEADF#B (B1-E2-A2-D3-F#3-B3)
- Drop A : AEADF#B (A1-E2-A2-D3-F#3-B3)
- Standard tuning, 7 strings : BEADGBE (B1-E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4)
- Standard tuning, 8 strings : GBEADGBE (G1-B1-E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4)
Standard guitar tuning layout
The standard tunings used for 6 string guitars use the following layout for note distances between strings, defined in semitones (sample for E standard) :
Standard tuning (E)
Standard tuning (E) : EADGBE (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4)
The following pictures represents the notes with the octaves on a 24 frets 6 strings in E standard.
Half-step down (E flat)
Half-step down (E flat) : D#G#C#F#A#D# (D#2-G#2-C#3-F#3-A#3-D#4)
Half-step down, from E : -1 semitone on each string.
Drop D
Drop D : DADGBE (D2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4)
From E : 6th string -2 semitones
Drop C#
Drop C# : C#G#C#F#A#D# (C#2-G#2-C#3-F#3-A#3-D#4)
From E :
- Strings 1-5 : -1 semitone
- String 6 : -3 semitones
From E Flat :
- String 6 : -2 semitones
D Tuning
D tuning : DGCFAD (D2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4)
From E : all strings -2 semitones
Drop C
Drop C : CGCFAD (C2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4)
From E :
- Strings 1-5 : -2 semitones
- String 6 : -4 semitones
From D :
- String 6 : -2 semitone
C# Tuning
C# tuning : C#F#BEG#C# (C#2-F#2-B2-E3-G#3-C#3)
From D : -1 semitone
From E : -3 semitones
Drop B
Drop B : BF#BEG#C# (B1-F#2-B2-E3-G#3-C#4)
From C# : string 6 -2 semitones
From E :
- Strings 1-5 : -3 semitones
- String 6 : -5 semitones
C tuning (C standard)
C Tuning : CFA#D#GC (C2-F2-A#2-D#3-G3-C4)
From D : -2 semitones
From E : -4 semitones
B tuning
B tuning (B standard) : BEADF#B (B1-E2-A2-D3-F#3-B3)
From E : -5 semitones
From C : -1 semitone
Drop A
Drop A : AEADF#B (A1-E2-A2-D3-F#3-B3)
From B : 6th string -2 semitones
From E :
- Strings 1-5 : -5 semitones
- String 6 : -7 semitones
7 strings, standard
Standard tuning, 7 strings : BEADGBE (B1-E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4) :
8 strings, standard
Standard tuning, 8 strings : GBEADGBE (G1-B1-E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4)
2023-12-18 at 01:03
The Drop B tuning on the list, string 1 is C#4 not C#3. The fretboard diagram is correct, but the two listings above are incorrect.
2023-12-19 at 18:45
Thank you Shawn. Updated !
2024-07-20 at 20:33
I can’t stress how bad I’ve been trying to find something like this. Thank you for writing!
2024-11-10 at 20:03
This is super helpful! Could you add the same type of info for bass tunings as well? Thanks, either way!
2024-12-14 at 13:15
Thank you so much for this.
Great reference guide.
The only thing I noticed that is “off” is that “standard” for 8 string is F#1 not G1. In fact sine 8 strings come factory tuning F1
would be great if could add the 9 string standard fretboard
C#1 F#1 B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E3
and if possible a personal request of the 9 string tuned to B0 standard aka all 9 strings 2 semi tones down.
Yes I know I just slide everything down 2 frets between standard and B0 tuning.
But a visual representation is in calculably valuable.
Maybe the 8 string 1 semi tones down (from F#1) to E1
I’ve seen some 8 strings players that basically like to be their own bass with
E1 A1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4
and 9 strings players that like to be their own 5 string bass (like rings of Saturn)
B0 E1 A1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4
2024-12-15 at 21:14
Hey Jason, thank you for your feedback. Yes, you are right, the 8 string standard is not correct. Thank you for the idea of adding 9 string and 8 string half step down (useful for Meshuggah fans :)). I’ll put this on my todo list and will update the page.
David