Drop A tuning

The sixth string is tuned to A, and the upper five strings sit a fifth above it in a standard-like relationship a fourth below standard E. At this pitch a 25.5-inch scale is normally too short for clean intonation.

1st B
2nd F#
3rd D
4th A
5th E
6th A

Notes, highest to lowest: A E A D F# B
Notes, lowest to highest: B F# D A E A
Strings: 6
Interval pattern: 6th to 5th: 7 semitones; 5th to 4th: 5 semitones; 4th to 3rd: 5 semitones; 3rd to 2nd: 4 semitones; 2nd to 1st: 5 semitones
Family: drop
Typical scale length: 26.5–28 in
Open strings contain: B7sus4, Bm7, D6, Dadd9, E7sus4, Asus2, Asus4, Bm, Bsus4, D
Written use: A very low drop tuning, normally played on a baritone or a longer-scale instrument with 13–14 gauge strings.
Key of this tuning: A

Strings

Each string of this tuning, with its scientific pitch, its MIDI note number (middle C is 60) and its distance above the lowest string.

String	Note	Octave	MIDI	Semitones above the lowest	Interval
1st (highest)	B	3	59	26	Major second plus two octaves above the lowest string
2nd	F#	3	54	21	Major thirteenth above the lowest string
3rd	D	3	50	17	Perfect eleventh above the lowest string
4th	A	2	45	12	Perfect octave above the lowest string
5th	E	2	40	7	Perfect fifth above the lowest string
6th (lowest)	A	1	33	0	the reference string

Common chord shapes

The shapes below were found by searching this tuning's fretboard. The search prefers the lowest playable position, requires every chord tone, spans no more than four frets and allows no muted string between two sounding ones. Shapes in an altered tuning are not the standard ones: they are the shapes this tuning actually produces.

Chord	Shape (lowest string first)	Notes	Degrees	Span	Sounding	Quality
A	0-0-0-2-3-2 (6→1)	A E A E A C#	1 5 1 5 1 3	3	6	Major
Am	0-0-0-2-3-1 (6→1)	A E A E A C	1 5 1 5 1 b3	3	6	Minor
A7	0-0-0-2-1-2 (6→1)	A E A E G C#	1 5 1 5 b7 3	2	6	Dominant seventh
D	0-2-0-0-0-x (6→1)	A F# A D F# x	5 3 5 1 3 x	2	5	Major
E	2-0-2-2-2-0 (6→1)	B E B E G# B	5 1 5 1 3 5	2	6	Major
Asus4	0-0-0-0-x-x (6→1)	A E A D x x	1 5 1 4 x x	0	4	Suspended fourth

Chord

Shape (lowest string first)

Notes

Degrees

Span

Sounding

Quality

0-0-0-2-3-2 (6→1)

A E A E A C#

1 5 1 5 1 3

Major

0-0-0-2-3-1 (6→1)

A E A E A C

1 5 1 5 1 b3

Minor

0-0-0-2-1-2 (6→1)

A E A E G C#

1 5 1 5 b7 3

Dominant seventh

0-2-0-0-0-x (6→1)

A F# A D F# x

5 3 5 1 3 x

Major

2-0-2-2-2-0 (6→1)

B E B E G# B

5 1 5 1 3 5

Major

Asus4

0-0-0-0-x-x (6→1)

A E A D x x

1 5 1 4 x x

Suspended fourth

Diatonic chords in A

The seven triads built on the major scale of this tuning's home key, each as a playable shape in this tuning.

Numeral	Chord	Notes	Shape (lowest string first)	Sounding	Quality
I	A	A C# E	0-0-0-2-3-2 (6→1)	6	Major
ii	Bm	B D F#	2-2-2-0-0-0 (6→1)	6	Minor
iii	C#m	C# E G#	4-0-4-2-2-2 (6→1)	6	Minor
IV	D	D F# A	0-2-0-0-0-x (6→1)	5	Major
V	E	E G# B	2-0-2-2-2-0 (6→1)	6	Major
vi	F#m	F# A C#	0-2-0-4-0-2 (6→1)	6	Minor
vii°	G#dim	G# B D	x-x-2-0-2-0 (6→1)	4	Diminished

Numeral

Chord

Notes

Shape (lowest string first)

Sounding

Quality

A C# E

0-0-0-2-3-2 (6→1)

Major

B D F#

2-2-2-0-0-0 (6→1)

Minor

iii

C#m

C# E G#

4-0-4-2-2-2 (6→1)

Minor

D F# A

0-2-0-0-0-x (6→1)

Major

E G# B

2-0-2-2-2-0 (6→1)

Major

F#m

F# A C#

0-2-0-4-0-2 (6→1)

Minor

vii°

G#dim

G# B D

x-x-2-0-2-0 (6→1)

Diminished

What this tuning is used for

A very low drop tuning, normally played on a baritone or a longer-scale instrument with 13–14 gauge strings.

GenreMetalUsed on baritone six-strings for low chugging riffs.
GenreDoom and sludgeFavoured for sustained low-register playing.

Related tunings

TuningDrop Btwo semitones higher
TuningBaritone (B to B)a fourth below standard
TuningDrop Cthree semitones higher

Everything in A · All tunings

TuningDrop B tuning — B F# B E G# C#B F# B E G# C# · 6 strings
TuningBaritone (B to B) tuning — B E A D F# BB E A D F# B · 6 strings
TuningDrop C tuning — C G C F A DC G C F A D · 6 strings
TuningOpen A tuning — E A C# E A EE A C# E A E · 6 strings
ChordA11 — Dominant eleventh1 9 3 11 5 b7 · A B C# D E G
ChordA13 — Dominant thirteenth1 9 3 5 13 b7 · A B C# E F# G
ChordA6 — Sixth1 3 5 6 · A C# E F#
DegreesA — degree mapA major and natural minor · frets 0–22

Everything in this key: A · Tunings · Theory Atlas