Tunings
19 tunings, each described string by string with note names, MIDI numbers, intervals from the lowest string, chord shapes computed on that tuning's fretboard, and the genres in which it is used.
- Pages in this section
- 20
- Standard tunings and transpositions
- standard, half step down, full step down
- Drop tunings
- drop D, drop C, drop B, drop A
- Open tunings
- open G, open D, open E, open A, open C
- Modal tunings
- DADGAD and two variants
- Extended range
- seven-string, eight-string, baritone
- Special
- Nashville tuning (high strung)
All tunings
MIDI numbers are given for the lowest string and then as semitones above it. The genre column is descriptive; most tunings are used in more than one style.
| Tuning | Highest to lowest | Lowest to highest | Strings | MIDI · semitones above the lowest | Family | Commonly used in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | E A D G B E | E B G D A E | 6 | 40 5 10 15 19 24 | standard | Rock and pop, Classical, Jazz, Country |
| Half step down | Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb | Eb Bb Gb Db Ab Eb | 6 | 39 5 10 15 19 24 | standard | Hard rock, Blues, Soul and R&B |
| Full step down | D G C F A D | D A F C G D | 6 | 38 5 10 15 19 24 | standard | Heavy rock and metal, Blues, Stoner rock |
| Drop D | D A D G B E | E B G D A D | 6 | 38 7 12 17 21 26 | drop | Rock, Folk and singer-songwriter, Metal |
| Drop C | C G C F A D | D A F C G C | 6 | 36 7 12 17 21 26 | drop | Metalcore and post-hardcore, Hard rock |
| Drop B | B F# B E G# C# | C# G# E B F# B | 6 | 35 7 12 17 21 26 | drop | Metal, Djent and progressive metal |
| Drop A | A E A D F# B | B F# D A E A | 6 | 33 7 12 17 21 26 | drop | Metal, Doom and sludge |
| Open G | D G D G B D | D B G D G D | 6 | 38 5 12 17 21 24 | open | Blues, Country and bluegrass, Rock |
| Open D | D A D F# A D | D A F# D A D | 6 | 38 7 12 16 19 24 | open | Blues, Folk, Alternative rock |
| Open E | E B E G# B E | E B G# E B E | 6 | 40 7 12 16 19 24 | open | Blues, Rock |
| Open A | E A C# E A E | E A E C# A E | 6 | 40 5 9 12 17 24 | open | Blues, Rock |
| Open C | C G C G C E | E C G C G C | 6 | 36 7 12 19 24 28 | open | Fingerstyle, Blues and slide |
| DADGAD | D A D G A D | D A G D A D | 6 | 38 7 12 17 19 24 | modal | Folk, Celtic and traditional, Fingerstyle |
| DADGAD with a low C | C G D G A D | D A G D G C | 6 | 36 7 14 19 21 26 | modal | Folk, Fingerstyle |
| DADGAD with a low B | B G D G A D | D A G D G B | 6 | 35 8 15 20 22 27 | modal | Folk, Experimental and alternate tuning |
| Nashville tuning (high strung) | E A D G B E | E B G D A E | 6 | 64 -7 -2 -9 -5 0 | special | Country and Americana, Folk rock |
| Seven-string standard | B E A D G B E | E B G D A E B | 7 | 35 5 10 15 20 24 29 | extended | Modern metal, Jazz |
| Eight-string standard | F# B E A D G B E | E B G D A E B F# | 8 | 30 5 10 15 20 25 29 34 | extended | Progressive metal, Experimental |
| Baritone (B to B) | B E A D F# B | B F# D A E B | 6 | 35 5 10 15 19 24 | extended | Country and western, Metal, Ambient and post-rock |
Chords in altered tunings
A tuning changes which shapes are easy, not which chords are available. Each tuning page lists the shapes that tuning actually produces for its home chords and for the seven diatonic chords of its home key, found by the same fretboard search used on the chord pages.
- Open tunings give a complete major or minor triad on the open strings, so one barre produces a chord.
- Drop tunings give a power chord on the lowest three strings under one finger, and leave the upper five strings in a standard relationship.
- Modal tunings such as DADGAD produce a suspended chord on the open strings and are used where no fixed third is wanted.
- Extended-range tunings add strings below rather than changing the relationships among the top six, so standard shapes remain valid.
Other sections
- Capo — the alternative to retuning.
- Chords — the shapes in standard tuning, for comparison.
- Fretboard maps — note positions in standard tuning.
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