Guitar tuning
Drop C Tuning
Drop C is D standard with the lowest string dropped another whole step to C.
- Notes low to high
- C, G, C, F, A, D
- Strings
- 6
- Default frets
- 24
- Open pitch range
- C2 to D4
- 24-fret pitch range
- C2 to D6
- Also called
- CGCFAD
How this tuning changes the guitar
Drop C uses D standard on strings 1 through 5 and lowers the sixth string another whole step to C. The lowest three open strings form C-G-C.
Fretboard and chord implications
The lowest three strings support movable one-finger power chords. D-standard shapes remain unchanged on the upper five strings, but scale and arpeggio patterns must shift when they cross onto the low C string.
Drop C Tuning fretboard notes
Drop C Tuning string notes
| String | Note | Pitch |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | C | C2 |
| 5 | G | G2 |
| 4 | C | C3 |
| 3 | F | F3 |
| 2 | A | A3 |
| 1 | D | D4 |
Common uses
- heavy music
- core-style heavy music
- hard rock
- heavy rhythm guitar
Practice this tuning
- Tune from low to high as C G C F A D, then play each open string while saying its note name and string number aloud.
- Find C, G, and E flat on the lowest three strings and use them to outline C minor without leaving the first twelve frets.
- Combine low C power chords with a C natural minor melody on the upper strings, keeping the drone root audible between phrases.
Open this tuning in the fretboard tool
Start with drop c tuning loaded, then adjust root, scale, fret count, labels, colors, and orientation.
Open in interactive fretboard