Guitar guide
Drop D tuning: notes, frequencies and how to tune
Drop D guitar tuning is D–A–D–G–B–E, from the thickest string to the thinnest. Starting in standard tuning, lower only the sixth string from E2 to D2.
D2 · A2 · D3 · G3 · B3 · E4
| String | Note | A4 = 440 | A4 = 432 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | D2 | 73.42 | 72.08 |
| 5 | A2 | 110.00 | 108.00 |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 | 144.16 |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 | 192.43 |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 | 242.45 |
| 1 | E4 | 329.63 | 323.63 |
Equal temperament; rounded to two decimals. Octave numbers matter: D2 is an octave below D3.
Compare Drop D with another guitar tuning →
How to tune from standard to Drop D
- Begin with standard guitar tuning: E2–A2–D3–G3–B3–E4. Remove a capo before checking the open strings.
- Play the open sixth string by itself. Lower its pitch gradually from E2, through D♯2, to D2. This is one whole step, or two semitones, down.
- Keep the other five strings at A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4. Mute the strings you are not checking so the tuner hears one note at a time.
- Recheck all six strings after the change. Use small adjustments and let each plucked note settle before reading the display.
At A4 = 440 Hz, the low D target is about 73.42 Hz. The fourth string is also D, but one octave higher, about 146.83 Hz. Match the correct string and octave rather than trying to bring both D strings to the same pitch.
Use Drop D in MultiTuner
Create a tuner, choose Guitar and the Drop D preset, then choose the reference pitch your music calls for. Save it with a name you recognize. Drop D does not require a custom tuning or Premium; Free includes two saved tuners with all built-in presets.
Drop D, D Standard or DADGAD?
They start with the same low D, but the other strings differ. Drop D changes only the sixth string. D Standard lowers every string by a whole step: D–G–C–F–A–D. Compare Drop D, D Standard and Drop C in one chart. DADGAD is D–A–D–G–A–D, which also lowers the top two strings from standard.
What if the tuner still expects E?
A fixed-target standard-guitar preset expects an E on the sixth string. Select Drop D, or use chromatic mode and aim for D2. Check that your reference is correct too: the 432 Hz column above applies when A4 is set to 432, not when the low D string is set to 432 Hz.
If readings jump, mute adjacent strings and reduce nearby sound. You are tuning one sounding string at a time; strumming all six together will not give six independent readings.
What changes at A4 = 432 Hz?
The string names stay D–A–D–G–B–E, while every target frequency becomes slightly lower. Use the table’s 432 column only when the rest of your music uses that reference. Read 432 vs 440 Hz before switching.
Notes and sources
Written for MultiTuner. Frequency tables are calculated using f = A4 × 2((m − 69) / 12), where m is the MIDI note number. See UNSW’s note and frequency reference. App instructions are checked against MultiTuner’s built-in presets and reference-pitch controls.
Tuning pattern cross-check: Fender’s alternate tuning reference.