E Standard6-string guitar

Coming from

Tuning library

Pick a tuning

Choose a preset and every peg updates. Nudge any string with − and + and the name at the top re-reads itself from the notes.

Fretboard

Where the notes land

Chord

Specification

The numbers

Reference pitch

Pitch

The change

Structure

Reference

Every tuning in the book

73 tunings across six instruments. Spellings run from the lowest string to the highest.

6-string guitar

Tuning	Notes	Family	Notes on it
E Standard	E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4	Standard	The reference point. Fourths all the way up except the major third between G and B. Also called Standard, EADGBE.
Drop D	D2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4	Drop	Lowest string down a whole step. One finger covers a power chord on the bottom three strings. Heard from Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine. Also called DADGBE.
E♭ Standard	Eb2 Ab2 Db3 Gb3 Bb3 Eb4	Standard	Everything down a half step. Slacker strings, easier bends, a fatter sound. Heard from Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Guns N’ Roses. Also called Half step down.
Drop C♯	C#2 G#2 C#3 F#3 A#3 D#4	Drop	Drop D shifted down a half step. Heard from Deftones.
D Standard	D2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4	Standard	A whole step below standard. Heavier without changing a single chord shape. Heard from Alice in Chains, Soundgarden. Also called Whole step down.
Drop C	C2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4	Drop	The modern metal workhorse: D standard with the low string dropped to C. Heard from System of a Down, Bullet for My Valentine.
D♭ Standard	Db2 Gb2 B2 E3 Ab3 Db4	Standard	Three half steps down. Wants heavier gauges to stay tight. Heard from Deftones.
Drop B	B1 F#2 B2 E3 G#3 C#4	Drop	Low and slack on a 25.5" scale. Baritone territory. Heard from Slipknot, Bring Me the Horizon.
C Standard	C2 F2 Bb2 Eb3 G3 C4	Standard	Two whole steps down. Needs 12s or heavier to keep any tension.
Drop A♯	A#1 F2 A#2 D#3 G3 C4	Drop	C standard with the low string dropped. Effectively a baritone tuning.
B Standard	B1 E2 A2 D3 F#3 B3	Standard	Standard tuning for baritone guitars — a 7-string minus its top E. Heard from Meshuggah. Also called Baritone standard.
Drop A	A1 E2 A2 D3 F#3 B3	Drop	B standard with the low string dropped to A. Baritone scale strongly recommended.
Double Drop D	D2 A2 D3 G3 B3 D4	Modal	Both E strings drop to D. Droning octaves top and bottom, standard shapes in between. Heard from Neil Young. Also called DADGBD.
DADGAD	D2 A2 D3 G3 A3 D4	Modal	A Dsus4 drone. Neither major nor minor, which is exactly why it works. Heard from Jimmy Page, Pierre Bensusan. Also called Celtic tuning, Dsus4.
Open D	D2 A2 D3 F#3 A3 D4	Open	Strum the open strings and you get a D major chord. Slide players live here. Heard from Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan. Also called DADF#AD, Vestapol.
Open D minor	D2 A2 D3 F3 A3 D4	Open	Open D with the third flattened. Dark, and one finger away from major. Also called DADFAD.
Open E	E2 B2 E3 G#3 B3 E4	Open	Open D moved up a whole step. Three strings go up, so use light gauges. Heard from Duane Allman, Derek Trucks.
Open G	D2 G2 D3 G3 B3 D4	Open	A G major chord open. Keith Richards drops the low string entirely and plays five. Heard from Keith Richards. Also called DGDGBD, Spanish tuning.
Open G minor	D2 G2 D3 G3 Bb3 D4	Open	Open G with a flat third. A staple of Delta blues.
Open A	E2 A2 E3 A3 C#4 E4	Open	Open G raised a whole step — bright, tight, and hard on the top strings.
Open C	C2 G2 C3 G3 C4 E4	Open	Huge and orchestral: three Cs and two Gs before you fret anything. Heard from Devin Townsend, John Butler. Also called CGCGCE.
All Fourths	E2 A2 D3 G3 C4 F4	Other	Removes the major-third quirk. Every scale shape repeats identically across all six strings. Heard from Stanley Jordan. Also called EADGCF.
New Standard Tuning	C2 G2 D3 A3 E4 G4	Other	Fifths, like a cello, with a minor third on top. Robert Fripp’s system for Guitar Craft. Heard from Robert Fripp. Also called NST, CGDAEG.

7-string guitar

Tuning	Notes	Family	Notes on it
B Standard	B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4	Standard	E standard with a low B underneath. The 7-string reference. Heard from Steve Vai, Dream Theater. Also called 7-string standard, BEADGBE.
Drop A	A1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4	Drop	Lowest string down a whole step for one-finger power chords in the basement. Heard from Periphery.
B♭ Standard	Bb1 Eb2 Ab2 Db3 Gb3 Bb3 Eb4	Standard	7-string standard down a half step. Also called Half step down.
Drop G♯	G#1 D#2 G#2 C#3 F#3 A#3 D#4	Drop	Drop A shifted down a half step. Heard from Periphery.
A Standard	A1 D2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4	Standard	7-string standard down a whole step. Heard from Korn. Also called Whole step down.
Drop G	G1 D2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4	Drop	A standard with the low string dropped to G.
A♭ Standard	Ab1 Db2 Gb2 B2 E3 Ab3 Db4	Standard	Three half steps below 7-string standard.
Drop F♯	F#1 C#2 F#2 B2 E3 G#3 C#4	Drop	The low string lands on the same F# an 8-string starts from.
G Standard	G1 C2 F2 Bb2 Eb3 G3 C4	Standard	Two whole steps down. Long scale and thick strings required.
Drop F	F1 C2 F2 Bb2 Eb3 G3 C4	Drop	About as low as a 7-string goes before the strings stop behaving.
All Fourths	B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 C4 F4	Other	Uniform fourths across seven strings. Every shape is movable in both directions. Also called BEADGCF.
Russian Open G	D2 G2 B2 D3 G3 B3 D4	Open	The traditional Russian seven-string: an open G major spread over seven strings in thirds and fourths. Also called DGBDGBD.

8-string guitar

Tuning	Notes	Family	Notes on it
F♯ Standard	F#1 B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4	Standard	7-string standard with a low F# added. The 8-string reference. Heard from Meshuggah, Animals as Leaders. Also called 8-string standard, F#BEADGBE.
Drop E	E1 B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4	Drop	The lowest string drops to E — the same pitch as a bass low E. Heard from Animals as Leaders.
F Standard	F1 Bb1 Eb2 Ab2 Db3 Gb3 Bb3 Eb4	Standard	8-string standard down a half step. Heard from Meshuggah. Also called Half step down.
Drop D♯	D#1 A#1 D#2 G#2 C#3 F#3 A#3 D#4	Drop	Drop E shifted down a half step.
E Standard	E1 A1 D2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4	Standard	8-string standard down a whole step. The bottom four strings sit in bass range. Also called Whole step down.
Drop D	D1 A1 D2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4	Drop	A low D below the bass staff. A 28"+ scale keeps it from flopping.
E♭ Standard	Eb1 Ab1 Db2 Gb2 B2 E3 Ab3 Db4	Standard	Three half steps below 8-string standard.
Drop C♯	C#1 G#1 C#2 F#2 B2 E3 G#3 C#4	Drop	Extended-range territory where string gauge matters more than tuning choice.
D Standard	D1 G1 C2 F2 Bb2 Eb3 G3 C4	Standard	Two whole steps down across all eight strings.
Drop C	C1 G1 C2 F2 Bb2 Eb3 G3 C4	Drop	A low C at 32.7 Hz — below the lowest note on a 4-string bass.
All Fourths	F#1 B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 C4 F4	Other	Eight strings, one interval. The most symmetrical fretboard you can build. Also called F#BEADGCF.

4-string bass

Tuning	Notes	Family	Notes on it
E Standard	E1 A1 D2 G2	Standard	Fourths, an octave below the bottom four strings of a guitar. The reference. Also called Standard, EADG.
Drop D	D1 A1 D2 G2	Drop	Low string down a whole step, usually to follow a guitarist who did the same. Also called DADG.
E♭ Standard	Eb1 Ab1 Db2 Gb2	Standard	The whole bass down a half step. Common backing for E♭ guitars. Also called Half step down.
Drop C♯	C#1 G#1 C#2 F#2	Drop	Drop D shifted down a half step.
D Standard	D1 G1 C2 F2	Standard	A whole step down. Noticeably slacker unless you move up a gauge. Also called Whole step down.
Drop C	C1 G1 C2 F2	Drop	Matches a guitarist in Drop C, two octaves below.
D♭ Standard	Db1 Gb1 B1 E2	Standard	Three half steps down.
Drop B	B0 F#1 B1 E2	Drop	A low B on four strings — the pitch a 5-string gets for free.
C Standard	C1 F1 Bb1 Eb2	Standard	Two whole steps down. Heavy strings or a long scale, ideally both.
B Standard	B0 E1 A1 D2	Standard	The bottom four strings of a 5-string bass, on a four.
Drop A	A0 E1 A1 D2	Drop	A0 is the lowest A on a piano. Expect a .145 or thicker.
Tenor Bass	A1 D2 G2 C3	Other	Everything up a fourth: drop the low E, add a high C. Bright and soloistic. Heard from Stanley Clarke. Also called ADGC, Piccolo-ish.
Fifths	C1 G1 D2 A2	Other	Tuned in fifths like a cello. Enormous range, brutal stretches. Also called CGDA, Cello tuning.

5-string bass

Tuning	Notes	Family	Notes on it
B Standard	B0 E1 A1 D2 G2	Standard	A low B below standard four-string tuning. The 5-string reference. Also called 5-string standard, BEADG.
High C	E1 A1 D2 G2 C3	Other	The other way to build a five: keep the low E, add a high C for chords and solos. Also called EADGC.
Drop A	A0 E1 A1 D2 G2	Drop	Low B dropped a whole step to A, matching drop-tuned 7- and 8-string guitars.
B♭ Standard	Bb0 Eb1 Ab1 Db2 Gb2	Standard	Five strings down a half step. Also called Half step down.
Drop G♯	G#0 D#1 G#1 C#2 F#2	Drop	Drop A shifted down a half step.
A Standard	A0 D1 G1 C2 F2	Standard	Five strings down a whole step. The low A sits at 27.5 Hz. Also called Whole step down.
Drop G	G0 D1 G1 C2 F2	Drop	Below the range of a grand piano’s lowest string but one. Subsonic without a good rig.
E♭ + High C	Eb1 Ab1 Db2 Gb2 B2	Other	High-C tuning taken down a half step to sit with E♭ guitars.

6-string bass

Tuning	Notes	Family	Notes on it
B Standard	B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 C3	Standard	A low B and a high C wrapped around standard tuning. The 6-string reference. Heard from John Myung, Anthony Jackson. Also called 6-string standard, BEADGC.
Drop A	A0 E1 A1 D2 G2 C3	Drop	Low B dropped to A while the rest of the instrument stays put.
B♭ Standard	Bb0 Eb1 Ab1 Db2 Gb2 B2	Standard	Six strings down a half step. Also called Half step down.
A Standard	A0 D1 G1 C2 F2 Bb2	Standard	Six strings down a whole step. Also called Whole step down.
F♯ Standard	F#0 B0 E1 A1 D2 G2	Standard	Skips the high C in favour of a subcontra F#. Fundamentals this low are felt, not heard. Also called Low F#.
Fifths	F0 C1 G1 D2 A2 E3	Other	Six strings in fifths spans nearly four octaves without moving your hand. Also called FCGDAE.