Drop D Tuning is a tuning style where the tuning of the low E string is tuned to D, enabling the guitarist to play power chords with a single finger, and a D power chord on the bottom 2 or 3 open strings. This tuning gives the guitar a larger, fuller sound. Playing chords in drop-D tuning is very simple as long as you remember that anything played on the sixth string (lower E, the thickest of the strings) must be moved up two frets.

To tune drop D, make sure you are tuned to standard tuning, and then simply tune your low E string one full step down to D.

Drop D tuning is most popular in heavy metal and recently some mainstream rock music.

Playing chords in Drop D Tuning

 

A     x02220
Am    x02210
B     x24442
Bm    x24432
C     x32010
D     000232
Dm    000231
E     xx2100
Em    222000
F     xx3211
F#    xx4322
F#m   xx4222
G     5x0003