8-string guitar tuning · E B E A D G B E

8-string Drop E tuner.

E B E A D G B E: String 8 dropped to E1. Tune with your mic or by ear, at A4 = 440 or any pitch you need.

Tuner · Any tuning

Tune your 8-⁠string.

Pluck a string and the meter shows how far off it is. Tap any string to hear it at its true pitch and tune by ear.

  • Pick any instrument and tuning
  • Shift it down or up by half steps
  • Set A to anything: 440, 432, 442…

E B E A D G B E

The sound never leaves your device.

Keys: Space start or stop · ← → half step · ↑ ↓ A (Shift: bigger steps) · 1–9 string · M mode · R hear · − + volume · L copy link · Esc done

Ready

Tap Start, then pluck any string.

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Strings · tap to hear

8-string guitar · Drop tuning

About 8-string Drop E

F♯ Standard with String 8 dropped a whole step, to E1: E B E A D G B E. Drop tunings make a power chord from one finger across the lowest three strings, so heavy riffs get easier to play.

Drop E on an 8-string puts String 8 on E1, the same note as the low E of a bass guitar. Only String 8 changes.

Also written: Drop E (8-string) · EBEADGBE

How to get there from standard

  • String 8: lower a whole step (F♯1 → E1)
  • String 7: no change (B1)
  • String 6: no change (E2)
  • String 5: no change (A2)
  • String 4: no change (D3)
  • String 3: no change (G3)
  • String 2: no change (B3)
  • String 1: no change (E4)

8 strings

Notes and frequencies

8-string Drop E: notes and frequencies in Hz at three common A4 references
StringNoteA = 440A = 432A = 442
8E141.2040.4541.39
7B161.7460.6162.02
6E282.4180.9182.78
5A2110.00108.00110.50
4D3146.83144.16147.50
3G3196.00192.43196.89
2B3246.94242.45248.06
1E4329.63323.63331.13

The tuner on this page works at any A4 from 300 to 600 Hz, and can shift the whole tuning by half steps or fine cents.

Low notes. The lowest string here is E1 at 41.20 Hz. Most phone mics lose a lot of level below 80–⁠100 Hz, so they mostly hear the string's overtones. If the reading jumps, play the 12th-fret harmonic with the ×2 harmonic mode, or plug in through an audio interface. That's physics, not you.

Measured

How the tuner hears E1

8-string Drop E goes down to E1 on String 8, 41.20 Hz. A phone mic hears E1 faintly: in our phone-mic model its fundamental arrives 16 dB quieter. Read from its overtones, E1 stayed within 2 ¢.

How the tuner listens →

String tension

Strings and tension

String 8: about 21% less tension (approx., same strings, same scale length).

Most players keep their usual strings for this. If the lowest string feels floppy or buzzes, go one gauge heavier on that string only.

Check string tension → String by string, with your own set and scale length.

Neighboring tunings

Higher tunings first. Each rung moves every string of 8-string Drop E by a half step; in the tuner, the ◂ ▸ arrows on the tuning chip do the same.

  1. Drop F♯Drop E, 2 half steps higher. Notes: F sharp C sharp F sharp B E A C sharp F sharp
  2. Drop FDrop E, 1 half step higher. Notes: F C F B flat E flat A flat C F
  3. Drop EThis pageLow string down to E. Notes: E B E A D G B E
  4. Drop E♭Drop E, 1 half step lower. Notes: E flat B flat E flat A flat D flat G flat B flat E flat
  5. Drop DDrop E, 2 half steps lower. Notes: D A D G C F A D

Questions

What are the notes of 8-string Drop E?

From String 8 to String 1: E1 B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4. At A4 = 440 Hz the lowest string is 41.20 Hz and the highest is 329.63 Hz.

How is 8-string Drop E different from E Standard?

E Standard lowers all eight strings a whole step (E A D G C F A D). 8-string Drop E takes only String 8 that low; the other strings stay at F♯ Standard (B E A D G B E).

Can I use 8-string Drop E at A = 432 or 442?

Yes. Tap the A 440 chip and choose 432 or 442, or type any value. String 8 is 40.45 Hz at A = 432 and 41.39 Hz at A = 442.