Guitar tuning · D G C F A D

D Standard tuner.

D G C F A D: a whole step down from standard. Tune with your mic or by ear, at A4 = 440 or any pitch you need.

Tuner · Any tuning

Tune your guitar.

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…

D G C F A D · E Standard shape · −2 st

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

tab: E

Tap Start, then pluck any string.

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Strings · tap to hear

Guitar · Downtuned standard

About D Standard

Every string sits a whole step below E Standard: D G C F A D. Downtuned standard tunings keep every chord shape you know; songs simply sound lower and the strings feel a bit looser.

D Standard gives a heavier sound while keeping every familiar shape. It is common in grunge, metal and singer-songwriter music, and the looser strings make wide bends easier.

Also written: whole step down · DGCFAD

How to get there from standard

  • String 6: lower a whole step (E2 → D2)
  • String 5: lower a whole step (A2 → G2)
  • String 4: lower a whole step (D3 → C3)
  • String 3: lower a whole step (G3 → F3)
  • String 2: lower a whole step (B3 → A3)
  • String 1: lower a whole step (E4 → D4)

Quicker from Drop C: raise String 6 a whole step (C2 → D2).

6 strings

Notes and frequencies

D Standard: notes and frequencies in Hz at three common A4 references
StringNoteA = 440A = 432A = 442
6D273.4272.0873.75
5G298.0096.2298.44
4C3130.81128.43131.41
3F3174.61171.44175.41
2A3220.00216.00221.00
1D4293.66288.33295.00

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.

Measured

How the tuner hears D2

D Standard goes down to D2 on String 6, 73.42 Hz. A phone mic hears D2 faintly: in our phone-mic model its fundamental arrives 6 dB quieter. Read from its overtones, D2 stayed within 1 ¢.

How the tuner listens →

String tension

Strings and tension

Strings 6–⁠1: 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 D Standard by a half step; in the tuner, the ◂ ▸ arrows on the tuning chip do the same.

  1. E StandardThe usual tuning
  2. E♭ StandardAll strings 1 half step lower
  3. D StandardThis pageAll strings 2 half steps lower. Notes: D G C F A D
  4. C♯ StandardAll strings 3 half steps lower
  5. C StandardAll strings 4 half steps lower

Questions

What are the notes of D Standard?

From String 6 to String 1: D2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4. At A4 = 440 Hz the lowest string is 73.42 Hz and the highest is 293.66 Hz.

Is D Standard the same as tuning a whole step down?

Yes. D Standard means every string is a whole step lower than standard: D G C F A D. Tabs often call it "whole step down". Chord shapes stay the same; only the sound moves down.

Can I use D Standard at A = 432 or 442?

Yes. Tap the A 440 chip and choose 432 or 442, or type any value. String 6 is 72.08 Hz at A = 432 and 73.75 Hz at A = 442.