Guitar tuning · C G C F A D

Drop C tuner.

C G C F A D: String 6 dropped to C2. 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…

C G C F A D · Drop D shape · −2 st

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

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tab: D

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Strings · tap to hear

Guitar · Drop tuning

About Drop C

D Standard with String 6 dropped a whole step, to C2: C G C F A D. Drop tunings make a power chord from one finger across the lowest three strings, so heavy riffs get easier to play.

Drop C is a staple of hard rock, metalcore and nu-metal riffs. It is D Standard with String 6 one whole step lower.

Also written: CGCFAD

How to get there from standard

  • String 6: lower 2 whole steps (E2 → C2)
  • 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 D Standard: lower String 6 a whole step (D2 → C2).

6 strings

Notes and frequencies

Drop C: notes and frequencies in Hz at three common A4 references
StringNoteA = 440A = 432A = 442
6C265.4164.2265.70
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 C2

Drop C goes down to C2 on String 6, 65.41 Hz. A phone mic hears C2 faintly: in our phone-mic model its fundamental arrives 8 dB quieter. Read from its overtones, C2 stayed within 1 ¢.

How the tuner listens →

String tension

Strings and tension

String 6: about 37% less tension. Strings 5–⁠1: about 21% less tension (approx., same strings, same scale length).

To keep the feel of a 10–⁠46 set at standard pitch, try about 11–⁠59 (approx.: string makers' charts differ, and many players simply like it looser).

A longer neck helps too. Compared with a 25.5″ guitar, a 27″ scale gives back about a half step of tension and 28.6″ about a whole step (approx.).

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

Neighboring tunings

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

  1. Drop DLow string down to D
  2. Drop C♯Drop D, 1 half step lower
  3. Drop CThis pageDrop D, 2 half steps lower. Notes: C G C F A D
  4. Drop BDrop D, 3 half steps lower
  5. Drop B♭Drop D, 4 half steps lower. Notes: B flat F B flat E flat G C

Questions

What are the notes of Drop C?

From String 6 to String 1: C2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4. At A4 = 440 Hz the lowest string is 65.41 Hz and the highest is 293.66 Hz.

How is Drop C different from C Standard?

C Standard lowers all six strings 2 whole steps (C F B♭ E♭ G C). Drop C takes only String 6 that low; the other strings stay at D Standard (G C F A D).

Do I need heavier strings for Drop C?

String 6: about 37% less tension. Strings 5–⁠1: about 21% less tension (approx.). To keep the feel of a 10–⁠46 set at standard pitch, try about 11–⁠59 (approx.: string makers' charts differ, and many players simply like it looser).