• Registered: 2007-07-20
  • Posts: 26

Topic: Drop D Tuning -- Am I doing it right?

This could be a stupid question . . .

When I research on the web about tuning my guitar to Drop D almost everyone says tune the open E (6th) string to the same tone and pitch as the open D string. Easy. Well, I've never been good at distinguishing tone difference and all that stuff, so I'm not sure I'm getting it right.

Here's what I do. I play the E (6th) string at the 12th fret (no harmonics, just normal pressure on the string) and using my chromatic tuner I tune the string to D.

Is this okay, or am I not finding Drop D at all?

Thanks.

  • Registered: 2009-11-16
  • Posts: 605

Re: Drop D Tuning -- Am I doing it right?

It is easiest to pluck the 6th (E) string and the 4th (D) string at the same time and listen for the harmonic. Or if you have a tuner pluck the E and slowly tune down till you tuner says D

  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: Drop D Tuning -- Am I doing it right?

Or tune it to this guy.  About 30 seconds in he tunes to drop D.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRYk6lmp … re=related

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  • tandm3
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Florida Panhandle
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 421

Re: Drop D Tuning -- Am I doing it right?

yep. Use a chromatic tuner and tune your low E string to D.  That's it. You may need to check the tuning of your other strings since the pressure on the neck changed a little when you lowered the E to D..  The next step of course is "Double Drop D Tuning" where both the high and low E strings are re-tuned to D. Have fun with it! This is one of the great things about guitars. There are almost no rules(despite all of the rules of course). smile

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  • Registered: 2007-07-20
  • Posts: 26

Re: Drop D Tuning -- Am I doing it right?

Thanks for replying.

I tried using my chromatic tuner to tune the E string but in just stayed in E albeit very flat! So I put distortion on, hit both E and D open and tuned the E down until they meshed. Then I checked my old way on the E string fret 12 and I was in D. So my way works too, I've found out. Good to know I'm tuning correctly.

Thanks for the advice though.