DADGBE
Drop D tuner
Only the sixth string changes. It drops a whole step from E2 to D2 at 73.42 Hz. The other five stay at 110, 146.83, 196, 246.94 and 329.63 Hz. A one-finger power chord appears on the lowest three strings, and the open D is now an octave above the low string.
What gets looser
The low string is the same gauge at a lower pitch, so it pulls less. If it buzzes on the first frets, that is a setup observation, not a fault this page can name. Players who live in drop D often fit a slightly heavier sixth string. Estimate that change in the tension calculator before you buy a set.
Do not stop at the low string
Detuning one string shifts the neck a little. After the low D settles, recheck A and the high strings. If you only wanted the sound of open G, stop — that tuning also lowers the fifth string and the high E. Drop D and open G share a low D and then diverge.
Questions
- Which songs use this?
- Plenty of rock and folk riffs sit in drop D because the low D matches the open fourth string. The page does not need a playlist to be useful: if the tab says DADGBE, these are the targets.
- Is 73 Hz too low for the microphone?
- It is near the bottom of what phone mics like, but a clear pluck usually reads. Move closer to the guitar and away from a rumbling fan.