Drop C Tuning on 6-string guitar
Drop C tuning is C2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4, written CGCFAD. Take Drop D and lower every string another whole step: the 6th goes from D2 to C2 and the remaining five drop a whole step each.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) | MIDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | C2 | 65.41 | 36 |
| 5th | G2 | 98.00 | 43 |
| 4th | C3 | 130.81 | 48 |
| 3rd | F3 | 174.61 | 53 |
| 2nd | A3 | 220.00 | 57 |
| 1st (highest) | D4 | 293.66 | 62 |
Every frequency is computed from the MIDI number, not typed in. Each one links to its own reference page.
TuneStand needs microphone access to detect pitch. Audio is analysed on your device and never uploaded. Your browser will ask for permission next; nothing is recorded and nothing is sent to a server.
Tune by ear, no microphone needed
Play a reference pitch and match your instrument to it. This uses the same oscillator as the tone generator and needs no permission at all.
Why guitarists use Drop C tuning
It keeps the one-finger power chord shape of Drop D but moves the whole instrument down a tone, which darkens the timbre and puts riffs comfortably under a lower vocal range. The looser string tension is the trade-off, and it is why players who live in this tuning usually move to a heavier string set.
Where you will hear it: metalcore, modern metal, post-hardcore. That list is deliberately limited to genres and playing traditions. Attributing a tuning to specific songs or players is the kind of claim that needs a source, and this page does not make claims it cannot back up.
Drop C compared with standard EADGBE tuning
This is the table that tells you how far to turn each peg, in semitones and in hertz. A negative semitone value means the string goes down.
| String | Standard | Standard (Hz) | Drop C | Drop C (Hz) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | E2 | 82.41 | C2 | 65.41 | -4 semitones (-17.00 Hz) |
| 5th | A2 | 110.00 | G2 | 98.00 | -2 semitones (-12.00 Hz) |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 | C3 | 130.81 | -2 semitones (-16.02 Hz) |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 | F3 | 174.61 | -2 semitones (-21.38 Hz) |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 | A3 | 220.00 | -2 semitones (-26.94 Hz) |
| 1st (highest) | E4 | 329.63 | D4 | 293.66 | -2 semitones (-35.96 Hz) |
Notice that equal semitone steps are not equal hertz steps: the same whole step is worth about 9 Hz down at the bottom string and far more at the top. That is why tuners report cents, which are proportional, rather than hertz.
How to tune to Drop C, string by string
- Play the 6th (lowest) open and adjust until the tuner reads C2 at 65.41 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 5th open and adjust until the tuner reads G2 at 98.00 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 4th open and adjust until the tuner reads C3 at 130.81 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 3rd open and adjust until the tuner reads F3 at 174.61 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 2nd open and adjust until the tuner reads A3 at 220.00 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 1st (highest) open and adjust until the tuner reads D4 at 293.66 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
Retune in two passes. Changing the tension on one string changes the pull on the neck, so the strings you set first will have drifted slightly by the time you finish the last one. That effect is larger the further the tuning sits from standard, so a tuning that moves four or more strings almost always needs a third pass.
Frequently asked questions
What notes is Drop C tuning on a 6-string guitar?
Drop C is C2, G2, C3, F3, A3, D4, written CGCFAD. Take Drop D and lower every string another whole step: the 6th goes from D2 to C2 and the remaining five drop a whole step each.
What are the frequencies of Drop C tuning?
C2 is 65.41 Hz, G2 is 98.00 Hz, C3 is 130.81 Hz, F3 is 174.61 Hz, A3 is 220.00 Hz, D4 is 293.66 Hz, all in twelve tone equal temperament with A4 at 440 Hz.
How many strings change compared to standard tuning?
6 of 6. the 6th (lowest) goes from E2 to C2 (down 4 semitones), the 5th goes from A2 to G2 (down 2 semitones), the 4th goes from D3 to C3 (down 2 semitones), the 3rd goes from G3 to F3 (down 2 semitones), the 2nd goes from B3 to A3 (down 2 semitones), the 1st (highest) goes from E4 to D4 (down 2 semitones).
What is the lowest note in Drop C tuning?
C2 at 65.41 Hz, MIDI note 36. Low notes take longer for a pitch detector to lock onto, so play the string firmly and let it ring before trusting the cents reading.
Other 6-string guitar tunings
More tuning references
Frequencies on this page are computed at build time from twelve tone equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz, using the twelfth root of two (about 1.059463) per semitone. Nothing is typed in by hand. See the full method and sources. Maintained by FusionStudios. Last reviewed: .