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The Best Strings for Alternate and Drop Tuning
D'Addario makes strings for every player—even those who tune a little differently. There are tons of alternate and drop tunings out there: Open G tuning, open D tuning, Drop D tuning, C Standard tuning, open E tuning…the list goes on. You may have even come up with your own tuning. But regardless of whether you use drop D tuning for a heavier vibe, enjoy experimenting with open tuning, or prefer the rich sound of DADGAD, we have sets to get you where you want to be.
What is Drop Tuning?
The term “drop” tuning refers to tuning down the lowest string on the guitar. If you only change the tuning of the lowest string, it’s drop tuning. For example, if you begin in E standard (EADGBE), bringing the low E string from its standard pitch of E, a step lower to D, is called drop D. Anyone who enjoys the bass-heavy tone of drop tuning can employ it to make something awesome. It’s particularly common to hear drop tuning in hard rock and metal music.
What is Open Tuning?
Open tuning is when each string of the guitar is tuned to one of the three notes in a chord (triad). Common open tunings include open D, open C, and open E. Each of those tunings creates the major triad of its note name, so playing the strings open will give you the sweet sound of the chord. This is great for a number of different styles of music, but most commonly found in acoustic folk and slide playing.
Are There Strings for Different Tunings?
D’Addario makes several “special sets,” which are optimized for different types of alternate tunings. With these sets, you‘ll have the right gauge and string tension for the tuning you want. Besides drop and open tuning sets, we also have sets for 7- and 8-string guitars.
Notes |
Description |
String |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
E Standard |
E A D G B E |
The standard and most common tuning for any 6-string guitar. |
|
|
Eb Standard |
Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb |
All strings tuned down a half step from E standard. |
|
|
D Standard |
D G C F A D |
All strings tuned a whole step down from E Standard. |
EXL117 |
|
C Standard |
C F A# D# G C |
All strings tuned two whole steps down from E Standard. |
EXL148, NYXL1260 |
|
Open G |
D G D G B D |
The open strings are tuned to the notes of a G Major chord. |
|
|
Open E |
E B E G♯ B E |
The open strings are tuned to the notes of a E Major chord. |
|
|
Open D |
D A D F♯ A D |
The open strings are tuned to the notes of a D Major chord. |
EXL116, NYXL1152 |
|
Open C |
C G C G C E |
The standard and most common tuning for any 6-string guitar. |
EXL116, NYXL1152 |
|
Drop D |
D A D G B E |
E Standard tuning with the low E string (6th) tuned down to D. |
EXL140, NYXL1052 |
|
Drop C |
C A D G B E |
E Standard tuning with the low E string (6th) tuned down to C. |
EXL140, NYXL1052 |
Drop & Alternate Tuning Guide
See the names and notes of the most common alternate tunings for guitar, plus string sets we recommend to achieve them.
