Just like there’s a wide variety of delicious banana split recipes, the world of guitar tunings is incredibly diverse. Whether you’re a beginner just learning the ropes or an experienced player looking to explore new sonic territories, understanding different guitar tunings is essential. This Guitar Tuning Chart provides a comprehensive overview of standard tuning and a variety of popular alternate tunings to inspire your musical journey.
Standard tuning is the most common and fundamental tuning for guitar. It serves as the foundation for countless songs and genres. However, venturing into alternate tunings can unlock new sounds, simplify playing in certain keys, and open up exciting creative avenues. This chart details the notes and octaves for each string in standard tuning and several popular variations. For those interested in the precise frequencies of each note, you can refer to our detailed note frequency chart. This resource focuses on 6-string guitars, providing a solid starting point for most guitarists.
| Tuning Name | String 6 | String 5 | String 4 | String 3 | String 2 | String 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Tuning | E2 | A2 | D3 | G3 | B3 | E4 |
| Half-Step Down (E♭ Tuning) | E♭2 | A♭2 | D♭3 | G♭3 | B♭3 | E♭4 |
| Full Step Down (D Tuning) | D2 | G2 | C3 | F3 | A3 | D4 |
| DADGAD | D2 | A2 | D3 | G3 | A3 | D4 |
| Drop D | D2 | A2 | D3 | G3 | B3 | E4 |
| Double Drop D | D2 | A2 | D3 | G3 | B3 | D4 |
| Drop A | A1 | E2 | A2 | D3 | F♯3 | B3 |
| Drop B | B1 | F♯2 | B2 | E3 | G♯3 | C♯3 |
| Drop C | C2 | G2 | C3 | F3 | A3 | D4 |
| Open C | C2 | G2 | C3 | G3 | C4 | E4 |
| Open D | D2 | A2 | D3 | F♯3 | A3 | D4 |
| Open A | E2 | A2 | C♯3 | E3 | A3 | E4 |
| Open B | B1 | F♯2 | B2 | F♯3 | B3 | D♯4 |
| Open E | E2 | B2 | E3 | G♯3 | B3 | E4 |
| Open G | D2 | G2 | D3 | G3 | B3 | D4 |
This guitar tuning chart includes popular tunings such as Drop D, often used in rock and metal for a heavier sound, and Open G, favored in blues and folk music. Open tunings, like Open D, Open G, Open C, Open A, Open E, and Open B, allow you to play chords by simply strumming across all strings, which is particularly useful for slide guitar and fingerstyle playing. Experimenting with tunings like DADGAD can lead to drone-like textures and a unique harmonic landscape, often explored in folk and Celtic music. Half-step down and full-step down tunings are commonly used to lower the overall pitch of the guitar, which can be beneficial for vocalists or to achieve a darker tone.
For those eager to delve deeper into the vast world of guitar tunings beyond this guitar tuning chart, the Wikipedia article on guitar tunings offers an extensive list and further reading. We also encourage you to explore our guitar scales tool, virtual guitar fretboard, and guitar tuner to further enhance your guitar playing journey. Embrace the variety of tunings and discover how they can transform your music!
