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Double drop D tuning: DADGBD, also known simply as double drop D, is an alternative guitar tuning: both E strings are tuned down ("dropped") one whole step (2 frets) to D rather than E as in standard tuning (EADGBE).

Uses of double dropped D tuning

The main use for double dropped D is so that guitarists can play intervals of a fifth with one finger on the bass strings, and play the treble side of a barre chord. Some recordings that make effective use of this tuning are " Black Water" by The Doobie Brothers, " The Loner," " Cortez the Killer," " Don't Let It Bring You Down," " Ohio" and " Cinnamon Girl" by Neil Young, " Choctaw Bingo" and "We Can't Make It Here" by James McMurtry, " Find the Cost of Freedom" by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, " Going to California" by Led Zeppelin, " The End" by The Doors, " Devils & Dust" by Bruce Springsteen, "Satellite" by Elliott Smith, " Overkill" by Men At Work, ^[1] " Bryter Layter" by Nick Drake and " Nobody's Fault but My Own" by Beck.

Examples of chords in dropped D tuning

Chords in double dropped D tuning are formed as they are in standard tuning, with the exception of the first and sixth strings, which are either omitted or fretted one whole step higher:

Note that these chords are not the power chords commonly played in double drop D tuning. Power chords generally mute the higher notes rather than the lower notes:

For purposes of making the table easier to read, spaces are provided between each number when the fret number becomes a double digit.

Some examples of the simplified barre chords are shown below. Chords involving the minor third may be more difficult to fret.

References