Drop B Tuning

This article contains a list of guitar tunings that supplements the article guitar tunings. In particular, this list contains more examples of open and regular tunings, which are discussed in the article on guitar tunings. In addition, this list also notes dropped tunings.

Standard tuning

E-A-D-g-b-e

Throughout, this list references standard tuning, i.e. for comparison.

Open

Major

Major open-tunings give a major chord with the open strings.

Open A

: E-A-C-E-A-E
* Alternatively: A-E-A-E-A-C (one step down from "Open B")
* "Slide" Open A: E-A-E-A-C-E (identical to "Open G" tuning but with every string raised one step or two frets) Used by Jimmy Page on " In My Time of Dying" and Jack White on " Seven Nation Army"
→

Open B

: B-F-B-F-B-D
* Alternatively: F-B-D-F-B-D
Used by Nickelback on "Should've Listened", Devin Townsend in recent years, and Big Wreck on "Albatross".

Open C

: C-G-C-G-C-E

This open C tuning is used by William Ackerman for his "Townsend Shuffle" and by John Fahey for his tribute to Mississippi John Hurt. This tuning is also commonly used by John Butler on his 12-string guitar. This tuning is used on most work by Devin Townsend in his solo work as well as his work with Strapping Young Lad. When playing on a 7-string guitar, he would have a low G as the lowest string to complete the fifth. David Wilcox also recorded his most famous songs, "Eye of the Hurricane" and "Rusty Old American Dream", both from ''How Did You Find Me Here'', in this tuning, as well as "New World", "Show the Way", "Hold It Up to the Light", and his cover of "It's the Same Old Song" from ''Big Horizon'', and "Mango" from ''East Asheville Hardware''.

: C-E-G-C-E-G
The English guitar used a repetitive open-C tuning that approximated a major-thirds tuning.

: C-C-G-C-E-G

This open-C tuning gives the initial harmonic series when a C-string is struck.:
The C-C-G-C-E-G tuning uses the harmonic sequence (overtones) of the note C. When an open-note C-string is struck, its harmonic sequence begins with the notes (C,C,G,C,E,G,B♭,C).
This overtone-series tuning was modified by Mick Ralphs, who used a high C rather than the high G for " Can't Get Enough" on '' Bad Company''. Ralphs said, "It needs the open C to have that ring," and "it never really sounds right in standard tuning".

Open D

: D-A-D-F-A-D

Open-D tuning is used by Joni Mitchell for her " Big Yellow Taxi", Nick Drake for "Place To Be", Alt-J for "Interlude 2", Boys Like Girls for "Thunder", David Wilcox for "Wildberry Pie", "Mighty Ocean", "Kindness", and "Never Enough", and by Soko for "No More Home, No More Love".
Open-D tuning has been called ''Vestapol'' tuning.

Richie Havens used Open D tuning to be able to play chords using only his thumb and one or two fingers. Wilco have several songs in Open D.

Kevin Cronin used Open D in " Time for Me to Fly", the 1978 REO Speedwagon hit song, with four top-string variations for G and A.

* Alternatively: D-A-D'-A'-D''-D''
This alternative Open D tuning (and its downtuned variations) is frequently used by Mark Tremonti guitarist for the bands Creed, Alter Bridge, and Tremonti. It was also used by Keith Richards on " Jumpin' Jack Flash" and the Stone Roses in " Love Spreads".

: C-G-C-F-G-C

This tuning is the same as Open D but tuned a half-step down. It is used by Alice In Chains on the songs " Over Now", "Nothin' Song", and "Shame in You"; by Guns N' Roses on the song "Bad Obsession"; and by Switchfoot on the song "Daisy".

Open E

: E-B-E-G#-B-E (''use light-gauge strings'' because three strings must be raised) Open E is used by: Duane Allman on Fillmore East and many other Slide tracks he played and recorded Brian Jones on " No Expectations", " I Wanna Be Your Man"; Keith Richards on "Salt of the Earth", "Prodigal Son", " Gimme Shelter", " Jigsaw Puzzle", " Jumpin' Jack Flash", " You Can't Always Get What You Want" and by Bob Dylan on his 1975 album '' Blood on the Tracks''. The tuning is also used by Hoobastank on their first and second albums, and by Junior Campbell on The Marmalade recordings " Reflections of My Life" and "I See the Rain". Lastly, the Open E tuning is used by Johnny Marr of the Smiths on " The Headmaster Ritual".

Open F

: F-A-C-F-C-F (requires light-gauge strings)

*Alternatively (without light-gauge strings): C-F-C-F-A-C
C-F-C-F-A-C is the more common of the two.
Used by
: Elizabeth Cotten on her song "When I Get Home"
:Led Zeppelin on " When the Levee Breaks" and "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp" (studio)
* F-Sharp Tuning: F-B-C-F-C-F
* Alternative: C-F-C-F-A-C
F-F-C-F-A-C is also used by Dave Mason on "Only You Know and I Know"

F-A-C-G-C-E is also sometimes used, most notably by the band American Football. The guitarist Yvette Young is also known to use this tuning.

Open G

: D-G-D-G-B-D (also known as ''Spanish Tuning'' or ''Chicago Tuning'')
Open G was used in rock by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin in the songs " Dancing Days", " That's The Way" and " Black Country Woman", Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones as well as in Mississippi blues by Son House, Charley Patton, and Robert Johnson, some songs by Alter Bridge (including down-tuned and minor variations on "In Loving Memory", "Watch Over You", "Wonderful Life", "Words Darker Than Their Wings", "Cradle to the Grave", and "Dying Light"), and in "Fearless" by Pink Floyd. David Wilcox used this tuning on "The Nightshift Watchman".

:G-G-D-G-B-D
Listing the initial six harmonics of the G note, this open-G tuning was used by Joni Mitchell for "Electricity", "For the Roses", and "Hunter (The Good Samaritan)". It was also used by Mick Ralphs for "Hey Hey" on Bad Company's debut album.
and on the Meowtain song "Alleyway" Stone Gossard also used this tuning in the song " Daughter" by Pearl Jam.

* Alternatively: G-B-D-G-B-D (slack-key guitar)
* Alternatively: C-G-D-G-B-D (used by Big Wreck on multiple songs, most notably "Inhale" and "Mistake"—They downtune it a half step—and by David Wilcox on "It's Almost Time", "Just a Vehicle", "Distant Water", "Golden Day", and his covers of "The Kid" and "Missing You .” Also used by Andrew Peterson on his song “Faith to be Strong” and by Macseal on multiple songs.)
* Dobro Open G: G-B-D-G-B-D (occasionally adopted for ordinary guitar, but requires lighter fifth and sixth strings).
* Russian-guitar Open G: The tuning of the Russian guitar
:: D-G-B-D-G-B-D
: is an open G tuning, approximately in major thirds.

Minor: Cross-note

The following open-tunings use a minor third, and give a ''minor chord'' with open strings. To avoid the relatively cumbersome designation "open D minor", "open C minor", such tunings are sometimes called ''"cross-note tunings"''. The term also expresses the fact that, compared to Major chord open tunings, by fretting the lowered string at the first fret, it is possible to produce a major chord very easily.

Cross-note or open E-minor was used by Bukka White and Skip James.

Cross-note tunings include (low to high):
* Cross-note A: E-A-E-A-C-E
** Alternative: E-A-C-E-A-E
* Cross-note C: C-G-C-G-C-E
** C-C-G-C-E-G, a cross-note overtones tuning
** C-C-G-C-E-A a cross-note overtones tuning that facilitates seventh chords.
* Cross-note D: D-A-D-F-A-D (used by John Fahey on the song "Red Pony")
** Alternative: D-A-D-A-D-F (used by William Ackerman on "Barbara's Song")
* Cross-note E: E-B-E-G-B-E (used by ZZ Top on the song "Just Got Paid" and by Joey Eppard on the 3 song "Bramfatura")
* Cross-note F: F-A-C-F-C-F (extremely rare)
** Alternative: F-C-F-A-C-F (used by Albert Collins; requires light gauges)
* Cross-note G: D-G-D-G-B-D

* Alternative Cross A: E-A-E-A-E-A. «Sitar A» - an alternative low guitar system. Recalls the sound of Indian sitar.

Modal

In modal tunings, the strings are tuned to form a chord which is not definitively minor or major. These tunings may facilitate very easy chords and unique sounds when the open strings are used as drones. Often these tunings form a suspended chord on the open strings. A well known user of modal tunings is Sonic Youth.

* Asus2: E-A-B-E-A-E
* Asus4: E-A-D-E-A-E (used by Davey Graham in "Lord Mayo/Lord Inchiquin" on ''The Complete Guitarist'')
* B modal: B-F-B-E-G-B (used by Neil Young on his 1962 Martin D-28)
* Bsus4: B-F-B-E-F-B (DADGAD but three notes (1-1/2 steps) lower, a main tuning of Sevendust, who have used it since '' Animosity'')
* Badd9: B-F-C-F-B-D, Used by Devin Townsend on "Bastard", a minor variation is used by Alter Bridge on the song "This Side of Fate" tuned B-F#-C#-F#-B-D
* Csus2: C-G-C-G-C-D (first five strings equivalent to ''Double-C'' tuning for the banjo, believed to have been used by David Wilcox on "Let Them In" from ''Home Again (for the First Time)'', though even he isn't entirely sure)
* Csus4+9: C-G-C-F-C-D (used by Martin Simpson in "We Are All Heroes", and by David Wilcox on "Come Away to Sea" from ''The Nightshift Watchman'' with the high string raised to E)
* Csus4: C-G-C-F-G-C (used by John Renbourn on "Bouree I & II")
* Low C: C-G-D-G-A-D (used by David Wilcox on "High Hill", "Covert War", "Chet Baker's Unsung Swan Song", "Break in the Cup", "Show Me the Key", "Silent Prayer", and "Leaving You")
* Dsus2: D-A-D-E-A-D (used by David Wilcox on "How Did You Find Me Here")
* Dsus4: D-A-D-G-A-D (devised by British guitarist Davey Graham in the late 1950s, associated with French acoustic guitarist Pierre Bensusan, and used by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin for a number of songs including "Kashmir" and "Black Mountain Side"; also used by David Wilcox on multiple songs, occasionally tuning half a step down)
* Esus2: E-B-E-F-B-E (used by My Bloody Valentine in "Only Shallow" and by John Mayer in "Something's Missing," "Wherever You Go," "Heart So Heavy," and "In Your Atmosphere").
* Esus4: E-B-E-A-B-E, E-A-B-E-B-E (the latter used by Jars of Clay on their debut album '' Jars of Clay'')
* E7sus4: E-A-D-E-B-E (used by Ed Sheeran in "Tenerife Sea.")
* EEEEBE a.k.a. "Bruce Palmer Modal Tuning," as named and used by Stephen Stills in " Suite: Judy Blue Eyes where Stills uses this tuning while the other guitar is in standard tuning.)
* E modal: E-B-E-E-B-E
** E modal alternative: E-E-B-B-B-B (used by Soundgarden on the songs "The Day I Tried To Live", " My Wave", and " Been Away Too Long")
* Drake's Drone: B-E-B-E-B-E (used by Nick Drake in many of his songs, including "Man in a Shed" and "From the Morning")
* Gsus2: D-G-D-G-A-D
* Gsus4: D-G-D-G-C-D (first five strings equivalent to ''Sawmill'' tuning for the banjo)
** Gsus4/4 / ''Orkney Tuning'': C-G-D-G-C-D

Extended chord

In extended chord tunings, the open strings form a seventh, ninth, or eleventh chord.
* B add4: E-B-D#-F#-B-E (used by This Town Needs Guns on "Adventure, Stamina, and Anger" and "Left-Aligned")
* C6: C-A-C-G-C-E (used by Jimmy Page in " Bron-Yr-Aur", "Friends" and " Poor Tom")
* Cmaj11: C-F-C-G-B-E (used by Soundgarden on the song "4th of July")
* Cm add4: C-F-C-G-C-D# (used by This Town Needs Guns on "Baboon" and "Lemur")
* Open Page/Csus2/Gsus4: D-G-C-G-C-D (used by Jimmy Page in " The Rain Song")
* Dm7: D-A-D-F-A-C (used by Richie Havens in "From the Prison")
* Dm add9: D-A-D-F-A-E (used by Opeth on '' Ghost Reveries'')
* Dadd9: D-A-D-F#-A-E (used by Coby & Simone on "Butterflies in Space")
* D7: D-A-D-F-A-C
* Dmaj7: D-A-D-F#-A-C# (used by Coby & Simone on "Coloured Visions")
* D#m add2/4: F-G#-D#-F#-A#-D# (used by This Town Needs Guns on "Chinchilla" and "Gibbon")
* Em7/C: C-G-D-G-B-E (used by Soundgarden on the songs "Mailman", and "Limo Wreck", Richard Thompson on " 1952 Vincent Black Lightning", and Pavement on several songs)
* Fmaj9: F-A-C-G-C-E (used by American Football on "Never Meant" and This Town Needs Guns on "Crocodile")
* G6: D-G-D-G-B-E (used by Soundgarden on the songs "Dusty", "Fresh Tendrils", "Never Named", and "Superunknown")
* G7: D-G-D-G-B-F
* Gmaj7: D-G-D-F-B-D
*A#maj7: A#-F-A#-D-A-D (extremely rare)
* Gadd4: D-G-D-G-B-C (used by Soundgarden on "Like Suicide")
* Em11: E-B-D-G-A-D (used by Crosby, Stills & Nash on " Guinnevere")

Regular tunings

Major seconds

:C-D-E-F-G-A or C-D-F-G-A-B

A compact tuning that fits within one octave and covers the chromatic scale between open strings and the first fret.

Minor thirds

:C-D-F-A-C-D

In the minor-thirds tuning, every interval between successive strings is a minor third. In the minor-thirds tuning beginning with C, the open strings contain the notes (C, D, F) of the diminished C chord.

Major thirds

''Major-thirds tuning'' is a regular tuning in which the musical intervals between successive strings are each major thirds.: Unlike all-fourths and all-fifths tuning, major-thirds tuning repeats its octave after three strings, which again simplifies the learning of chords and improvisation.

Neighboring the standard tuning is the major-thirds tuning that has the open strings
:E-G-C-e-g-c'.

A lower major-thirds tuning has the open strings
:C-E-G-c-e-g,
which "contains two octaves of a C augmented chord".

All fourths

:E-A-d-g-c'-f'

This tuning is like that of the lowest four strings in standard tuning. Jazz musician Stanley Jordan plays guitar in all-fourths tuning; he has stated that all-fourths tuning "simplifies the fingerboard, making it logical".

Augmented fourths

:C-F-c-f-c'-f' or B-F-b-f-b'-f'

Between the all-fifths and all-fourths tunings are '' augmented-fourth'' tunings, which are also called "''diminished-fifths''" or "''tritone''" tunings.

All fifths: "Mandoguitar"

:C-G-D-A-E'-B' or G'-D-A-E'-B-F'

All-fifths tuning is a tuning in intervals of perfect fifths like that of a mandolin, cello or violin; other names include "perfect fifths" and "fifths". It has a wide range, thus it requires an appropriate range of string gauges. A high ''b string has been recently developed by Octave4Plus gauged at .006 which is pretty thin, but under really low tension to prevent breakage.

New standard tuning

:C-G-D-A-E'-g'

All-fifths tuning has been approximated by the New Standard Tuning (NST) of King Crimson's Robert Fripp. It has a wider range than standard tuning, and its perfect-fifth intervals facilitate quartal and quintal harmony.

Ostrich tuning

:E-E-e-e-e'-e' or C-C-c-c-c'-c'

'' Ostrich tuning'' is a tuning where all strings are tuned to the same note over two or three octaves, creating an intense, chorused drone and interesting fingering potential.

Used by Soundgarden (E-E-e-e-e'-e') on the song "Mind Riot", and by Lou Reed in the Velvet Underground.

Dropped

''Drop tunings'' lower the sixth string, dropping the lowest E string of the standard tuning. Some drop tunings also lower the fifth string (the A-note in standard-tuning). A ''drop one'' tuning lowers the pitch by one full step.

Some lower tunings may call for a baritone guitar to more easily maintain high string tension and a rich tone. Others can be achieved using a capo and/or a partial capo.

Examples

* Drop D - D-A-D-G-B-E
Standard tuning but with the 6th string dropped one full step. Utilized by bands and/or artists: HUM, Radiohead, Avenged Sevenfold, Arrowmont, Kvelertak, Led Zeppelin on " Moby Dick", Jack White on the song "High Ball Stepper", Rage Against the Machine, Bon Jovi, Prayer for Cleansing, Lamb of God, Underoath, Evanescence, Silverchair, Muse, FTISLAND, Godsmack, Marilyn Manson, Skillet, Helmet, DAY6, Soundgarden, Metallica on "All Nightmare Long" and "Just A Bullet Away", Chino Moreno of Deftones used this tuning on the songs "Hole in the Earth" and "Beauty School", Rammstein, Sum 41, Paramore in some songs, Fugazi in some songs, Tool in all their albums (except " Prison Sex" which is Drop B in standard variation Tuning and "Parabol/ Parabola" which has E dropped to B and A dropped to E), Papa Roach, Every Time I Die, Three Days Grace, Seether, Trivium (early), C3 Church on their song "Breathe", as well as numerous songs on older albums, Nickelback, Stone Temple Pilots in some songs, Audioslave, Filter, Foo Fighters, Porcupine Tree (Since In Absentia), Incubus on some songs, Guns N' Roses on "Chinese Democracy" and "Sorry" from ''Chinese Democracy'' (most of the rest of the album was in E tuning), Black Veil Brides (on the song "Knives and Pens"), The Devil Wears Prada, David Wilcox on "Daddy's Money", "Jamie's Secret", "Common as the Rain", "(You Were) Going Somewhere", "Last Chance Waltz", "All the Roots Grow Deeper When It's Dry", "Waffle House", and several songs from ''East Asheville Hardware'', Nirvana in some songs, Zakk Wylde in some of his projects, Aerosmith on " Livin' on the Edge", Quicksand, Alesana, Eyes Set to Kill, and The Beatles on " Dear Prudence", Iron Maiden on "Mother of Mercy", "If Eternity Should Fail" and several songs on Senjutsu, Dream Theater on "Home", "Our New World", "Space-Dye Vest" and live version of "Misunderstood", Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane on Embryonic Journey from the ''Surrealistic Pillow'' album, All Time Low on the biggest part of their discography.
* Drop C/Drop D - C-G-c-F-A-D / D-A-D-G-B-E
One half step down from Drop D. Utilized by bands like Guía Luz Negra, Dir En Grey, Your Demise, Oceana, Alter Bridge, Alice in Chains on some songs (like "Them Bones" or "We Die Young"), A Day to Remember (on the song " It's Complicated"), Chevelle (on '' Sci-Fi Crimes''), Of Mice & Men, Sleeping With Sirens on their debut album With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear, Bon Jovi, Deftones (on their '' Around the Fur'' album), Evanescence, Paramore, Disturbed, Theory of a Deadman, Puddle of Mudd, Sum 41, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace (On their songs " Just Like You" and " The High Road"), Sevendust, Breaking Benjamin primarily on Saturate, Skillet, Black Veil Brides, Steel Panther (on songs like "17 Girls in a Row" or "Gloryhole"), 10 Years, Black Stone Cherry, Saint Asonia, Truckfighters, Attila (Early), Fireball Ministry, Memphis May Fire, RED on End of Silence, Nirvana on '' In Utero'', " Blew" live performances, "Been a Son", the '' Nevermind'' album and also by System of a Down. Also used by Lamb of God on their albums '' Wrath'' and '' VII: Sturm und Drang'', and almost exclusively on their album Resolution. Avenged Sevenfold, Norma Jean, Guns N' Roses used this tuning on "Better" from ''Chinese Democracy'', "The Garden" from '' Use Your Illusion I'', and "Ain't It Fun" from ''"The Spaghetti Incident?"''. Metallica used this tuning on their song "– Human" off '' S&M'' and on "Dirty Window" from their album ''St. Anger'', Seether, As I Lay Dying have used this tuning on a few songs. Scorpions on "Hour I", Judas Priest on "Lone Wolf", Trivium used this tuning on their albums '' In Waves'' and ''Vengeance Falls'' and every 6-strings song recorded since, they also play all of their 6-strings songs in this tuning in their live shows. Van Halen on their 1981 song " Unchained". Godsmack on select songs from '' When Legends Rise'' and on their song " Something Different". The Presidents of the United States of America use guitars tuned to this tuning with the top three strings removed, although on ''Freaked Out and Small'', regularly strung guitars were used. Oceans Ate Alaska, Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown use this tuning on some songs (like "Heartland" and "Aftershock"), Helmet on "I Know", "Speechless", "Overrated" from '' Betty'', "Unwound", "Throwing Punches" from '' Size Matters.'' and Spiritbox on "1016", "The Mara Effect, Pt.2" and "Perennial"

* Drop C - C-G-c-F-A-D
One full step down from Drop D. Utilized by bands like A Day to Remember, FTISLAND, Biffy Clyro, Sleeping With Sirens, Swallow the Sun in all their albums, The Ocean Collective in the Heliocentric / Anthropocentric albums, Slo Burn, Bullet for My Valentine, Evanescence, Children of Bodom, Disciple, Demon Hunter (Only on '' Demon Hunter''), Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold on the songs "Radiant Eclipse" and "Victim", As I Lay Dying, Asking Alexandria on Reckless and Relentless, Rammstein, Nothing More, Falling in Reverse, Neck Deep, Fozzy, August Burns Red, Mastodon (on some songs), Helmet (since the '' Size Matters'' era), Tonight Alive, Converge, System of a Down, What Great Fangs, Black Stone Cherry, Chimaira (since ''The Impossibility of Reason''), P.O.D., Black Veil Brides, Ill Niño, Killswitch Engage, Deftones (in their album '' White Pony''), Disturbed, Gojira (mostly on '' The Way of All Flesh'' & '' L'Enfant Sauvage''), Metallica on ''St. Anger'', Rob Zombie, Bad Omens, Megadeth on the songs "Mission on Mars" and "Psychopathy", The Faceless, Nonpoint, Atreyu, Darkest Hour, Nickelback, Breaking Benjamin on majority of '' We Are Not Alone'' among others, Mudvayne, Sick Puppies, Three Days Grace, Chevelle (since '' Hats Off to the Bull''), Blessthefall, Job for a Cowboy, As Blood Runs Black, Beartooth, Johnny Cash (on his cover of " Hurt"), While She Sleeps, Hellyeah, Godsmack, Born of Osiris (when using 6 string guitars) Periphery, Cancer Bats, Slipknot (on their demo '' Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.''), Zakk Wylde, Escape the Fate, Alter Bridge, Seether (since '' Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces''), Dope, Skillet, Anberlin, Nirvana on "Blew", Finding September (on “Summer Club” and “Let It Burn”). David Wilcox tuned the fourth string up one semitone for his initial studio recording of "That's What the Lonely Is For" from ''Big Horizon'' and Wage War (Since Manic).
*Drop B - B-F-b-E-G-C / B-G-b-E-A-D
One and one half steps down from Drop D. This tuning is most often used by modern rock and heavy metal bands. Used by Art of Dying, Black Stone Cherry, DevilDriver (on their self-titled and '' The Fury of Our Maker's Hand'' albums), Disturbed (on Immortalized), Ill Niño (on Till Death, La Familia), Down, Machine Head (tuned 40 cents sharp), Guns N' Roses (on "Shackler's Revenge"), Mark Tremonti (on "Leave It Alone", "Giving Up", "Proof", "Decay", "All That I Got", and "Gone" from the '' All I Was'' sessions, as well as some songs from '' Cauterize'' and '' Dust''), Projected, Rammstein ("Meine Tränen", "Angst" and "Dicke Titten"), Sevendust (primary tuning, although several variations of them are also used), Slipknot, and Stone Sour., used by Chevelle on every album besides Point #1 and La Gargola, Bring Me the Horizon and Spiritbox on "The Mara Effect, Pt.1
*Drop A/Drop B - A-F-a-D-G-C / B-F-b-E-G-C
Two full steps down from Drop D. Utilized by bands such as A Day to Remember, In Flames, Hostility, Issues, Static-X, Motionless in White, Bring Me the Horizon (since ''Suicide Season''), Hellyeah, August Burns Red (On some songs), The Ghost Inside, While She Sleeps (On some songs), Beartooth (On the Songs "Afterall, Burnout, and Body Bag), Disturbed on select songs from the album '' Evolution'', Amaranthe, Breaking Benjamin (since ''Phobia''), Parkway Drive, Otep, Memphis May Fire, Bad Omens, Like Moths to Flames, Spineshank, RED, Bury Tomorrow (since Earthbound), Wage War, The Acacia Strain and Erra (Before switching to seven-stringed guitars), Bury Your Dead, Eye Empire, Dirge Within, Remembering Never, Metallica on the song "The Unnamed Feeling" from ''St. Anger'', Chevelle (on ''This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)'' and '' Vena Sera''), Also on "Mars Simula" The Amity Affliction, Acid Bath (on some songs), Obey the Brave, Fit for a King, Darkest Hour, Fozzy, Evanescence, 9oz. of Nothing, Sybreed, For the Fallen Dreams and Sevendust in more recent material, who have used variants of the tuning prior.
* Drop A - A-E-a-D-F-B / A-E-a-D-G-B
Two and one half steps down from Drop D. This tuning is most often used by death metal or deathcore musicians, such as Betraying the Martyrs, Carnifex, Oceano, Suicide Silence, or Whitechapel (which they use seven-string guitars and tune down the seventh string a full step). Utilized by bands like Nile, The Acacia Strain, Motograter, Thrice, Filter (on the songs "Columind" and "The Missing" from '' The Amalgamut'' and "Drug Boy" and "The Trouble with Angels" from the album of the same name), Jinjer, Motionless in White, Of Mice & Men, Norma Jean (On Polar Similar), The Devil Wears Prada on some songs, Dead by April, RED, Ill Niño (on ''Dead New World''), Slipknot on some songs, Crowbar, and Amon Amarth. Make Them Suffer, Brett Campbell of Pallbearer (Devin Holt uses a 7 string), Bring Me the Horizon on the songs ''Parasite Eve'' and “1x1” from Post Human: Survival Horror, The Ghost Inside on the songs "Out of Control" and "This Is What I Know About Sacrifice", Five Finger Death Punch, and Parkway Drive on some songs from Deep Blue. Trapt uses this tuning on their songs "Hollow Man", "Waiting", and "Sound Off". Sevendust on "What You Are", Sleeping With Sirens on their songs "Medicine (Devil in My Head)", "Ghost", and "P.S. Missing You" from their album How It Feels To Be Lost. South Korean rock band FTISLAND also uses this tuning in some songs.
*Drop G/Drop A - G-D-g-C-F-A / A-E-a-D-F-B
Three full steps down from Drop D. Utilized by Hypocrisy, (since '' Virus''), WS iszlát Nyár Dead by April (on some songs), Metallica in the song "Invisible Kid" from ''St. Anger'', Memphis May Fire, Stone Sour on the song "Red City" from House of Gold & Bones – Part 2, Asking Alexandria on their self-titled album, Damien Deadson, Love and Death, Wage War (on some songs), and The Acacia Strain. Staind also uses this tuning (but with the 2nd string tuned up 1/2 step to emulate a 7-string guitar), as well as several other modified variations of this, such as one in which the 5th string is also dropped from D# to C#. Periphery also uses this tuning on a 7-string guitar frequently (G#-D#-g#-C#-F#-A#-D#).
*Drop G - G-D-g-C-E-A
Three and one half steps down from Drop D. Used by Darkest Hour on the song "Wasteland", Attack Attack!, Baroness (on their first two EPs), Sleeping With Sirens on the song "Blood Lines", FTISLAND on the song "Shadows", Dead by April (on some songs) and In Flames (on the song "Transparent" from '' Reroute to Remain''). Pantera's song "The Underground in America" and "Sandblasted Skin" from their album ''The Great Southern Trendkill'' is in G-g-C-F-A-D, Drop G variation with D standard. Soulfly used this tuning on "Eye for an Eye" on their self-titled album, although live performances of this song are now in A standard.
*Drop F/Drop G - F-C-f-B-D-G / G-D-g-B-E-A
Four full steps down from Drop D, or two full steps up from Drop D1. Used by Disfiguring the Goddess. In the recording of Limp Bizkit's songs " Nookie" and "Full Nelson", Wes Borland used a custom 4 string baritone guitar tuned F#-F#-B-E. Also Slipknot recorded their song "Scissors" from their debut album in F#-F#-B-E-G#-C#. Used by Motionless in White on "" off '' Disguise''.
*Drop F - F-C-f-A-D-G / F-C-f-B-D-G
Four and one half steps down from Drop D, or one and a half steps up from Drop D1. Used by Conan (band) for their entire discography. Used by Attack Attack! on "The Wretched" off '' This Means War'' and "Press F"
*Drop E - E-B-e-A-C-F / E-B-e-A-D-G/
Five full steps down from Drop D, or one full step up from Drop D1. Another Variation can be mixed with a Drop A as follows: E-A-e-a-D-G-B-e modeled on an 8 string or E-A-e-a-D-F#-B/E-A-e-a-D-Gb-B on a seven-string guitar, Used by Starset on Horizons, Loathe (E-A-e-a-D-F/G), and Humanity's Last Breath (E-B-e-A-G/A-a).
*Drop D/Drop E - D-A-d-G-C-F / E-B-e-A-C-F
Five and one half steps down from Drop D, or one half step up from Drop D1. This can also be a Drop D# standard octave variant tuning modeled on an 8 string D#-G#-d#-g#-C#-F#-A#-d#. Gravemind uses an altered version of Drop D# (which is a 6-string Drop A# with the low D#) on their album Conduit. Meshuggah also used Drop D# for some of their songs (e.g.: "Stengah," "Shed").
*Drop D1 - D-A-d-G-B-E
Six full steps (one octave) down from Drop D. 8 string example; D-A-d-a-d-G-B-E. Black Tongue uses this tuning. Meshuggah also used it for "Obsidian" and "This Spiteful Snake".
*Drop C1/Drop D1 - C♯-G♯-c♯-F♯-A♯-D♯ / D♭-A♭-D♭-G♭-B♭-E♭
Six full steps (one octave) down from Drop C/Drop D, Used by Loathe (C#-A-E-a-D-F/G)
*Drop C1 - C-G-c-F-A-D
Six full steps (one octave) down from Drop C.
*Drop C/Drop D in standard variation - C-A-D-G-B-E
Standard tuning but with the 6th string lowered one and a half steps. Used by Sevendust tuned one and a half-step down (which goes as: A#-F#-B-E-G#-C#) on some songs from ''Home'' through ''Alpha''.
*Drop C in standard variation - C-A-D-G-B-E
Standard tuning but with the 6th string lowered two whole steps. Used by Mark Tremonti on the song "My Champion" (tuned down a half-step; Myles is in Open F# tuning) as well as Sevendust on the song "Mountain" tuned down one and a half steps. (which goes A-F#-B-E-G#-C#) Also used by John Mayer on the song “Neon”, and by Chino Moreno of Deftones on some songs such as " Swerve City" , " Leathers" and "Hearts/Wires", tuned down a full step (A#-G-C-F-A-D), This variation was also used by Periphery on "Totla Mad" from their Self-Titled album and "Frak the Gods" on "Icarus EP".
*Drop B in standard variation - B-A-D-G-b-E
Claimed to have been invented by guitarist Victor Griffin of Pentagram (who tunes it 1/2 step down). Also used in the songs " Rusty Cage" "Holy Water", and "Searching With My Good Eye Closed" by Soundgarden on their '' Badmotorfinger'' album, "Cowboy Hat", "Not Leavin' Yet" and some of " Silver Side Up" by Nickelback, "Gasoline", "Shadow on the Sun", "Bring Em Back Alive" and "The Worm" by Audioslave and " Prison Sex" by Tool. Today is the Day have used it on every album since '' Temple of the Morning Star'', Shining use it on most of their album '' Blackjazz'', and Black Label Society used this on much of their early material, often to emulate a 7-string guitar. Used also by Silverchair in the songs "One Way Mule" and "The Lever" from their album ''Diorama'' and Stephen Brodsky used this tuning a half step down (A#G#C#F#A#D#) in Cave In and Mutoid Man
*Drop B-E - B-E-D-G-b-e
Standard tuning with the 6th and 5th string lowered two and a half steps down. Used by Tool in the songs "Parabol" and " Parabola".
*Drop A in standard variation - A-a-D-G-B-E:
The 6th string is dropped to A while the other strings retain their standard tuning. Used by Helmet on "Biscuits for Smut", Foo Fighters on "Stacked Actors", Opeth on the song "Sorceress", and the Melvins on "Boris". Used by Every Time I Die on the songs “Indian Giver”, “Fear and Trembling” and “Nothing Visible; Ocean Empty”. A 7-string version of this tuning is used by Muse on their song "Citizen Erased", tuned A-a-D-d-G-B-E, as well as on Supremacy, which features a standard six-string guitar. Sevendust uses this tuning a half-step down on "Home". Periphery uses this tuning, but tuned 1 step down on "Reptile", The band Architects also use this tuning, but tuned one and a half step down, since their album Lost Forever // Lost Together released in 2014 and Wage War tuned 2 steps down on several songs
*Drop A in D standard variation - A-G-C-F-a-D: Used by Mastodon on most of their first album (''Remission'') and on some songs on other albums. Also utilized by Nothing More and Periphery (primarily on more recent material) Also used on occasion by Black Label Society, who previously tuned it a half-step up, which Alter Bridge also utilizes on some of their songs such as " Broken Wings", "Come to Life", "I Know it Hurts", "Still Remains", "Breath Again", and "All Hope is Gone." Creed, Architects, all use this tuning tuned a half-step down on their songs "Bread of Shame", "Early Grave" respectively. Danish industrial metal band Raunchy used this tuning tuned one and a half-step down (F#-E-A-D-f#-B) on the song "Dim the Lights and Run" from the album A Discord Electric.
*Drop G in C standard variation - G-F-A#-D#-g-C: Used by Bring Me the Horizon on a few songs from their album ''Suicide Season'', "Blacklist" from There Is A Hell and “heavy metal” from amo, Wage War also utilize this tuning on several songs on their first three albums, such as "The River" and "Spineless" off their album Blueprints.

Shifted

These tunings are derived by systematic increases or decreases to standard tuning.

Lowered (Standard)

Derived from standard EADGBE, all the strings are tuned lower by the same interval, thus providing the same chord positions transposed to a lower key. Lower tunings are popular among rock and heavy metal bands. The reason for tuning down below standard pitch is usually either to accommodate a singer's vocal range or to get a deeper/heavier sound.

* E tuning - E-A-D-G♭-B-E
Half a step down from standard tuning. Used by bands/artists such as: Jimi Hendrix, Coheed and Cambria, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Cannibal Corpse (Chris Barnes era), Deicide, Deftones, Sweet Savage, Dark Tranquillity, Nirvana, AFI, Rise Against, Failure, Weezer, Seether (early songs), Green Day, Protest the Hero, Kiss, Our Lady Peace, The Hellacopters, Backyard Babies, Disturbed (on a few songs), Guns N' Roses, Motion City Soundtrack, Neil Young, Van Halen, Extreme, Brand New, Blind Guardian, Metallica (on the "Load", "Reload" and " Garage Inc." albums, " The God That Failed", their cover of "Killing Time", in a 1985 live performance in Portland, Oregon, in a 1990 live performance with Guns N' Roses and Sebastian Bach, and in live performances of standard tuned songs since 1995), AC/DC (some songs and in live performances of standard tuned songs since 2008), Slayer, Alcest, Rage Against the Machine, Budgie, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Prine (on ''The Singing Mailman Delivers'' and live performances of " Angel from Montgomery" from 1998 to 2020), Yngwie Malmsteen, Dream Theater on " Stream of Consciousness" and "The Root of All Evil" Alice in Chains, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Killers, Relient K, Suede, RED on "Not Alone", Beach House, David Wilcox (on "Human Cannonball" from ''Turning Point'' and current live performances of "Saturday They'll All Be Back Again"), Ugly Kid Joe (on their cover of " Cat's in the Cradle"), Third Day (on "I Can Feel It"), Die Ärzte (since " Geräusch"), Skillet (on "A Little More"), and Vertical Horizon, Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown, Finding September (on "History" and "Inhibitions"), and Breaking Benjamin on "Ladybug" and many of their live cover songs.
* D tuning - D-G-C-F-A-D
One full step down from standard tuning. Used by bands/artists such as Mötley Crüe, Nightwish, Pantera (425 Hz), Fu Manchu, P.O.D., Sepultura, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Behemoth, Insomnium, Watain, In Solitude, Agalloch, Inquisition, Drive-By Truckers, Soulfly, Holocaust, Children of Bodom, Symphony X, Oceansize, Death, Decrepit Birth, Dream Theater, All That Remains, Baroness, Napalm Death, Volbeat, Seether on "Country Song", Exodus, Gojira, Hammerfall (from 2009 - today), John Prine (on "Grandpa Was a Carpenter" and some other songs from 1998 to 2020), Shadows Fall, Mastodon, Ghost, Lordi, Killswitch Engage, and Kreator. Used in a vast majority of songs by musician Elliott Smith, and also in some songs by Johnny Cash (including " Ring of Fire" and his covers of "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and " Cat's in the Cradle"). Also used in Nirvana's songs " Come as You Are", " Lithium" and " Drain You", Metallica in their songs " Sad but True", "Devil's Dance", their cover of " Whiskey in the Jar", as well some of their covers on '' The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited'' ("The Small Hours" and "Crash Course in Brain Surgery"), "Dream No More", "The Thing That Should Not Be" and in live performances of " The God That Failed" and "Seek & Destroy", John Lennon on " Working Class Hero", Bullet for My Valentine on several songs on '' Scream Aim Fire'', Bob Dylan in live performances of " All Along the Watchtower" in the style of Jimi Hendrix, The Damned (on their cover of " White Rabbit"), Blink-182 in " Adam's Song", in Doug Anthony All Stars live performances, John Fogerty, and Chevelle on most of '' Point #1'' (excluding "Mia" and "Anticipation").
*C/ D tuning - C-F-B-E-G-C / D-G-B-E-A-D
One and a half steps down. Famously used by Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi in the 1970s, as well as Carrie Brownstein, Dimebag Darrell of Pantera (On some tracks on "The Great Southern Trendkill" in 425 Hz) Behemoth, Eyehategod, Decapitated, Architects, Dying Fetus, Anata, Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney, Between the Buried and Me (except "Laser Speed"), Limp Bizkit, Machine Head (tuned 40 cents sharp), Down, Suffocation, All That Remains, Bolt Thrower, Pete Loeffler of Chevelle (on Wonder What's Next), Billy Howerdel of A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide, Guns N' Roses (on "Heartbreak Hotel" and "I Don't Care About You"), Attila, Slayer (on "Gemini" from '' Undisputed Attitude'', '' Diabolus In Musica'', the majority of '' God Hates Us All'' as well as "Cult" and "Black Serenade" from '' Christ Illusion''), and Stone Sour, as well as former guitarist Jim Root's other band Slipknot on the Acoustic guitar on " Snuff". Also used by Kyuss on the ''Sons of Kyuss'' EP and on the songs "Isolation", "Big Bikes" and "Stage III" from '' Wretch''. John Prine downtuned most of his songs to this tuning for the rest of his life following a bout with throat cancer that took a toll on his voice. Used by Metallica on the song " Bad Seed" from the album ''Reload'' and live performances of "The Thing That Should Not Be" and by