Alternate tunings

Play becomes Stop on the same button. One model at a time. Song pages stay in standard unless they are marked.

Standard reminder — E A D G B E

Low to high as you hear them: 6th E, 5th A, 4th D, 3rd G, 2nd B, 1st e. Intervals from the 6th string: fourth, fourth, fourth, major third, fourth.

Play open strings

Tune only the 6th string down a whole step: E down to D. The other five strings stay. You now have D A D G B E. Check: 6th open should match 4th open (both D), an octave apart.

Why bother: a power chord on strings 6 and 5 is one finger across one fret — both strings at the same fret are root + fifth. In standard, E5 needs two fingers (0 and 2). That is the Hal Leonard / rock-lab reason for drop D, not a new song list.

D5 shapes (one finger)

e|-----------------
B|-----------------
G|-----------------
D|-----------------
A|-0---5---7-------   A  D  E   (5th string, standard pitch)
D|-0---5---7-------   D  G  A   (6th string dropped)

Play dropped 6th vs D Play open D5 Play D5–G5–A5

Compare two-finger powers in standard on Rock drills and Rock exercises · power chords.

From standard, drop strings 6, 5, and 1 a whole step (E→D, A→G, e→D). The middle three already make G–B–D. Open strings ring a G major chord. Intervals from the new 6th: fourth, fifth, fourth, major third, minor third.

A one-finger barre across all six at a fret is another major chord: open = G, fret 2 = A, fret 5 = C, fret 7 = D. Folk and blues use this for I–IV–V without a six-finger grip. Slide players like the ringing G. Famous-title door (chords only, no riff): Stones-era rock often sat in open G — e.g. Honky Tonk Women as a title, not a transcription.

Play open G Play barre 2 (A) Play barre 7 (D)

From standard: 6th E→D, 3rd G→F♯, 2nd B→A, 1st e→D. Open strings ring D major. Same idea as open G: one barre = the next major. Open = D, fret 2 = E, fret 5 = G, fret 7 = A. Folk, blues, and slide use it for a fat I chord and easy IV/V barres. Titles only if you map a song — no printed melody here.

Play open D Play barre 5 (G) Play barre 7 (A)

D A D G A D — from standard, drop 6, 2, and 1 a whole step. The open strings are a Dsus4 drone (no third). It is friendly for modal folk: the G and D keep ringing while one or two fingers add colour. Celtic and DADGAD-style fingerstyle live here; this page is two shapes, not a repertoire.

Shape 1 — open drone. All open. Let it ring; that is the point.

Shape 2 — F♯ in the middle. 4th string fret 4 (F♯) with the drones around it. A D-major colour without killing the sus4 air. One finger.

e|-0-----0---------   D (dropped)
B|-0-----0---------   A (dropped)
G|-0-----0---------   G
D|-0-----4---------   D  /  F#
A|-0-----0---------   A
D|-0-----0---------   D (dropped)

Play DADGAD drone Play drone + F♯

• Down slowly. Drop D, open G/D, and DADGAD all slacken strings. Turn the machine a little, check, turn again. Do not yank a string up to pitch from a slack start in one twist.
• One string at a time. Finish the 6th before you touch the 5th. If a string creaks, stop and ease it.
• Pitch check. A clip tuner is ideal. Optional: set the practice-bar Sa to the note you want (D, G, …) and match the open string to the drone. You do not have to use Sa — it is there if you already sing with it.
• Return to standard before songs, dictionary, and open chords unless that page is marked for a tuning. Those models assume EADGBE.
• New strings stretch. Retune twice in the first session after a drop. That is normal.