Tunings/Bass/Bass Drop D
Bass TuningBeginner

Bass Drop D

drop4 strings440 Hz

Detected

--
Ready to tune

Target

D1

36.7 Hz

Select String

4D137 Hz
Play
3A155 Hz
Play
2D273 Hz
Play
1G298 Hz
Play

Ready to tune?

Click "Start Listening" and select a string to tune. Auto-detect is assist-only and works best when the string is already close to pitch.

Drop tunings lower the lowest string (and sometimes others) to create a heavier, darker sound. Drop D is the most popular: you lower the 6th string from E to D, making power chords playable with a single finger barre across the bottom two or three strings. This enables faster riff playing and gives you a deeper bass note for heavy palm-muted sections. Drop C, Drop B, and Drop A go even lower for extreme metal styles.

Note Layout

4String 4
D1
3String 3
A1
2String 2
D2
1String 1
G2

Notation

D1 A1 D2 G2

How to Tune

1

Click "Start Listening"

Allow microphone access when prompted.

2

Play Each String

Auto-detect will find the string, or click to select manually.

3

Adjust Until Green

Center the needle and watch for the green "In Tune" indicator.

Tips for Drop tunings

Power chords become one-finger shapes across the bottom strings

Consider using slightly heavier gauge strings for better tension

Great for riff-heavy music and palm muting

Drop D only changes one string, so most chord shapes still work

String gauge tip

For drop tunings, consider using slightly heavier strings (.011-.052 or higher) to maintain good tension and prevent fret buzz on the lowered strings.

About drop tunings

History & context

Drop tunings became widespread in the 1990s grunge and alternative metal scenes, though players like Led Zeppelin and The Beatles used Drop D decades earlier.

Common genres

RockMetalGrungeAlternativePunkNu-metal

Famous artists

SoundgardenRage Against the MachineNirvanaToolSystem of a Down

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