Alternate Tuning

D to E would actually be a whole step. If you are only dropping the bottom sting to a 1/2 step you are actually in drop D# or Eb. This could be causing the flat issue.
:(

No biggie. :wink:

What drop D offers you is a way to have a "ballsier" sound to power chords and an easier way to play smooth flowing riffs that are all a 1/2 step apart. Check out "damn that river" alice in chains or "crackerman" by STP.

Both are good examples of the 1/2 step riffs.

Also alot of the 90's seattle grunge is in drop D. Nirvana, soundgarden etc. use this alot.

More "recent" bands would include Godsmack and Creed.

Oh here you are DADGBE

Good luck and rock on!

jimmy_kwtx is correct, you drop your bass E string down a WHOLE STEP to D. Dropping this string a half-step will not work at all.

This tuning will give you a very heavy sound simply because your 6th string is tuned lower. This is one of the biggest reasons people use this tuning. And many groups today will tune all their strings down a whole step and then tune the bass E string down an additional whole step to be even heavier sounding. System of a Down always uses this tuning CGCFAD (low to high). Some groups like Korn even go lower.

And also as was said, with this dropped tuning you can play a simple 5 chord with one finger barred over the 6th and 5th strings. This makes it very easy to go from one power chord to another.


Chop Suey by System of a Down- Tune all strings down one whole step, then tune 6th string down an additional whole step CGCFAD

These are all simple 5 chords (Root and 5th tones). These quick chord changes would be very difficult in normal tuning, you would probably have to slide from one chord to the next. But with dropped tuning you can play each chord with one finger: r= ring, m= middle, i= index.

So, getting a heavier sound, and the ease of playing power chords quickly are the primary purpose many bands use these tunings today.

Drop D's great - it makes Power Chords become one-finger no-brainers.

Drop D's great - it adds a heavier sound to your normal chugging.

Drop D's great - it means you can fingerpick open strings in the key of D and still have four fingers left for the melody.

Take your pick - I think they're all valid reasons for using Drop D. I have one guitar permanently set up that way

jimmy kwtx is right too -dropping the bottom string to D is a whole step, not a half step. You tune the 7th fret of the 6thstring to the open 5th string instead of the usual 5th fret.

Best,

A :-)

I must admit I at one time played drop A flat. Scary Scary times....

Isn't Rusty Cage--Soundgarden in drop Bb?

duffmaster

Oh yeah, everything would be a flatted 5th. That is the famous tritone I believe, the DEVIL'S MUSIC. :D

Drop D's great - it makes Power Chords become one-finger no-brainers.

Drop D's great - it adds a heavier sound to your normal chugging.

Drop D's great - it means you can fingerpick open strings in the key of D and still have four fingers left for the melody.

Take your pick - I think they're all valid reasons for using Drop D. I have one guitar permanently set up that way

jimmy kwtx is right too -dropping the bottom string to D is a whole step, not a half step. You tune the 7th fret of the 6thstring to the open 5th string instead of the usual 5th fret.

Best,

A :-)

Alan makes some great points. I love finger picking in drop D. It also makes a cool drone effect of power chords. If you lower the low E, and play power chords while strumming the open strings also, it makes really nice sounding chords. Try dropping the high e to, it's also good with the low E.

Dead Man Walking by Pearl Jam, and Your Body is a Wonderland are two songs in drop D that are not metal at all, but utilize the tuning greatly.

Just make sure you don't write it off as a "metal tuning".

Off He Goes

You couldn't be more correct. Here is the baddest Drop D riff ever (IMHO), Run Through the Jungle by CCR. John Fogerty is a genius. Try this riff, you'll love it.


Run Through the Jungle- CCR tuning DADGBE

e--------------------------1i---------------------
b-------------------1-—3r--1i—-3------------------
g-------------------2-—2m------2----0h1p0---------
d----------0--------------------------------3p—-0-
a---0h-3------------------------------------------
d--------------0----------------------------------


That's a cool riff Wes. I always knew the song to hear, but never bothered to learn it. I just started picking at that tab, and the riff came right back to my mind.

What fret on the bottom string matches with the second string to make it Drop D/C?