Double Drop D Tuner
This double drop D tuner listens through your microphone and shows how far each string is from D A D G B D, the notes of double drop D from the 6th string to the 1st. Press start and allow the microphone, then pluck one string at a time. The tuner names the string it heard, shows the cents you are off, and tells you which way to turn the peg.
Double drop D lowers the outside strings to D, which gives a deep low end and keeps the top string friendly for riffs in D. Because both the thickest and thinnest strings move, the guitar shifts more than a plain drop D. Expect the 6th and 1st strings to feel a little slacker, and check the neck relief after retuning if the frets buzz.
The notes of this tuning
| String | Standard | This tuning | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | E | D | −2 |
| 5 | A | A | No change |
| 4 | D | D | No change |
| 3 | G | G | No change |
| 2 | B | B | No change |
| 1 | E | D | −2 |
How to tune from standard
- Press start, allow the microphone and pluck the 6th string. The tuner shows where its pitch sits now.
- Loosen the 6th string until its pitch falls two semitones from E to D, and the needle settles in the middle.
- Pluck the 1st string and loosen it two semitones as well, from E to D.
- Leave strings 5 through 2 alone; they stay at standard pitch. Play each one once to check the neck still rings clean.
Frequently asked questions
What is double drop D tuning?
Double drop D takes drop D one step further: the 6th string goes from E to D and the 1st string goes from E to D as well. The notes, low to high, are D A D G B D. The middle four strings stay at standard pitch, so most chord shapes you already know still work.
Which strings do I change for double drop D?
The 6th and the 1st, the two E strings at the outside of the set. Both drop two semitones, from E to D. Loosen each one slowly while you pluck it, and stop when the tuner shows D with the needle in the middle. The other four strings stay exactly where they were.
Will the guitar need a setup after this retune?
Sometimes. Two strings moving down by a whole step changes the total pull on the neck, so a small truss rod or intonation tweak can be useful if you hear buzzing or the tuning drifts. Most guitars cope with the change as it is, and returning to standard afterwards is just the same two turns in reverse.