Double drop D tuning

Double drop D tuning: DADGBD, also known simply as double drop D, is an alternative guitar tuning: E strings are tuned down ("dropped") one whole step (2 frets) to D rather than E as in standard tuning (EADGBE).

Uses of double dropped D tuning

The main use for double dropped D is so that guitarists can play intervals of a fifth with one finger on the bass strings, and play the treble side of a barre chord. Some recordings that make effective use of this tuning are "Black Water" by The Doobie Brothers, "The Loner," "Cortez the Killer," "Don't Let It Bring You Down," "Ohio" and "Cinnamon Girl" by Neil Young, "Choctaw Bingo" and "We Can't Make It Here" by James McMurtry, "Find the Cost of Freedom" by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, "Going to California" by Led Zeppelin, "The End" by The Doors, "Devils & Dust" by Bruce Springsteen, "Satellite" by Elliott Smith, "Overkill" by Men At Work,[1] "Bryter Layter" by Nick Drake and "Nobody's Fault but My Own" by Beck.

Examples of chords in dropped D tuning

Chords in double dropped D tuning are formed as they are in standard tuning, with the exception of the first and sixth strings, which are either omitted or fretted one whole step higher:

Chord Tab
A x02222
Am x02212
B x24444
Bm x24434
C x32012
D 000234
Dm 000233
E 222102
Em 222002
F x03213
F♯ xx4324
F♯m xx4224
G 020000

Note that these chords are not the power chords commonly played in double drop D tuning. Power chords generally mute the higher notes rather than the lower notes:

For purposes of making the table easier to read, spaces are provided between each number when the fret number becomes a double digit.

Chord Tabs
A5 777xxx x022xx
Bb5 888xxx x133xx
B5 999xxx x244xx
C5 10 10 10xxx x355xx
C♯5 11 11 11xxx x466xx
D5 000xxx x577xx
Eb5 111xxx x688xx
E5 222xxx x799xx
F5 333xxx x8 10 10xx
F♯5 444xxx x9 11 11xx
G5 555xxx x10 12 12xx
G♯5 666xxx x11 13 13xx

Some examples of the simplified barre chords are shown below. Chords involving the minor third may be more difficult to fret.

Chord Tab
A xx2222
B x24444
C xx5555
D 000234
E xx9999
F xx10,10,10,10
F♯ xx11,11,11,11
G xx12,12,12,12

References
  1. Hay, Collin. "Colin Hay: How To Play Overkill Tutorial". Youtube. Collin Hay.
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