More Alternate Tunings

Learning the various alternate tunings is a great idea for any guitarist. Not only does it give you more knowledge of your instrument, but it also allows you to change your sound. Using an alternate tuning that isn’t over-used can give you a distinctive sound. That’s something most, if not all, guitarists strive for.

You probably already know about drop d, arguably the most common alternate tuning. While drop d has a nice sound, it is also used by pretty much every rock band on the planet. If you want to stand out, you’ll want to use one of the other good, but less popular, alternate tunings.

In this article, we’ll cover 4 different alternate tunings. Each is capable of giving you the sound you really want. If you don’t know how to tune, check out the article on “guitar tuning” first. We’ll assume in this article that you are using an electronic guitar tuner, which makes guitar tuning easy for everyone.

Double Drop D

Perhaps you love the sound of drop d, but want to go with a lower, more distinctive version of this tuning. Double drop d tuning is a great choice in this scenario. It’s not overused and it sounds cool.

So how do you tune to double drop d? Well, it’s pretty much the same as regular drop d. You tune your low e string to D(so it sounds pretty much the same as your fourth string, D). But that’s not all—you also have to tune your high e (first string) down to d. This gives you a deeper, darker sound.

To recap:

• Tune your low e, sixth string to D.
• Tune your high e, first string to D.

Drop B (B - F# - B - E - G# - C#)

Drop b is a seldom used tuning that can yield great results for guitarists—including Mark Tremonti, ex-Creed guitarist who used this tuning for the song “Broken Wings”. It’s actually a pretty easy tuning. Here’s how to do it, step by step:

• Tune your low e string to B. You’ll have to detune the low e string (decrease tension) to reach this tuning. It is best that you have heavier strings which are capable of being de-tuned so much.
• Next, tune your A string to F#. Once again, since you are detuning so much, you’ll want to have heavy strings.
• Tune your D string down so that it sounds like a B.
• Tune your G string all the way down to an E.
• Tune your B string down so that it sounds a G# note.
• Finally, tune your high e string down to a C#.

That’s it!


Open C (C G C G C E)

Open C is a really great tuning. By strumming all the strings without any fingers on the fretboard, you are playing a C chord. There is a lot of flexibility with this tuning, which is why it’s such a useful alternate tuning.

• Tune the low E string down to a C.
• Next, tune your A string a whole step down to G.
• Then tune your D string a whole step down to C.
• Tune your B string a whole step up(increase tension) to C.

Standard; One and half steps down ( C# F# B E G# C# )

If you’re looking for a tuning that is just a bit darker than the standard E A D G B E, this one is a good idea. You’ll be tuning down one and a half steps.

• Tune your low e string down to C#.
• Then tune your A string down to F#.
• Next, tune the D string down two steps to B.
• Tune your G string up a half step to G#.
• Tune your B string down to G#.
• Finally, tune your high e string down to C#.

Keep in mind that these are only four of the many alternate tunings around. Be sure to use these to expand your sound as a guitarist!