How do I tune my guitar to drop d and drop c tuning?

Every time I try it sounds really bad and the strings are really loose. Am I supposed to tighten them after I tune my guitar? If so how do I tighten the strings.

Bookmark it:

• 

Tags: Drop, guitar, Tune, tuning

4 Responses to “How do I tune my guitar to drop d and drop c tuning?”

1. Dave says:

   September 4, 2010 at 4:08 pm

   First off, I make the 5th string (A) sound like the 3rd fret on the 6th string.

   Then I tune…

   …the 4th string to match the 5th fret on the 5th string.

   …the 3rd string to match the 5th fret on the 4th string.

   …the 2nd string to match the 4th fret on the 3rd string.

   …the 1st string to match the 5th fret on the 2nd string.

   …the 7th fret on the 6th string to match the 5th string.

   The result is a Drop C tuning (CGCFAD)
   hope u understand its pretty hard to understand
2. Matt says:

   September 4, 2010 at 4:54 pm

   You probably need heavier strings. Standard strings are too light for drop C and the result is them being really loose. I use Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms for everything from drop-D to drop-C (lower than drop-C I use even heavier strings and for E-standard I use regular guage strings).

   http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ernie-Ball-2215-Nickel-Skinny-TopHeavy-Bottom-Electric-Guitar-Strings?sku=100615

   The easiest way to tune to drop-C is with a tuner or if you don’t have a tuner then a piano/keyboard is a good way to do it by ear. If you don’t have either then you can try to do this, but before you do read what I’ve typed afterwards that explains why it won’t work very well:

   From standard, tune the guitar to drop-d. Tune the second lowest string to G by using the fifth fret on the lowest string. Then tune the third to C by using the fifth fret on the second. Then tune the fourth to F by using the fifth fret on the third. Then tune the fifth to A by using the FOURTH fret on the fourth string. Then tune the highest string to D by using the fifth fret on the fifth string. Once all that is done drop the lowest string down to C the same way you would for normal drop-D.

   Now while that works in theory, the problem is that as you tune the strings down you release tension on the neck which will cause the other strings to go out of tune slightly, so by the time you tune the sixth string the others are all out of tune (you can tweak them around to get them in tune with each other, but by then they won’t be in tune with the required notes). Drop-D is fine to do without a tuner or keyboard to help, but alternate tunings where you have to retune the entire guitar require one of those to get it right. There are also a few computer programs that can help with tuning, so maybe try to find one that works for your computer.

   http://www.versiontracker.com < –Good site for downloading software (shareware, freeware, demos). It’s all legal and legit, no viruses or spam or pirated software, etc.

   Hope that helped!
3. kevin says:

   September 4, 2010 at 5:26 pm

   yeah the string do get a little loose, but if too loose like the guy above said get heaverry gauges
   but from standard e tuning to drop d, you just loosen the low e string 1 whole step. if you have a tunner press the 2nd fret on the e string and loosen until the 2nd fret becomes an e. and for drop c you do the same thing but for all the strings. you press the 2nd fret and make the note the same as it was in standard tuning, but for the e string you press the 4th fret and do the same thing.
4. George says:

   September 4, 2010 at 5:42 pm

   You’ll need atleast .12 gauge string for drop c. On the E string (heavy E) the fifth fret is at the same pitch of the A string. So you should hear the same note open A and fifth fret E. If the string is a step down then A is on the seventh fret. So play the seventh fret E and tune it down as you play the A string. Thats how you get dropped D. Drop C is CGCFAD its drop D only one whole step down. I always use a tuner for drop C because the pressure on the neck changes while tuning so you really have to tune twice.