Most people learn guitar in standard tuning: EADGBE
There is a reason for guitars being tuned that way. Standard tuning is flexible and gives the player the best chance of playing in the greatest number of keys. But it does have its limitations, and alternative tunings can produce some very satisfying effects. The easiest alternative tuning to master is dropped D.
Tuning to Dropped D
This is straightforward. To tune a guitar to dropped D, you simply tune the low E string down a tone, to a nice bass D. If you have a tuner, this is simple enough. Start tuning down and the D is the next full tone (a chromatic tuner may offer you E flat). Without a tuner, until you are used to dropping to D, you may wish to use the D string (the fourth string, starting from the high E) for comparison. When your string is in tune, the bass string should be an exact octave below the D string.
Chords in Dropped D
One advantage of this being such a minor change from standard tuning is that most of your chords are the same. Play a D chord as you would normally, but now allow all six strings to ring out. The chord will feel much more powerful than when playing only four strings. For other chords you need to make allowances for the lowest string being a tone lower than when you usually play it.
To play an E minor, for example, you need to add a finger on the second fret, on the lowest string. The resulting chord, in guitar tab, would be 2-2-2-0-0-0.
If you wanted to play a "bassy" F, you would need to play 3-3-3-2-x-x (the x meaning not to play those strings). This shape can be moved around to replace a number of barre chords. In some places the highest strings can be allowed to ring out with good effect. For example 5-5-5-4-0-0 is one of the more effective ways to produce a G chord in Dropped-D. 5-5-0-0-0-3 is also a good option.
Finger-picking in Dropped D
Although Dropped D can be a fun tuning to 'strum' in, allowing big 6-string arrangements to songs in D, it really comes into its own when used for finger-picking. It allows for melody lines on the higher strings, while a bass line (mostly operated by the thumb) is picked out on the lower strings. It also allows for a low D drone, above which melodies can be performed.
This guitar tutorial video shows some of the effects that can be produced. Although complex, some similar effects can be produced by doing a series of 'hammer-ons' and 'pull-offs' on a D chord, with the thumb sounding the low D and the other fingers sounding the other strings.
Dropped D is a handy alternative to standard tuning, capable of producing some really good sounds. Enjoy it!
Duncan Hall - Duncan Hall is a semi-professional acoustic musician and lecturer in Government & Politics
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