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Drop C Tuning Online
Drop C guitar tuning notes:
C2G2C3F3A3D4
This Drop C guitar tuner is preset to CGCFAD tuning. Tune C2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4 from low C to high D for metal, hard rock, and one-finger power chords.
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Popular Songs in Drop C
Practice these carefully selected songs to get familiar with Drop C tuning. Each song showcases different techniques and chord progressions possible with this tuning.
Songs
12
Beginner
2
Genres
3
IntermediateNu Metal2001
Bodies
Drowning Pool
Aggressive Drop C riffing, great for palm muting practice.
Great for practicing drop c techniques
AdvancedAlternative Metal2001
Chop Suey!
System of a Down
Complex rhythms and dynamic changes in Drop C.
Great for practicing drop c techniques
IntermediateNu Metal2004
Duality
Slipknot
Catchy Drop C progression with memorable riffs.
Great for practicing drop c techniques
IntermediateNu Metal2004
Before I Forget
Slipknot
Heavy Drop C riffing with intricate palm muting patterns.
Great for practicing drop c techniques
AdvancedMetalcore2006
My Curse
Killswitch Engage
Combines Drop C power chords with melodic lead sections.
Great for practicing drop c techniques
AdvancedMetalcore2004
The End of Heartache
Killswitch Engage
Technical Drop C song with clean and heavy sections.
Great for practicing drop c techniques
Why These Songs Work Well in Drop C
These songs were specifically chosen because they take advantage of Drop Ctuning's unique characteristics. Whether it's the open chord voicings, easier fingering patterns, or the distinctive sound that this tuning provides, each song demonstrates why many guitarists choose Drop C for their music. Practice these songs to develop your ear for this tuning and discover new playing techniques.
Start Here in Drop C
One Step Closer
Linkin Park
Numb
Linkin Park
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Practice Tips for Drop C
- Start with the beginner-level songs to get comfortable with the tuning
- Focus on how chord shapes differ from standard tuning
- Listen to the original recordings to understand the intended sound
- Practice transitioning between Drop C and standard tuning
- Experiment with the open strings to discover new chord voicings
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Learn Drop C After You Tune
Use this page as a short practice route: tune to C2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4, hear how the open strings behave, then move into songs, related tunings, and chord shapes that make Drop C useful.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Best approached as a intermediate guitar tuning.
Songs
12
Filter the song list by difficulty and genre once you are tuned.
Best for
Drop C tuning, Drop C tuning guitar, Drop C guitar tuner, CGCFAD tuning notes
First practice targets
About Drop C Guitar Tuning (CGCFAD)
Drop C tuning (C-G-C-F-A-D) is a heavy guitar tuning that takes Drop D and lowers the whole guitar one additional whole step. Use this Drop C tuner online to tune C2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4 from the 6th string to the 1st string.
Compared with standard tuning, every string moves lower: E-A-D-G-B-E becomes C-G-C-F-A-D. Compared with Drop D, Drop C keeps the same one-finger power chord layout but moves every note down for a thicker, heavier sound.
System of a Down, Slipknot, and Killswitch Engage brought Drop C into the mainstream, and bands like Linkin Park and Bullet for My Valentine kept it at the forefront of modern rock. It's the tuning behind some of the most recognizable riffs of the 2000s — "Chop Suey!", "Duality", and "Toxicity" all use Drop C.
Like Drop D, the lowest string is tuned a perfect fifth below the second string, so one-finger power chords work the same way — just lower. The additional string tension loss means you'll want heavier gauge strings to keep things tight and avoid muddy tone.
Drop C is sometimes searched as CGCFAD tuning because those are the exact open-string notes from lowest to highest. It is different from Drop C# tuning: Drop C# sits one half step higher at C#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#.
Target tuning
C-G-C-F-A-D
Drop C notes from the 6th string to the 1st string.
From standard
EADGBE to CGCFAD
Lower every string, with the 6th string ending all the way down at C2.
Compared with Drop D
1 step lower
Same drop-tuning power chord shapes, tuned lower for heavier riffs.
Drop C Tuning Notes (CGCFAD)
From lowest to highest: C2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4
6th string
65.41 Hz
Low C, the root note for one-finger Drop C power chords and the string most likely to need a heavier gauge.
5th string
98.00 Hz
G string, a perfect fifth above the low C and one whole step below the standard A string.
4th string
130.81 Hz
Middle C, one octave above the low C and part of the open C5 shape on the lowest three strings.
3rd string
174.61 Hz
F string, one whole step below the standard G string.
2nd string
220.00 Hz
A string, one whole step below the standard B string.
1st string
293.66 Hz
High D, one whole step below the standard high E string.
Recommended String Gauges for Drop C Guitar Tuning
.011-.050 or .012-.054
Standard .009 or .010 gauge strings will feel very floppy in Drop C. A set starting at .011 or .012 provides proper tension. Many players use a dedicated heavy set like 11-14-18-32-42-52 or even heavier. The low C string benefits most from the extra gauge — a .052 or .054 keeps it tight. Shorter scale guitars may need the heavier end of the range.
Common Chords in Drop C Guitar Tuning
C5 Power Chord
Strum the bottom three strings open for an instant, massive C power chord.
One-Finger Power Chords
Bar the bottom two or three strings at any fret. Same Drop D shapes, just lower and heavier.
D5 at 2nd Fret
Bar the bottom strings at the 2nd fret for D5 — one of the most common Drop C positions.
F5 at 5th Fret
Bar at the 5th fret. Combined with open C riffs, this creates the tension that drives many metal songs.
How to Tune a Guitar to Drop C (C2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4)
1
Select the Drop C preset and start from Drop D tuning or standard tuning. The target notes are C2-G2-C3-F3-A3-D4.
2
Tune your 6th string down to C2. From standard E2, this is two whole steps lower and usually needs careful retuning after it settles.
3
Tune your 5th string down to G2 (one whole step below A).
4
Tune your 4th string down to C3. This should be exactly one octave above your 6th string.
5
Tune your 3rd string to F3, 2nd string to A3, and 1st string to D4.
6
Verify: strum the bottom three strings open — they should form a C5 power chord (C-G-C). Recheck the low C after a minute because the string often settles flat.
Drop C Tuning FAQ
Quick answers for choosing strings, learning songs, and practicing this tuning.
What notes are in Drop C tuning?
Drop C tuning uses C-G-C-F-A-D from lowest to highest string. With exact octaves, the notes are C2, G2, C3, F3, A3, and D4.
Is Drop C the same as CGCFAD tuning?
Yes. Drop C and CGCFAD tuning refer to the same open-string notes: C-G-C-F-A-D from lowest to highest string.
Is Drop C lower than Drop D?
Yes. Drop C is one whole step lower than Drop D. Drop D is D-A-D-G-B-E, while Drop C is C-G-C-F-A-D.
Is Drop C the same as C standard tuning?
No. Drop C is C-G-C-F-A-D and keeps drop-tuning power chord shapes. C standard is C-F-Bb-Eb-G-C and keeps standard tuning intervals two whole steps lower.
Is Drop C the same as Drop C# tuning?
No. Drop C is C-G-C-F-A-D. Drop C# is one half step higher at C#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#, so make sure you choose the right target notes before tuning.
What is Drop C tuning used for?
Drop C tuning is used for metal, hard rock, metalcore, post-hardcore, and heavy riff writing. The lowest three strings form an open C5 power chord, so you can play one-finger power chords while keeping the whole guitar lower than Drop D.
How do I tune from standard tuning to Drop C?
From standard tuning, tune the 6th string from E2 down to C2, the 5th string from A2 down to G2, the 4th string from D3 down to C3, the 3rd string from G3 down to F3, the 2nd string from B3 down to A3, and the 1st string from E4 down to D4.
What string gauge works best for Drop C?
Many players start with .011-.050 or .012-.054 for Drop C. If the low C feels loose, buzzes, or wobbles sharp after picking, try a heavier low string such as .052 or .054.
What is Drop C tuning best for?
Drop C is especially useful for Drop C tuning, Drop C tuning guitar, Drop C guitar tuner. It changes the way open strings and chord shapes feel, so spend a few minutes listening to the open strings before learning full songs.
Is Drop C tuning good for beginners?
Drop C is an intermediate tuning. Beginners can use it, but it helps to learn the target notes first and start with slower songs before trying fast chord changes.
What songs use Drop C tuning?
Popular examples in Drop C include Bodies by Drowning Pool, Chop Suey! by System of a Down, Duality by Slipknot. Use the song list on this page to filter by difficulty and pick a first practice target.