Press Play for the low D, then each string below: D G C F A D, a whole step down.
D Tuning: 73.42 Hz sawtooth tone
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Sawtooth wave · both channels
73.42Hz
Period 13.6 ms
Wavelength 4.67 m (15.3 ft)
The note D2
Ready. It starts quiet and fades in over half a second.
A steady tone can harm ears and speakers before it sounds loud. Hear nothing? Do not turn it up to find the tone: small speakers cannot play very low tones, and many adults cannot hear very high ones.
Percent of this tool's loudest. Your device volume does the rest.
6th string D2, a full step under E73.42 Hz; standard has E here, at 82.41 Hz. Held at fret 2 it sounds that E again, and at fret 5 the 5th string's G.
5th string G2, a full step under A98 Hz; standard has A here, at 110 Hz. Fret 2 brings the A back, and fret 5 sounds the 4th string's C.
4th string C3, a full step under D130.81 Hz, the C one octave under middle C; standard has D here, at 146.83 Hz. Fret 5 sounds the 3rd string's F.
3rd string F3, a full step under G174.61 Hz; standard has G here, at 196 Hz. As in standard, this string alone meets the next one at fret 4: the 2nd string's A.
2nd string A3, a full step under B220 Hz, one octave under the 440 Hz tuning A; standard has B here, at 246.94 Hz. Fret 5 sounds the 1st string's D.
1st string D4, a full step under E293.66 Hz; standard has E here, at 329.63 Hz. It stays two octaves over the 6th string, as the two E strings were.
How it works
D tuning lowers all six guitar strings a whole step: D G C F A D, low to high (DGCFAD). It is also called D standard, standard D tuning, full step down tuning and whole step down tuning.
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How to tune to D standard, a whole step down
1. Press Play and lower your sixth string from E until it matches the D you hear.
2. Work up the rows, fifth string to first. Tuning a whole step down moves every string two semitones, so the gaps between strings do not change.
3. Prove it with a capo at fret 2: the six open strings should sound E A D G B E again.
4. Tuning a guitar to D standard without the tones: set the sixth string one octave under your open fourth string, a D, then tune the rest from it by fret.
Chord shapes stay the same and sound a whole step lower: an E shape gives D, a G shape gives F.
The low D may sit under what a phone speaker can sound. A sawtooth tone gets it across by its overtones.
Questions and answers
What are the D tunings for guitar?
Several tunings carry the letter. D tuning, or D standard, lowers all six strings: D G C F A D. Drop D lowers only the sixth string, double drop D both E strings, and open D retunes four strings to a D major chord.
What is the D tuning note?
For one D to tune to, press the sixth string's row, the low D at 73.42 Hz, or the first string's row, the D above middle C at 293.66 Hz. The open fourth string in standard tuning sounds the D between them.
Why tune a guitar a full step down?
For a lower, heavier sound, which is why heavy metal uses it most. Blues guitarists tune down to suit string bending, and twelve-string players to ease the strain on the instrument.
Is D tuning the same as drop C?
No, but they are one string apart. Drop C is D tuning with the sixth string taken one more whole step down, to C: C G C F A D. The other five strings are the same in both.