LOWERED STANDARD / REFERENCE
D standard tuning.
Lower all six strings by two semitones. Familiar standard-tuning shapes still work, with every note sounding a whole step lower.
6 STRING CHANGES
ALL STRINGS ↓ 2 SEMITONES
LOW TO HIGH · STRINGS 6 TO 1
AGT / TUNING MAP · 440 HZ
D G C F A D
STRING 6
D
STRING 5
G
STRING 4
C
STRING 3
F
STRING 2
A
STRING 1
D
HOW TO TUNE
Lower all six strings together.
Lowering all strings reduces their tension. If the guitar becomes difficult to play cleanly, have its string choice and setup checked for this tuning.
01 · String 6: lower E2 to D2 (2 semitones); String 5: lower A2 to G2 (2 semitones).
02 · String 4: lower D3 to C3 (2 semitones); String 3: lower G3 to F3 (2 semitones).
03 · String 2: lower B3 to A3 (2 semitones); String 1: lower E4 to D4 (2 semitones).
After each full pass, recheck all six strings with a chromatic tuner. Stop if a string feels unusually tight.
KEEP YOUR BEARINGS
Check notes before names.
A familiar grip can sound different after retuning. Read the tuning map and use the chord explorer before trusting a shape name.
Notes and fingerings are shown from string 6 to string 1.
WHAT ACTUALLY CHANGES
Keep the shapes. Lower the whole instrument.
These are sounding pitches, shown from string 6 to string 1: D2, G2, C3, F3, A3, D4.
What transfers
✓ All standard string-to-string intervals are preserved.
✓ An E shape becomes a sounding D chord.
✓ Capo 2 restores standard sounding pitches.
What needs checking
· D standard is D G C F A D, not Drop D.
· Every string moves, not only the sixth.
· Chord names on this page describe the actual sounding notes.
CHORD & SCALE EXPLORER
Start with D. Move from there.
Use the selected starter shapes, search another chord, or map a scale across frets 0 to 15. This explorer is set to D standard.
These selected charts are the practical starting points for this tuning.
Familiar shapes appear first where available. Choose a shape that suits your hand. Where a fifth is omitted, the chart says so. For a first set to practise, open Starter chords.
The high string is shown at the top and the low string at the bottom. Scroll horizontally on smaller screens.
LOW STRING ANCHORS
Find the roots on string 6.
These are single-note landmarks, not six-string chord grips. Use them to locate a root before choosing a chord shape.
D
OPEN
E
FRET 2
F
FRET 3
G
FRET 5
A
FRET 7
D
FRET 12
FIRST PROGRESSION
D minor → F major → C major → G major
Use the familiar E-minor, G-major, D-major and A-major shapes. In D standard they sound D minor, F major, C major and G major.
SCALE MAP
D standard: find D natural minor.
On string 6, play frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12: D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, then D.
Play the notes slowly in order, then reverse them. Keep the timing even and let each note speak.
0 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12
Choose the same root and scale in the explorer to see the notes on all six strings.
The high string is shown at the top of the scale map. Each row follows one string.
RELATED TUNING
D standard or Drop D?
Use D standard
Choose D standard to keep standard chord relationships a whole step lower. Choose Drop D for a low D with the other five strings unchanged.
Explore Drop D
Open the related reference and compare the six string pitches before changing a familiar shape.
Explore Drop D tuning →QUICK REFERENCE
D standard tuning checks
What are the open-string pitches?
Strings 6 to 1: D2, G2, C3, F3, A3, D4.
What do the chord names mean?
They name the sounding notes in this tuning. A familiar fingering can have a different chord name after retuning. The fingering numbers run from string 6 to string 1; x means mute.
Can I use a different octave?
Use the octave numbers in the tuning map. A pitch-class match alone does not tell you that a string is in the intended octave.
How do I get back to standard?
Return strings 6 to 1 to E2, A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4. Recheck every string with a chromatic tuner.