LOWERED STANDARD / REFERENCE
C standard tuning.
Lower every string by four semitones. The standard interval pattern stays intact, so familiar shapes sound a major third lower.
6 STRING CHANGES
ALL STRINGS ↓ 4 SEMITONES
LOW TO HIGH · STRINGS 6 TO 1
AGT / TUNING MAP · 440 HZ
C F B♭ E♭ G C
STRING 6
C
STRING 5
F
STRING 4
B♭
STRING 3
E♭
STRING 2
G
STRING 1
C
HOW TO TUNE
Lower all six strings together.
A four-semitone drop can make a standard string set very loose. String gauge, scale length and setup matter; a technician can help if notes buzz or intonation becomes unreliable.
01 · String 6: lower E2 to C2 (4 semitones); String 5: lower A2 to F2 (4 semitones).
02 · String 4: lower D3 to B♭2 (4 semitones); String 3: lower G3 to E♭3 (4 semitones).
03 · String 2: lower B3 to G3 (4 semitones); String 1: lower E4 to C4 (4 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
Standard shapes with a low C foundation.
These are sounding pitches, shown from string 6 to string 1: C2, F2, B♭2, E♭3, G3, C4.
What transfers
✓ Standard chord and scale patterns keep their geometry.
✓ The familiar E-major shape sounds C major.
✓ Capo 4 restores standard sounding pitches.
What needs checking
· C standard is C F B♭ E♭ G C.
· Drop C uses C G C F A D and has different string relationships.
· The third and fourth strings may appear as D♯ and A♯ in sharp-labelled maps.
CHORD & SCALE EXPLORER
Start with C. 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 C 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.
C
OPEN
D
FRET 2
D♯
FRET 3
F
FRET 5
G
FRET 7
C
FRET 12
FIRST PROGRESSION
C minor → E♭ major → B♭ major → F major
Use the familiar E-minor, G-major, D-major and A-major shapes. The sounding chords are C minor, E flat major, B flat major and F major.
SCALE MAP
C standard: find C natural minor.
On string 6, play frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12: C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, then C.
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
C standard or Drop C?
Use C standard
Choose C standard to preserve standard shapes at a lower pitch. Choose Drop C for the one-finger low-string power-chord layout.
Explore Drop C
Open the related reference and compare the six string pitches before changing a familiar shape.
Explore Drop C tuning →QUICK REFERENCE
C standard tuning checks
What are the open-string pitches?
Strings 6 to 1: C2, F2, B♭2, E♭3, G3, C4.
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.