OPEN TUNING / REFERENCE
Open C tuning.
C G C G C E gives a C major chord across the open strings. Three C strings provide the root; the high E supplies the major third.
4 STRING CHANGES
E→C · A→G · D→C · B→C
LOW TO HIGH · STRINGS 6 TO 1
AGT / TUNING MAP · 440 HZ
C G C G C E
STRING 6
C
STRING 5
G
STRING 4
C
STRING 3
G
STRING 2
C
STRING 1
E
HOW TO TUNE
Set each string to its target pitch.
The low sixth string drops four semitones, while string 2 rises one semitone. Recheck all six pitches. A guitar kept in this tuning may benefit from a suitable string set and setup.
01 · String 6: lower E2 to C2 (4 semitones); String 5: lower A2 to G2 (2 semitones).
02 · String 4: lower D3 to C3 (2 semitones); String 3: keep G3.
03 · String 2: raise B3 to C4 (1 semitone); String 1: keep E4.
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
A low C drone and a high-string colour change.
These are sounding pitches, shown from string 6 to string 1: C2, G2, C3, G3, C4, E4.
What transfers
✓ Strings 3 and 1 keep their standard pitches.
✓ A straight full barre produces a major chord.
✓ The low three strings make C G C, a root-fifth-octave shape.
What needs checking
· Strings 6, 5 and 4 move down; string 2 moves up to C.
· Changing the high E changes the quality of the open chord.
· C standard and Drop C use different note layouts.
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 Open C.
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.
THE BARRE SHORTCUT
One finger. Six strings.
A straight six-string barre gives a major chord. The root is in the bass.
C
OPEN
D
FRET 2
F
FRET 5
G
FRET 7
A♯
FRET 10
C
FRET 12
FIRST PROGRESSION
C major → F major → G major → F major
Play full six-string barres at frets 0, 5, 7 and 5 for C, F, G and F major. Then play only strings 6 to 4 at the same frets to hear the power-chord versions.
SCALE MAP
Open C: find C major.
On string 6, play frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 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 · 4 · 5 · 7 · 9 · 11 · 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
Open C or Open D?
Use Open C
Choose Open C for a C-major open chord and a low C. Choose Open D for the same major-chord idea in a different string layout.
Explore Open D
Open the related reference and compare the six string pitches before changing a familiar shape.
Explore Open D tuning →QUICK REFERENCE
Open C tuning checks
What are the open-string pitches?
Strings 6 to 1: C2, G2, C3, G3, C4, E4.
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.