How to use the virtual fretboard: Select a root note from drop-down menu 1. Next select a scale from drop-down 2, or a chord type from drop-down 3. When selecting either a scale or chord you can also display intervals (a color-coded display of the intervals included in either the chord or scale selected). Lastly, when selecting a chord, you can also select different chord voicings, using the ‘voicings’ buttons. If at any time you wish to return to the default fretboard with all notes showing, simply select ‘none’ from drop-down menu 1.
While, very similar to Drop D, (and open G) Double Drop D Tuning is a versatile, more modal-sounding tuning, more reminiscent of DADGAD tuning. This makes sense, considering just the B string is different, and like DADGAD we now have three D strings.
Quick Tips:
- Like Drop D we have a much fuller D chord available as we can incorporate all 6 strings. The difference is that we now fret the 4th fret of the 1st string instead of the 2nd fret to allow for the 1st string to be a whole step lower. We can also play a rich and full-sounding D power chord by holding a Dsus2 shape and strumming all strings.
- Power chords are greatly simplified due to the vertical alignment of the root and 5th (see examples below, or try the virtual fretboard above) and can be played using just one finger.
- Double Drop D Tuning is also a good fit for slide playing, as the top 3 strings (G, B, and D) are essentially the same as Open G tuning.
How to Tune to Double Drop D
| String No. | Standard Tuning | Double Drop D Tuning | Tuning Action | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th | E | D | Tune low E string down to D | D (octave lower) |
| 5th | A | A | Match the fifth fret of the 6th string | Open A |
| 4th | D | D | Match the fifth fret of the 5th string | Open D |
| 3rd | G | G | Match the fifth fret of the 4th string | Open G |
| 2nd | B | B | Match the fourth fret of the 3rd string | Open B |
| 1st | E | D | Match the seventh fret of the 5th string | D (octave higher) |
String Gauges and Setup
Being a low-tension tuning similar to drop D (1 or more strings are tuned to a lower pitch than standard tuning, resulting in decreased string tension) there are no special requirements concerning string gauges or setup for playing in Double Drop D.
* Ensure all strings are in tune relative to each other. This process adjusts only the 6th and 1st string for Double Drop D Tuning, while the rest remain as per standard tuning.
Best Key to Play in Double Drop D
D Major
Double Drop D tuning (D-A-D-G-B-D) is particularly well-suited to keys that naturally resonate with the open strings, especially since the tuning emphasizes the note D.
In D Major The D and A strings (both the open sixth and fifth strings and the open first string for D) directly support the tonic (D) and dominant (A) of this key, making it natural for playing major chords and melodies.
| Degree | Chord Name | Chord Type |
|---|---|---|
| I | D | Major |
| II | E | Minor |
| III | F# | Minor |
| IV | G | Major |
| V | A | Major |
| VI | B | Minor |
| VII | C# | Diminished |
Additional Keys
G Major
With G being the fourth of D, this key is also naturally supported by the open strings in Double Drop D tuning, particularly for playing G major chords easily and for compositions that revolve around the D-G chord movement.
A Minor
A minor works nicely because A is the fifth string, which remains unchanged in this tuning, and it’s the relative minor of C major, offering easy transitions and a melancholic sound without needing to adjust too far from the root D note.
Common Open Position Chords
Useful (moveable) Chord Shapes
Power Chords
Power chords gain added depth and resonance in Double Drop D Tuning. To make the most of this tuning, extend your basic power chord shape by doubling the root and fifth: fret the bottom three strings for the basic power chord shape and fret the 3rd string two frets up to double the perfect 5th interval.
Enhance the chord further by doubling the root note on the 2nd string 1 fret higher than the 3rd string (as per the accompanying diagram).
Major Chords
To form a moveable major chord shape in Double Drop D, first form the power chord shape (without doubling the root and 5th).
You can then incorporate the major 3rd (thus making the chord major) by fretting the 4th string 4 frets (4 whole steps) higher than the root note’s position on the 4th string.
Minor Chords
If you understand how chords are put together, you will know that we can take the preceding major chord shape and drop that major 3rd interval by one semitone (1 fret) and the chord shape becomes minor.
This requires less of a stretch than the major chord version.
7th Chords
While slightly more challenging, the dominant 7th shape shown in the example can be a useful (moveable) chord shape.
To play this voicing, form the power chord shape as used in the major and minor chord examples, but this time on the 4th string play the fret two frets lower on the neck to include the minor 7th interval.
It’s essentially the same shape as an E barre chord shape in standard tuning, except we move the ring and pinky down a string.
Minor 7th Chords
The difference between a dominant 7th chord and a minor 7th chord is the dominant 7th combines a major triad with a minor seventh interval. Alternatively, a minor 7th chord is built from a minor triad with an added minor seventh.
In a practical sense, this means we can take our dominant 7th shape in the previous example and move the major 3rd (on the 3rd string) down a semitone (1 fret) making the chord a minor 7th.
This is a simple, yet moveable shape to include in your Double Drop D Tuning repoirture.
Sus2 Chords
The moveable sus 2 shape seen in the example is a simple chord voicing that can be moved up and down the neck with relative ease in either Drop D or Double Drop D Tuning.
A simple way to look at this voicing is to consider the difference between a minor chord and a sus2 chord. The minor 3rd becomes a major 2nd when playing a sus2 chord.
Therefore, start with the minor chord shape and simply move down one fret on the 4th string.
Scales
Major Scale
Minor Scale
Pentatonic Minor Scale
Pentatonic Major Scale
Songs in Double Drop D
| Song Name | Artist |
|---|---|
| The Chain | Fleetwood Mac |
| Going to California | Led Zeppelin |
| Man of Constant Sorrow | Soggy Bottom Boys |
| Ballad Of Hollis Brown | Bob Dylan |
| Overkill | Colin Hay (Men at Work) |