Drop D chords, scales and fretboard notes
Drop D chords are played in D A D G B E, lowest to highest: Standard with the lowest string a whole step down. A chord that sounds that string moves with it, and one that leaves it silent stays: G is 5 5 5 4 3 3, and Am stays X 0 2 2 1 0.
Major chords in Drop D
The strings of Drop D
Only the lowest string moves: it drops a whole step, from E to D, and the other five stay as in Standard.
This page is a chart, not a tuner. TabTunix has a tuner that names the note a string plays and lists Drop D to tune to. All five tunings stand side by side under guitar tunings, and DADGAD and Drop C have pages like this one.
| String | Drop D | Standard | Half steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | D2 | E2 | −2 |
| 5th | A2 | A2 | 0 |
| 4th | D3 | D3 | 0 |
| 3rd | G3 | G3 | 0 |
| 2nd | B3 | B3 | 0 |
| 1st (highest) | E4 | E4 | 0 |
Which standard shapes work in Drop D
A shape that leaves the lowest string silent is held as in Standard: Am stays X 0 2 2 1 0, C stays X 3 2 0 1 0.
A shape that sounds the lowest string holds it two frets higher, so it sounds the same note: F's barre 1 3 3 2 1 1 becomes 3 3 3 2 1 1, and G's 3 5 5 4 3 3 becomes 5 5 5 4 3 3. D gains its open low string, 0 0 0 2 3 2.
Drop D power chords
On the three lowest strings one finger holds a power chord: left open they sound D5, and one finger across them moves it up the neck, E5 at fret 2 and G5 at fret 5. A5 to C#5 stand here on the next string, in Standard's shape: on the low string they lie at frets 7 to 11.
Every chord in Drop D
Beyond the major and minor chords above, the chord library holds all 504, sevenths and sus chords among them, each with its shapes in Drop D.
Show
0 0 0 2 3 2
Notes
Degrees: R 3 5. Notes: D F# A.
Inversions
Voicings
Major
Minor
Suspended
Power Chords
Medium adds the sixths, added ninths and sevenths. Pro shows every chord on the root.
Drop D scales
A scale in Drop D keeps its shape on the five higher strings, and only the lowest shifts: each of its notes lies two frets higher. Here is D minor pentatonic on the whole neck.
Three scales to start with, each with every position on its own page, which opens in Standard and can be set to Drop D:
Every other scale is under guitar scales.
Degrees: R b3 4 5 b7. Notes: D F G A C.
In the app
Play in Drop D
Look up a chord or a scale in TabTunix and you see it and hear it in Drop D, so your ear learns the low string's new notes along with your hand. Keep D minor pentatonic in Drop D as an exercise with a target tempo, and come back to it until it runs clean.
More on getting a scale under your fingers in how to practice scales.
Questions about Drop D
Drop your low string to D and play these chords. Free, for Mac and Windows.