Music Theory Tools

Guitar tuning

Drop C Tuning

Drop C is D standard with the lowest string dropped another whole step to C.

Notes low to high
CGCFAD
Strings
6
Default frets
24
Open pitch range
C2 to D4
24-fret pitch range
C2 to D6
Also called
CGCFAD

Common uses

Open this tuning in the fretboard tool

Start with drop c tuning loaded, then adjust root, scale, fret count, labels, colors, and orientation.

Open in interactive fretboard
C Minor Pentatonic Guitar Scale common riff and lead vocabulary for drop tunings C Minor Blues Guitar Scale heavier blues-rock phrasing C Natural Minor (Aeolian) Guitar Scale minor-key rhythm and lead reference C Phrygian Guitar Scale dark minor color for low-tuned riffs

Scale diagrams in this tuning

C Minor Pentatonic Guitar Scale Drop C Tuning C Minor Blues Guitar Scale Drop C Tuning C Natural Minor (Aeolian) Guitar Scale Drop C Tuning C Phrygian Guitar Scale Drop C Tuning
C Minor Guitar Arpeggio minor-triad outline for drop-tuned riffs C Minor 7 Guitar Arpeggio minor seventh vocabulary for lower tunings C Diminished Guitar Arpeggio flat-fifth color for heavier progressions C Minor 7 Flat 5 Guitar Arpeggio half-diminished color around the low root

Arpeggio diagrams in this tuning

C Minor Guitar Arpeggio Drop C Tuning C Minor 7 Guitar Arpeggio Drop C Tuning C Diminished Guitar Arpeggio Drop C Tuning C Minor 7 Flat 5 Guitar Arpeggio Drop C Tuning