Playing around in Drop-D tuning

Lesson #162 • Jul 20, 2018

Video Overview

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How to tune to Drop D

In summary, you’ll need to tune your thickest string from an E down to a D. Here’s a video I made previously showing you how to do this very quickly:

Basic chords in Drop-D

First, understand your common I-IV-V chords in D will be played like this. Note the G, which requires you to get a bit creative compared to the common 320003 shape. Likewise, the E-minor requires a slightly different position as shown here.

E –––2––––3––––0––––0–––
B –––3––––0––––2––––0–––
G –––2––––0––––2––––0–––
D –––0––––0––––2––––2–––
A –––0––––x––––0––––2–––
D –––0––––5–––––––––2–––
     D    G    A    Em

Moving up the neck of the guitar

One of my favorite things to do in drop-d is to play triad chords up the neck (on the thinnest 3 strings), while leaving the thickest three strings open.

Here’s 3 different ways to play the D-Em-F#m progression, which I demo in my video lesson for this practice log:

E –––2––––3––––5–––|––5––––7––––9–––|––10–––12–––14––
B –––3––––5––––7–––|––7––––8––––10––|––10–––12–––14––
G –––2––––4––––6–––|––7––––9––––11––|––11–––12–––14––
D –––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––
A –––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––
D –––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––
     D    Em  F#m     D    Em  F#m     D    Em  F#m

Similarly, here’s two different ways to play D-G-A:

E –––2––––3––––5–––|––5––––7––––9–––|––10––
B –––3––––3––––5–––|––7––––8––––10––|––10––
G –––2––––4––––6–––|––7––––7––––9–––|––11––
D –––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––|––0–––
A –––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––|––0–––
D –––0–––––––––––––|––0–––––––––––––|––0–––
     D    G    A      D    G    A      D

The idea with these triads, is to learn & memorize the chords – esepcially the “D” positions as they serve as your home base. Once you have them figured out, enjoy moving up and down through the other positions. Try to play around and make up progressions using these building blocks.

Bluesy riffs in drop-d

Finally, here’s how to play a very bluesy sounding sequence in the I-IV-V chords of D-G-A. Once you have these simple sequences memorized, you can assemble them in all kinds of ways (12 bar blues, etc).

E –––––––––––––––––  E –––––––––––––––––  E –––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––  B –––––––––––––––––  B –––––––––––––––––
G –––––––––––––––––  G –––––––––––––––––  G –––––––––––––––––
D –––––––––––––––––  D –––––––––––––––––  D –––––––––––––––––
A –––0–––0––2–––2––  A –––5–––5––7–––7––  A –––7–––7––9–––9––
D –––0–––0––0–––0––  D –––5–––5––5–––5––  D –––7–––7––7–––7––
     D                    G                    A

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Playing around in Drop-D tuning

Video Overview

Looking for a Print-Friendly Guide?

How to tune to Drop D

Basic chords in Drop-D

Moving up the neck of the guitar

Bluesy riffs in drop-d

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Browse Related Lessons

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

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Beginner Chord Guide

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Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

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Key Master

Blank Tabs

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Recent Lessons