Alternate Guitar Tunings Cheat Sheet
The 12 tunings guitarists reach for most, on one A4 page. Each row shows the notes from the low string to the high one; coloured letters are the strings you retune from standard EADGBE, with the number of semitones to go down (−) or up (+). Print it for the practice room or hand it out in lessons.
| Tuning | Notes (low → high) | Chart |
|---|---|---|
| StandardThe default for most tabs and lessons | EADGBE | Open |
| Eb StandardEasier bends, warmer tone; Hendrix, SRV | Eb−1Ab−1Db−1Gb−1Bb−1Eb−1 | Open |
| D StandardHeavier sound, lower vocal key | D−2G−2C−2F−2A−2D−2 | Open |
| Drop DOne-finger power chords, heavy riffs | D−2ADGBE | Open |
| Double Drop DLow and high D drones, folk rock | D−2ADGBD−2 | Open |
| Drop CMetalcore and hard rock riffs | C−4G−2C−2F−2A−2D−2 | Open |
| Drop BDown-tuned metal; use heavier strings | B−5F#−3B−3E−3G#−3C#−3 | Open |
| DADGADCeltic and folk fingerstyle | D−2ADGA−2D−2 | Open |
| Open GSlide and Keith Richards-style riffs | D−2G−2DGBD−2 | Open |
| Open DSlide guitar and ringing fingerstyle | D−2ADF#−1A−2D−2 | Open |
| Open ESlide blues; Open D shapes, brighter | EB+2E+2G#+1BE | Open |
| Open CHuge open chords, ambient fingerstyle | C−4G−2C−2GC+1E | Open |