River Man

Required String Notes:D - A - D - F# - A - E

How to Tune from Standard to Nick Drake Modal (DADF#AE)

Start in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and change 3 of 6 strings to play “River Man”:

String	Standard	Target	What to do
String 6	E2	D2	Tune down a whole step
String 5	A2	A2	Leave as is
String 4	D3	D3	Leave as is
String 3	G3	F#3	Tune down a half step
String 2	B3	A3	Tune down a whole step
String 1	E4	E4	Leave as is

Recommended string gauge: .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046) · affiliate link

Song Overview & Tuning Breakdown

"River Man" by Nick Drake is played in Nick Drake Modal (DADF#AE) (D - A - D - F# - A - E). Starting from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), you retune 3 of 6 strings: string 6 down to D, string 3 down to F#, string 2 down to A. Overall string tension drops, with the biggest change being 2 semitones down. Nick Drake uses this same tuning on 2 other songs in our catalog, so you can stay tuned and keep playing.

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Tunings Close to Nick Drake Modal (DADF#AE)

Already tuned to D - A - D - F# - A - E? These tunings are just one small change away.

Open D Tuning77 songs

D - A - D - F# - A - DOnly string 1 differs: D instead of E.

Custom Tuning (DADF#BE)20 songs

DADF#BEOnly string 2 differs: B instead of A.

DADEAE Tuning12 songs

D - A - D - E - A - EOnly string 3 differs: E instead of F#.

Custom Tuning (DAEF#AE)6 songs

DAEF#AEOnly string 4 differs: E instead of D.

Nick Drake’s Guitar Tunings

Nick Drake plays 3 of 52 songs in our catalog in Nick Drake Modal (DADF#AE). Most-used tunings:

Standard EE - A - D - G - B - E17 songs
Pink Moon ModalC - G - C - F - C - E8 songs
BEBEBEB - E - B - E - B - E6 songs
Nick Drake Modal (DADF#AE)D - A - D - F# - A - E3 songs
Lute / Renaissance TuningE - A - D - F# - B - E3 songs

Gear for Nick Drake Modal (DADF#AE)

Strings and tools that make playing "River Man" in Nick Drake Modal (DADF#AE) easier.

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046)

Recommended gauge .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.

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D'Addario Universal Micro Headstock Tuner

A headstock tuner makes switching in and out of this tuning quick, even on stage or without a mic.

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D'Addario Pro-Winder (winder + cutter)

Retuning 3 strings means a lot of turning — a winder speeds it up and trims new strings too.

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“River Man” Tuning FAQ

What tuning is "River Man" by Nick Drake in?

"River Man" is played in Nick Drake Modal (DADF#AE): D - A - D - F# - A - E, from the lowest to the highest string.

How do I tune my guitar to play "River Man"?

Start from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E). String 6: tune down a whole step (E2 → D2). String 3: tune down a half step (G3 → F#3). String 2: tune down a whole step (B3 → A3). Leave the other strings as they are.