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Pink Moon Modal Guitar Tuner

Pink Moon Modal
±0
C
Target: 65.4 Hz
-50WAITING+50
Waiting for sound
C65
G98
C131
F175
C262
E330

How to Tune to Pink Moon Modal

Nick Drake's signature tuning for "Pink Moon," the title track of his hauntingly beautiful final album. This C-G-C-F-C-E tuning creates a rich, resonant Csus4 voicing when strummed open, with the multiple C notes reinforcing each other across octaves. It's one of several unique tunings Drake used throughout his brief but profoundly influential career.

Start in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and change 5 of 6 strings:

StringStandardTargetWhat to do
String 6E2C2Tune down 4 semitones
String 5A2G2Tune down a whole step
String 4D3C3Tune down a whole step
String 3G3F3Tune down a whole step
String 2B3C4Tune up a half step
String 1E4E4Leave as is
Printable Pink Moon Modal chart (PNG / PDF)
Fun Fact

Nick Drake recorded the entire "Pink Moon" album in just two late-night sessions at Sound Techniques studio in London in 1971. The album features almost no overdubs — just Drake's voice and guitar. Despite selling fewer than 5,000 copies upon release, it's now considered one of the greatest folk albums ever made.

String Tension & Setup Tips

Recommended Gauge:Medium gauges (.012-.054) work well since the low E is dropped significantly to C, requiring more mass to maintain tone. The B string tuned up to C is only a half step and safe with any gauge.

Gear for Pink Moon Modal

Tools that make tuning to C - G - C - F - C - E easier.

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.

View tuner

D'Addario Pro-Winder (winder + cutter)

Retuning 5 strings means a lot of turning — a winder speeds it up and trims new strings too.

View winder

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Pink Moon ModalIntermediate
C - G - C - F - C - ENo Capo
Song Details
Pink Moon ModalIntermediate
C - G - C - F - C - ENo Capo
Song Details
Pink Moon ModalIntermediate
C - G - C - F - C - ENo Capo
Song Details
Pink Moon ModalIntermediate
C - G - C - F - C - ENo Capo
Song Details

Frequently Asked Questions

What capo position for Pink Moon?
No capo is used for "Pink Moon." The song is played entirely in this open tuning without a capo, which gives it that deep, resonant quality. Drake used capos on some other songs but not this one.
How to tune to Pink Moon tuning?
From standard tuning: drop the low E down to C (two full steps), drop the A down to G (one whole step), drop the D down to C (one whole step), drop the G down to F (one whole step), tune the B up to C (one half step), and keep the high E as-is. Everything goes down except the B string.
What chords work in C-G-C-F-C-E?
The open strings create a Csus4/add4 voicing. Barring at various frets transposes this shape. Simple one-finger shapes create beautiful suspended and major chords. Drake used minimal fretting, letting the open strings create the harmonic depth. Experiment with fretting just the 4th string (F) at different positions while leaving everything else open.
What capo does Nick Drake use?
Drake used a capo on many songs across his catalog — for example, a capo on the 2nd fret for "Place to Be" (in a different tuning). However, "Pink Moon" specifically is played without a capo in the CGCFCE tuning.