C Standard Tuner
Tune your guitar to C standard (C F B♭ E♭ G C) using your microphone. The tuner below is already set to C standard — press Start Recording and pluck a string.
Auto-select string
Switches to string automatically
Target 65.41 Hz
Action Required
Start tuner and pluck highlighted note.
Peg Rotation & Offset
Standby
Headstock Alignment
Tap a peg to tune that string specifically.
Instrument
Tuning Preset
Reference Pitch
Concert pitch for A4. 440 is the standard; many orchestras use 442.
Quick Tuning Guidelines
- 1.Tap the Start Recording button at the top to initialize your microphone.
- 2.Pluck one string cleanly at a time. Let it vibrate naturally to get a continuous frequency reading.
- 3.Adjust your tuning pegs until the dial centers in the green zone (around 0 cents).
- 4.Watch indicators: amber is the currently selected note, green is the automatically detected audio feed.
String-by-String Frequency Chart
These are the exact target frequencies this tuner listens for, at A4 = 440 Hz equal temperament. String 1 is the thinnest (highest) string.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | C2 | 65.41 Hz |
| 5 | F2 | 87.31 Hz |
| 4 | A♯2 | 116.54 Hz |
| 3 | D♯3 | 155.56 Hz |
| 2 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 1 | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
How to Use This C Standard Tuner
- Press Start Recording on the tuner above and allow microphone access.
- The C Standard preset is already selected.
- Bring every string down four semitones: E→C, A→F, D→B♭, G→E♭, B→G and E→C. The tuner shows B♭ as A♯ and E♭ as D♯.
- Go round all six strings at least three times. Taking this much tension off the neck lets it straighten, so the strings you tuned first will have drifted flat by the time you finish.
The low C is 65.41 Hz, the same note as a cello's lowest string. If the needle wanders on it, pluck firmly over the neck pickup, mute the other strings and let the note ring for a second before you read it.
What is C Standard Tuning?
C standard is standard tuning moved down two whole steps: C F B♭ E♭ G C, low to high. Every string keeps its relationship to its neighbours — fourths, with a major third between the G and B strings — so every scale pattern and chord shape you know still works. Only the pitch changes.
It sits at the bottom of the lowered-standard family. Above it are half step down (E♭), full step down (D standard) and C♯ standard; below it is B standard, which is where most six-string guitars run out of room and baritones take over.
Who Uses C Standard
C standard is the home of stoner rock, sludge and doom, where the point is a huge, slow low end rather than speed. Josh Homme has used it across much of the Queens of the Stone Age catalogue. It is also one semitone below the C♯ standard Tony Iommi used on Black Sabbath's Master of Reality, which is why so many bands influenced by that record ended up a step or two lower than standard.
It also suits singers. A song that sits uncomfortably high in E can drop four semitones without anyone relearning it, which is the same reason blues and rock players use half step down.
Setting Up a Guitar for C Standard
- Fit heavier strings first. Tension falls with the square of the pitch, so four semitones down costs each string about 37% of its tension. A .012–.056 or .013–.062 set gets most of it back. The string tension calculator will show the numbers for your exact gauges.
- Check the nut. A .056 or .062 low string may not fit a nut cut for a .046. If it binds, the string will stick and ping as you tune; have the slot opened rather than forcing it.
- Adjust the truss rod. Even with heavier strings, the pull on the neck changes. Check relief after a day and adjust if the neck has moved.
- Reset the intonation. Heavier strings need the saddles further back. Use the intonation checker to see which way each one should move.
Troubleshooting
Chords sound sour above the 7th fret. The open strings are in tune but the intonation is not. That is a setup job, not a tuning problem — see step 4 above.
The low string rattles against the frets. Either the string is too light for this pitch or the action is too low for its wider swing. Fix the gauge first, then raise the bridge slightly.
It keeps going flat. New strings stretch, and so does a neck that has just lost a lot of tension. Stretch each string gently along its length and retune two or three times in the first hour.
Related: Drop C tuner (the same low C with power-chord tuning on top), B standard tuner, and the full tunings chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the notes in C standard tuning?
C F B♭ E♭ G C, from the lowest string to the highest. Every string is two whole steps (four semitones) below standard E A D G B E, so the intervals between the strings are exactly the same as standard tuning.
Why does the tuner show A♯ and D♯ instead of B♭ and E♭?
They are the same pitches. A♯ and B♭ are one note with two names, and so are D♯ and E♭. Guitarists usually write C standard with flats, because it is a flat key, but the tuner names every note with sharps so it reads the same in every tuning.
Do chord shapes change in C standard?
No. Because every string moves by the same amount, an open E shape still looks like an E chord — it just sounds as a C. Tabs written for C standard use the same fret numbers you would play in standard tuning.
What string gauge do I need for C standard?
On a 25.5" scale guitar, a .012–.056 set is the usual starting point, and many players go to .013–.062 for a firmer low C. On a shorter 24.75" scale, go a step heavier again. A normal .010 set tuned this low will flap, buzz and play out of tune.
What is the difference between C standard and Drop C?
C standard lowers all six strings by two whole steps: C F B♭ E♭ G C. Drop C is D standard with only the low string dropped to C: C G C F A D. Drop C gives one-finger power chords; C standard keeps normal chord shapes. The low note is the same C in both.