Drop B Tuner

How to Use This Drop B Tuner

1. Press Start Recording on the tuner above and allow microphone access.
2. The Drop B preset is already selected, so the tuner listens for B F♯ B E G♯ C♯.
3. Lower strings 5 to 1 by three semitones each: A→F♯, D→B, G→E, B→G♯, E→C♯.
4. Lower string 6 by five semitones, from E all the way to B (61.74 Hz). Do this last — it is the biggest change and the one most likely to be pulled sharp again by the others.
5. Make two or three more passes. Removing this much tension lets the neck straighten for several minutes, and every string drifts flat as it does.

New strings stretch, and a big detune makes it worse. After fitting a fresh set for Drop B, tune up, pull each string gently away from the fretboard along its length, and tune again until it stops going flat.

What is Drop B Tuning?

Drop B is B F♯ B E G♯ C♯, low to high. Like every drop tuning, the bottom three strings form a fifth and an octave, so a one-finger barre across them makes a power chord and the open strings ring as a B5. The top five strings keep standard tuning's shape, three semitones down, so familiar chord shapes on them still work.

The easiest way to place it: Drop B is to Drop C what Drop C is to Drop D — the same tuning, stepped further down. Its lowest note matches the B string a seven-string guitar adds, which is why it is often the first stop for players who want seven-string range without buying a seven-string.

Why Metal Uses Drop B

• Range on six strings.B1 is a fourth below standard tuning's low E and the deepest common tuning a regular-scale six-string can hold well.
• Riffs from Drop D carry over. Same shapes, a minor third lower. A riff written in Drop D becomes heavier without being relearned.
• The chug. Heavy palm-muted low notes have a short, percussive attack at this pitch that defines a lot of modern metal and metalcore rhythm playing. Slipknot is a well-known example, with much of their catalogue in Drop B.

Strings and Setup for Drop B

String tension follows the square of the frequency, and Drop B takes a lot away. Strings 1 to 5 drop three semitones and keep only about 71% of their standard tension; the 6th string drops five semitones and keeps about 56%. On the strings a guitar left the factory with, that is the difference between a tight, focused low note and one that wobbles visibly.

1. Fit heavier strings first..012–.056 is a sensible starting point on a 25.5″ scale; .013–.062 for a tighter low end. Shorter 24.75″ and 24″ scales need heavier still. The string tension calculator shows what your set will feel like in Drop B and which gauges restore standard-tuning tension.
2. Check the nut. A .056 or .062 low string may not fit a slot cut for a .046. If it sits on top of the slot or binds and pings as you tune, the slot needs widening — a job for a technician if you have not done it before.
3. Adjust the truss rod. Heavier strings at lower pitch can leave the neck with a different amount of relief than before. Check for buzz in the middle of the neck and adjust slightly.
4. Raise the action a little on the bass side. Lower tension means a wider vibration, and the low B needs room.
5. Reset intonation. Thicker strings need their saddles moving back. Check each string with the tuner, or follow the intonation guide.

If you play standard and Drop B in the same set, a second guitar set up for each will sound and play better than one guitar retuned between songs. Floating tremolos, in particular, need rebalancing every time.

Checking Drop B by Ear

With one string in tune you can check the rest. Fret the 6th string at the 7th fret to match the open 5th string. Then 5th fret of the 5th matches the open 4th, 5th fret of the 4th matches the open 3rd, 4th fret of the 3rd matches the open 2nd, and 5th fret of the 2nd matches the open 1st. For the low string on its own, its 12th-fret harmonic should match the open 4th string, B2, with no beating.

Troubleshooting

The low B buzzes against the frets. The string is too light for the pitch, or the action is too low for its wider swing. Go up a gauge before you raise the action.

Every string goes flat a few minutes after tuning. The neck is still settling after losing tension, or new strings are still stretching. Retune a few times over ten minutes; it stops.

The tuner jumps between B and an octave higher. It is hearing the overtone. Pluck nearer the neck, use your thumb, and let the note sustain.

Related: Drop C♯ tuner, Drop C tuner, and the 7-string guitar tuner for the same low B with standard tuning above it. Every tuning side by side: the guitar tunings chart.