Guitar Tunings by Band and Artist
The tunings well-known guitarists are documented as using, grouped by tuning. Each one links to a tuner already set to it.
Half step down (E♭ standard) E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭
Half step down tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| Jimi Hendrix | Most of his recorded work |
| Stevie Ray Vaughan | Most of his catalogue |
| Guns N' Roses | Appetite for Destruction |
| Alice in Chains | Much of their catalogue |
| Green Day | "Basket Case" and much of Dookie |
Drop D D A D G B E
Drop D tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| Rage Against the Machine | "Killing in the Name" |
| Foo Fighters | "Everlong" |
| Tool | Most of their catalogue |
Full step down (D standard) D G C F A D
Full step down tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| Metallica | "Sad but True" |
C♯ standard C♯ F♯ B E G♯ C♯
C standard tuner, then raise every string a semitone →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| Black Sabbath | Master of Reality, including "Children of the Grave" |
C standard C F B♭ E♭ G C
C standard tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| Queens of the Stone Age | Much of their catalogue |
Drop C C G C F A D
Drop C tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| System of a Down | "Chop Suey!", "Toxicity" and most of their catalogue |
Open G D G D G B D
Open G tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| The Rolling Stones (Keith Richards) | "Honky Tonk Women", "Brown Sugar", "Start Me Up" — usually with the low string removed |
Open E E B E G♯ B E
Open E tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| Duane Allman | His slide playing with the Allman Brothers Band |
| Derek Trucks | Nearly all his slide playing |
DADGAD D A D G A D
DADGAD tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page) | "Kashmir" and "Black Mountain Side" |
| Davy Graham | Popularised the tuning in British folk in the 1960s |
A standard (7-string) A D G C F A D
7-string tuner →| Artist | Where |
|---|---|
| Korn | Most of their catalogue, on 7-string guitars |
How This List Was Put Together
Every entry here is widely documented: in interviews with the players, official songbooks, or transcriptions that have been checked against the records for years. Tunings that are disputed, or that change from song to song in ways that are hard to pin down, are left out rather than guessed. Players change tunings between albums, songs and tours, so each entry says where it applies.
The tunings chart lists the frequency of every string in every tuning, and the key finder can tell you the key of a recording you are trying to learn.
Four Patterns Worth Knowing
Half step down was the default for decades
From blues-rock in the late 1960s to hair metal and grunge, an enormous amount of guitar music was recorded a semitone low. If an older rock song sounds slightly off when you play along, try half step down before anything else.
Heavier music went lower
Black Sabbath's down-tuning on Master of Reality set a direction that runs through doom, stoner rock, nu-metal and metalcore: lower tunings, heavier strings, and drop tunings for one-finger power chords. Drop D led to Drop C, Drop B and the 7-string Drop A.
Slide players use open tunings
A slide plays straight across the strings, so it can only make full chords when the open strings form one. That is why slide guitarists — from Delta blues to the Allman Brothers — live in open G, open D and open E.
Folk and acoustic players use modal tunings
DADGAD moved from 1960s British folk into rock through players like Jimmy Page. Its ringing open strings suit drones and melody far more than strumming, which is why it is so common in fingerstyle and Celtic music.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out what tuning a song is in?
Play along with the recording in standard tuning. If every chord is close but slightly flat, the song is probably half step down. If a riff's lowest note is a D below your low E, try Drop D. To check by ear, play the song's lowest note on a tuner, or let the key finder tell you the key and compare.
Why do so many bands tune down a half step?
Mainly for singers and for feel. Half step down drops every song a semitone, which takes strain off a vocalist, and the lower string tension makes bends easier and the tone a little looser and fatter. Every chord shape stays the same.
Why is my song still out of tune with the record after retuning?
Some recordings are not at standard pitch at all — tape machines ran slightly fast or slow, and some bands tuned to each other rather than to A = 440. If the gap is less than a semitone, tune to the record by ear, or set the tuner's reference pitch until the record matches.
Do bands use the same tuning live?
Not always. Bands often settle on one tuning for a whole live set to avoid changing guitars, or drop an older song down to suit the singer's voice years later. The tunings here are for the recordings named.