What is Drop B tuning?
Drop B is the Drop D pattern moved down three semitones: B–F♯–B–E–G♯–C♯. Put another way, it is C♯ standard — every string a step and a half below standard — with the 6th string dropped a further whole step to B. As in every drop tuning, the three lowest strings are then a root, a fifth and an octave, so a power chord is one finger laid across them.
It is a heavy-music tuning, and the low B sits at about the pitch of a five-string bass’s lowest string an octave up. A standard set of strings is far too loose at these pitches: this tuning is normally played on a heavy set, or on a guitar with a longer scale.
The highlighted strings are the ones that move. Tap a string to hear its target.
String notes and frequencies
The exact pitch of each open string at concert pitch, A = 440 Hz — the numbers a strobe or a frequency counter would show. The tuner above works from the same targets.
| String | Note | Frequency | From standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th | B1 | 61.74 Hz | E2 → B1, 5 semitones down |
| 5th | F♯2 | 92.50 Hz | A2 → F♯2, 3 semitones down |
| 4th | B2 | 123.47 Hz | D3 → B2, 3 semitones down |
| 3rd | E3 | 164.81 Hz | G3 → E3, 3 semitones down |
| 2nd | G♯3 | 207.65 Hz | B3 → G♯3, 3 semitones down |
| 1st | C♯4 | 277.18 Hz | E4 → C♯4, 3 semitones down |
Tuning to Drop B
- Check the octave on the low string. The target is B1. If the dial shows B2 you are an octave too high — that is roughly where a standard set’s 5th string sits — and the string would be far too tight.
- Tune the 5th to F♯ and the 4th to B. The 4th string should be exactly an octave above the 6th. The 5th sits between them, a fifth above the low B.
- Tune the top three to E, G♯ and C♯. These are standard’s G, B and E strings, each a step and a half down. The dial spells G♯ and C♯ with sharps.
- Re-check from the bottom. Heavy strings take a while to settle at low tension. Play for a minute and check again.
Where the notes are
The first five frets of every string in this tuning. Each fret is one semitone, so this is also how to check a string against its neighbour: find the fret where the lower string plays the higher string’s open note.
| String | Open | Fret 1 | Fret 2 | Fret 3 | Fret 4 | Fret 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | C♯ | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ |
| 2nd | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | C♯ |
| 3rd | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A |
| 4th | B | C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E |
| 5th | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B |
| 6th | B | C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E |
Frequently asked questions
What strings do I need for Drop B?
Heavier than a standard set. Players commonly use sets sold for drop tunings, with a 6th string in the region of .056 to .062, so the low B has enough tension to hold its pitch and not flap against the frets. A standard light set will tune down this far but will not play in tune.
Is Drop B the same as B standard?
No. B standard lowers all six strings by two and a half steps (B–E–A–D–F♯–B) and keeps standard’s chord shapes. Drop B has the same low B but the other five strings are a whole step higher than that, which gives the one-finger power chord on the bottom three strings.
How is Drop B related to Drop C and Drop D?
They are the same shape at different heights. Drop D is standard with the low string down a whole step; Drop C is that whole pattern a whole step lower; Drop B is one semitone lower again. A riff written in one is fingered identically in the others and comes out lower.
For everything else about tuning the instrument itself — strings that slip, pegs, and what the dial is telling you — see the guitar tuner and the standard guitar tuning this one is measured from.
Common chord shapes in Drop B tuning
Where the everyday chords fall on a guitar tuned this way. Each shape is found by searching this tuning’s own strings for the frets that sound the chord — nothing here is copied from a standard-tuning chart — and each plays when you press it.
- Gx13331
- C111343
- D303211
- Ax32010
- E520003
- Em555333
- Amx35543
- Dm333111