HOW DO I TUNE MY GUITAR SO THAT IT'S IN DROPPED TUNING?

Question

I'm learning to play Sweet Child O' Mine and the video im learning from says to change my guitar to DROPPED TUNING and to tune every string DOWN ONE SEMITONE

I have no idea what that means please help me and be very specific when you explain and do easy step by step instruction im a COMPLETE beginner at guitar and have no idea how to do what it asks

Also if it makes any difference i have an electronic tuner so please show me how to tune my guitar the way it asks using my tuner

Thank you so much i owe everyone who answers this question a whole lot

Answer 1

Well for playing Sweet Child of Mine, you don't neccessarily have to tune your strings down. You can just move every fret you are supposed to play down one, like instead of starting at 12 on string 4, move it down to 11, and repeat for every fret.

But if you do want to take the time to tune it down, there are two different ways.

1. You can use your electronic tuner.

2. You can tune it by ear.

If you use your electronic tuner, and it has a chromatic tuner on it, then instead of E A D G B, tune it to D# G# C# F# A# D# (or Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb).

Now if your tuner doesn't have a chromatic tuner on it, then first make sure your guitar is in good standard tuning and check every string. How you normally tune without a tuner is start on the low E string, play the 5th fret and adjust it until it matches with the A string played open. But since you are tuning it lower, play the 6th fret and tune it down until it matches the A string played open. Then do the same thing for the A string and the D string. (6th fret on A, open on D adjust until it matches) Do the same for the D and the G string. Now tuning the G string is a little different. PLay the 5th fret of the G string and the B string open. For B and E , use the 6th fret again. Now all of your strings are in dropped tuning execpt for the high E. Now, tune that down a bit and play it open. Make sure it matches with playing the 5th fret on the B string. Then you are finally done! It sounds kind of confusing when you type it, but I hope this helps.

Answer 2

A semitone is a half step.

So your guitar is E, B G, D, A, E

It wants you to DROP a half tone

Eb, Bb, F#, C#, Ab, Eb

This will give the song just a little lower tone.  I know you are just learning but there really is no need to drop tune.  You can achieve the same affect by just transposing the chords.

For example, lets say the song asks for a D, A, G.  You can play C, G, & F and get the same effect but in a different key.

Answer 3

instead of tuning to EADGBe its Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.... those are flats so its pronounced e flat a flat etc. flatting a note is lowering it one semitone, or half step. so there

Answer 4

Sorry if I'm being too complicated, I've tried to be as simple as possible.

Down one semitone means you tune down to the next note. For example, Tuning E down one semitone will give you D#, down another semitone would give you D and so on.

I am presuming your in Standard (EADGBE) tuning, you know how to use your tuner and how to tune your guitar.

For Sweet Child O Mine you need to tune you guitar into this tuning using your tuner.



From highest note string to lowest (1st - 6th)

D#

A#

F#

C#

G#

D#

(6th String - Lowest note - fattest string)

Hope this helps!