Guitar tuning

C# Standard Tuning

C#·F#·B·E·G#·C#

Tonal centre Whatever key you play — a minor third lower Also called C#F#BEG#C#, Db Standard, down 1½ steps Difficulty Easy — every shape is unchanged

Open on the Canvas → Explore chords in the app

C# Standard lowers every string a minor third from standard tuning: C#, F#, B, E, G#, C# from low to high. Nothing about the fretboard changes — the intervals between strings are the same as standard — so every chord shape, scale and song still works, three semitones lower and much darker.

It is a step past D Standard for weight without moving to a seven-string. Deftones have used it since their early records; Mastodon, and a good deal of progressive and alternative metal, sit here too. A normal set of strings will feel slack at this pitch, so most players move up at least one gauge, or use a longer scale length.

How to tune to C# Standard

From standard tuning:

6th (lowest) E → C# (down a minor third)
5th A → F# (down a minor third)
4th D → B (down a minor third)
3rd G → E (down a minor third)
2nd B → G# (down a minor third)
1st (highest) E → C# (down a minor third)

Open—Shape’s tuner listens for one string at a time and tells you which string it is and how far off — including in alternate tunings like this one.

What C# Standard does well

Nothing to relearn. The string-to-string intervals match standard tuning exactly, so every shape and song transfers with no changes.
Darker than D Standard. A minor third below standard puts real weight under a riff while the fingering stays familiar.
A lower key without a capo. The whole guitar drops a minor third, moving a song down three semitones to suit a voice.
Heavier strings, bigger tone. The slack at this pitch is an invitation to a thicker gauge, which fills the low end back out.

Common chords in C# Standard

Ordinary shapes; the names are the chords as they now sound, a minor third below standard. Each is the first voicing the engine returns — tap to browse the rest.

C# 0 x x 1 0 0 1 of 375 → C#m 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 of 551 → F# x 0 2 2 2 0 1 of 321 → F#m x 0 x x 1 0 1 of 421 → G#m x 2 0 x 0 2 1 of 293 → B x x 0 2 x 2 1 of 271 → A x 3 x 0 x 0 1 of 439 → E 3 x 0 0 0 3 1 of 425 →

Numbers read low string to high; 0 is open, × is muted.

A progression to try

A minor i–v–iv loop, sitting a minor third lower:

C#m→G#m→F#m→C#m

Songs in C# Standard

Much of Deftones’ earlier catalogue
Used across Mastodon’s Blood Mountain and Crack the Skye era
Common in progressive and alternative metal
Any song moved down a minor third to fit a voice

Where you’ll hear it

Deftones above all — Stephen Carpenter used C# standard heavily before moving to seven- and eight-string guitars — plus Mastodon and a broad slice of progressive and alternative metal.

Open a C# Standard canvas — a tuning module already set, wired to a starter progression, every shape recalculated for you.

Open on the Canvas → Explore chords in the app

C# Standard tuning FAQ

How do I tune to C# Standard?

Tune every string down a minor third (three semitones): 6th E to C#, 5th A to F#, 4th D to B, 3rd G to E, 2nd B to G#, 1st E to C#. The result is C#, F#, B, E, G#, C# from low to high.

Is C# Standard the same as Drop C#?

No. Drop C# lowers only the 6th string to C# and keeps the rest a half step down (Eb standard). C# Standard lowers all six a minor third, so the intervals — and every shape — stay as in standard tuning.

Do I need heavier strings for C# Standard?

It is a good idea. Three semitones down leaves a standard set feeling loose and dull; a heavier gauge, or a longer-scale guitar, restores the tension and attack.

Is C# Standard the same as Db Standard?

Yes — C# and Db are the same pitch, so the two names describe the same tuning. C# is the more common spelling for it.

Can I use a capo in C# Standard?

Yes — a capo at the 3rd fret brings it back to standard pitch with a slacker feel, and any other position transposes from there. Open—Shape recalculates every shape for the capo.

Related tunings

Eb Standard D Standard