Guitar tuning

Drop C Tuning

C·G·C·F·A·D

Tonal centre C (Drop D shapes, two steps down) Also called CGCFAD Difficulty Easy shapes, heavier strings help

Open on the Canvas → Explore chords in the app

Drop C takes standard tuning down a whole step, then drops the 6th string another whole step to a low C. The fingering is identical to Drop D — a one-finger power chord on the bottom strings — sitting two semitones lower, with a low C that gives a riff real weight.

It is a metal and hardcore staple. System of a Down, Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage and most of metalcore live here: the low C is heavy enough to feel in your chest, and the drop shape lets a rhythm part move fast. Because every string is slack compared with standard, a heavier gauge set keeps the tone tight.

How to tune to Drop C

From standard tuning:

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

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 Drop C does well

One-finger power chords. The dropped 6th string puts the root and fifth on the same fret — barre the bottom three strings anywhere for a power chord.
A very low C. The 6th string sits four semitones below standard. Palm-muted, it is the thick, chugging low end of modern metal.
Standard shapes, transposed. Everything you play in Drop D works here unchanged — it just sounds a whole step lower.
Fast rhythm playing. Moving a one-finger shape along the neck is quicker and cleaner to mute than a two-finger power chord.

Common chords in Drop C

The shapes below are the same ones you would use in Drop D, two semitones lower. Each is the first voicing the engine returns; tap to browse the rest.

C 0 0 0 2 x 2 1 of 393 → C5 0 0 0 x x x 1 of 203 → Csus4 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 of 619 → F 5 5 0 0 0 x 1 of 551 → G x 0 2 2 2 0 1 of 181 → Am x 2 0 x 0 2 1 of 397 → Dm 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 of 425 → Bb x 3 x 0 x 0 1 of 319 →

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

A progression to try

A heavy C–F–G loop that leans on the low string:

C→F→G→C

Songs in Drop C

Chop Suey! — System of a Down
B.Y.O.B. — System of a Down
Tears Don’t Fall — Bullet for My Valentine
Much of metalcore and modern hard rock

Where you’ll hear it

Metalcore, nu-metal and hardcore — System of a Down, Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, Bring Me the Horizon, Parkway Drive. It is one of the most common tunings in heavy music.

Open a Drop C 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

Drop C tuning FAQ

How do I tune to Drop C?

Tune every string down a whole step first, so standard becomes D G C F A D, then drop the 6th string another whole step from D to C. The result is C, G, C, F, A, D from low to high.

Is Drop C the same as Drop D?

The shapes are identical — Drop C is Drop D two frets lower in pitch. Anything you can play in one works in the other.

Do I need heavier strings for Drop C?

It helps a lot. Every string is a whole step below standard, so a normal set feels loose and can buzz or sound dull. A heavier gauge, or at least a heavier 6th string, restores the tension.

Why do metal bands use Drop C?

The low C is heavy and the drop shape makes power chords a one-finger move, so rhythm parts can be both very low and very fast — without needing a seven-string guitar.

Can I use a capo in Drop C?

Yes — a capo raises all six strings equally, so the dropped 6th keeps its whole-step gap. A capo at the 2nd fret gives Drop D pitch with a slacker feel. Open—Shape recalculates every shape for the capo.

Related tunings

Drop D Drop C# Drop B Drop Bb Drop A Double Drop D