Guitar tuning

Drop C# Tuning

C#·G#·C#·F#·A#·D#

Tonal centre C# (Drop D shapes, a half step lower than Drop D… and then some) Also called Drop Db, C#G#C#F#A#D# Difficulty Easy shapes — a heavier gauge helps

Open on the Canvas → Explore chords in the app

Drop C# is Eb Standard with the 6th string dropped a further whole step: C#, G#, C#, F#, A#, D# from low to high. The bottom three strings are a stacked C# fifth, so a one-finger barre is a power chord — the exact Drop D move, sitting three semitones lower.

It is a metalcore staple. Bring Me the Horizon (“Sleepwalking”), Bullet for My Valentine and Asking Alexandria all use it — low enough for real heaviness, high enough that a standard scale guitar still holds together with a slightly heavier set. It splits the difference between Drop D’s familiarity and Drop C’s weight.

How to tune to Drop C#

From standard tuning:

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

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 makes the bottom-string fifth a single barre, anywhere on the neck.
Drop D shapes, transposed. Every Drop D and Drop C riff works here unchanged, three semitones down from Drop D.
A half step under Eb. The five upper strings sit at Eb standard pitch, so half-step-down leads and bends carry over.
Heavy without a baritone. Deep enough for modern metalcore while a normal 25.5-inch scale still plays cleanly with a heavier gauge.

Common chords in Drop C#

The shapes are the standard Drop shapes, moved down. Each is the first voicing the engine returns; tap to browse the rest.

C# 0 0 0 2 x 2 1 of 393 → C#5 0 0 0 x x x 1 of 203 → C#sus4 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 of 619 → F# 5 5 0 0 0 x 1 of 551 → F#5 x x x 0 3 3 1 of 203 → G# x 0 2 2 2 0 1 of 181 → A#m x 2 0 x 0 2 1 of 397 → D#m 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 of 425 →

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

A progression to try

A heavy C#–F#–G# on the low string:

C#→F#→G#→C#

Songs in Drop C#

Sleepwalking — Bring Me the Horizon
Used across Bullet for My Valentine and Asking Alexandria
Common through metalcore and modern hard rock

Where you’ll hear it

Metalcore and modern hard rock — Bring Me the Horizon, Bullet for My Valentine, Asking Alexandria, Parkway Drive. One step down from Drop D’s comfort, one step up from Drop C’s weight.

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 half step to Eb standard (Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb), then drop the 6th string a further whole step from Eb 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 the Drop D idea three semitones lower. Every power chord and riff transfers directly.

Is Drop C# the same as Drop Db?

Yes — C# and Db are the same pitch, so the two names describe the same tuning. Drop C# is the more common way to write it.

Do I need heavier strings for Drop C#?

A standard set will work but feel loose, especially the low C#. A slightly heavier gauge, or a set built for low tunings, keeps it tight.

Can I use a capo in Drop C#?

Yes — a capo raises all six strings equally, so the dropped 6th keeps its interval. A capo at the 1st 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