Guitar tuning

Open C Tuning

C·G·C·G·C·E

Tonal centre C major Also called Wide major, C6 tuning (near relative) Difficulty Easy to fret, may need heavier strings

Open on the Canvas → Explore chords in the app

Open C tunes the strings to a wide C major chord, with the 6th string dropped a full two whole steps to a low C. It is the deepest of the common open tunings — the bottom string sits four semitones below standard — and it rings like the lowest octave of a piano.

Jimmy Page wrote “Friends” in it. Devin Townsend uses it as his main tuning for the weight it gives heavy riffs; Ben Howard and the John Butler Trio use it for the opposite reason, the resonance it gives fingerstyle. The low C usually calls for heavier strings or a shorter scale to keep the 6th string from flapping.

How to tune to Open 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 — unchanged
2nd B → C (up a semitone)
1st (highest) E — unchanged

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 Open C does well

An enormous low end. The 6th string is a low C, four semitones below standard — chords rooted there sound orchestral.
Open C major with no fingers. Strum the open strings for the tonic; barre for other majors.
Wide voicings. The octave gap between the low C and the next C spreads a chord out more than standard tuning can.
Heavy and ambient both. The depth suits drop-tuned riffing and slow, ringing fingerstyle equally well.

Common chords in Open C

Open C major chords away from the tonic are mostly barres; the shapes below are the easiest voicing the engine finds for each. Tap any chord to open it in the app and browse the rest.

C 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 of 958 → F 5 5 0 5 0 5 1 of 331 → G 7 0 7 7 7 7 1 of 114 → Am x 2 0 2 0 0 1 of 469 → Em 4 0 4 4 4 0 1 of 400 → Fmaj7 5 5 0 5 4 5 1 of 454 → G7 7 0 5 7 5 7 1 of 234 → Dm 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 of 175 →

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

A progression to try

A I–IV–V loop in C, letting the low string ring underneath:

C→F→G→C

Songs in Open C

Friends — Led Zeppelin
The Fear — Ben Howard
Ocean — John Butler Trio
Much of Devin Townsend’s heavier catalogue

Players who use Open C

Jimmy Page, John Fahey, William Ackerman, Devin Townsend, Ben Howard, John Butler, The Tallest Man on Earth, Nick Drake (among his many tunings).

Open a Open 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

Open C tuning FAQ

What are the notes in Open C tuning?

From lowest to highest: C, G, C, G, C, E. Four strings change from standard: the 6th drops from E to C, the 5th from A to G, the 4th from D to C, and the 2nd from B to C. The 3rd and 1st stay.

Do I need special strings for Open C?

Often, yes. The low C is a whole step below Drop D and two below standard, so a normal 6th string can sound loose and buzz. A heavier-gauge set, or a slightly heavier 6th string on its own, keeps it tight.

Is Open C hard on the guitar?

The overall string tension is lower than standard, so it does not stress the neck — but the slack low string is the trade-off. Tune down gradually and check your intonation afterwards.

What is Open C good for?

Deep, resonant fingerstyle and heavy riffing alike. The low C and the wide gap between the two lowest C’s give chords a spread and weight that standard tuning cannot reach.

Can I use a capo in Open C?

Yes — a capo raises the whole tuning while keeping the open-C intervals, so a capo at the 2nd fret gives Open D pitch with Open C shapes. Open—Shape recalculates every voicing for the capo.

Related tunings

Open G Open D Open E Open A