Why is dropped D tuning used so often?

Question

Many metal/rock songs use dropped D tuning. What reasons are there for it?

Answer 1

It also makes it even easier to play power chords - you only need one finger with drop D!

Answer 2

It's a combination of lower-sound and easier play.

While playing power-chords is easier... that opens up more complex playing patterns. You can run down a scale and land on a power-chord, which can sound really cool.

It also adds a lot of opportunity for "open" positions while playing in the key of D, which is also really nice.

I play equally in E standard and Drop-D and tend to prefer Drop-D while playing bluesy stuff. E sounds better to me when playing metal though.

Answer 3

Because it's cool.

It's not only easier to play power chords on the low strings, it's also easier to have drones especially in D and A. And as with any more-or-less-open tuning, you have different pitches for the unfretted strings, which means a fuller tone for different notes.

I think of it as a compromise between standard tuning and DADGAD.

Answer 4

Because it gives a lower, grungier sound.

It's the reason that 7 string guitars have become popular with metal bands, you can get that low down chugging :)

Answer 5

On acoustic guitar, drop D is popular because you have a bigger range of pitches while using open-string chords. It doesn't quite give you the ethereal, ghostly sound you get with DADGAD but it's close. And, as others have pointed out, retuning one string is pretty quick; I've tuned to drop-D in the middle of a song, if you have bandmates to cover for a measure it works fine.

Answer 6

It also makes it even easier to play power chords - you only need one finger with drop D!

Yes, but one might wonder: Having to use two fingers instead of one to play a power chord is not that difficult, so why switch to a different tuning just for that?

The main advantage for me is that with only one finger needed for a power chord on the low strings, you have more fingers left to layer more complex patterns on top of that power chord.

Answer 7

Dropped D is mostly used for rock music , metal , alternative rock etc. It's basically means that the Low E string which is the 6th string , minus 2 frets away from the standard E . Or you can match it with your 4th string which is also a D but it is the high D . I usually don't use match the high D . Drop D is fun!!! U can do a power chord just by putting 1 finger on any fret! After you dropped D , this is your tuning DADGBE . D-6th A-5th D-4th G-3rd B-2nd E-1st . For those who don't understand , when you drop D you should be able to hear the fierce sound if you play an open string for 6th 5th 4th . Don't drop to low , it's just two frets away ! Or you can go to

. Hope I helped !

Answer 8

Playing powerchords with one finger does not satisfy me. On second string all powerchords reamain the same like in standard tuning. I would say that it is easier to play lower powerchords with dropped tuning. Many players are able to play powerchords with two fingers without any pain (even me) using standard tuned guitar.

D5 open-stringed is easy to mix any other powechords in any position on freboard. This is frequently used in any metal bands and IMHO this is the best reason for retuning into dropped tune. Even you would try to play this song half full tone higher than original in standard tuning it would be hard to slide from DE5 to DE5 in octave.

Eb|-------------------------------------|  |-----------------------------|
Hb|-------------------------------------|  |-----------------------------|
Gb|-------------------------------------|x3|-----------------------------|
Db|--------------------------------14/15|  |-----------------------------|
Ab|--00-13/12-0-10p0-12p10-0-10-00--x-x-|  |-0-7-5-0-5-3-0-8-7-0-5-3-1111|
Db|--00-13/12-0-10p0-12p10-0-10-00-14/15|  |-0-7-5-0-5-3-0-8-7-0-5-3-1111|
pm   **       *            *    **                                   ****

Personally I don't like sound of dropped tuning because It sounds little dirty but I'm not metal fan actually.

Some guitarists use D-tuner for tremolo or for other guitars. This allows to retune guitar during song :D

Answer 9

Dropping to D also has the advantage of dropping, so it's reducing tension on the string.

Tuning down: safer than tuning up. It's also at the extreme low end of what a guitar can play, so you get an extra note, and one finger (or slide) power chords can be desirable.