Neil Young · folk rock · drone riffs
Double Drop D Tuning Chords & Fretboard (DADGBD)
The fretboard is in Double Drop D: both E strings lowered to D, everything else standard. Your usual shapes still work on strings 5–2, and two open D strings now ring as drones above and below them — the sound of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" and "Ohio". Pick any chord below for voicings, or scroll for the shapes that change.
- D–A–D–G–B–D
- Both E strings down to D
- Standard shapes on strings 5–2
- "Cinnamon Girl" tuning
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Total: 103.8 lbs • Avg: 17.3 lbs • All Strings Safe (Balanced) • Custom .010–.046
| Str | Pitch | Scale | Gauge | Tension | Status |
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Master note locations across unfamiliar tunings (FACGCE, DAEAC#E, DADGAD, Standard), sharpen interval ear recognition, drill scale degrees, and spell complex chord formulas.
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Double Drop D tuning explained
Double Drop D lowers both E strings a whole step to D: D–A–D–G–B–D. It is Drop D with the top string dropped too, so the guitar now has a D drone at both ends. Strings 5 to 2 are untouched, which means every A-, C- and G-family shape you know still works in the middle — you just choose whether to let the low and high D ring with it.
Neil Young made it famous: "Cinnamon Girl", "The Loner", "Ohio", "When You Dance I Can Really Love" and "Cortez the Killer" are all in Double Drop D. The trick in those songs is moving a simple shape on the middle strings while both D strings drone, so a D–C–G progression sounds huge with almost no fretting. The 1st string D also adds a bright 5th to G chords and a 9th to C chords for free.
How to tune to Double Drop D from standard
- 6th string: E → D (down a whole step). Match it to the open 4th string an octave lower.
- 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd strings: A, D, G, B — unchanged.
- 1st string: E → D (down a whole step). Match it to the 2nd string at fret 3.
Both changes go down, so any normal set works; a .010–.052 "heavy bottom" set keeps the low D firm for riffing. See the tension calculator for exact numbers.
Which standard chords change
Anything that uses the outer strings. Open G becomes 5-5-0-0-0-0 (frets 5 on the two bass strings, everything else open — a fuller G than standard), E minor needs fret 2 on the 6th string, and D major needs the F# on the 1st string at fret 4 (or play D5 and let the drones imply it). C and A shapes are unchanged as long as you avoid the 1st string — or include it for an instant Cadd9.
Essential DADGBD chord shapes
⬇ Printable DADGBD chord chart (PDF)Diagrams show strings low to high (6 → 1, left to right). × = don't play that string, ○ = open string, orange = the root note. Every shape was checked note-by-note against the tuning. Press Play to load it on the fretboard above and hear it.
Open D power chord over both D drones — the core sound of the tuning.
Bottom three strings open: one-finger power chords, exactly as in Drop D.
Full D major: the F# moves to fret 4 on the 1st string.
D major at fret 7 between the open D strings.
Open G and D on top — the classic hanging chord.
E on the 1st string for Dsus2.
Two fingers at fret 5 and four open strings — a massive G.
Add F# on the 4th string for Gmaj7.
A on the 3rd string for Gadd9.
One-finger power chord at fret 5.
Standard open C — just leave out the 1st string.
Let the open 1st string ring: the D turns C into Cadd9.
Standard A shape, 1st string muted.
Asus4 resolving to A or D.
Standard A7 on the middle strings.
Bm without the top-string barre.
One shape, four open strings — Em7.
The bIII (or bVI in A) — a small F on the top four strings.
Suggested starting point on a 25.5" scale: .010–.046 or .010–.052 heavy-bottom. Run your own gauges through the tension lab before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
What songs are in Double Drop D?▾
Neil Young is the classic example: "Cinnamon Girl", "The Loner", "The Old Laughing Lady", "When You Dance I Can Really Love", "Ohio" and "Cortez the Killer" are all in DADGBD.
What is the difference between Drop D and Double Drop D?▾
Drop D lowers only the 6th string (D–A–D–G–B–E). Double Drop D also lowers the 1st string to D (D–A–D–G–B–D), giving a high D drone too. Shapes on strings 5–2 are identical in both.
Is Double Drop D the same as DADGAD?▾
No. DADGAD also lowers the 2nd string from B to A, which removes the major third and turns the open strings into a Dsus4. Double Drop D keeps the B, so standard chord shapes on strings 5–2 still work.
Do I need different strings for Double Drop D?▾
No — two strings go down a whole step, so tension only drops. If the low D feels loose for heavy riffing, use a heavier 6th string (.050–.052) or a .010–.052 set.
Related tools & tunings
Found a mistake or want a tuning covered? Leave a note on Ko-fi. Last updated 2026-10-28.