Metalcore · modern metal · hardcore
Drop C Tuning Chords & Fretboard (CGCFAD)
The fretboard is in Drop C: Drop D shapes, a whole step lower. One-finger power chords on the bottom three strings, standard chord shapes on strings 5–1 (sounding a step down). Pick any chord below for correct voicings, then read the gauge advice — this tuning needs heavier strings.
- C–G–C–F–A–D
- Drop D down a whole step
- One-finger power chords
- Needs .011–.056 or heavier
Fretboard & chord finder
Pick a tuning and key, click any fret to hear it, and see every scale tone and chord degree across the neck.
Scale & Arpeggio Neck Boxes Show / Hide ▾
Chord voicings
Every playable voicing of each chord in the current key, ranked V1–Vn up the neck. Filter by difficulty or chord type, and use ← → on a card to step through its voicings.
Progression looper & tab
Queue chords, choose a picking pattern and meter, loop it, then export tab, MIDI or a printable chord sheet.
String tension calculator
Total: 103.8 lbs • Avg: 17.3 lbs • All Strings Safe (Balanced) • Custom .010–.046
| Str | Pitch | Scale | Gauge | Tension | Status |
|---|
Guitar tuner
Tune with your microphone to any preset or custom tuning, or tap a string to hear its reference pitch.
Odd-time drum machine
Program custom odd-meter drum grooves in 4/4, 5/4, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, or 11/8, or enable Sync with Chord Looper so the kit plays behind your chord progressions.
Chord identifier & capo transposer
Tap frets on the neck below or type any 6-string fret grip (like 0-5-3-0-0-0 or X-3-2-0-1-0) to identify every possible chord name, interval formula, and capo equivalent.
Capo & Alternate-Tuning Transposer Equivalents
See how to play this exact concert chord using different capo positions or alternate tunings.
Fretboard & ear trainer
Master note locations across unfamiliar tunings (FACGCE, DAEAC#E, DADGAD, Standard), sharpen interval ear recognition, drill scale degrees, and spell complex chord formulas.
When practicing in alternate tunings such as FACGCE or DAEAC#E, the trainer dynamically recalculates fretboard intervals, open drone strings, and chord voicings so you build genuine muscle memory.
Drop C tuning explained
Drop C is Drop D tuned down a further whole step: every string is two semitones below Drop D, giving C–G–C–F–A–D. You keep all the Drop D advantages — one-finger power chords on the bottom three strings, standard chord shapes on strings 5–1 — but everything sounds a whole step lower, which is why it is the default tuning of a huge slice of metalcore and modern metal (System of a Down, Bullet for My Valentine, Parkway Drive and many others).
Because the whole guitar is lowered, chord shapes are unchanged from Drop D but chord names shift down a step: the open "D shape" sounds C, the "E shape" at fret 2 sounds D, and so on. The chord finder above already accounts for that — ask it for Am and it shows shapes that sound Am in this tuning.
How to tune to Drop C from standard
- 6th string: E → C (down two whole steps).
- 5th string: A → G (down a whole step).
- 4th string: D → C (down a whole step).
- 3rd string: G → F (down a whole step).
- 2nd string: B → A (down a whole step).
- 1st string: E → D (down a whole step).
Strings matter here. A .010–.046 set in Drop C loses roughly a fifth of its tension across the board and the .046 at C2 sits near 10 lb — floppy, buzzy and sharp when picked hard. The usual choices are .011–.056, .012–.060 or a dedicated drop-tuning set (e.g. .010–.052 "heavy bottom" at minimum). On a 24.75" Les Paul-scale guitar go one step heavier again; on a 26.5"–27" baritone a .010–.052 is comfortable. Use the string tension calculator to match your normal feel.
Essential CGCFAD chord shapes
⬇ Printable CGCFAD 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 power chord on the bottom three strings.
One-finger power chords at fret 3…
…fret 5…
…and fret 7. The whole riff vocabulary is a single finger.
bVI power chord for minor-key riffs.
bVII power chord.
The "open D shape" now sounds C major.
Open-position C minor with the low root.
Open sus2 — a favourite for clean intros.
A ringing Cadd9 using the open 1st string.
Dominant 7th in open position.
The IV chord ("G shape" at fret 5) with open strings.
Fmaj7 with open 3rd and 2nd strings.
The V chord — the standard "A shape", sounding G.
Gsus4 for suspension-to-resolution riffs.
The vi chord without a barre.
Am7 with open 4th and 2nd strings.
Suggested starting point on a 25.5" scale: .011–.056 (25.5") / .012–.060 (24.75"); .010–.052 on baritone scales. Run your own gauges through the tension lab before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
What string gauge should I use for Drop C?▾
Most players use .011–.056 or .012–.060 on a 25.5" scale; .010–.052 is the thinnest that stays usable. On shorter 24.75" scales go heavier; on baritone scales go lighter. The tension calculator on this site shows the exact pounds per string so you can match your standard-tuning feel.
Is Drop C bad for a guitar?▾
No — tension goes down, not up. The issues are setup-related: lower tension means more neck relief is needed, the nut slots may need widening for heavier strings, and intonation must be reset. A guitar kept permanently in Drop C should be set up for it.
Which bands play in Drop C?▾
System of a Down ("Toxicity", "Chop Suey!"), Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage on several albums, Parkway Drive, Atreyu, Bring Me the Horizon's early work, and a large share of metalcore and deathcore (which often goes lower still, to Drop B or A).
Can I use standard chord shapes in Drop C?▾
Yes, on strings 5–1 every standard shape works and sounds a whole step lower (an "A shape" sounds G). Shapes that use the 6th string need the bass moved up two frets, exactly as in Drop D. The chord finder above shows corrected voicings automatically.
Related tools & tunings
Found a mistake or want a tuning covered? Leave a note on Ko-fi. Last updated 2026-10-28.