My Chord Finder
Guitar · A E A D F# B
Drop A tuning
Drop A tuning is A E A D F# B from low to high: the Drop D pattern, five semitones lower. Tap a string to hear its target note, tune with your microphone, then play one-finger power chords and move your Drop D shapes. A4 = 440 Hz.
Tap a string to hear it · Hz
ListeningString 6 to string 1, low to high
- From Drop D: every string down 5 semitones (D→A, A→E, D→A, G→D, B→F#, E→B).
- From standard: string 6 down 7, strings 5 to 1 down 5 (E→A, A→E, D→A, G→D, B→F#, E→B).
- B standard is higher: string 6 is B1, two semitones above A1, and strings 5 to 1 match.
Notes below E2 are the E2 recording pitched down.
Mic stays on your device. On only after you press the button; nothing is recorded or uploaded.
Power chords
One-finger power chords in Drop A
Lay one finger across strings 6 to 4 at the same fret. The root is the note on string 6, so the fret number is the number of semitones above A.
| Fret | Chord | Fret code (6→1) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 0 0 X X X | A1 · E2 · A2 | |
| 1 | 1 1 1 X X X | Bb1 · F2 · Bb2 | |
| 2 | 2 2 2 X X X | B1 · F#2 · B2 | |
| 3 | 3 3 3 X X X | C2 · G2 · C3 | |
| 4 | 4 4 4 X X X | Db2 · Ab2 · Db3 | |
| 5 | 5 5 5 X X X | D2 · A2 · D3 | |
| 6 | 6 6 6 X X X | Eb2 · Bb2 · Eb3 | |
| 7 | 7 7 7 X X X | E2 · B2 · E3 | |
| 8 | 8 8 8 X X X | F2 · C3 · F3 | |
| 9 | 9 9 9 X X X | F#2 · Db3 · F#3 | |
| 10 | 10 10 10 X X X | G2 · D3 · G3 | |
| 11 | 11 11 11 X X X | Ab2 · Eb3 · Ab3 | |
| 12 | 12 12 12 X X X | A2 · E3 · A3 |
Chord shapes
Your Drop D shapes in Drop A
Keep your Drop D fingering. With every string five semitones lower, each shape sounds a perfect fourth below its name: a D5 shape sounds A5, an E5 shape sounds B5, a D shape sounds A.
Drop A chord shapes
D5 shape → A5 0 0 0 X X X
Drop A · A1 E2 A2 D3 F#3 B3
| String | Fret | Drop D | Drop A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | D2 | A1 |
| 5 | 0 | A2 | E2 |
| 4 | 0 | D3 | A2 |
| 3 | X | — | — |
| 2 | X | — | — |
| 1 | X | — | — |
What is checked: each fret is applied to D2–A2–D3–G3–B3–E4 (Drop D) and A1–E2–A2–D3–F#3–B3 (Drop A), and the pitches must match the chord named. Notes are written with flats except F#, so Ab is the same pitch as G#. The shape is the first voicing the Drop D chord page shows.
Common Drop D shapes, renamed
| Shape you play | Fret code (6→1) | Chord you hear | Notes now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 0 0 X X X | A5 | A1 E2 A2 | |
| 2 2 2 X X X | B5 | B1 F#2 B2 | |
| 3 3 3 X X X | C5 | C2 G2 C3 | |
| 5 5 5 X X X | D5 | D2 A2 D3 | |
| 7 7 7 X X X | E5 | E2 B2 E3 | |
| 0 0 0 2 X 2 | A | A1 E2 A2 E3 Db4 | |
| 0 0 0 X X 1 | Am | A1 E2 A2 C4 | |
| 0 0 0 2 1 2 | A7 | A1 E2 A2 E3 G3 Db4 |
All twelve names
| Drop D name | Sounds as | Drop D name | Sounds as |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | G | F# | Db |
| Db | Ab | G | D |
| D | A | Ab | Eb |
| Eb | Bb | A | E |
| E | B | Bb | F |
| F | C | B | F# |
Tuning
Tune a guitar to Drop A
Lower string 6 by seven semitones and strings 5 to 1 by five, until the tuner shows each target note. This is a very big drop: go a step at a time, check the whole set again after a few minutes, and expect standard strings to feel loose. Many players use heavier strings, or a baritone guitar, and have the guitar set up again.
| String | Standard | Drop D | Drop A | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | E2 | D2 | A1 | down 7 |
| 5 | A2 | A2 | E2 | down 5 |
| 4 | D3 | D3 | A2 | down 5 |
| 3 | G3 | G3 | D3 | down 5 |
| 2 | B3 | B3 | F#3 | down 5 |
| 1 | E4 | E4 | B3 | down 5 |
Don't mix them up
Drop A vs B standard vs Drop B vs Drop D
Drop A is Drop D five semitones lower. B standard has the same strings 5 to 1, but string 6 is B1 instead of A1. Drop B is a whole step higher than Drop A on every string.
| Tuning | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | In short |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | E2 | A2 | D3 | G3 | B3 | E4 | the starting point |
| Drop D | D2 | A2 | D3 | G3 | B3 | E4 | string 6 down 2 from standard |
| Drop A | A1 | E2 | A2 | D3 | F#3 | B3 | this page: Drop D, five semitones lower |
| B standard | B1 | E2 | A2 | D3 | F#3 | B3 | every string down 5 from standard |
| Drop B | B1 | F#2 | B2 | E3 | Ab3 | Db4 | Drop A, a whole step higher |
Drop A tuning questions
What are the notes of Drop A tuning?
Drop A tuning is A1 E2 A2 D3 F#3 B3 from string 6 to string 1, written A E A D F# B.
Is Drop A the same as B standard?
No. B standard (B E A D F# B) has string 6 two semitones higher than Drop A, and strings 5 to 1 are the same. See B standard tuning.
Is Drop A the same as Drop B?
No. Drop B (B F# B E G# C#) is Drop A raised a whole step, so all six strings are different notes. See Drop B tuning chords.
Do I need new chord shapes?
No. Use your Drop D fingering; every chord sounds five semitones lower than its name, so a D5 shape sounds A5 and an E5 shape sounds B5.
How do I play along with a song in Drop D?
Put a capo on fret 5. String 6 then sounds D2 and strings 5 to 1 sound A2 D3 G3 B3 E4, which is Drop D, so Drop D chord names and shapes line up again. The capo transpose chart shows the same idea for other frets.
Why do guitarists tune to Drop A?
A very low, heavy sound for riffs on a six-string guitar. The strings are far looser than in standard tuning, so many players use heavier strings, or a baritone guitar, and have the guitar set up again.
More tunings: Drop B tuning chords, B standard tuning, Drop D chords and Drop C tuning.
Also read DADGAD chords.