How to Tune a Guitar - Drop C

Drop C Guitar Tuning: C G C F A D

Drop C Tuning is very similar to Drop D, if you tuned to Drop D then dropped everything 2 semi-tones down you would be in Drop C. That being said it gives us some clues to how we can accomplish it. I am sure there are other methods, but this one I find simplest. Let’s use standard tuning as a starting point, since it’s the most poplular. If you aren’t already in standard guitar tuning, tune to it now, you can use this guitar tuner if you need to.

Step 1: Tune You Guitar To Drop D

Now that you are in standard guitar tuning, tune your low E down to a D, so you are in drop D. Here is a drop D guitar tutorial if you need it.
Now that you low E is a D, you can tune the rest of the guitar down 2 semi-tones by following the regular standard tuning pattern and using the Dropped D as a reference tone.

Step 2: The G String (5th)

Now that your low E is a D, Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the bottom of the 6th string. That is now a G note. Keep your finger on that fret. Now pick the fifth and six strings in turn, loosening the fifth string tuning peg until the pitch of the two notes are the same.

Step 3: The C String (4th)

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the G string. That’s a C note. Tune the 4th string to that.

Step 4: The F String (3rd)

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the C string. That’s a F note. Tune the 3rd string to that.

Step 5: The A String (2nd)

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fourth fret on the F string. That’s a A note. Tune the 2nd string to that.

Step 6: The D String (1st string)

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret of the A string. That’s a D note. Tune the 1st string to that.

Step 7: Tune the thickest string to a C

Okay so now your tuning from top down should look like this D G C F A D – the one final step is to drop the thickest string down to a C. Use the forth string open as a reference tone to do this, much like you did with Drop D. You can test if you got it right by playing a D major shape, which is now a C Chord.