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Guitar tuning · 6 string

Half-Step Down Tuning

Every string down one semitone. Same shapes, slightly darker, and easier on the voice.

The strings

Low to high, the way you would say it out loud.

E♭6th
A♭5th
D♭4th
G♭3rd
B♭2nd
E♭1st

Getting there from standard

6 strings move; the rest stay where they are.

  1. 1st string — E down a half step to E♭
  2. 2nd string — B down a half step to B♭
  3. 3rd string — G down a half step to G♭
  4. 4th string — D down a half step to D♭
  5. 5th string — A down a half step to A♭
  6. 6th string — E down a half step to E♭

Why players use it

Nothing about your fingers changes — every shape and scale stays exactly where it was, just sounding a semitone lower. Singers use it to bring a song into range; players like the slightly slacker strings for bending.

What it buys you

All your shapes still work. Just remember a "G" shape now sounds F♯.

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