C#G#D#F#A#C# Guitar Tuner
C#G#D#F#A#C# | D♭A♭E♭G♭B♭D♭ Double Drop C# Sus2 - Guitar tuning, chords & scales
Description - Double Drop C# Sus2
Wide fifths spacing on the low strings - tighter thirds spacing on the higher strings. Basically double drop D with string 4 raised a full step (DAEGBD), and then transposed down one half step to C#.
The spacing of fifths on the low strings is great for simple chords: strings 4, 5, and 6 form a one finger Sus2 chord which also allows for easy access to power chords, and major and minor triads.
Strings 1-4 form a Minor Dominant 7 - giving access to the common 7th chord types all the way up the neck. The tighter spacing on the high end also makes for easy arpeggios and scale runs.
Lots of easy open position chords available too - particularly some beautiful 9 chords!
I find this tuning is superb for all sorts of genres: Stoner/Doom, Alternative/Grunge, Blues/Rock, Surf, through to Folk, Classical, and Jazz. I am surprised it it not more common, as I honestly have come to even p
Double Drop C# Sus2 is a distinctive guitar tuning offering a unique blend of wide intervals on the lower strings and tighter voicings higher up the neck. This tuning effectively takes a "Double Drop D" approach (though the original description provides an alternative historical path involving DAEGBD, the final notes indicate a C# based tuning) and transposes it down to C#, creating a rich, resonant sound suitable for a broad spectrum of musical genres.
Verbal Analysis
With its wide fifths spacing on the low strings, this tuning excels in creating impactful, simple chords. Specifically, the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings form a one-finger C#sus2 chord, providing easy access to powerful voicings, power chords, and both major and minor triads with minimal effort. This makes it incredibly versatile for rhythm work and heavy riffing.
Moving to the higher strings, the tighter third-based spacing between strings 1 and 4 offers excellent opportunities for melodic playing. The notes D# (4th string), F# (3rd string), A# (2nd string), and C# (1st string) form a D# minor 7th voicing, which, as the original description suggests, provides access to common 7th chord types and facilitates fluid arpeggios and scale runs across the neck. The tuning also opens up many easy open-position chords, including some particularly beautiful 9th chords.
This tuning is surprisingly versatile, finding its home in diverse genres from the heavy sounds of Stoner/Doom and Alternative/Grunge to the melodic intricacies of Blues/Rock, Surf, Folk, Classical, and Jazz. It offers a unique sonic palette that many guitarists find inspiring and creatively liberating.
Technical Analysis
The open strings are tuned to C#3, G#3, D#4, F#4, A#4, C#5 (low to high). Let's examine the intervals from string to string:
- 6th String (C#3) to 5th String (G#3): A Perfect Fifth (P5), spanning 7 semitones.
- 5th String (G#3) to 4th String (D#4): A Perfect Fifth (P5), spanning 7 semitones.
- 4th String (D#4) to 3rd String (F#4): A Minor Third (m3), spanning 3 semitones.
- 3rd String (F#4) to 2nd String (A#4): A Major Third (M3), spanning 4 semitones.
- 2nd String (A#4) to 1st String (C#5): A Minor Third (m3), spanning 3 semitones.
The open C# G# D# F# A# C# tuning provides several immediate harmonic possibilities:
- C#sus2 Voicing: By strumming strings 6, 5, and 4 (C#-G#-D#), a clear C#sus2 chord (Root-Fifth-Second) is produced. This interval structure makes for very stable and resonant low-end chords.
- D#m7 Voicing: The top four strings (D#-F#-A#-C#) form a D# minor 7th chord (Root-Minor Third-Perfect Fifth-Minor Seventh). This allows for rich, jazzy or bluesy voicings and arpeggios that can be easily moved up and down the neck.
- Power Chords & Triads: The perfect fifths on the lower strings (C#-G# and G#-D#) make it very easy to form power chords (root-fifth) by barring, and subsequently, major or minor triads by simply adding one finger to the 3rd or 4th string.
While no string requires extreme tension changes (all adjustments are within +/- 3 semitones from standard EADGBe), the downward adjustments of 3 semitones on the 6th and 1st strings will result in a noticeably looser feel, potentially requiring a lighter touch for clean articulation or offering interesting string-bending possibilities without needing a different gauge string. The upward adjustment of 1 semitone on the 4th string is minimal and poses no significant risk to string tension.
How to Tune
To achieve the Double Drop C# Sus2 tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps for each string:
- 6th String (Low E): Tune down 3 semitones from E to C#.
- 5th String (A): Tune down 1 semitone from A to G#.
- 4th String (D): Tune up 1 semitone from D to D#.
- 3rd String (G): Tune down 1 semitone from G to F#.
- 2nd String (B): Tune down 1 semitone from B to A#.
- 1st String (High e): Tune down 3 semitones from E to C#.
The Double Drop C# Sus2 tuning features the following notes for each string, from lowest (6th) to highest (1st):
6th String: C3#
5th String: G3#
4th String: D4#
3rd String: F4#
2nd String: A4#
1st String: C5#
Comments - have your say on C#G#D#F#A#C#
Capos for C#G#D#F#A#C#
| Capo | Tuning | Name |
|---|---|---|
| -2 | BF#C#EG#B | Double Drop B Sus2 |
| -1 | CGDFAC | Double Drop C Sus2 |
| 0 | C#G#D#F#A#C# | Double Drop C# Sus2 |
| 1 | DAEGBD | Lynx-6 |
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Tuning Map
- Fret
- S6
- S5
- S4
- S3
- S2
- S1
- -13
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F#
- A#
- D#
- -12
- E
- A
- D
- G
- B
- E
- -11
- F
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C
- F
- -10
- F#
- B
- E
- A
- C#
- F#
- -9
- G
- C
- F
- A#
- D
- G
- -8
- G#
- C#
- F#
- B
- D#
- G#
- -7
- A
- D
- G
- C
- E
- A
- -6
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F
- A#
- -5
- B
- E
- A
- D
- F#
- B
- -4
- C
- F
- A#
- D#
- G
- C
- -3
- C#
- F#
- B
- E
- G#
- C#
- -2
- D
- G
- C
- F
- A
- D
- -1
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F#
- A#
- D#
- 0
- E
- A
- D
- G
- B
- E
- 1
- F
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C
- F
- 2
- F#
- B
- E
- A
- C#
- F#
- 3
- G
- C
- F
- A#
- D
- G
- 4
- G#
- C#
- F#
- B
- D#
- G#
- 5
- A
- D
- G
- C
- E
- A
- 6
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F
- A#
- 7
- B
- E
- A
- D
- F#
- B
- -3
- -1
- 1
- -1
- -1
- -3
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