This is a radical but incredibly familiar guitar tuning. It takes the conventional Standard EADGBe tuning and drops every single string by a full octave. The result is a profoundly deep, resonant sound that transforms the standard guitar into an instrument with a bass-like gravitas, often bordering on a baritone or sub-octave guitar. This tuning is perfect for exploring the lower sonic registers, adding immense weight to riffs, and creating a massive, dark atmosphere in your music.

Technical Analysis:

• Instrument Type: Guitar
• Tuning Name: Standard down 1 octave
• Tuning Description: Standard guitar tuning down 1 octave. This precisely means that the intervals between strings remain the same as standard tuning, but the entire pitch range is shifted down by 12 semitones.
• Open Notes: The tuning results in the following open strings: E1-A1-D2-G2-B2-E3. Notice the octave shift in each note compared to standard tuning (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4).
• Chords and Scales: The beauty of this tuning lies in its direct transferability. Since the relative intervals between the strings remain identical to standard tuning, all your existing chord shapes, scales, and arpeggios will still apply directly. An open E minor chord will still be an E minor, just an octave lower, sounding incredibly thick and powerful. This makes it exceptionally easy for players to adapt without learning new fingerings. Power chords, especially, gain an extraordinary depth and richness, making them ideal for heavy rock, metal, and drone music.
• Sonic Impact: Ideal for genres like doom metal, sludge metal, drone, or progressive rock where a weighty, low-end foundation is crucial. It can also be used creatively in jazz or experimental music for unique textural elements, or even for acoustic fingerstyle to achieve a very full, resonant sound.

Open String Notes:

• 6th String (Low E): E1
• 5th String (A): A1
• 4th String (D): D2
• 3rd String (G): G2
• 2nd String (B): B2
• 1st String (High E): E3

How to Tune:

To achieve "Standard down 1 octave" from standard EADGBe tuning, you will need to significantly lower the pitch of each string by one full octave. Each movement corresponds to tuning the string down 12 semitones from its standard pitch.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 12 semitones from E2 to E1.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 12 semitones from A2 to A1.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 12 semitones from D3 to D2.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 12 semitones from G3 to G2.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 12 semitones from B3 to B2.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 12 semitones from E4 to E3.

Important Note on String Gauge: Since every string is being tuned down a full 12 semitones (one octave), which is a substantial change (exceeding the advised -4 semitones for standard gauges), it is strongly recommended to use a much heavier gauge string set. Standard guitar strings will likely become extremely loose, resulting in poor intonation, excessive buzzing, and a lack of tension. Consider string sets designed for baritone guitars or specific low tunings to achieve optimal playability and tone. This will also help prevent damage to your guitar's neck from improper tension.