NewGuitar Gear News 2026: The Releases That Matter for Low-Tuned PlayersNewMetalcore, Djent and Thall Releases in Autumn 2026: Albums, EPs and SinglesCaptures, Profiles and Models: How Modern Amp Modelers Copy an AmpHow to Get a Tight High-Gain Tone in Drop Tunings

Lowforge, the fretboard scale map for Drop tunings on guitar and bass. Tools for low-tuning guitarists. See the scale. Hear the note. Keep the tempo.

Pick the Drop tuning, root and mode and see the whole scale on the neck. Study it by zone or diagonally, switch between notes and intervals, and hear any note with a click. Then put it into practice with tab exercises and chords voiced for the low end.

Strings
6
Frets
24
View
Adjust each string in the selector to the left of the neck
Root
Scale degree
C (R)D (2)Eb (b3)F (4)G (5)Ab (b6)Bb (b7)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
24 frets · click a note to hear its pitch 7 notes per octaveWhy these notes? Circle of fifths

Exercise tab

C Natural Minor (Aeolian) · Zone from fret 0 · 17 notes

Ascending
D
013
A
13
F
023
C
023
G
013
C
023
Descending
D
10
A
31
F
320
C
320
G
310
C
320
Tonic chord · i · C5
D
A
F
C
0
G
0
C
0
Relative · III · Eb5
D
A
F
C
3
G
3
C
3
Relative · VI · Ab5
D
A
F
C
8
G
8
C
8
Arpeggio · C5
D
A
F
C
0
G
00
C
00

Click a number to hear the note and see it on the neck.

Practice routines

Pick the time you have. Each routine chains exercises with the metronome, in the tuning and scale chosen above, and moves to the next block by itself. Your progress stays in this browser.

Chords in the low zone

Chords of C Natural Minor (Aeolian) with root on the low 3 strings. Click to see the notes and which scale to use.

See it on the circle of fifths
Density
Interval

Two notes — root and 5th. The power chord: no 3rd, so it works over both major and minor.

Gear for this tuning

Lowest string at C2 · Reference point: the Drop C standard.

Links to the shops · Learn more

Strings.011–.054
Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky 11-54Gauge with the right tension so the low string doesn't lose definition.Budget pick:D'Addario EXL117 11-56Also consider:.056 single stringNut filesView strings
Picks1.0 mm
Dunlop Jazz III XLGauge matched to your set: the lower the tuning, the stiffer the pick needs to be to keep attack on the low string.Budget pick:Dunlop Tortex 1.0 mmView picks
TuningBoss TU-3On very low notes, regular tuners wobble. A strobe reads tenths of a cent, so the low string stays in tune and chords ring clean.Budget pick:TC Electronic PolyTune 3Other options:Korg Pitchblack XD'Addario NS MicroPeterson StroboStomp HDView tuners

Beyond the essentials

Guitars, pedals, amps, software and maintenance, picked for your register.

GuitarsPedalsAmpsSoftwareMaintenance14 picks

Courses to keep learning

Technique and setup courses for your instrument.

TechniqueSetup2 courses

These links take you to the shops and, for now, I earn no commission from them: they are ordinary shop searches. If I join affiliate programmes, I will say so here. Learn more

From the blog

Guides on gear, tunings and practice, with links that open the map ready to play.

All guides

About Drop tunings

The Drop advantage

Dropping the 6th string a whole tone turns the three lowest strings into a one-finger power chord shape (1-5-1). This simplifies transitions in fast riffs and extends the low range without changing fingering on the higher strings.

Tonal character

It's the sonic backbone of melodic metal, metalcore and heavier rock — a dark, dense, full-bodied register, ideal for percussive riffs and fast picking on the low string.

Live audio

Every note highlighted on the neck has a real sound: click to trigger the matching frequency, synthesised on the spot by your browser via the Web Audio API.

FAQ

Questions about Drop tunings

The short answers to what guitarists ask most before they tune down.

What is a Drop tuning?

A Drop tuning lowers only the lowest string by a whole tone, so the three lowest strings form a power chord under one finger. Drop D (D A D G B E) is the best known. Drop C, Drop B and Drop A lower the whole guitar further for heavier riffs.

Which scales work best in Drop C or Drop D?

Most Drop-tuned riffs use the natural minor (Aeolian), Phrygian and minor pentatonic, with the open low string as the root. Harmonic minor and Phrygian dominant give a darker, more exotic colour. Lowforge maps more than 30 scales and modes in the tuning you choose.

Which tunings can I see on the fretboard?

Drop D down to Drop G on 6 strings, Drop A and Drop G on 7 strings, Drop E on 8 strings, Standard tunings from E down to B, Open C, Open D, DADGAD, baritone tunings and 4-string bass from Standard to Drop A. You can also set a custom tuning.

How do I practise scales with Lowforge?

Pick the tuning, root and scale, study the shape by zone or diagonally and click any note to hear it. Then play the tab exercises with the metronome and the speed trainer, or follow a 10, 20 or 30-minute practice routine that moves through the exercises by itself.

Can I plug in my guitar and play through an amp?

Yes, on a computer. Plug the guitar into an audio interface and open the Practice rig: amp models and cabinets run right in the browser. The free latency test shows whether your setup responds fast enough to play comfortably.

Is Lowforge free? Do I need an account?

It's free, with no sign-up and nothing to install. It works in the browser on computer, tablet and phone, and your settings and practice progress stay in your browser.

120 BPM
Latency test