About C Standard tuning
C standard drops the whole guitar two full steps — deep into desert rock and doom territory. It's the sound of Kyuss and early Queens of the Stone Age: huge, saturated lows that still ring like a guitar rather than a bass.
This far down, string choice matters as much as tuning. Light strings will buzz and drift; a heavy set with a solid setup makes C standard feel intentional rather than floppy.
C Standard tuning notes & frequencies (A4 = 440 Hz)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | C2 | 65.41 Hz |
| 5 | F2 | 87.31 Hz |
| 4 | Bb2 | 116.54 Hz |
| 3 | Eb3 | 155.56 Hz |
| 2 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 1 | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
How to tune to C Standard from standard
- String 6 (E2): tune down 4 semitones to C2.
- String 5 (A2): tune down 4 semitones to F2.
- String 4 (D3): tune down 4 semitones to Bb2.
- String 3 (G3): tune down 4 semitones to Eb3.
- String 2 (B3): tune down 4 semitones to G3.
- String 1 (E4): tune down 4 semitones to C4.
After changing string tension this much, make a second tuning pass — the neck settles slightly and the first strings you tuned will have drifted.
Songs & artists in C Standard
- No One Knows — Queens of the Stone Age
- Green Machine — Kyuss
Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, and much of doom, sludge and desert rock.
String gauge advice
.012–.060 is a sensible starting point; consider a wound third string.
FAQ
What are the notes of C Standard tuning on guitar?
C Standard tuning is C2, F2, Bb2, Eb3, G3, C4 from the lowest string to the highest.
How do I tune my guitar to C Standard?
Starting from standard tuning: String 6 (E2): tune down 4 semitones to C2. String 5 (A2): tune down 4 semitones to F2. String 4 (D3): tune down 4 semitones to Bb2. String 3 (G3): tune down 4 semitones to Eb3. String 2 (B3): tune down 4 semitones to G3. String 1 (E4): tune down 4 semitones to C4. Use the tuner above — it highlights the string it hears and shows exactly how many cents you are from the target.
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