Guitar tuning · also Eb tuning, E flat standard
Guitar Half Step Down (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭) Tuning
Every string lowered a semitone. Slinkier feel, easier bends and a slightly darker sound used by many rock bands.
String pitches & frequencies
| String | Note | Frequency | MIDI | Interval to next | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | E♭2 | 77.78 Hz | 39 | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | A♭2 | 103.83 Hz | 44 | perfect fourth | |
| 4 | D♭3 | 138.59 Hz | 49 | perfect fourth | |
| 3 | G♭3 | 185.00 Hz | 54 | major third | |
| 2 | B♭3 | 233.08 Hz | 58 | perfect fourth | |
| 1 | E♭4 | 311.13 Hz | 63 | — |
Strings listed 6 → 1 (low E to high E). Frequencies at A4 = 440 Hz, equal temperament.
Fretboard note map
| String | Open | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E♭ | E | F | G♭ | G | A♭ | A | B♭ | B | C | D♭ | D | E♭ |
| 2 | B♭ | B | C | D♭ | D | E♭ | E | F | G♭ | G | A♭ | A | B♭ |
| 3 | G♭ | G | A♭ | A | B♭ | B | C | D♭ | D | E♭ | E | F | G♭ |
| 4 | D♭ | D | E♭ | E | F | G♭ | G | A♭ | A | B♭ | B | C | D♭ |
| 5 | A♭ | A | B♭ | B | C | D♭ | D | E♭ | E | F | G♭ | G | A♭ |
| 6 | E♭ | E | F | G♭ | G | A♭ | A | B♭ | B | C | D♭ | D | E♭ |
How to tune to Half Step Down (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭)
- Open the chromatic tuner (or play each reference tone above).
- Start from the lowest string and tune each one to E♭2, A♭2, D♭3, G♭3, B♭3, E♭4.
- Tune up to each pitch: if you overshoot, drop below and come back up so the string settles.
- Check every string once more — changing the tension of one string slightly pulls the others.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of Half Step Down (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭) tuning?
E♭2 (77.78 Hz), A♭2 (103.83 Hz), D♭3 (138.59 Hz), G♭3 (185.00 Hz), B♭3 (233.08 Hz), E♭4 (311.13 Hz).
How do I tune a guitar to Half Step Down (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭)?
Tune each string to the pitches above with a chromatic tuner, starting from the lowest string; then re-check, because changing one string's tension slightly detunes the others.