How to Get Drop B Tuning for Metal Guitar

This dropped-down sound has become popular for heavier guitar music. The Drop B comes out of an ever-changing concept of using the electric guitar for intensely amped up music. As an alternative tuning, the drop B allows for a specific "metal" style, relying on lower tones to produce a different sound. To get the drop B, you'll need to alter your guitar fretboard concept and provide for the lower notes you'll be playing.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Get a thicker set of electric guitar strings. For the drop B, because your strings will be tuned lower, experts suggest at least an 11 gauge, strings heavier than your general electric guitar strings that you would use in regular tuning.
2. Tune your fourth and bottom strings down to B. This double B adds a specific sound; the rest of the strings will be tuned to "fourths" or similar notes to round out the drop B sound.
3. Bring the fifth string down to F sharp. Some call this note G flat, but it's still the same note, complementing your B note on the fourth and bottom strings.
4. Take your third string down to E.
5. Wind your top strings to A and D. As an alternate, you can also use a G# and C# combination for the top two strings.
6. Try an "all-flat" drop B tuning. Some musicians use this for a different drop B sound. This is based on B flat, and goes from bottom to top: Bb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb. Try out some creative chords in this flat tuning to see how it differs from the less extreme styles mentioned above.