Playing Drop-D Tuning

[Bob Albert]

The answer is probably somewhere in this awesome web-site...but, what's the deal with playing with drop-D? Are there separate chords just for this?

Thanks...
BA

[Slash]

Drop d provides you with the advantage of the root fifth and octave on the same fret, So actually playing powerchords with root on 6th is easier. But for root on 5th and 4th standard tuning chordshapes are employed.
For eg..

A G power chord on drop d would be

-----5----
-----5----
-----5----
----------
----------
----------

[smfulla]

your tab is upside down

[Slash]

sorry i have the bad habit of writing tab like it is on the guitar...

[smfulla]

no problems dude =]

[Dimitrivich]

you can extend your powerchords like this:

-------------------------------------
--5---------------------------------
--4---------------------------------
--2---------------------------------
--2---------------------------------
--2---------------------------------
*this would be your E5 "chord"

you can also hammer-on/pull-off powerchords in this position. Another advantage is playing "sus" chords easier, like in the song "Ticks and Leeches" by Tool. the first part of the interlude is this:

-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
-11--9---11-9---12---7----------
-9----9---9--9---12---7----------
-7----7---7--7---10---5----------
-------------------------------------

then it goes to this:

-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
--4--2--4--2--5--0---------------
--2--2--2--2--5--0---------------
--2--2--2--2--5--0---------------

the first "chord" of the last two tabs are Esus chords, which if used correctly, can sound beautifully melodic...

[Bob Albert]

Thanks, guys!