What is Drop B tuning?

Drop B tuning is B-F#-B-E-G#-C# (low to high). It drops the low string to B — a full two and a half steps below standard — while keeping the power chord shape of Drop tunings.

What strings do I need for Drop B?

Heavy gauge strings are essential: 12-60 or 13-62 minimum. Some players use a dedicated baritone set. Without heavy strings, the low B will sound muddy and won't intonate properly.

What scales work in Drop B?

B minor, B Phrygian, and B Locrian are staples. The diminished and harmonic minor scales add dark tension. For djent, the Phrygian dominant scale provides that signature aggressive-yet-exotic sound.

Guitar Scales — Drop B

6-string tuning: B-F#-B-E-G#-C# — Ultra-heavy detuned territory for extreme metal and djent

About Drop B Tuning on Guitar

Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.

Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.

DeathcoreDjentProgressive MetalExtreme MetalMetalcore

Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure

Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning

Browse 0 guitar scales in Drop B tuning. Click any scale below to view the interactive fretboard diagram.

Guitar Scales — Drop B

About Drop B Tuning on Guitar

C

C#

D

D#

E

F

F#

G

G#

A

A#

B

Explore Guitar Scales in Other Tunings