Half step down, also called E♭ standard or semitone down, lowers all six strings by one semitone: E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭. Chord shapes stay the same; the guitar just sounds a little lower and feels slinkier. Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Slash all played in it, and many worship and cover bands use it to ease the singer's high notes.
This page opens the guitar tuner with half step down already selected. It spells the notes with sharps (D♯ G♯ C♯ F♯ A♯ D♯), which are the same pitches as E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭.
How to use it
- Tap Turn on microphone and play the low 6th string: lower it from E to E♭ until the needle centers.
- Go string by string to the high 1st string. If you overshoot, drop below the note and come back up.
- Do a second pass from the 6th string: when all six strings lose tension, the neck relaxes and they drift slightly.
- Tap a string button to hear its reference note and tune by ear if you prefer.
Strings, tremolo and going back to standard
Lower tension means a looser feel; if your strings feel floppy, go up one gauge, for example from 9s to 10s. A floating tremolo tilts as you detune, so expect two or three passes before everything holds. To go back, choose Standard in the Tuning menu, raise each string a semitone and check again an hour later.
Tips
- A capo on the 1st fret brings a half-step-down guitar back to standard pitch.
- Tune to the bass player's E♭ before rehearsal so the whole band agrees.
- Keep one guitar in E♭ and one in standard if you switch often during a gig.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are half step down tuning?
From low to high: E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭, the same pitches as D♯ G♯ C♯ F♯ A♯ D♯.
Is half step down the same as E♭ standard?
Yes. E♭ standard, E flat tuning, semitone down and half step down all name the same tuning.
Why does the tuner show D♯ instead of E♭?
Sharps and flats are two names for the same pitch. On a guitar D♯ and E♭ are identical, so the reading is right.
Can I play along with standard-tuned songs?
Only with a capo on the 1st fret. Without it everything sounds a semitone low.
Can I tune a bass half a step down too?
Yes. The bass tuner has a half step down option for 4-string bass: E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭.