Anyone messing around with playing heavy will have a few Drop C songs in their repertoire – and for good reason!
Alternate tunings can be a great way to explore new ground on the guitar.
Most everyone knows about drop d tuning for guitar, but what’s special about Drop C?
It’s one of the most popular tunings for any rock or metal band.
It strikes a perfect balance between being easy to play as you only need to bar a single fret to play a power chord.
The low strings can give you that thick, chunky rhythm sound that’s great with distortion, while the upper strings are tuned high enough to facilitate fast lead guitar playing.
So today we’ve prepared a list of 25 Drop C songs, including lessons and tabs, so you can have fun exploring this tuning!
25 Drop C tuning songs for Electric & Acoustic GuitarWatch this video on YouTube
by System Of A DownHearts Burst Into Fire by Bullet For My ValentineMy Curse by Killswitch EngageBlew by NirvanaChange (In The House Of Flies) by DeftonesIt Never Ends by Bring Me The HorizonOblivion by MastodonFrantic by MetallicaAll Laid Back and Stuff by Andy McKeeMarigold by PeripheryTears Don’t Fall by Bullet For My ValentineNeon by John MayerStricken by DisturbedIsolation by Alter BridgeYour Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit ApparatusFeed The Machine by Nickelback Bad Horsie by Steve VaiI Stand Alone by GodsmackI Don’t Wanna Stop – Ozzy OsbourneL’Enfant Sauvage by GojiraRain – Breaking BenjaminSuffocating Under Words of Sorrow by Bullet For My ValentineRoulette by System Of A DownInside The Fire by DisturbedAnimal I Have Become by Three Days Grace
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The band have a very dedicated fanbase who still hold hope that they will someday release a new album.
Chop Suey is System’s biggest selling single which went platinum in the UK, making it one of the most famous drop c songs.
The main riff can be played with just 2 fingers by barring power chords, but it is played quite fast to try to ensure you’re on time with the song.
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Back in the early ’20s, they released a self-titled EP that caught the interest of major record labels with songs like ‘Hand of Blood’ and ‘Cries in Vain’.
Hearts Burst Into Fire is definitely a more melodic effort, but is nevertheless one of their more popular singles sitting at almost 35 million views on youtube.
It’s a catchy song that’ll have you down picking and galloping some pretty fast power chords, but there are also plenty of great melodies to keep you busy.
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Killswitch Engage are one of the main reasons why Drop C became such a popular tuning.
They inspired many young guitarists to pick up the guitar so they can play their catchy riffs and leads.
Which struck a balance between heavy and melodic music, not shying away from using catchy choruses, even in heavy songs.
My Curse will have you playing heavy bluesy riffs using that flat 5th and some passing tones to which give it that iconic Killswitch flair.
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Nirvana played a large part in pioneering the dirty, raw sound of grunge and the alternative rock movement of the late ’80s.
By their second album ‘Nevermind’ they achieved massive commercial success, due in no small part to their single ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’.
The song itself makes great use of the drop tuning as it uses mainly power chords which you can just bar over your lowest three strings.
It also makes good use of the blue note and some interesting ‘micro-bends’ where you will have to pull your whole hand down so all 3 of the lowest strings go sharp simultaneously.
A fun one that should be on any grunge fan’s list of drop c tuning songs.
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Click Here for Tab for Change (In The House Of Flies) by Deftones
One of the all time great American alternative metal bands who rose to prominence in 2000 with the release of their third album ‘White Pony’.
Deftones are well known for tuning low, with guitarist Stephen Carpenter having a line of extended range 7 and 8 string signature model guitars.
Change makes good use of the lower C tuning as it plays into the darker mood of the song.
It allows them to easily reach that minor third on the upper octave (also called a chord inversion) which sounds huge, emotive, and sits in singer Chino Moreno’s vocal range perfectly.
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When Bring Me The Horizon first came onto the scene in 2006 with their ultra-aggressive first album ‘count your blessings’, no one could have guessed that the band would morph their sound quite so much over the following decade.
This new, more melodic sound would garner them huge commercial success with their 2013 album Sempiternal going gold in Australia.
The song uses a lot of octave harmonies between the two guitars akin to bands such as Soilwork.
There are also a lot of single-note open lines which guitarist Lee Malia has described as sounding more ‘huge’ than the traditional power chord.
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The album got a 5/5 from total guitar and won Best International Metal Album at the Danish Music Awards.
Oblivion is the second single from Crack the Skye which also has a supporting music video.
The song uses some great melodic dissonance and atonal chord shapes which flirts in and out of more traditional diatonic harmony, giving it this otherworldly feel to the song.
This is a fantastic Drop C song to learn and will also help you expand your chordal vocabulary and have you playing a lot of ‘out of the box’ ideas.
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Usually, when we think of Metallica’s 2003 album St. Anger it often conjures up nightmarish memories of one of the most horrific sounding snare drums ever to exist.
But if you can look past that, St. Anger has a lot of great riffs and songs which are a lot of fun to jam on the guitar.
In particular the second single from the album ‘Frantic’ which talks about the band’s struggles with addiction, in particular singer James’s alcoholism.
The song is a lot of fun to play and will have you riffing out much higher up the fretboard than you normally would.
Don’t worry if your guitar isn’t intonated perfectly and sounds a little out of tune playing your low C string that high up the fretboard, it also sounds that way on the album!
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Andy is well known for marrying technical, fingerstyle, and percussive slap playing with fantastic melody and songwriting skills.
In 2005 when he released his 3rd album ‘Art of Motion’ on Candyrat records, a playthrough video for the song ‘Drifting’ went viral on youtube which exposed a wider audience to Andy’s playing.
This song has a lot of interesting things going on musically.
You’ll be playing the bass notes primarily with your thumb while your fingers pick and slide around the melody on the higher strings.
You’ll also be using your palms to hit the strings and body of the guitar to emulate the sound of a kick and snare drum.
One thing to note is while the song is technically in a Drop C tuning you will need to raise up your fourth string 1 semitone to G (making CGDGAD).
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But in this song, they use modulations (a fancy word for changing key) so the motif position shifts along with the root note changes which creates a very dramatic effect.
Definitely one of the more tricky drop c songs on this list.
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Regarded as one of their best songs by fans, Tears Don’t Fall was the fourth single from their debut album ‘The Poison.
It also had a successful music video to accompany the single which is currently sitting at a whopping 194 million views on YouTube.
The song itself is not too complicated to play, there are a lot of huge barred power chords which the Drop C tuning makes very comfortable and convenient to play.
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Neon is from John’s debut album and was written in collaboration with Zac Brown Band guitarist and songwriter, Clay Cook.
It’s a quite busy song where you will be combining traditional fingerstyle playing with percussive elements.
Much like Andy Mckee, it’s in a Drop C tuning but you will need to raise your fourth string a semitone to G.
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With their catchy guitar riffs and anthemic choruses, Disturbed packaged metal in a way that was accessible to everyone.
And this is reflected in their commercial success, boasting 17 million albums sold worldwide, making them one of the most successful metal bands of all time.
In this song, guitarist Dan Donegan makes great use of the Drop C tuning with extensive use of the barred power chords as well as some heavy chugging on that low C during the verse.
There’s also a nice bit of classic pentatonic shred soloing on the top strings, where still having your top strings tuned fairly high to A and D will make this easier to play.
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Although Creed was an extremely popular band, Alter Bridge has been able to carve out their own following thanks to the vocal talents of singer Mylers and the guitar virtuosity of Mark.
Isolation is the first single from their third studio album titled AB III which was met with positive critical reception.
Also making heavy use of the convenience Drop C offers by putting the 3rd of the chord on the higher octave, normally this would require an extreme stretch to hold but this tuning makes it a breeze.
Plus some huge 5 string open and bar chords on the chorus.
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Formed in 2003 and have released 5 studio albums to date.
Your Guardian Angel has two different versions, the main single release and an all-acoustic version which can be found on their demo album.
The main release has a long period of silence at the end that, if you don’t skip, has a secret hidden track called ‘The Grim Goodbye’.
This song primarily sticks to strumming 3 note power chords, but they do get quite playful on where the 3rd note sits and use it to lead into the next chord change.
This makes it ideal for beginners or anyone who wants to get used to singing and playing guitar at the same time, as it’s not very taxing on the musical brain allowing you to focus on singing.
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There’s no denying that Nickelback is one of the most successful rock bands of our time, producing multiple top selling and chart-topping hits.
Over their 9 album career, they have flirted with all manner of genres from alternative rock to pop.
Yet fans were still quite shocked with their single ‘Feed The Machine’ which is probably their heaviest song to date.
The song makes use of ultra high-gain guitars, chunky rock riffs, and some tasty ambient leads on the verse.
Everything is quite comfortable and convenient to play in the hands thanks to the Drop C tuning.
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The main riff of this song was based on the same riff Steve played at the end of the 1986 film ‘Crossroads’.
He uses a slide quite a lot on this song but don’t fret if you don’t own one, it’s just as playable without the slide!
Godsmack – I Stand Alone |Guitar cover| |Screen Tabs| |Lesson| |Drop C|Watch this video on YouTube
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I stand alone was, for many people, their first exposure to Godsmack as it was famously used in the soundtrack to the hit Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) movie ‘The Scorpion King’ of which the official music video sits at 179 million views on youtube.
The song makes heavy use of that low C, always falling back to it at all stages of the song.
So you can crank your gain up and enjoy the heavy, low-tuned chords.
The main riff will also have you playing the 19th and 20th frets of your low C, so try to keep those notes in tune as it’s very easy to pull them sharp!
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‘I Don’t Wanna Stop’ is the first single from Ozzy’s 10th studio album and took the number 1 spot on the US Mainstream Rock billboard.
The main riffs of the song are very easy to play and have a groovy, bluesy, and catchy quality to them.
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Gojira have consistently put out stellar metal albums that put a huge focus on interesting rhythms.
L’enfant Sauvage (from the album L’Enfant Sauvage) seldom leaves that low C note, with almost all of the musical interest coming not from pitch, but rhythm.
It also uses the signature Gojira ‘rake’ where you will strike down all the strings while your left mutes them to create an aggressive and percussive sound.
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Despite quite a few lineup changes, the lead singer and primary songwriter has been there since the band’s inception and has led them through 6 albums of heavy, crunchy guitar riffs, and angst-filled anthemic choruses.
The band has garnered a dedicated fanbase and has been able to sell 7 million albums worldwide.
The drop C tuning gives it a warmer and more mellow feel.
There are lots of large and open sounding chords along with some unique and interesting chord voicings.
So if you have an acoustic guitar that you can tune this low, this is an ideal song to learn.
How To Play “Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow” By Bullet For My Valentine (Full Tutorial With TAB!)Watch this video on YouTube
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Another single from the Welsh rockers debut album and a fan favorite.
The song gathered a fair bit of success in the UK considering it was their first full length release.
Although this song is tuned to Drop C it primarily rides on the open note of the G string.
The riffs in this song are fairly typical for the style, they are a lot of fun to play and easily accessible for beginners.
There’s also a lot of twin harmonies used in the song, so if you have a friend who also plays guitar this is a great song to learn together.
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Roulette is essentially the ballad of the album and can be played on any acoustic (or electric with a clean tone) that you have in Drop C.
There are some interesting chord and note choices in this song making it great for beginners as it’s not too demanding from a technical point of view, but still provides a lot of musical intrigue to help expand your own vocabulary on the instrument.
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A popular single from Disturbed’s fourth album titled ‘Indestructible’.
The song tackles the subject of suicide, and the official video which is sitting at nearly 43 million views has numerous disclaimers and contact numbers urging viewers struggling with these issues to call them.
The song spends a lot of time up at the 7th fret, but the riffs are made easier to play by the drop C tuning.
There’s nothing too technical in the song so you’re free to just rock out.
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Another great band whose success coincided with the early 2000’s rise of nu metal.
They have released 6 studio albums of which the first 2 went multi-platinum.
Animal I Have Become is the first single from their second studio release, it held the number 1 spot on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks for two weeks and sold over 2 million copies in the US alone.
This song rides off of the lower C power chord while using some interesting note choices in the main riff.
The majority of the song is rhythmic power chords which is made much more convenient to play because of the drop tuning.
This is a great song for any beginner to learn as it’s catchy and not too demanding from a technical perspective.
Share This Article:SharePinTweetDrop C tuning is popular in quite a few songs whose genres are usually on the heavier side, such as rock, metal, metalcore, and death metal, although it does occasionally lend itself to the blues and bluegrass music.
Songs in Drop C tuning tend to be heavier with a deeper sound and an almost gritty feel to the guitar.
Table Of Contents show What is Drop C tuning?
1. ‘Holy Diver’ by Killswitch Engage #2 ‘Meddler’ by August Burns Red #3 ‘Your Betrayal’ by Bullet For My Valentine #4 ‘Sometimes You’re The Hammer, Sometimes You’re The Nail’ by A Day To Remember #5 ‘Confined’ by As I Lay Dying #6 ‘Right Side of the Bed’ by Atreyu #7 ‘Isolation’ by Alter Bridge #8 ‘Happy Song’ by Bring Me The Horizon #9 ‘So Cold’ by Breaking Benjamin #10 ‘Savin’ Me’ by Nickelback #11 ‘Buttersnips’ by PERIPHERY #12 ‘Bodies’ by Drowning Pool #13 ‘Monster’ by Skillet #14 ‘Blew’ by Nirvana #15 ‘Animal I Have Become’ by Three Days Grace What is Drop C tuning?Drop C tuning is a tuning style that leaves you with a much lower and deeper sound to your guitar than you would normally get with standard tuning methods and requires you to adjust all of your strings.Expert Tip: In order to achieve a Drop C tuning, you have to tune your lowest string down two steps to C, and all the other strings down one step and then tune it from there.
Doing this creates strings that are looser, so bands that do this regularly tend to use heavier strings to accommodate for this.Whether you are a long time fan of playing in Drop C tuning, or you are just getting into learning it, here are some great songs in Drop C tuning for you to enjoy or even to practice to.
If you do not play guitar or if you do not have any interest in learning Drop C tuning, these songs in Drop C tuning are still sure to satisfy your craving for heavier songs with great lyrics.1.
‘Holy Diver’ by Killswitch Engage A song almost everyone knows and will jam along to, Killswitch Engage’s cover of Holy Diver by Ronnie James Dio changes the guitar tuning to be in a Drop C tuning for a lower, grittier version of the song with vocals to match that are beloved by many, including the late Ronnie James Dio himself who passed away in 2010.This cover is not their only song in a Drop C tuning, and as the band is still currently together.
it will most likely not be their last one either.#2 ‘Meddler’ by August Burns Red August Burns Red is one of the heaviest deathmetal bands in the Christian genre and are known to write a lot of their songs in Drop C tuning.
‘Meddler’ is no most certainly no exception to this, and gives a great set of memorable guitar rifts while having powerful vocals screaming lyrics about the nature of human misery and the need for God.While they may not sound like it at first listen, the band, and their songs, are indeed Christian and work their belief into the majority of their songs and lyrics, their unique music is still quite enjoyable.#3 ‘Your Betrayal’ by Bullet For My Valentine Bullet For My Valentine started their career with all of their albums and the songs inside in Drop C tuning, and ‘Your Betrayal,’ having come out over a decade ago, still features their classic Drop C tuning style.The song is, as you may have expected, about the betrayal of trust in a relationship and has some really great guitar riffs and a catchy chorus that is sure to get stuck in your head.#4 ‘Sometimes You’re The Hammer, Sometimes You’re The Nail’ by A Day To Remember This song written by A Day To Remember is written in Drop C tuning and is surprisingly uplifting in its message.
If you are a heavy rock fan having a day where life is just beating you down and you’re just done with everything and every one, this is the song for you to unwind to at the end of the day and let it all out.The Drop C tuning gives it a unique sound while the lyrics are both vocally impactful and mentally powerful.
speaking to the many people who listen and resonate strongly with the lyrics.#5 ‘Confined’ by As I Lay Dying ‘Confined’ is a song written in Drop C tuning about being someone being trapped in an empty and loveless relationship that they desperately want out of.
The song masterfully combines heavy screaming with clean vocals.This song came out in 2013, which was roughly a year before the band broke up due to the lead singer.
band member Nick Hipa left the band in 2020 to focus on his personal life and family.#6 ‘Right Side of the Bed’ by Atreyu Atreyu is another metalcore band that loves to use Drop C tuning to get that grittier metal sound from their guitars.
Their song, ‘Right Side of the Bed’, played with the Drop C tuning, is a song about a guy who starts dating a woman.
As of 2020, the lead singer of the band.
Alex Varkatzas, dropped out and has been replaced by the drummer of the band, Brandon Sailer.#7 ‘Isolation’ by Alter Bridge ‘Isolation’ is a rare treat from Alter Bridge that is written in Drop C tuning.
although the band primarily uses open D5 tuning.
The guitar riffs in the song sound great and really mesh with the stunning vocals and the song has lyrics that have been pretty relevant once again in recent times with a pandemic having occurred.The song is about isolating, about being disconnected from everyone and everything around you.
Alter Bridge’s future, however, is clear for fans as the band has stated very recently that they are currently workshopping their next album and hope to release it sometime in 2022.#8 ‘Happy Song’ by Bring Me The Horizon This song is one of the very few done in Drop C tuning by the popular band Bring Me The Horizon.
The Drop C tuning for this song works well with an almost upbeat, yet angry rhythm and while the lyrics are anything but upbeat, but they are clearly and most definitely angry.The lyrics talk very heavily about depression and attempting to plow through it by forcing yourself to sing to happy songs in an attempt to mimic happiness.
even if you feel like dying.#9 ‘So Cold’ by Breaking Benjamin Breaking Benjamin does not usually use Drop C tuning.
but every now and then they put it in a song and it comes out so well and has a much different feel than some of their other songs.The lead singer of the band, Benjamin Burnley, has revealed the rather simple meaning behind the lyrics, explaining that they are about the cold of the winter months as they left him feeling alone and isolated, cut off from others, and very depressed, and that is translated so well in the lyrics.#10 ‘Savin’ Me’ by Nickelback Nickelback seems to get a lot of hate for some reason.
but say what you will about the band, you have to admit that they are incredibly talented when it comes to their instrumentals.‘Savin’ Me’ is one of their few songs in Drop C tuning, but it lends the song a deeper and sadder sound, as sorrowful vocals go through the lyrics, telling the tale of someone whose life has gone down the wrong path and follows them as they desperately beg those around them their loved ones, anyone, to help save them and help them get back on the right track for fear of what may happen if they do not.#11 ‘Buttersnips’ by PERIPHERY PERIPHERY is a heavy metal band specializing in the djent genre.
it’s characterized by high-gain sound mixed with low guitar pitches that is meant to feel distorted and can often come across as jarring and discordant if you are not familiar with it or have not listened to anything like it before.‘Buttersnips’ is one of their songs written with Drop C tuning and gives them some amazing low.
gritty guitar riffs that mix a surprisingly melodic voice with heavy screaming to describe the feeling of the fleeting life that is human existence and the memories people make along the way.#12 ‘Bodies’ by Drowning Pool One of the band’s most famous songs happens to be tuned in Drop C and has been widely misinterpreted over all the years, having debuted to the public roughly a month before 9/11 and was banned from being played on radio stations for quite some time.In the years after, there have been shootings where the perpetrator associated the song with their actions, which absolutely devastated the band Drowning Pool.
They wrote it as a reminder for everyone that even when you push someone down, usually in the mosh pit, that you need to support them by picking them back up.#13 ‘Monster’ by Skillet Skillet usually uses Drop B tuning.
they decided to use a Drop C tuning instead.
which ended up giving them a really nitty-gritty sound, which works so well for the song ‘Monster’ and with the lead singer’s voice.While Skillet is a Christian band and the song has heavy Christian undertones, it is a song so many relate because the lyrics are both very catchy while speaking to so many about how they may not like how they feel inside or who they are, but that they can still create some control in their lives and change things for the better.#14 ‘Blew’ by Nirvana Everyone knows and loves Nirvana.
and their song ‘Blew’ is a rare one that features a Drop C tuning, but that tuning doesn’t seem to have any effect on their already deep and gritty guitar riffs that set a new standard in the punk rock genre for so many decades to come.Millions of people still resonate with the lyrics of ‘Blew’ about how you may not be living up to your potential and that you may have chosen the wrong path in life, essentially meaning “You blew it”, but giving hope at the end that there is still time for you to do anything.
It is theorized that Kurt Cobain wrote the song based on the events transpiring in his own life at the time and how that made him feel.#15 ‘Animal I Have Become’ by Three Days Grace Three Days Grace regularly has songs in Drop C tuning, and ‘Animal I Have Become’ is one that really benefits from the Drop C tuning that gives it that deeper and heavier feeling to accompany the angry and downtrodden vocals about no longer recognizing the person you have become when you see yourself in the mirror and not liking them, feeling as though you no longer know who you are, but you desperately want to fight to get back to who you know you once were.These popular songs in Drop C tuning are pretty well known, as are the bands that play them, ranging all the way from rock, to metalcore, to Christian death metal.
These songs are heavy, full of lower tones.
and can sound really gritty, which can be a big change of pace from what you may usually hear with standard tuning.
Even if you don’t know it yet, you would have heard plenty of songs that have used drop C tuning.
It’s one of the more common ways to alternatively tune a guitar and helps to give it a heavy and deep tone.There are different ways that you can drop a string to a C note but it’s usually CGCFAD tuning.
It has been used on some of the biggest heavy metal songs of all time and here we take a look at 20 of the best.Let’s get onto it!List of the Best Drop C SongsHere is our list of the best drop C songs from a variety of popular artists and bands:1.
System Of A Down – Chop Suey!“Chop Suey!” is an incredible track and is notable for its unique stop/start vocal delivery in the verses along with an epic chorus.
It was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin and when you combine that with the brilliance of the band, you get something very special.It was the first single from their huge second album Toxicity and it’s crazy to think that it’s now 20 years old.
This song helped the band win a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance and showcases how you can perfectly use drop C tuning in a song.Click for Tab2.
Bullet For My Valentine – Hearts Burst Into Fire“Hearts Burst into Fire” was the second single released by Bullet For My Valentine from their second album Scream Aim Fire.
The band is notorious for using drop C tuning and this is probably the best example of their work.
The brilliant track was featured in the NHL 09’ video game and has become a favorite among fans.
Along with the guitar work and driving riffs, the drumming is breathtaking on the track and helps to make it a classic.Click for Tab3.
Killswitch Engage – My CurseAnother song that has incredible drumming is “My Curse”.
It has that beautifully played intro, which gradually gets heavier before it breaks into that grungy and dirty riff.
The wild scream enters and what follows is an utterly brilliant song.It remains their most popular song and came from their fourth album As Daylight Dies, which was a true work of genius.
It gained huge popularity at the time and is one of the best tracks to use drop C tuning.
It’s mostly acoustic-led with drop C tuning giving it a unique song from most other songs that mainly use acoustic guitar.
By the end, the full band comes in for a great heavy outro.The love song is one of the most touching tracks you’ll ever hear.
It stands as a great tribute to a sad tragedy and ended up being the school’s prom theme.Click for Tab5.
Three Days Grace – Animal I Have BecomeAnother song that has a fantastic intro is “Animal I Have Become”.
You get a hypnotic naked bass riff which is followed by the distorted guitar over the top before the drums kick in.
His personal pain turned into our listening joy as it inspired him to make the band’s biggest track and a huge hit for the band.Click for Tab6.
Skillet – MonsterIn similar lyrical lines to our previous track, “Monster” is about having a bad side to your personality that you can’t control.
It’s the second single released (and the second track) from their album Awake.
It ended up being their breakthrough song and managed to reach #4 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
It’s a huge song with nearly 400 million listens on both Spotify and YouTube.Click for Tab7.
A Day to Remember – All I Want“All I Want” is a relentlessly energetic track from “A Day To Remember” with the pop-punk style being a slight diversion from the heavier sound we hear from most of their songs.
They still keep that heavy feel with drop C tuning.
It was the first single released from their highly successful fourth album What Separated Me from You and has a unique music video.
It features a large number of stars from the world of rock and metal who all help contribute to the great song.
Nickelback – Savin’ MeFrom Nickelback’s fifth studio album, “Savin’ Me” is another song that has a brilliant music video.
It’s one of many successful songs from the band but is unique with its tuning.
Another great track.Click for Tab9.
What we get after that is a brilliant wall of sound, including more great guitar work and relentless running.The song comes from the band’s second album Escape the Fate and quickly became one of their most popular tracks.
It’s a classic of the genre and one that reminds me of some great times.Click for Tab10.
Breaking Benjamin – So Cold“So Cold” holds the curious record of having spent the most weeks on the Mainstream Rock Chart but never managed to make it to number one.
It definitely deserved to reach the top spot at some point but Breaking Benjamin is probably proud of their record anyway.The band released a newer version on their 2020 album Aurora which wasn’t quite as dark or powerful as the original.
Drop C tuning gives it that haunting feel and one I love hearing time and time again.Click for Tab11.
Godsmack – I Stand Alone“I Stand Alone” is a song that grabs you straight away with its higher-pitched guitar riff.
That soon drops off with a grungier distorted guitar sound with the immense vocals and instrumentation making use of drop C tuning.It was firstly released on the soundtrack for Scorpion King before being released on their third album.
It was a huge hit for the band and their most popular single to date, shown by it reaching the top spot on the Mainstream Rock Chart.Click for Tab12.
Deftones – Change (In The House Of Flies)Deftones has released many great songs but this is their most listened to track on Spotify.
Drop C tuning helps to give it a dark and mysterious feel.
The single was the first released from their stunning album “White Pony” which was littered with brilliance.
It’s a song that perfectly showcases the Deftones sound and the brilliant musical proficiency you get from them.Click for Tab13.
Sleeping With Sirens – If You Can’t HangA certified gold single, “If You Can’t Hang” is the most popular song from Sleeping With Sirens and featured on their second album Let’s Cheers To This.
They’ve released quite a few great tracks but none bigger than this.The song has quite a few catchy parts, especially with the repetitive use of the line “If you can’t hang then, there’s the door, baby” in the pre-chorus along with the clever use of “pretty” throughout the chorus.
No wonder the song was huge.Click for Tab14.
Children of Bodom – Are You Dead YetWe could have picked any song from this band’s fifth studio album.
The reason is that all the songs have drop C tuning.
As I Lay Dying – Through StruggleDue to its moody and dark nature, drop C tuning lends itself to songs about struggle and this is another great example.
It’s a song that relates to those tumultuous times that we all go through in life at some point or another.It came from their third album Shadows Are Security and I love it.
The marching drums and guitar start the song off in epic fashion and it never lets up.
It’s relentless and breathless, all the way to its thunderous outro.Click for Tab16.
It was released as the lead single from their fourth album Indestructible but did encounter some issues with the song’s suicidal themes.The YouTube video not only has an age-appropriate warning but also a message before the song from frontman David Draiman.
Click for Tab17.
Click for Tab17.
Click for Tab17.
Nirvana – BlewBlew is the first-ever album track we ever got to hear from Nirvana.
While not the lead single, it is the opening track from “Bleach”.
It shows that even from early on, the band wasn’t afraid to experiment with some alternative tuning.
Just under three minutes long, it’s a track that hits hard and is over before you know it.
You hear that infamous grunge sound and the refrain at the end of the track is reminiscent of their gargantuan song “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”Click for Tab18.
Ozzy Osbourne – I Don’t Wanna StopBy the time his 10th album came along, Ozzy Osbourne had his sound perfected.
You get that driving heavy rock, unique vocal tone, and catchy repetitive lyrics.
“I Don’t Wanna Stop” showed he was still capable of producing great anthems.It also puts a smile on your face for its message of him not wanting to stop what he’s doing as he’s having too much fun.
The album was released back in 2007 but the rock legend is still going strong.Click for Tab19.
Drop C tuning helps to give that song a special feel and it’s one of the band’s many brilliant tracks.Click for Tab20.
It is the 3rd song from their second album Messengers, which first graced our ears in 2007.
The track is musical brilliant with phenomenal drumming and guitar playing throughout.
Mix in the growling and screaming vocals and you get one of the best drop C songs ever.
Click for TabConclusionI can’t believe how many talented artists use drop C tuning.
Hopefully you find this list useful if you are looking to learn some songs in this amazing tuning.Let us know if we missed out on any songs that should have made it on the list.We would love to hear from you!
He’s been playing music since he was young, and has been the main content writer at Tone Start for the past few years.
Alex loves to play around with different styles of music and enjoys listening to anything from country to classical.