The "A Ostrich" tuning is a fascinating and highly resonant open tuning for the guitar, characterized by its monochromatic nature. As the name suggests, it's an Ostrich tuning, meaning all strings are tuned to a variation of the same note – in this case, A. This creates a powerful, drone-like foundation for your playing.

Technically, the tuning sets the lowest three strings (6th, 5th, and 4th) to A2, and the highest three strings (3rd, 2nd, and 1st) to A3. This arrangement forms an A major chord (or simply a powerful A unison) across two octaves, providing immense depth and sustain. The original description notes "AAAAAA ostrich" and "3 + 3 pair for doing the ostrich a fifth around," which highlights the consistent A note across the board and the division into two groups of three strings an octave apart. The phrase "very narrow" likely refers to the lack of harmonic intervals other than unisons and octaves, resulting in a focused, almost meditative sonic landscape.

This tuning is particularly well-suited for experimental music, drone ambient soundscapes, or percussive rhythmic strumming where the emphasis is on texture and sustain rather than complex harmony. With all open strings ringing an A, you instantly have a rich, full A chord at your disposal. Moving a single finger across any fret creates parallel intervals, making it incredibly easy to produce simple chord changes or melodic lines. Barring all strings at any given fret will instantly yield a new root chord (e.g., barring at the 2nd fret produces a B, 3rd fret a C, etc.), offering a straightforward way to explore different keys with a consistent sonic character. Slide guitarists will find this tuning exceptionally rewarding due to its linear nature, allowing for smooth, sweeping glissandos that maintain perfect harmony.

How to Tune (from Standard EADGBe)

• 6th String (Low E to A2): Tune up 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. A heavier gauge string may be advisable to prevent breakage and ensure optimal tone.
• 5th String (A to A2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• 4th String (D to A2): Tune down 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant change. A lighter gauge string may be advisable for better playability and intonation.
• 3rd String (G to A3): Tune up 2 semitones.
• 2nd String (B to A3): Tune down 2 semitones.
• 1st String (High E to A3): Tune down 7 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 7 semitones is a significant change. A lighter gauge string may be advisable for better playability and intonation.