Overview: Djent Open D Drop A

This tuning, aptly named "Djent Open D Drop A," is a powerful and resonant tuning designed for heavy music styles, particularly djent, as suggested by its creator. It combines the versatility of an Open D major tuning with an extremely low 'A' on the 6th string, providing a deep, guttural foundation perfect for crushing riffs and complex percussive patterns. The arrangement creates a full D Major chord across the middle and high strings, reinforced by the fifth (A) on the 5th string, and then dramatically extended downwards with an octave low A on the 6th string. This makes it ideal for both melodic playing in D Major and incredibly heavy, low-end focused power chords.

Musical Characteristics & Accessibility

With the open strings ringing A-A-D-F#-A-D, this tuning presents a D Major chord with a powerful low A foundation. This means that strumming all open strings will yield a rich D Major sound, immediately ready for songwriting in that key. The low 'A' string (A1) makes for incredibly deep and thick power chords, perfect for rhythmic, palm-muted riffs characteristic of djent. Barre chords become highly accessible across the D-F#-A-D section of the tuning. The consistent D-A-D structure (strings 4, 2, 1) and the D-F#-A triad (strings 4, 3, 2) allow for intuitive chord shapes and leads. The inclusion of the low A on both 6th and 5th strings facilitates massive, multi-octave power chords and allows for easy drone notes.

Technical Analysis

The tuning notes are as follows, from lowest to highest string:

• 6th String: A1 (Sub-contra octave A)
• 5th String: A2 (Contra octave A)
• 4th String: D3 (Great octave D)
• 3rd String: F#4 (Small octave F#)
• 2nd String: A3 (Small octave A)
• 1st String: D4 (One-line octave D)

Compared to standard E tuning (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4), this tuning features significant down-tuning, especially on the lowest string, shifting the sonic landscape dramatically. The intervals between adjacent open strings are:

• 6th (A1) to 5th (A2): Perfect Unison (or Octave, if considering absolute pitch)
• 5th (A2) to 4th (D3): Perfect Fourth (5 semitones)
• 4th (D3) to 3rd (F#4): Major Third (4 semitones)
• 3rd (F#4) to 2nd (A3): Minor Third (3 semitones)
• 2nd (A3) to 1st (D4): Perfect Fourth (5 semitones)

How to Tune Your Guitar

To achieve the "Djent Open D Drop A" tuning, follow these precise adjustments for each string. Be mindful of significant pitch changes, especially for the 6th string.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 7 semitones to A1. This is a significant drop; consider a heavier gauge string to maintain tension and tone.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to A2.
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to D3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F#4.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
• 1st String (High e): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.

Important Note on String Gauges: For changes exceeding 4 semitones (either up or down), as seen with the 6th string in this tuning, it is generally advised to use a different gauge string to ensure proper intonation, tension, and to prevent potential damage to your guitar. Tuning down 7 semitones on the 6th string strongly suggests the use of a significantly heavier gauge.

Here are the notes for each string in Djent Open D Drop A tuning:

• 6th String: A1
• 5th String: A2
• 4th String: D3
• 3rd String: F#4
• 2nd String: A3
• 1st String: D4