Verbal Analysis: The Resonant A Minor Foundation

This 8-string guitar tuning, aptly named '8 String Bottom Am', offers a remarkably deep and resonant sonic landscape, particularly suited for classical or fingerstyle playing. As the original description notes, it was found shipped with a Hanika classical 8-string, suggesting it's a well-established and effective setup for such instruments. The tuning immediately presents a strong A minor tonality in its lowest registers, providing a rich, dark, and melancholic foundation. It extends the traditional guitar's range significantly downwards, allowing for bass lines and chord voicings that would be impossible on a standard 6-string instrument. The upper strings maintain a familiar pattern relative to a 'standard' guitar, ensuring that many common shapes and melodic ideas remain accessible, albeit with a shifted root.

Technical Analysis: A Minor Root with Extended Standard Voicings

The tuning is as follows, from lowest to highest string: A1-C2-E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4.

• The lowest four strings (8th through 5th) are tuned A1-C2-E2-A2. This precisely outlines an A minor chord (Root, minor 3rd, 5th, Octave). This is a powerful open chord, providing a rich, full A minor sound when strummed.
• The upper four strings (4th through 1st) are tuned D3-G3-B3-E4. This section largely mirrors the tuning intervals of a standard guitar's highest four strings (D-G-B-E). Specifically, D to G is a perfect fourth, G to B is a major third, and B to E is a perfect fourth. This familiarity allows for a smooth transition for players accustomed to standard tunings on the higher strings.

The combination creates an interesting dichotomy: a deeply rooted A minor chord on the bottom, transitioning into a more 'standard' upper register. This allows for both extended bass harmony and familiar melodic and chordal possibilities higher up the neck. The tuning does not use any flats in its nomenclature, relying on natural notes for its structure.

Open Chords & Voicings

Due to the open string configuration, several chordal possibilities are immediately apparent:

• Open A minor: Strumming the lowest four strings (A1-C2-E2-A2) yields a powerful and complete A minor chord. Adding the open D3 string would create an A minor 11th chord without the 9th (A-C-E-D).
• Open D minor (upper strings): While not a full D minor, the D3-G3-B3-E4 section allows for easy formation of D, G, B, and E-based chords using familiar fingerings from standard tuning. For instance, a D minor triad (D-F-A) could be formed by fretting the 3rd string at the 1st fret (F) and the 2nd string at the 2nd fret (A), played with the open D.
• Rich Harmonic Possibilities: The extended bass range in A minor allows for complex counterpoint and deeper harmonic structures than a 6-string. Playing melodies on the D-G-B-E strings over the open A minor bass creates a full and lush sound.

  How to Tune

  To achieve the '8 String Bottom Am' tuning, follow these instructions based on the specified string movements:

  • String 8 (Lowest A): Tune up 3 semitones to reach A1. This is a moderate adjustment; proceed carefully.
  • String 7 (C): Tune up 1 semitone to reach C2. This is a minor adjustment.
  • String 6 (E): Keep as is; no change is required. The target note is E2.
  • String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change is required. The target note is A2.
  • String 4 (D): Keep as is; no change is required. The target note is D3.
  • String 3 (G): Keep as is; no change is required. The target note is G3.
  • String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change is required. The target note is B3.
  • String 1 (Highest E): Keep as is; no change is required. The target note is E4.

  Important Note on String Gauge: The maximum tuning adjustment required is 3 semitones up for the 8th string. Since this does not exceed the threshold of 4 semitones up or down, a change in string gauge is generally not advised and the existing strings should comfortably handle these adjustments. Always tune slowly and carefully to avoid string breakage.

String 8: A1 (Lowest String)

String 7: C2

String 6: E2

String 5: A2

String 4: D3

String 3: G3

String 2: B3

String 1: E4 (Highest String)