ACFABE Guitar Tuner

ACFABE A Minor 6/9 Tuning - Guitar tuning, chords & scales

Description - A Minor 6/9 Tuning

A2,C3,F3,A3,B3,E4
06,05,04,03,02,01

The "A Minor 6/9 Tuning" presents a captivating and intricate soundscape, stepping far beyond conventional guitar tunings. It conjures a mood that is both introspective and expansive, suitable for compositions that lean towards jazz-fusion, ambient soundscapes, or modern fingerstyle arrangements.

Verbal Analysis

This unique tuning immediately strikes the ear with its rich, melancholic, yet surprisingly open character. Strumming all open strings reveals an A minor (add9, add13) chord, creating a sophisticated harmonic foundation. The low A (6th string) anchors the sound, while the subsequent C (5th string) establishes a clear minor tonality. The presence of F (4th string) introduces a minor sixth (or an augmented fourth) relative to A, adding a layer of pensive beauty and harmonic complexity. The repeated A (3rd string) provides a solid octave, followed by a bright B (2nd string), which acts as a major ninth, giving the tuning an airy, almost suspended quality. The high E (1st string) completes the texture as a perfect fifth to the root A, while also forming interesting intervals with the adjacent B and F. This tuning invites exploration of modal harmonies, allowing for fluid melodic lines and unexpected chord voicings that break free from standard shapes. It's particularly effective for creating lush pads, intricate arpeggios, and emotionally resonant solo passages.

Technical Analysis

The "A Minor 6/9 Tuning" sets the guitar strings to the following notes:

6th String: A2 (Root)
5th String: C3 (Minor 3rd relative to A)
4th String: F3 (Minor 6th / Augmented 4th relative to A)
3rd String: A3 (Octave relative to A)
2nd String: B3 (Major 9th relative to A)
1st String: E4 (Perfect 5th relative to A)

This arrangement results in an open A minor (add9, add13) chord (A-C-E with added F and B). The intervallic structure is highly characteristic, emphasizing the minor third (A-C), minor sixth (A-F), major ninth (A-B), and perfect fifth (A-E). The open strings provide a full, rich chord that encourages a new approach to chord voicings and melodic improvisation. The proximity of C, F, A, B, E on the upper strings allows for easy access to rich clusters and extended harmonies. Chords that naturally emerge or are easily accessible due to the open string relationships include:

Open String Chord: A minor (add9, add13) (A-C-F-A-B-E).
F Major 7#11: By emphasizing the F on the 4th string as a root, the tuning contains F-A-C-E (Fmaj7) with a B (#11).
C Major Triad: The C (5th string) and E (1st string) are present, allowing for easy construction of C major voicings.
Am9 and Am13 voicings: The intrinsic presence of the 9th (B) and 13th (F) over the A minor base makes these extended chords readily available with minimal fretting.

This tuning is a powerful tool for harmonic exploration, encouraging players to discover new fingerings and break away from conventional chord shapes, leading to fresh and innovative musical expressions.

Current Tuning Notes:

String 6: A2
String 5: C3
String 4: F3
String 3: A3
String 2: B3
String 1: E4

How to Tune (from Standard EADGBe):

String 6 (Low E to A2): Tune up 5 semitones. (Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change; consider a heavier gauge string for optimal performance and safety.)
String 5 (A to C3): Tune up 3 semitones.
String 4 (D to F3): Tune up 3 semitones.
String 3 (G to A3): Tune up 2 semitones.
String 2 (B to B3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
String 1 (High E to E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).