The 'A9 Revich' is a specialized tuning, primarily designed for lap steel guitar, but can be adapted for standard guitars with careful consideration. Its core design allows a rich harmonic palette to be easily accessible, providing a major triad, dominant 7th, 9th chord, minor triad, and minor 6th chord on every fret. This makes it incredibly versatile for blues, jazz, and country styles, facilitating complex chord progressions and melodic lines with minimal effort.

Technical Analysis

• Open String Notes: The open strings are tuned to A2, C#4, E3, G3, B3, E4 (from lowest to highest).
• Harmonic Structure: When played open, these notes form a clear A9 chord (A-C#-E-G-B-E). The intervals relative to the root (A) are 1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 5.
• Chordal Versatility: The arrangement makes it easy to imply an A major triad (A-C#-E), an A7 (A-C#-E-G), and the full A9 chord (A-C#-E-G-B). Additionally, the tuning contains the notes for Em (E-G-B) and Em6 (E-G-B-C#), demonstrating its flexibility to voice different harmonic qualities depending on the melodic context or chosen root.
• Sound Profile: This tuning produces a bright and full sound, especially suitable for slide playing, due to the open chord voicing and the presence of a higher C# string.

Chords and Voicings

The most prominent feature of the 'A9 Revich' is the ability to play a full A9 chord (A C# E G B E) simply by strumming the open strings. By barring any fret, you can easily transpose this A9 shape up the neck, making it straightforward to play B9 (at fret 2), C9 (at fret 3), and so on. Beyond the dominant 9th chords, the internal structure also facilitates:

• Major Triads: Easily formed by using the A, C#, E notes.
• Dominant 7th Chords: By incorporating the G note, an A7 (A, C#, E, G) can be voiced.
• Minor Triads (e.g., Em): The E, G, B notes are readily available within the tuning, allowing for minor tonalities.
• Minor 6th Chords (e.g., Em6): With the C# note acting as a major 6th over an E root, an Em6 (E, G, B, C#) can also be easily voiced.

This structure encourages a highly melodic and chordal approach, especially beneficial for lap steel techniques where complex harmonies can be achieved with relative ease.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'A9 Revich' tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E, follow these specific string adjustments. Please note that significant changes in tension are involved for some strings, and caution is advised.

• String 6 (Low E, conventionally E2): Tune up 5 semitones to A2. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones significantly increases string tension. If your guitar is not typically set up for such high tension on this string, a heavier gauge string or professional setup is highly recommended to prevent potential damage.
• String 5 (A, conventionally A2): Tune up 4 semitones to C#4. Caution: Tuning up 4 semitones significantly increases string tension. If your guitar is not typically set up for such high tension on this string, a heavier gauge string or professional setup is highly recommended to prevent potential damage.
• String 4 (D, conventionally D3): Tune up 2 semitones to E3.
• String 3 (G, conventionally G3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to G3.
• String 2 (B, conventionally B3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to B3.
• String 1 (High E, conventionally E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.

Always tune slowly and check your string tension frequently. If you are unsure about making these adjustments, consult a professional luthier to ensure the safety of your instrument.

• String 6 (Lowest): A2
• String 5: C#4
• String 4: E3
• String 3: G3
• String 2: B3
• String 1 (Highest): E4