Verbal Analysis: The Resonant Drone of ADADDAD

This unique 7-string guitar tuning, internally named "adaddad", plunges your instrument into a deeply resonant and powerful sonic landscape. Dominated by the fundamental notes A and D across multiple octaves, it creates a rich, full-bodied drone that can fill a room. The low A1 string provides an incredibly deep foundation, perfect for heavy riffs or atmospheric soundscapes, while the higher strings, also featuring A and D, maintain a consistent harmonic character. The presence of two identical D3 strings (strings 4 and 3) offers unique opportunities for unison bending, percussive chugging, and creating dense, layered textures. This tuning feels expansive and earthy, inviting experimentation with open string dynamics and resonant chord voicings.

Technical Analysis: Open AD Suspended 4th Tuning

The ADADDAD tuning is a 7-string configuration that primarily emphasizes the root (A) and its perfect fourth (D). The open strings are tuned to A1 D2 A2 D3 D3 A3 D4. Analyzing the intervals from lowest to highest string:

• String 7 (A1) to String 6 (D2): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• String 6 (D2) to String 5 (A2): Perfect Fifth (P5)
• String 5 (A2) to String 4 (D3): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• String 4 (D3) to String 3 (D3): Unison
• String 3 (D3) to String 2 (A3): Perfect Fifth (P5)
• String 2 (A3) to String 1 (D4): Perfect Fourth (P4)

This arrangement creates an open chord that is neither strictly major nor minor but rather a powerful A suspended 4th chord (A, D, A) across several octaves, amplified by the low A1 and the duplicate D3 strings. The tuning provides a very wide dynamic range due to the lowest A string and the highest D string. The strong presence of perfect fourths and fifths makes this tuning ideal for:

• Power Chords: Moving a single finger across a fret will yield strong, resonant power chords, particularly on the lower strings.
• Drone Music: The open A and D notes provide an excellent foundation for ambient or experimental drone compositions.
• Heavy Rock/Metal: The low A and the close intervals make it suitable for deep, chugging riffs and extended range solos.
• Modal Playing: The open 4ths and 5ths lend themselves well to modal exploration, particularly A minor or D mixolydian scales.

Due to the open nature, simple barres across the neck will often produce harmonically rich sounds. For example, barring all strings at the 5th fret would yield a D-based chord, and at the 7th fret an E-based chord, allowing for easy exploration of different harmonic centers while maintaining the drone quality.

How to Tune Your Guitar

Achieving the ADADDAD tuning requires specific adjustments to your 7-string guitar. Please follow these instructions carefully. When tuning down significantly, ensure your strings are not too taut, and consider a different string gauge if movements exceed 4 semitones up or down. A negative value indicates tuning down, and a positive value indicates tuning up.

• String 7 (Low A1): Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 6 (D2): Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 5 (A2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4 (D3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 3 (D3): Tune down 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant change. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised for this string to maintain proper tension and tone.
• String 2 (A3): Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 1 (D4): Tune down 2 semitones.

Here are the target notes for each string of your 7-string guitar, from the lowest (String 7) to the highest (String 1):

• String 7: A1 (Lowest String)
• String 6: D2
• String 5: A2
• String 4: D3
• String 3: D3
• String 2: A3
• String 1: D4 (Highest String)