This unique seven-string guitar tuning, known as Seven string Open D add9, is notably utilized by Yvette Young on Covets Hydra, offering a rich and expansive sonic palette. It's a highly resonant open tuning designed to create a full D major add9 chord when strummed openly, providing a lush foundation for melodic exploration and intricate fingerstyle work.

Verbal Analysis:

• When strummed open, this tuning immediately produces a beautiful Dadd9 chord (specifically Dadd9/A, with a low A as the bass note), creating a sense of openness and harmonic richness. This makes it incredibly accessible for songwriting and improvisation, as a complex chord is available with minimal effort.
• The arrangement of notes allows for easy exploration of the D major scale and its modes. Sliding a finger or a barre across the frets will instantly yield other major add9 chords, such as Cadd9 at the 10th fret, Gadd9 at the 5th fret, and Aadd9 at the 7th fret, providing a straightforward way to transpose musical ideas.
• A distinctive feature is the high pitch of the 3rd string (F#4) relative to the 2nd string (A3). This creates interesting inversions and intervallic relationships, opening doors for unique melodic lines that can weave in and out of the chordal structure, as well as providing bright, ringing upper voicings.
• The two lowest strings (A1, D2) provide a deep, resonant bass foundation, perfect for creating powerful low-end riffs or rhythmic pulses, while the higher strings (F#4, A3, E4) offer clarity and shimmer for lead melodies and arpeggios.

Technical Analysis:

• Instrument: Seven-string Guitar.
• Open String Notes: A1, D2, A2, D3, F#4, A3, E4 (from lowest to highest string).
• Resultant Open Chord: Dadd9/A. The notes A1-D2-A2-D3-F#4-A3-E4 comprise the root (D), major third (F#), perfect fifth (A), and major ninth (E), with the lowest A serving as the bass.
• Intervals (relative to the D root): The tuning essentially stacks D, A (5th), F# (M3), and E (M9/add2) across various octaves. The notable aspect is the F#4 on the 3rd string being higher in pitch than the A3 on the 2nd string.
• Chord Accessibility: The open tuning facilitates easy barres for major add9 chords. Minor chords (e.g., D minor) are readily accessible by flattening the 3rd string (F# to F, one semitone down) at the 2nd fret. Dominant 7th chords can also be formed by adjusting specific notes.

Open Tuning Notes (from lowest to highest string):

String 7: A1
String 6: D2
String 5: A2
String 4: D3
String 3: F#4
String 2: A3
String 1: E4

How to Tune:

To achieve the Seven string Open D add9 tuning, follow these precise adjustments to reach the specified target notes for each string:

• String 7 (Lowest String): Tune to A1. Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 6: Tune to D2. Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 5: Tune to A2. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4: Tune to D3. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 3: Tune to F#4. Tune down 1 semitone. Note that F#4 is an unusually high pitch for the 3rd string on a guitar.
• String 2: Tune to A3. Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 1 (Highest String): Tune to E4. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

All individual string movements (changes of -2, -1, or 0 semitones) are within safe ranges for standard string gauges. However, due to the high absolute pitch of F#4 on String 3, ensure your instrument's setup and string gauge can accommodate the tension if you encounter any difficulties.