This "Open Dmaj9" tuning is specifically crafted for a seven-string guitar, offering a rich and sophisticated sonic palette. It's an open chord tuning, meaning when you strum all strings open, you immediately get a full D Major 9th chord. This characteristic makes it exceptionally suitable for genres like jazz, ambient, progressive rock, and even fingerstyle where lush harmonies are desired.

Technical Breakdown

The open strings are tuned to A1-D2-F#3-A2-E3-A3-C#5. Analyzing these notes reveals the Dmaj9 chord components:

• D (Root): Present on the 6th string.
• F# (Major 3rd): Present on the 5th string.
• A (Perfect 5th): Present prominently on the 7th, 4th, and 2nd strings, providing a strong, resonant foundation and multiple octaves.
• C# (Major 7th): Present on the 1st string.
• E (Major 9th): Present on the 3rd string.

The generous use of 'A' (the 5th) across different octaves creates a deep, full, and harmonically balanced sound, allowing for drones and sustained voicings that shimmer with complexity. The overall intervallic structure provides an immediate sense of sophisticated harmony.

Chords and Playability

The most obvious chord is the Dmaj9 itself, readily available by strumming open strings. Due to the consistent intervallic structure, barring across any fret will yield another Major 9th chord (e.g., barring the 1st fret gives a D#maj9, 2nd fret an Emaj9, and so on). This makes exploring chord progressions incredibly intuitive. The wide range of notes, from the low A1 to the high C#5, offers a vast canvas for melodic exploration and rich chord voicings. The presence of the root, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th means that triads and seventh chords are also easily accessible by simply muting or omitting certain strings.

How to Tune

To achieve the Open Dmaj9 tuning, carefully adjust your guitar strings as follows. Please note that significant tension changes require caution, and for movements exceeding 4 semitones (up or down), considering a different gauge string is advisable to maintain optimal playability and string integrity.

• 7th String (to A1): Tune down 2 semitones.
• 6th String (to D2): Tune down 2 semitones.
• 5th String (to F#3): Tune down 3 semitones.
• 4th String (to A2): Tune down 5 semitones. Caution: This is a significant drop. A heavier gauge string may be beneficial here to maintain tension and intonation.
• 3rd String (to E3): Tune down 3 semitones.
• 2nd String (to A3): Tune down 2 semitones.
• 1st String (to C#5): Tune down 3 semitones.

7th String: A1

6th String: D2

5th String: F#3

4th String: A2

3rd String: E3

2nd String: A3

1st String: C#5