Aadd9 Tuning Analysis

The 'Aadd9' tuning for Guitar is a wonderfully rich and expressive alternative tuning, perfectly suited for genres like math rock and emo, as described. It fosters a beautiful, resonant soundscape, making it ideal for lush chords, intricate arpeggios, and atmospheric textures, giving it a truly beautiful sound.

Technical Breakdown

This tuning sets your open strings to the notes A1 E2 A2 C#4 E3 B3 (from the lowest 6th string to the highest 1st string). This specific arrangement of notes directly spells out an Aadd9 chord: A (root), C# (major third), E (perfect fifth), and B (major ninth). The strategic placement of the root, third, fifth, and ninth across the open strings creates an incredibly full, complex, and vibrant sonic foundation without needing to fret any notes.

The lowest A1 provides a deep, authoritative bass, anchoring the chord with significant resonance. The repetition of A at the 4th string (A2) adds to the harmonic richness and sustain. The C#4 on the 3rd string is a notably high major third, which contributes a bright, almost chiming quality to the open chord, providing a distinct character that contrasts beautifully with the lower notes. The E3 and B3 on the 2nd and 1st strings respectively complete the chord with the perfect fifth and the major ninth, giving the tuning its signature 'add9' extension.

Chords and Playability

With the open strings forming a complete Aadd9 chord, this tuning offers immediate inspiration and ease of play. Barre chords across all strings at any fret will instantly yield a new add9 chord (for instance, a barre at the 2nd fret transforms it into Badd9). This makes transposition of entire chord shapes incredibly intuitive and accessible. The open A-E-A on the lower strings also makes it very easy to incorporate powerful drone notes, open power chords, and rhythmic bass patterns. Experimenting with individual fingerings and partial chords around the open strings will reveal numerous harmonically interesting voicings and melodic possibilities that are uniquely accessible in this tuning.

Due to the significant down-tuning on all strings, the overall string tension will be considerably lower than standard tuning. This can make string bending and vibrato feel effortless, allowing for a more fluid and expressive playing style. However, this also means that for optimal tone, clarity, and to maintain adequate tension to prevent intonation issues, using a heavier gauge set of strings is strongly recommended for this tuning.

How to Tune

To achieve the Aadd9 tuning from standard EADGBe (low to high) tuning, you will need to adjust your strings as follows. Given that all strings are tuned down significantly (exceeding 4 semitones), we strongly advise using a heavier gauge set of strings for this tuning to ensure proper intonation and playability.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 7 semitones to A1. (From E2 to A1)
• 5th String (A): Tune down 5 semitones to E2. (From A2 to E2)
• 4th String (D): Tune down 5 semitones to A2. (From D3 to A2)
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 6 semitones to C#4. (From G3 to C#4)
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 7 semitones to E3. (From B3 to E3)
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 5 semitones to B3. (From E4 to B3)