Tuning Analysis: Tesseract's Drop A (7-String Guitar)

This unique 7-string guitar tuning, prominently featured by the progressive metal band Tesseract, is designed to deliver a powerful low-end foundation coupled with a distinctive harmonic landscape. It masterfully combines elements of standard drop tunings with innovative intervallic relationships, providing a versatile platform for heavy riffing, ambient textures, and complex chord voicings.

Verbal Description

At its heart, this tuning establishes a deep and resonant 'Drop A' on the lowest 7th string. While the middle strings maintain familiar perfect fourth and fifth relationships, the upper three strings are also tuned down, contributing to a darker, more expansive sonic palette. A particularly interesting feature is the major second interval found between the 4th and 3rd strings, which breaks from typical consistent intervals and creates unique harmonic possibilities, lending itself well to suspended and open chord voicings.

Technical Analysis

• Open Strings: The tuning from lowest (7th) to highest (1st) string is A1-E2-A2-D3-E3-A3-D4.
• Intervallic Structure (from lowest to highest):
  • String 7 (A1) to String 6 (E2): Perfect 5th
  • String 6 (E2) to String 5 (A2): Perfect 4th
  • String 5 (A2) to String 4 (D3): Perfect 4th
  • String 4 (D3) to String 3 (E3): Major 2nd (This is a distinctive and uncommon interval in sequential open strings, offering unique harmonic characteristics.)
  • String 3 (E3) to String 2 (A3): Perfect 4th
  • String 2 (A3) to String 1 (D4): Perfect 4th
• Open Chords & Accessible Shapes:
  • The lowest three strings (A1-E2-A2) form an easily accessible A5 power chord, perfect for heavy, chugging riffs and driving rhythm sections.
  • Playing strings 4, 3, 2, and 1 open (D3-E3-A3-D4) yields a rich Dsus2 or Dadd9 chord voicing, providing a full, open sound with a characteristic suspended feel.
  • Due to the repeated notes and intervallic relationships, A7sus4 or Aadd9/sus4 type chords can be easily achieved across multiple strings, offering a wide, resonant sound.
  • The consistent perfect fourths on several string pairs (E-A, A-D) allow for some movable chord and lead shapes. However, the unique Major 2nd interval between D3 and E3 will necessitate specific fingerings for chords that span this break, leading to original voicings and melodic phrases.

How to Tune

To achieve Tesseract's Drop A tuning from a standard 7-string tuning (B1-E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4), follow these specific string movements:

• String 7 (Lowest B string): Tune down 2 semitones to A1.
• String 6 (E string): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E2.
• String 5 (A string): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to A2.
• String 4 (D string): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to D3.
• String 3 (G string): Tune down 3 semitones to E3.
• String 2 (B string): Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
• String 1 (Highest E string): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.

Note: All string adjustments for this tuning are within a moderate range. While a standard heavy gauge 7-string set should generally accommodate these changes, it's always advisable to ensure your guitar's intonation is checked and adjusted after any significant tuning alterations to maintain optimal playability and tone, especially for lower tunings.

String 7 (Lowest): A1

String 6: E2

String 5: A2

String 4: D3

String 3: E3

String 2: A3

String 1 (Highest): D4