This tuning, identified as "Bustec Bicycle" and drawing inspiration from the fingerstyle approaches of musicians like Leo Kottke, creates a uniquely deep and resonant soundscape. The extensive downtuning across all strings results in a lower overall tension, which can lend a mellow, almost ethereal quality to the guitar's voice, while also making it exceptionally responsive for techniques like slide playing.

Technical Analysis:

The open strings are tuned to A1, E2, A2, E3, A3, C#4. This arrangement forms an open A Major chord (A-C#-E) across the instrument. The prevalence of A and E notes across multiple octaves (A1, A2, A3 and E2, E3) creates a powerful, sustained drone that underpins the sound, making it particularly well-suited for blues, folk, Americana, and contemporary acoustic genres. The wide intervals on the lower strings (down to a low A1) provide a rich bass foundation, while the upper strings feature a pleasingly accessible A Major triad structure (A3-C#4), allowing for melodic phrasing and effortless harmonized lines.

Playing in this tuning often feels intuitive. Strumming the open strings immediately yields a full A Major chord, and simply barring a single finger across any fret will produce a major chord in the corresponding key (e.g., barre at the 3rd fret for C Major, 5th fret for D Major). Slide guitar techniques are particularly effective given the open major chord. Common chord shapes derived from standard tuning may need significant rethinking, but new, often simpler, voicings emerge due to the consistent open chord structure. The significant drop in pitch on several strings (up to 7 semitones) means that a slightly heavier string gauge might enhance playability and intonation for those who use this tuning frequently.

How to Tune:

Starting from standard E-A-D-G-B-e tuning, here are the movements for each string:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 7 semitones to A1. (This is a very significant drop. For frequent use in this tuning, a heavier gauge string is strongly advised to maintain optimal tension, tone, and intonation, as movements exceeding 4 semitones are generally better suited for different string gauges.)
• String 5 (A): Tune down 5 semitones to E2. (This is a significant drop. For frequent use, a heavier gauge string is advised as movements exceeding 4 semitones are generally better suited for different string gauges.)
• String 4 (D): Tune down 5 semitones to A2. (This is a significant drop. For frequent use, a heavier gauge string is advised as movements exceeding 4 semitones are generally better suited for different string gauges.)
• String 3 (G): Tune down 3 semitones to E3.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 3 semitones to C#4.

Please note: For optimal performance, intonation, and string longevity, it is generally recommended to use a different string gauge for any string that is tuned more than 4 semitones up or down from its standard pitch.