Verbal Analysis

The 'Open Frippdip A sus2' tuning is a truly inspiring and unconventional setup designed for guitarists who love to explore unique harmonic textures and suspended sonorities. It opens up a world of rich, bright sounds with its prominent suspended 2nd intervals and major 7th qualities. This tuning makes it incredibly easy to create powerful, shimmering sus2 chords with just a single finger across specific string groups, as well as offering fantastic opportunities for expressive 'grinds' on the higher strings, adding a distinctive edge to your playing. It's a tuning that invites experimentation and improvisation, perfect for progressive rock, ambient soundscapes, or any genre where a fresh, open sound is desired, embodying a fun and interesting sonic landscape.

Technical Analysis

Technically, the 'Open Frippdip A sus2' tuning sets the strings to A1-E2-B2-F#4-G#4-C#5. The open chord formed by these notes is a complex and harmonically rich A major 7th (add2, add6) or an A Lydian mode, giving it an inherently bright and uplifting character.

The lower three strings (A1-E2-B2) are tuned in perfect fifths (A-E, E-B), providing a solid and resonant low end. The interval from B2 to F#4 is a perfect fifth plus two octaves, creating a significant harmonic jump. This is followed by a wide interval of a Major 2nd between F#4 (3rd string) and G#4 (2nd string), and then an Augmented 4th between G#4 and C#5 (1st string).

This unique interval structure facilitates the creation of sus2 chords by simply barring strings. For instance, fretting strings 6-5-4 at the 2nd fret yields a Bsus2 chord (B-F#-C#), while barring strings 5-4-3 at the same fret creates an F#sus2 chord (F#-C#-G#). The close proximity of the 2nd (G#4) and 3rd (F#4) strings at a Major 2nd interval is specifically designed for compelling 'grind' effects, allowing for dissonant yet musical textures. This tuning encourages players to think beyond standard chord shapes, leading to innovative melodic and harmonic explorations.

How to Tune from Standard E Standard (E-A-D-G-B-E)

To set up your guitar for the 'Open Frippdip A sus2' tuning, follow these precise string movements from standard E Standard tuning. Please note that significant downward tuning is required for most strings. When tuning down more than 4 semitones (or up more than 4 semitones), considering a different string gauge is highly advised to maintain optimal string tension, prevent breakage, and ensure proper intonation.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 7 semitones to A1. (**Note:** This is a significant drop; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension and tone.)
• String 5 (A): Tune down 5 semitones to E2. (**Note:** A heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension and tone.)
• String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitones to F#4.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 3 semitones to G#4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 3 semitones to C#5.

String 6: A1

String 5: E2

String 4: B2

String 3: F#4

String 2: G#4

String 1: C#5