Tuning Analysis: A Shrouded Harmony

This 7-string guitar tuning, humorously described by its creator as something made out of boredom, is indeed a highly unconventional and experimental setup. Aptly named 'A Shrouded Harmony', it eschews traditional chord voicings in favor of a unique harmonic landscape that will challenge and inspire adventurous players. With its remarkably deep A1 on the lowest string, a wide interval jump in the lower-mid register, and a cluster of sharps in the higher strings, this tuning is best suited for genres like progressive metal, experimental jazz, or ambient music, where unconventional sounds and complex textures are highly prized.

Technical Breakdown:

• Open Notes: The open strings are tuned to A1, E2, G#3, D#4, F#4, G#4, C#5. This collection of notes, when viewed as a composite, implies an underlying A Major tonality (A, C#, E are present), but it is heavily colored by the D# (an augmented 4th from A) and F# (a major 6th from A). This creates a sophisticated 'A Maj7#11add6' quality, offering a bright yet potentially tense sonic palette.
• Adjacent String Intervals (low to high):
  • String 7 (A1) to String 6 (E2): Perfect 5th (P5, 7 semitones). This provides a strong, foundational bass interval, common in many tunings.
  • String 6 (E2) to String 5 (G#3): Major 10th (M3 + Octave, 16 semitones). This is a remarkably wide interval, creating a significant gap in the lower-mid register. This drastic jump will force players to completely rethink standard chord shapes and arpeggio patterns, opening up new melodic and harmonic possibilities.
  • String 5 (G#3) to String 4 (D#4): Augmented 5th / Minor 6th (8 semitones). This is an unusual and inherently tense interval for adjacent strings, contributing significantly to the tuning's unique and somewhat dissonant harmonic character.
  • String 4 (D#4) to String 3 (F#4): Minor 3rd (m3, 3 semitones). A common and musically useful interval that introduces a more traditional melodic step.
  • String 3 (F#4) to String 2 (G#4): Major 2nd (M2, 2 semitones). A tight, melodic interval ideal for close voicings and scale fragments.
  • String 2 (G#4) to String 1 (C#5): Perfect 4th (P4, 5 semitones). Another common and musically stable interval, often found in standard tuning configurations.
• Chordal and Melodic Possibilities: While not conducive to easy, conventional open chords, the tuning does offer fragments. An A Major triad (A, C#, E) is present across the tuning (A1, E2, C#5), albeit widely spaced. The cluster of notes on the higher strings (D#4, F#4, G#4, C#5) provides a rich area for intricate melodic lines, arpeggios, or more modern, angular voicings. The presence of G# and D# throughout also suggests the exploration of G# minor or C# minor sonorities, useful for darker or more mysterious harmonic pathways. This tuning encourages single-note lines, two- or three-note voicings, and a deep dive into the unique sympathetic resonances of its unusual intervals, pushing the player beyond the confines of standard guitar logic.

How to Tune:

To achieve the 'A Shrouded Harmony' tuning, follow these specific adjustments for each string, starting from your standard tuning:

• String 7 (Lowest A): Tune down 2 semitones to reach A1.
• String 6 (E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to remain at E2.
• String 5 (G#): Tune down 1 semitone to reach G#3.
• String 4 (D#): Tune up 1 semitone to reach D#4.
• String 3 (F#): Tune down 1 semitone to reach F#4.
• String 2 (G#): Tune down 3 semitones to reach G#4.
• String 1 (Highest C#): Tune down 3 semitones to reach C#5.

Note: All described string adjustments are well within a safe range, so a change in string gauge is not necessary for this tuning.

String 7: A1 (Lowest String)

String 6: E2

String 5: G#3

String 4: D#4

String 3: F#4

String 2: G#4

String 1: C#5 (Highest String)