This is a distinctive and incredibly heavy tuning, purpose-built for the dense and abrasive sound of Demian Johnston from the noise rock band Great Falls, specifically for their album 'Objects Without Pain'. It fundamentally re-shapes the guitar's sonic landscape, leaning heavily into dissonance and a powerful low-end, characteristic of the genre.

Technically, the open string notes for this electric guitar tuning are A1-G2-B2-F3-B3-C4 (from low E to high E standard string positions). The most striking feature is the immensely dropped 6th string to A1, providing a crushing, sub-harmonic foundation. The intervals across the open strings are far from conventional harmony, designed to create tension and grit: the 6th (A1) and 5th (G2) strings are a minor seventh apart, offering a dark and resonant drone. The 5th (G2) and 4th (B2) strings form a major third. Moving up, the 4th (B2) and 3rd (F3) strings create a tritone, a highly dissonant interval often used for tension. This pattern of dissonance continues with another tritone between the 3rd (F3) and 2nd (B3) strings, while the top two strings (B3 and C4) form a jarring minor second. When strummed openly, these notes (A, G, B, F, B, C) create a thick, clashing texture, perfect for the raw energy of noise rock. While not conducive to traditional open chords, this tuning excels in producing thick, guttural power chords, powerful single-note riffs, and complex, angular harmonic structures by fretting just a few strings, particularly leveraging the immense low-end for impact and the clustered higher strings for piercing, industrial sounds. The octave B's (B2 and B3) can also offer a resonant anchor amidst the dissonance.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'Great Falls - Objects Without Pain' tuning from standard E Standard, you'll need to make significant adjustments. Please be mindful of string tension; for very large drops or raises, considering a different gauge string set is highly advisable to maintain optimal tension, intonation, and string life.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 7 semitones to A1. This is a substantial drop. A heavier gauge string is strongly recommended to avoid floppiness and maintain intonation.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 2 semitones to F3.
• 2nd String (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to B3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 4 semitones to C4. This drop is at the threshold where a heavier gauge string might be beneficial for optimal performance and tone.

6th String: A1

5th String: G2

4th String: B2

3rd String: F3

2nd String: B3

1st String: C4