The "Drop A#" tuning is a distinctive and highly customized setup designed for a very specific sonic palette, particularly for emulating bass lines or achieving exceptionally heavy, low-end driven guitar tones. As described, this tuning was specifically crafted to write a bass-driven song on guitar, even suggesting its utility for performing the bass part of Joy Division's "Disorder" without needing an actual bass instrument. This hints at its capacity for dark, resonant, and articulate low-frequency melodies and riffs, pushing the guitar into a deeply resonant territory.

Technical Analysis

This tuning features an extremely low sixth string, tuned to A#2 (Bb2). This deep foundational note provides immense sonic weight and a powerful root for heavy compositions. However, a defining characteristic is the interval between the sixth and fifth strings: A#2 and A2. This semitone difference between the two lowest open strings creates an immediate, inherent dissonance or a very tight, thick sound, depending on how it's voiced. Unlike conventional drop tunings where the lowest string is dropped and the rest often follow a consistent, shifted interval structure, this tuning maintains standard EADGBe intervals from the fifth string upwards (A2-D3-G3-B3-E4).

Consequently, while the lowest string offers a massive root, the upper five strings function much like a standard-tuned guitar, allowing for familiar chord shapes and scale patterns from the A-string onwards. This dual nature allows for versatility: deep, resonant low-end riffing on the sixth string, combined with traditional melodic and harmonic possibilities on the higher strings. Open chords leveraging all six strings will be highly unconventional due to the A#2-A2 interval, likely leading to power chords constructed by fretting the fifth string, or by muting the sixth string entirely when playing traditional open voicings on the upper strings. This tuning is not optimized for standard open chords but rather for specific harmonic textures, heavy riffing, and bass-like melodic passages, offering a unique sonic landscape for experimentation.

How to Tune

To achieve the Drop A# tuning, follow these specific adjustments. Please note that the instructions here are derived strictly from the provided 'string_movements' data:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 6 semitones. This is a significant drop; if starting from standard E2, this would result in a B1. For optimal tone, intonation, and to prevent excessive slack, a heavier gauge string is strongly advised when tuning down more than 4 semitones. Players tuning down 6 semitones should exercise caution.
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4 (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 3 (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

Important Note on Target Tuning: While the tuning instructions derived from 'string_movements' describe tuning the 6th string down by 6 semitones, the target tuning notes specify the 6th string should be A#2 (Bb2). If tuning from a standard E2, reaching A#2 would typically require tuning down 7 semitones. Players should use a reliable tuner to ensure the 6th string reaches the desired A#2 (Bb2) note, regardless of the specific semitone count in the tuning movement instructions, as precision is key for this low tuning.