Tuning Overview: B Flat Modal (Michael Trongone - In The Dark)

This custom tuning, aptly named "B Flat Modal" and famously employed by Michael Trongone in his piece "In The Dark," profoundly transforms your standard Guitar. It establishes a remarkably low pitch and a powerful, droning quality, making it an excellent choice for genres that demand a heavy, atmospheric sound, such as modern metal, ambient soundscapes, or experimental drone music.

Technical Analysis

The tuning features the following open notes from low to high (String 6 to String 1): A♯2, A♯3, A♯3, A♯3, F3, A♯4. This arrangement is heavily centered around the notes A♯ (A sharp) and F. When all strings are played open, they collectively form a massive A♯5 power chord, emphasizing both the root and its perfect fifth:

• String 6 (A♯2): The foundational root note, providing a deep, guttural bass.
• String 5 (A♯3): An octave above the low root, adding body and reinforcing the fundamental.
• String 4 (A♯3): Another octave, contributing to the tuning's dense and sustained character.
• String 3 (A♯3): A third octave, creating a rich, thick texture of the root note that acts as a powerful drone.
• String 2 (F3): The perfect fifth of A♯, providing harmonic stability and the core 'power chord' sound.
• String 1 (A♯4): The root note two octaves above the lowest string, adding a clearer, higher-register presence to the overall chord.

Playing Potential & Open Chords

The most prominent open chord is an imposing A♯5 (B♭5) power chord, achieved simply by strumming all open strings. This makes it incredibly easy to achieve heavy, resonant rhythm parts with minimal effort. Barre chords across any fret will naturally maintain this powerful A♯5 voicing (transposed), simplifying chord shapes for power chord progressions and allowing for rapid, heavy riffing. The tight cluster of A♯s on the lower-mid strings facilitates creative single-finger drones and sustained pedal tones, while the F on the 2nd string offers a convenient perfect fifth for lead lines or melodic development that naturally complements the root. This tuning excels in generating huge, wall-of-sound textures and provides simplified fingerings for impactful, heavy riffs.

How to Tune Your Guitar

To achieve this specific B Flat Modal tuning, follow these precise string adjustments from a standard EADGBe tuning. Given the significant changes, especially tuning several strings down by more than 4 semitones, it is highly recommended to use a heavier gauge string set (e.g., a baritone set) to ensure proper tension, intonation, and to avoid string breakage or damage to your instrument.

• String 6 (to A♯2): Tune down 6 semitones. (Note: Tuning down more than 4 semitones - a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal performance and safety.)
• String 5 (to A♯3): Tune up 1 semitones. (Note: Tuning up 1 semitone is generally safe for standard gauge strings.)
• String 4 (to A♯3): Tune down 4 semitones. (Note: Tuning down 4 semitones - a heavier gauge string is advised.)
• String 3 (to A♯3): Tune down 9 semitones. (Note: Tuning down more than 4 semitones - a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal performance and safety.)
• String 2 (to F3): Tune down 6 semitones. (Note: Tuning down more than 4 semitones - a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal performance and safety.)
• String 1 (to A♯4): Tune down 6 semitones. (Note: Tuning down more than 4 semitones - a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal performance and safety.)

String 6: A♯2

String 5: A♯3

String 4: A♯3

String 3: A♯3

String 2: F3

String 1: A♯4