Tuning Analysis: My Bloody Valentine's 'Lose My Breath' Open Chord

This unique guitar tuning is a direct transcription of the first chord from My Bloody Valentine's track 'Lose My Breath' off their seminal 1988 album 'Isn't Anything'. Far from a conventional setup, this tuning is a masterclass in sonic texture and dissonance, foundational to the distinct sound of the shoegaze genre. It's designed not for traditional chord shapes or melodic progressions, but to create a specific, expansive, and often ambiguous harmonic landscape.

Verbal Observations:

When strummed open, this tuning immediately envelops the listener in a dense, shimmering cloud of sound. It's characterized by its sustained, ringing quality, often feeling simultaneously beautiful and unsettling due to its carefully crafted dissonances. The sonic result is rich and atmospheric, ideal for the 'glide guitar' techniques and vast soundscapes My Bloody Valentine are renowned for. This tuning invites an exploration of timbre and subtle pitch variations, where the interplay of close intervals creates a perceived 'movement' within a static chord.

Technical Analysis:

• Instrument Type: Guitar
• Original Reference: "Lose My Breath 1st Chord" from My Bloody Valentine's 'Isn't Anything'
• Open String Notes: A3# - A3# - C4# - C4 - C5# - F4 (low to high, 6th to 1st string)

The distinct character of this tuning is derived from its unusual and often clashing intervals:

• Low-End Drone: The 6th and 5th strings are tuned to an identical A3#, creating a powerful, thick unison that serves as a resonant, droning foundation.
• Major Third Foundation: The 4th string, C4#, establishes a major third relationship above the A3# root.
• The 'Crush': A defining element of MBV's sound emerges between the 4th (C4#) and 3rd (C4) strings. This creates a minor second interval (a semitone apart), generating a deliberate, 'crushed' dissonance that is both piercing and strangely harmonious within the larger context.
• Leaping Octave: From the 3rd string's C4, there's a significant jump to the 2nd string's C5#. This span of an augmented octave or major ninth provides an expansive, open quality that contrasts with the close voicing below.
• Inverted Voicing: The highest string (F4) is notably pitched *below* the 2nd string (C5#). This inverted interval (a tritone down from C5# to F4, or an augmented fourth up from F4 to C5#) is a classic shoegaze technique, contributing to the tuning's disorienting and 'inside-out' sonic signature.

The collective open strings form a complex cluster chord comprising the notes A#, C, C#, and F. This combination avoids clear major or minor tonality, instead presenting a rich, ambiguous harmony where the tension between C and C# is paramount.

Chords and Playability:

This tuning is not intended for conventional chord shapes, as the open strings themselves form the core harmonic structure. Its design encourages a different approach to playing:

• Open String Chords: Strumming all or selected open strings immediately produces the signature 'Lose My Breath' texture.
• Barre Chords: Barreing across any single fret will transpose the entire cluster up or down the neck, maintaining the internal intervals and creating a series of shifting, dissonant harmonies with minimal fretwork.
• Drone and Sustain: The unison A# on the lower strings is perfect for creating sustained drones, over which higher string notes can be layered or bent.
• Sonic Experimentation: This tuning truly comes alive with the use of heavy modulation (flanger, chorus, vibrato), copious reverb, and distortion, allowing the guitarist to sculpt vast, evolving soundscapes.

Tuning Details and How to Tune

To achieve the My Bloody Valentine 'Lose My Breath' Open Chord tuning, carefully adjust each string to its target note. Please tune slowly to prevent string breakage and ensure proper intonation.

• String 6 (Low E String): Tune to A3#. How to Tune: Tune up 6 semitones. Warning: This is a significant increase in tension (+6 semitones). We strongly advise using a heavier gauge string for the 6th string to prevent breakage and potential neck damage.
• String 5 (A String): Tune to A3#. How to Tune: Tune up 1 semitones.
• String 4 (D String): Tune to C4#. How to Tune: Tune down 1 semitones.
• String 3 (G String): Tune to C4. How to Tune: Tune up 5 semitones. Warning: This is a significant increase in tension (+5 semitones). We strongly advise using a heavier gauge string for the 3rd string to prevent breakage and potential neck damage.
• String 2 (B String): Tune to C5#. How to Tune: Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 1 (High E String): Tune to F4. How to Tune: Tune up 1 semitones.