The Open A# Major Tuning transforms your guitar into a vibrant, resonant instrument, ready to deliver a powerful, full-bodied sound. This tuning is built around the bright and assertive A# Major triad (A#, D, F), which rings out as a rich, layered chord when all open strings are strummed. This makes it an ideal choice for genres requiring a strong harmonic foundation and an expansive, drone-like quality, such as folk, blues, rock, and even ambient music where sustain and texture are key.

Technical Analysis

This tuning voices an A# Major chord across multiple octaves. The open strings are tuned to:

• String 6 (Lowest): A#2 (Root)
• String 5: D2 (Major 3rd of A#, one octave below the root A#)
• String 4: F3 (Perfect 5th of A#, in a higher octave)
• String 3: A#4 (Root, two octaves above the lowest A#)
• String 2: D4 (Major 3rd of A#, two octaves above the lowest D)
• String 1 (Highest): A#4 (Root, two octaves above the lowest A#)

The strategic placement of these notes creates a dense, ringing chord. The repetition of the root (A#) and Major 3rd (D) across different octaves provides immense harmonic stability and a rich, chorused effect. The perfect 5th (F) on the 4th string adds harmonic completeness.

Chords and Playability

A significant advantage of this open tuning is the ease of creating Major chords. Simply barring across any fret will produce a Major chord: barring at the 1st fret yields a B Major chord (B, D#, F#), at the 2nd fret a C Major chord, and so on. This makes transposing incredibly simple and opens up vast possibilities for slide guitar.

While naturally lending itself to Major tonalities, other chords are also within reach with minimal effort:

• Minor Chords: To achieve an A# Minor chord, you would need to lower the D notes (strings 5 and 2) by one semitone to C#. This could be done by fretting the 5th string at the 3rd fret (relative to the A# on the 6th string) and the 2nd string also at the 3rd fret (relative to the A# on the 3rd string). However, this would require precision and may involve muting some strings.
• Suspended Chords (e.g., A#sus4): Fret the D strings (5 and 2) at the 1st fret (relative to the A# root) to get a C note, creating a suspended 4th.
• Dominant 7th Chords (e.g., A#7): To add a G# (the minor 7th of A#) would require specific fretting or a custom approach, but its strong Major foundation makes it adaptable for blues and rock voicings.

The Open A# Major tuning is fantastic for expansive soundscapes, powerful strumming, and single-note melodic lines that can harmonically lean on the rich open drone.

Here are the specific notes for each string in the Open A# Major tuning:

• String 6 (Lowest): A2#
• String 5: D2
• String 4: F3
• String 3: A4#
• String 2: D4
• String 1 (Highest): A4#

How to Tune:

To achieve the Open A# Major tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps. Be mindful of the significant changes required for some strings. Extremely large changes in tension (especially more than 4 semitones up or down) might require a different gauge of string to maintain proper intonation and string life. Proceed with caution and check your guitar's neck relief.

• String 6 (Lowest E): From its standard E2 note, tune down 6 semitones to A#2. Caution: A significant drop in tension. Consider a heavier gauge string for optimal performance.
• String 5 (A): From its standard A2 note, tune down 7 semitones to D2. Caution: A significant drop in tension. Consider a heavier gauge string for optimal performance.
• String 4 (D): From its standard D3 note, tune up 3 semitones to F3.
• String 3 (G): From its standard G3 note, tune up 3 semitones to A#4.
• String 2 (B): From its standard B3 note, tune up 3 semitones to D4.
• String 1 (Highest E): From its standard E4 note, tune down 6 semitones to A#4. Caution: A significant drop in tension. Consider a heavier gauge string for optimal performance.