Analysis of the Joni Mitchell 'River' Tuning

This unique tuning, known as the 'Joni Mitchell River' tuning, is directly associated with her iconic song "River." As with many of Joni Mitchell's tunings, it departs significantly from standard guitar tuning to create a very specific harmonic and melodic landscape, ideally suited for fingerpicking and intricate voicings. It's not designed for conventional strumming patterns or common open chords, but rather for a rich, melancholic, and atmospheric sound.

Technical Breakdown:

The open notes for this tuning are (from low E to high E): A#2 F2 A#3 G3 A#4 D4.

• Root & Octaves: The tuning features A# as a prominent root, appearing in three octaves (A#2, A#3, A#4) on the 6th, 4th, and 2nd strings, creating a strong drone foundation.
• Harmonic Elements: Relative to the lowest A# (A#2), the tuning includes:
  • F2 (a perfect 4th below A#2, or an ascending diminished 5th if considered relative to A#).
  • G3 (a minor 7th above A#2).
  • D4 (a major 3rd above A#3, or a diminished 5th if considered relative to A#2).
  The unique notes present in the open tuning are A#, D, F, G.
• Chordal Implication: While not a straightforward major or minor chord, the open strings form a complex, somewhat dissonant cluster. Considering A# as the root, the open strings provide its Major 3rd (D), Diminished 5th (F and D), and Minor 7th (G). This combination of intervals creates a rich, unstable, and melancholic quality, often described as 'jazzy' or 'impressionistic,' which is central to the emotional depth of "River."
• Intervals: The intervals between adjacent strings are highly irregular, leading to unique fingerings and voicings. This allows for rich harmonic clusters with minimal fretting, characteristic of Mitchell's compositions.

Chords & Playability:

This tuning is designed to facilitate specific melodic lines and harmonic voicings rather than conventional chord shapes. Open string combinations will often yield complex, non-triadic sounds. Players will find:

• Drones: The repeated A# notes across octaves can be used as strong drones, over which single-note melodies or sparse harmonies can be played.
• Unique Voicings: Simple two or three-finger shapes can produce intricate and often surprising chords that would be difficult or impossible in standard tuning.
• Fretted Chords: Barring across the neck will produce parallel intervals, creating unique dissonant or consonant clusters depending on the fret, rather than easily recognizable major or minor triads. Experimentation is key to discovering its harmonic potential.

How to Tune to 'Joni Mitchell River'

To achieve the 'Joni Mitchell River' tuning, follow these precise adjustments from your guitar's standard tuning (E A D G B E). Please take note of the significant string tension changes for some strings; tuning more than 4 semitones up or down may warrant a different string gauge for optimal playability and instrument health.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 6 semitones to A#2. (Significant drop: consider a heavier gauge string).
• 5th String (A): Tune down 4 semitones to F2. (Significant drop: consider a heavier gauge string).
• 4th String (D): Tune down 4 semitones to A#3. (Significant drop: consider a heavier gauge string).
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to G3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 1 semitone to A#4.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.