Tuning Analysis: Open A-sharp Minor 11

Verbal Analysis

The Open A-sharp Minor 11 tuning transforms your guitar into a deeply resonant, minor-key instrument, perfect for crafting dark, introspective, or heavy soundscapes. With its low A# root on the 6th string, it provides a powerful foundation for blues, rock, metal, or even atmospheric and progressive genres. The open strings immediately present a rich, complex minor 11th chord, making it easy to evoke moody textures and expansive harmonies. This tuning offers excellent drone possibilities, allowing you to sustain the low A# or F while exploring melodies and chord fragments on the higher strings. Slide players will find it particularly inspiring due to the strong chordal base. Be prepared for a significant slack in string tension on most strings due to the considerable detuning, which contributes to its unique sonic character, offering a looser feel and often a thicker, more percussive attack.

Technical Analysis

This tuning sets the open strings to the following notes, from lowest to highest pitch:

• 6th String: A#2
• 5th String: F2
• 4th String: C#4
• 3rd String: D#4
• 2nd String: G#4
• 1st String: C4

When strummed open, these notes form an A#m11 chord (A#, C#, D#, F, G#) with an added C, which functions as the major 9th above A#. This creates a very full and sophisticated minor voicing. The intervals between adjacent strings are:

• 6th to 5th string (A#2 to F2): A Perfect 5th down (or Perfect 4th up)
• 5th to 4th string (F2 to C#4): A Major 6th plus an octave up
• 4th to 3rd string (C#4 to D#4): A Major 2nd up
• 3rd to 2nd string (D#4 to G#4): A Perfect 4th up
• 2nd to 1st string (G#4 to C4): A Minor 3rd up

The arrangement of minor 2nd (M2) and perfect 4th (P4) intervals on the higher strings (4th through 1st) makes it relatively straightforward to discover minor chord shapes and scale fragments across these strings. The significant open interval between the 5th and 4th strings (F2 to C#4) allows for interesting melodic leaps and harmonic spreads, while the profoundly low A# and F on the bottom strings provide a robust, low-end drone capable of supporting heavy riffs or spacious ambient textures.

How to Tune to Open A-sharp Minor 11

To achieve the Open A-sharp Minor 11 tuning, carefully adjust each string from its current state as detailed below. Please note the significant detuning involved for most strings.

• 6th String (Lowest): Tune down 6 semitones to A#2.
• 5th String: Tune down 4 semitones to F2.
• 4th String: Tune down 1 semitone to C#4.
• 3rd String: Tune down 4 semitones to D#4.
• 2nd String: Tune down 3 semitones to G#4.
• 1st String (Highest): Tune down 4 semitones to C4.

Important Note on String Tension: Tuning down by 4 or more semitones, as required for the 6th, 5th, 3rd, and 1st strings, will significantly reduce string tension. While this contributes to the unique feel and tone of lower tunings, it may also lead to excessive string flop, poor intonation, and potential fret buzz with standard gauge strings. For optimal playability, stability, and to prevent potential issues, it is highly recommended to use a heavier gauge string set specifically designed for lower tunings if you plan to use this tuning regularly.