This is a profoundly low and dark guitar tuning, characteristic of modern heavy music. The open strings immediately present a heavy, resonant sound, perfectly suited for crushing riffs and atmospheric soundscapes. As explicitly noted in the tuning description, this specific configuration is famously utilized by the band Loathe in their track "Heavy Is The Head That Falls With The Weight Of A Thousand Thoughts," showcasing its capability for intense, atmospheric, and crushing soundscapes.

Technical Analysis:

The open tuning from low to high is: B1-A1-E2-A2-D3-F#4.

• The tuning is heavily down-tuned, with the lowest string at B1 (a B an octave and a half below standard E) and the 5th string at A1 (an octave below standard A), creating a very deep and guttural foundation for heavy music.
• The arrangement of A1-E2-A2-D3-F#4 on strings 5 through 1 creates a rich harmonic cluster. This specific sequence of notes (A, E, A, D, F#) naturally forms the notes of a D major triad (D-F#-A) with an added E (the 9th of D) and doubled A, suggesting that open D major chords or D-based voicings are easily accessible across these strings.
• The interval between the 6th string (B1) and the 5th string (A1) is a major 7th down (or a major 2nd up), allowing for powerful, often dissonant, low-end drone effects or expansive chord voicings.
• The presence of a perfect 5th (A1-E2) between strings 5 and 4, followed by perfect 4ths (E2-A2, A2-D3) between strings 4, 3, and 2, facilitates easy formation of power chords and heavy, low chord voicings with minimal finger movement. For instance, a single finger barred across strings 4-3-2 at any fret will yield a perfect 5th and octave, ideal for modern metal chugging.
• The top string at F#4, significantly higher than the middle strings, creates a wide melodic range for lead lines and adds brightness to an otherwise dark tuning. The large interval from D3 to F#4 (a compound major 10th) offers a dramatic melodic leap, providing contrast and melodic tension.
• This tuning is not a simple drop variant (like Drop D or Drop C) but a complex, custom manipulation, allowing for unique harmonic textures and the signature heavy, often dissonant, yet melodic style associated with Loathe.

How to Tune Your Guitar to Loathe's Deep A Major Tuning:

This tuning involves significant down-tuning across all strings from standard EADGBe. Please exercise extreme caution when adjusting string tension. For movements exceeding 4 semitones (up or down), it is generally recommended to consider a heavier string gauge to maintain proper string tension, intonation, and to avoid potential string breakage or neck issues. Many of these movements are quite extreme.

• 6th String (Low E): The target note is B1. Tune down 5 semitones. (Starting from a standard E2)
• 5th String (A): The target note is A1. Tune down 12 semitones (a full octave). (Starting from a standard A2)
• 4th String (D): The target note is E2. Tune down 10 semitones. (Starting from a standard D3)
• 3rd String (G): The target note is A2. Tune down 10 semitones. (Starting from a standard G3)
• 2nd String (B): The target note is D3. Tune down 9 semitones. (Starting from a standard B3)
• 1st String (High E): The target note is F#4. Tune down 10 semitones. (Starting from a standard E4)