Tuning Analysis: Bmaj7

The Bmaj7 tuning, as its name suggests, is an exciting open tuning that rings out a rich B Major 7th chord across all strings. This particular tuning, which the artist mentions might feature on their upcoming album, offers a unique sonic landscape for exploration.

Technical Analysis

From the lowest to the highest string, the open notes are B1, B2, D#4, F#4, A#4, A#4. Analyzing these notes reveals the core structure of a B Major 7th chord:

• The 6th string (B1) provides the fundamental root.
• The 5th string (B2) reinforces the root an octave higher.
• The 4th string (D#4) provides the Major Third, giving the chord its major quality.
• The 3rd string (F#4) establishes the Perfect Fifth, adding stability.
• The 2nd string (A#4) introduces the Major Seventh, defining the 7th chord quality.
• The 1st string (A#4) doubles the Major Seventh, adding sustain and harmonic richness to the high end.

This arrangement means that simply strumming all open strings will beautifully articulate a B Major 7th chord. The spread of notes across multiple octaves, with a strong root in the bass and a prominent major seventh at the high end, creates a full and resonant sound.

Verbal & Chordal Observations

This Bmaj7 tuning immediately presents an ethereal, lush, and sophisticated sound due to the inherent Major 7th interval. It's perfectly suited for ambient soundscapes, jazz-infused compositions, or any genre where a rich, harmonically complex texture is desired.

• Open Chords: The most obvious benefit is the immediate open Bmaj7 chord, perfect for drones or as a starting point for melodic ideas. By barring across a single fret, you can effortlessly transpose this Bmaj7 shape into other major 7th chords (e.g., barring at the 1st fret yields a Cmaj7, 2nd fret a C#maj7, etc.).
• Accessible Voicings: Given the doubled root and major seventh, fingerings that omit or include these notes will still sound cohesive. Experimenting with fretting just the 4th and 3rd strings (D# and F#) will create interesting intervals over the open B and A# drones.
• Melodic Potential: The open strings provide a strong harmonic bed over which to build melodies, especially those emphasizing the major scale or arpeggios of Bmaj7. The doubled A# on the high strings offers a consistent major 7th drone or leading tone.
• Minor Chords: A B minor 7th chord (B-D-F#-A) would require flattening the D# (4th string) to D natural (1 semitone down) and flattening the A# (2nd and 1st strings) to A natural (1 semitone down). These are achievable with relatively simple fingerings.

How to Tune

To achieve this Bmaj7 tuning, you'll need to adjust your guitar strings as follows. Please exercise caution, especially with larger pitch changes, and consider string gauge recommendations.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 5 semitones to B1. Caution: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant change. A heavier gauge string is advised for optimal tension and tone.
• String 5 (A): Tune up 2 semitones to B2.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 1 semitone to D#4.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F#4.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 1 semitone to A#4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 6 semitones to A#4. Caution: Tuning down 6 semitones is a significant change. A heavier gauge string is advised for optimal tension and tone.

6th String: B1

5th String: B2

4th String: D#4

3rd String: F#4

2nd String: A#4

1st String: A#4