Tuning Analysis: Open B minor (Baritone)

This unique tuning, described by its creator as an accidental discovery, offers a rich and deep harmonic palette specifically for the baritone guitar. It's a B minor tuning with a highly re-entrant structure, delivering a sound that is both heavy and surprisingly bright.

Verbal Description

The creator's note that this tuning "came up with it by mistake!" speaks to its unconventional and exploratory character, encouraging players to experiment beyond traditional voicings. Often found in genres like metal, doom, or experimental music, this tuning utilizes the full range of the baritone guitar, extending into lower registers while incorporating high-pitched elements. The "Open Bminor" aspect means that when strummed open, the guitar naturally resonates with a full B minor chord (B, D, F#). This provides an instant melancholy or powerful feel. The re-entrant nature, especially the high F4# on the second string relative to the surrounding notes, creates interesting intervallic leaps that can be exploited for unique melodic and harmonic textures. The significant down-tuning across most strings contributes to a sludgy, thick tone, ideal for heavy riffs or atmospheric soundscapes.

Technical Analysis

• Instrument: Baritone Guitar
• Open Notes: B1 - D2 - B2 - D3 - F4# - B3 (low to high)
• Chord Voicing: The open strings form a B minor chord (B, D, F#), with octaves and repeated notes for a full, resonant sound.
• Interval Analysis:
  • String 6 (B1) to String 5 (D2): Minor Third (up 3 semitones)
  • String 5 (D2) to String 4 (B2): Minor Sixth (up 9 semitones) or Major Third (down 4 semitones) - a significant drop in relative pitch for an adjacent string.
  • String 4 (B2) to String 3 (D3): Minor Third (up 3 semitones)
  • String 3 (D3) to String 2 (F4#): Re-entrant Major Third + Octave (up 16 semitones). This is a very wide interval, placing F4# unusually high.
  • String 2 (F4#) to String 1 (B3): Perfect Fourth (down 5 semitones). Another re-entrant interval, where the first string is lower than the second.
• Chordal Implications:
  • A single-finger barre across all strings at any fret will produce a minor chord, shifted chromatically (e.g., 1st fret = C minor, 2nd fret = C# minor).
  • The repeating B and D notes create natural drones and allow for simple two-note harmonies or power chords using just two adjacent strings.
  • The wide interval between String 3 and String 2, and the drop from String 2 to String 1, encourages unique arpeggiated patterns and fingerings that break traditional guitar shapes.

How to Tune

Achieving this Open B minor tuning for a baritone guitar involves significant adjustments to string tension. It is highly recommended to use appropriate baritone string sets and to have your instrument professionally set up for such low tunings. Please ensure your guitar can handle these changes. Below are the tuning movements specified for each string, along with the target note. Note the significant tuning down for most strings, which suggests the need for heavier gauge strings to maintain playability and intonation.

• String 6 (Target B1): Tune down 5 semitones. This movement significantly exceeds the recommended tuning range of -4 semitones, so a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 5 (Target D2): Tune down 7 semitones. This movement significantly exceeds the recommended tuning range of -4 semitones, so a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 4 (Target B2): Tune down 3 semitones. This movement is within the generally acceptable range for string tension.
• String 3 (Target D3): Tune down 5 semitones. This movement significantly exceeds the recommended tuning range of -4 semitones, so a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 2 (Target F4#): Tune down 5 semitones. This movement significantly exceeds the recommended tuning range of -4 semitones, so a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 1 (Target B3): Tune down 5 semitones. This movement significantly exceeds the recommended tuning range of -4 semitones, so a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.