Tuning Description: Lucas Mann 9-string aka Drop BEA

This is the acclaimed 9-string tuning utilized by Lucas Mann, specifically revealed during his endorsement announcement with Legator Guitars. Designed for extended range and heavy music, it offers a deep, resonant foundation with a familiar upper register.

Verbal Analysis

The 'Drop BEA' name itself hints at the extended low end of this 9-string beast. While the upper six strings mirror a standard guitar (EADGBe), providing a familiar landscape for lead work and standard chords, the real character comes from the three lowest strings tuned to B0, E1, and A1. This pushes the instrument into sub-bass frequencies, creating a massive, resonant foundation perfect for modern metal, djent, and progressive styles. The repeating A-E-A pattern across strings 9-7 (B-E-A) and 6-5 (E-A) creates powerful resonance and makes it incredibly easy to craft huge, chugging riffs and massive open voicings, characteristic of Lucas Mann's playing style. It's a tuning that blends the versatility of standard guitar with the earth-shaking depth of extended-range instruments.

Technical Analysis

• Instrument Type: Guitar (9-string)
• Open Notes (Low to High): B0 E1 A1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4
• Interval Structure:
  • String 9 (B0) to String 8 (E1): Perfect Fourth
  • String 8 (E1) to String 7 (A1): Perfect Fourth
  • String 7 (A1) to String 6 (E2): Perfect Fourth
  • String 6 (E2) to String 5 (A2): Perfect Fourth
  • String 5 (A2) to String 4 (D3): Perfect Fourth
  • String 4 (D3) to String 3 (G3): Perfect Fourth
  • String 3 (G3) to String 2 (B3): Major Third
  • String 2 (B3) to String 1 (E4): Perfect Fourth
• Structure Overview: This tuning largely follows a pattern of perfect fourths for the lower seven strings (B-E-A-E-A-D-G). The only deviation is the major third interval between the 3rd and 2nd strings (G3-B3), which then returns to a perfect fourth (B3-E4) for the highest string. This interval structure on the upper six strings (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4) is identical to standard EADGBe guitar tuning, providing a comfortable and familiar framework for players. The consistent fourths in the lower register make for extremely intuitive power chord shapes and heavy, low-end riffs.

Open Chords & Voicings

The open tuning itself, encompassing notes from B0 to E4, presents the pitches B, E, A, D, G. These notes collectively form an Em11 chord (E G B D A, with B in the bass) or an A Major 13 (A C# E G B D, without the C# but retaining other chord tones). This provides a rich, complex open voicing that can serve as a powerful drone or a sophisticated harmonic foundation.

Due to the consistent perfect fourths across the lower seven strings, powerful, chunky chords are exceptionally easy to achieve. Simply barring across these lower strings at any fret will naturally create a series of perfect fourths, lending itself perfectly to heavy, single-finger power chords or massive, resonant intervals. The standard EADGBe configuration on the top six strings ensures that all familiar open chords and movable shapes from a 6-string guitar remain readily available, making the transition for players comfortable with standard tuning much smoother for melodic lines and higher-register chord work. This duality allows for both brutal low-end impact and expressive, conventional guitar playing.

Tuning Notes:

• String 9 (Lowest): B0
• String 8: E1
• String 7: A1
• String 6: E2
• String 5: A2
• String 4: D3
• String 3: G3
• String 2: B3
• String 1 (Highest): E4

How to Tune:

• String 9 (Lowest) to B0: Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 8 to E1: Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 7 to A1: Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 6 to E2: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 5 to A2: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4 to D3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 3 to G3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 2 to B3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 1 (Highest) to E4: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).