Tuning Analysis: E Solar 9 on Baritone Guitar

"it's an open that sounds really wide. in a john butler way i mean, but it's full of surprises :) hope you'll like it." This unique tuning for baritone guitar, named 'E Solar 9', certainly lives up to its creator's vibrant description. It crafts a soundscape that feels expansive and rich, reminiscent of the percussive, resonant styles often found in artists like John Butler. Its 'surprises' likely come from its unconventional intervallic relationships and the high-octave notes, offering a distinct and engaging sonic character for fingerstyle, slide, or ambient playing.

Technical Breakdown

The open strings are tuned to B1-E2-B2-D4#-F4#-B3. Let's delve into its harmonic and structural properties:

• Root & Foundation: The lowest string is B1, providing an exceptionally deep and grounded bass. The presence of B2 and B3 further reinforces this B root across three different octaves, creating a powerful, resonant fundamental.
• Open Chord Voicing: The open strings combine B (root), E (perfect fourth), D# (major third), and F# (perfect fifth). This unique cluster effectively forms a B Major (add4) or B Major (add11) chord. This is a bright, full, and slightly ambiguous voicing that invites exploration.
• "E Solar 9" Interpretation: Despite the open B chord, the tuning's name 'E Solar 9' suggests an E-centric harmony. If E is perceived as the root, the notes B, E, D#, F# translate to a Perfect 5th (B), Root (E), Major 7th (D#), and Major 9th (F#). This forms an Emaj7(add9) with no 3rd or Emaj9(no3rd) quality, aligning with the 'solar' (bright, major 7th) and '9' (added 9th) descriptor. This creates a sophisticated, shimmering harmony that can be very evocative.
• Wide Intervallic Spread: The combination of the deep B1 and E2 strings with the notably high D4# and F4# (especially for a baritone, which typically sits in lower registers) creates an exceptionally wide intervallic spread. This is a key contributor to the 'wide' and 'surprising' sound, allowing for sparkling, bell-like overtones to ring out over a thick, drone-like foundation.

Chordal Possibilities

The open B Maj(add4) nature of this tuning makes it incredibly friendly for simple, full-sounding chords. A full barre across all strings at any given fret will automatically yield a major chord with an added 4th/11th. For example:

• Open: B Maj(add4) / B Maj(add11) (B1 E2 B2 D4# F4# B3)
• Fret 1 Barre: C Maj(add4) / C Maj(add11) (C1 F2 C2 E4 G4 C3)
• Fret 2 Barre: C# Maj(add4) / C# Maj(add11) (C#1 F#2 C#2 F4 G#4 C#3)

This provides easy access to a harmonically rich family of major chords, ideal for sing-alongs, accompaniment, or creating full, ringing instrumental textures. The wide string spacing and high octaves on D4# and F4# also encourage creative melodic lines, drone notes, and harmonic textures that are difficult to achieve in standard tunings. This tuning could be particularly effective for instrumental pieces where the guitar aims to create a 'full-band' feel.

How to Tune Your Baritone Guitar

To achieve the 'E Solar 9' tuning, starting from a standard Baritone Guitar tuning (typically B1-E2-A2-D3-F#3-B3), carefully follow these instructions:

• String 6 (Lowest B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). (From B1 to B1)
• String 5 (E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). (From E2 to E2)
• String 4 (A): Tune up 2 semitones. (From A2 to B2) Note: Tuning up 2 semitones is a moderate adjustment.
• String 3 (D): Tune up 1 semitone. (From D3 to D#3) Important Caution: The final tuning note specified for this string is D4#. Tuning up 1 semitone from D3 achieves D#3, not D4#. Achieving D4# from D3 would require tuning up 13 semitones (more than an octave). Such a significant increase in pitch is generally not recommended for standard string gauges as it poses a high risk of string breakage and potential damage to your instrument's neck. Please exercise extreme caution and consider using a much lighter gauge string if D4# is your intended target.
• String 2 (F#): Tune down 1 semitone. (From F#3 to F3) Important Caution: The final tuning note specified for this string is F4#. Tuning down 1 semitone from F#3 achieves F3, not F4#. Achieving F4# from F#3 would require tuning up 11 semitones. This drastic increase in pitch is generally not recommended for standard string gauges due to the high risk of string breakage and potential instrument damage. Please exercise extreme caution and consider using a much lighter gauge string if F4# is your intended target.
• String 1 (Highest B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). (From B3 to B3)

General Warning on String Tension: When tuning, any string movement exceeding 4 semitones (either up or down) should be approached with extreme caution. It is highly recommended to consider using a different string gauge specifically designed for such tension changes to ensure proper playability, prevent string breakage, and avoid potential damage to your instrument's neck. The notable discrepancies in octaves for strings 2 and 3 between the specified final tuning notes and the semitone adjustment instructions necessitate particular vigilance regarding string tension.

The 'E Solar 9' tuning for baritone guitar is as follows, from lowest to highest string:

String 6 (Lowest): B1

String 5: E2

String 4: B2

String 3: D4#

String 2: F4#

String 1 (Highest): B3