Verbal Description: The "Screwing Around" Tuning

This tuning, aptly named by its creator as something derived from "screwing around," immediately suggests an unconventional and experimental sonic landscape. It's a tuning that will challenge your perceptions and open up new creative avenues, moving far beyond standard guitar voicings. The prominent low B, combined with the repeating F notes, creates a deep, resonant drone that can feel both heavy and ethereal. The introduction of A# (enharmonically Bb) and E adds a significant amount of tension and dissonance, hinting at blues, metal, or even avant-garde styles.

It's not a tuning for easy, major-key strumming; rather, it encourages exploration of complex harmonies, sustained textures, and perhaps even a percussive approach due to its low and dense character. The description by the creator, "Good night, everyone," might imply a final, bold statement or a sense of playful chaos. Prepare for a unique journey into sound.

Technical Analysis: B F B F A# E

This is an extremely low and wide-ranging tuning, spanning across 3 octaves (from B1 to E4). Let's examine the intervals between the open strings:

• String 6 (B1) to String 5 (F2): A tritone (augmented 4th / diminished 5th). This interval is inherently dissonant and often associated with blues or rock. Given the very low register, it will create a massive, grinding sound.
• String 5 (F2) to String 4 (B2): A perfect 4th. This is a common and stable interval, here repeating the B note an octave higher.
• String 4 (B2) to String 3 (F3): Another tritone. This recurrence reinforces the dissonant character, especially with the B-F relationship. The B-F-B-F pattern on the lowest four strings creates a dark, brooding foundation.
• String 3 (F3) to String 2 (A#4): A major 3rd. This brings in a brighter, more defined harmonic element, but the A# (enharmonically Bb) against the preceding B natural creates a clash.
• String 2 (A#4) to String 1 (E4): A diminished 5th (tritone). This final interval maintains the high level of tension, ending the open string array on a sharp, unresolved note.

The overall harmonic content of the open strings (B, F, B, F, A#, E) is B, F, A#, E. This collection of notes does not immediately resolve into a common chord. It contains two tritones (B-F and A#-E) and a major third (F-A#). This highly dissonant combination suggests a tuning intended for specific, possibly angular or experimental compositions rather than conventional harmony. The presence of B and A# (Bb) creates a minor second interval, adding significant crunch.

The extreme down-tuning on the lowest strings (down 5 and 4 semitones respectively) means that standard string gauges may feel very loose and floppy. Heavier gauge strings would be highly recommended to maintain playability, intonation, and tone, especially for the 6th and 5th strings.

Chordal Exploration:

• Power Chords & Drones: Strumming all open strings will result in a heavy, dissonant cluster. Focusing on the low B and F strings could create a powerful, grinding drone. The B-F-B-F pattern on the lowest four strings essentially gives you two octaves of B and F, forming a thick, dissonant power chord or a Bsus4-like sound, but with F instead of E.
• Muted & Rhythmic Playing: The loose feel of the heavily downtuned strings could be ideal for percussive, palm-muted riffs, especially in metal or heavy rock genres where a thick, low-end chug is desired.
• Open Voicings with Tension: Barre chords will be significantly altered. Due to the repeated B and F, sliding a single finger across the 3rd and 4th strings (and possibly 6th and 5th) at different frets could yield interesting, tension-filled suspended chords or unusual dominant voicings. For example, barring across the 4th fret on the low B, F, B, F strings would give you D, G#, D, G# – a very open, dissonant sound.
• Exploiting Dissonance: The B, F, A#, E notes in the open tuning create a B diminished-major 7th type sound if the E is seen as an added tone. Chords built around this tension (e.g., Bdim-maj7, Fmaj7#11, E9sus4b5) might emerge by fretting just a few notes or using specific fingerings to highlight or resolve these dissonances.
• Blues/Jazz Improv: The prominent tritone intervals could be highly effective for blues or jazz improvisation, especially in a dark or experimental context. The A# (Bb) against the low B sets up a classic bluesy minor second tension.

Open String Notes:

• 6th String (Low E string): B1
• 5th String (A string): F2
• 4th String (D string): B2
• 3rd String (G string): F3
• 2nd String (B string): A#4
• 1st String (High E string): E4

How to Tune:

To achieve the "B F B F A# E" tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these string adjustments carefully:

• 6th String (E): Tune down 5 semitones to B1. Caution: This is a significant drop. For optimal tone and playability, a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 4 semitones to F2. Caution: This is also a considerable drop. A heavier gauge string is recommended.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 2 semitones to F3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 1 semitone to A#4.
• 1st String (E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.