Verbal Analysis

The "Reality Tuning" is a distinctive and deeply resonant guitar tuning conceived by the acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist Antoine Dufour for his track 'Reality' from the 'Existence' album. This tuning is characterized by a significant detuning across almost all strings, lending itself to a profound, almost cavernous sound. It's designed to open up new sonic possibilities, creating lush harmonic landscapes and complex voicings that are characteristic of Dufour's intricate compositions. The broad range of notes available on the open strings, from a very low B1 to a high F#4, suggests a tuning optimized for rich, ambient textures, percussive techniques, and melodic lines that span multiple octaves without needing to fret. This tuning is not for the faint of heart and encourages exploration beyond conventional guitar techniques.

Technical Analysis

This tuning establishes a unique set of open notes: B1 (String 6), F#3 (String 5), A2 (String 4), D3 (String 3), F#4 (String 2), and B3 (String 1). Analyzing these open strings reveals a rich B minor 7th chord across several octaves, comprising the notes B, D, F#, and A. Specifically, the open strings provide the following chord tones relative to a B minor 7th chord:

• String 6: B1 (Root)
• String 4: A2 (Minor 7th)
• String 3: D3 (Minor 3rd)
• String 5: F#3 (Perfect 5th)
• String 1: B3 (Root - an octave higher than String 6)
• String 2: F#4 (Perfect 5th - an octave higher than String 5)

The distribution of these notes, particularly the significant jumps from B1 to F#3 and the high F#4, creates a non-linear string order in terms of pitch. This allows for unique harmonic relationships and wide melodic leaps across adjacent strings, which is ideal for a complex fingerstyle approach. The extreme detuning of most strings by 5 semitones (a perfect fourth minus one semitone from standard) means that significantly slacker string tension will be present compared to standard tuning.

String Gauge & Tension Considerations

Given that all strings are instructed to be tuned down by 3 to 5 semitones from standard EADGBe, the string tension will be considerably looser across the board. Tuning down by 5 semitones is a very substantial drop, nearly half an octave. To maintain adequate string tension, clarity, and intonation, using a heavier gauge string set is highly recommended, especially for the lower strings (B1, A2, D3). For example, a heavy gauge or baritone set would likely be more suitable than a standard light or medium set. Users should exercise caution and consider a professional setup when making such drastic changes to string tension to prevent potential neck or bridge issues.

Open String Notes

The open string notes for Antoine Dufour's Reality Tuning are as follows (from thickest to thinnest string):

• String 6: B1
• String 5: F#3
• String 4: A2
• String 3: D3
• String 2: F#4
• String 1: B3

How to Tune

To achieve Antoine Dufour's Reality Tuning, start from standard EADGBe tuning and follow these instructions for each string. Please note the significant drops in pitch. We advise a heavier gauge string set for optimal tension and tone stability when making such large tuning adjustments.

• String 6 (Low E): From standard E2, Tune down 5 semitones to B1. (Target Note: B1)
• String 5 (A): From standard A2, Tune down 3 semitones to F#2. (Note: The target note specified in the tuning data is F#3. Achieving F#3 from standard A2 would typically require tuning up 7 semitones. This suggests either an intended octave shift in the tuning's design or that the starting point for this string is not standard A2 for reaching F#3 with this movement.)
• String 4 (D): From standard D3, Tune down 5 semitones to A2. (Target Note: A2)
• String 3 (G): From standard G3, Tune down 5 semitones to D3. (Target Note: D3)
• String 2 (B): From standard B3, Tune down 5 semitones to F#3. (Note: The target note specified in the tuning data is F#4. Achieving F#4 from standard B3 would typically require tuning up 7 semitones. Similar to String 5, this implies an intended octave shift or a different starting point.)
• String 1 (High E): From standard E4, Tune down 5 semitones to B3. (Target Note: B3)