Tuning Description: Cigar Box Open B

This is the "Cigar Box Open B" tuning, designed specifically for the unique characteristics of a 4-string Cigar Box Guitar. As highlighted in its description, the Cigar Box Guitar is a primitive chordophone with a resonator made from a discarded cigar box. Its homemade nature means there are no standardized dimensions, string types, or construction techniques, which allows for a wide range of creative tunings like this one.

Verbal Analysis

The "Open B" designation immediately tells us that when played open, the strings collectively form a B Major chord. This tuning is incredibly popular for blues, roots, and folk music, offering a rich, resonant sound. It's particularly well-suited for slide guitar playing, as a single finger or slide across any fret will instantly produce a perfect major chord. This simplicity makes it very intuitive for improvising and for musicians who prefer a more direct approach to chording. The spread-out nature of the notes across octaves provides a unique harmonic texture, giving it a full and sometimes almost orchestral quality despite having only four strings.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for this tuning, from lowest to highest string, are B2, F4#, B3, and D5#. Let's break down the chord structure and intervals:

• String 4 (Lowest): B2 - This is the root note, providing a deep foundation for the tuning.
• String 3: F4# - This note is a perfect fifth above B, but two octaves higher than B2 (a Major 19th interval). It also sits a perfect fifth below B3 (String 2). This unusually wide interval creates an interesting harmonic spread, contributing to the tuning's unique texture.
• String 2: B3 - An octave higher than the lowest string (B2), reinforcing the root of the B Major chord.
• String 1 (Highest): D5# - This is the major third of the B chord, providing its characteristic major quality. It's also three octaves and a major third above the lowest B2 (a Major 24th interval), making it quite high pitched and bright.

Combined, these notes (B, D#, F#) clearly form a B Major chord. The specific arrangement of these notes across different octaves – B2, B3, F4#, D5# when ordered by pitch from lowest to highest overall available notes – creates a rich and full voicing. This structure facilitates easy major chord changes by simply barring across a fret. For example, barring all strings at the 1st fret yields a C Major chord (C, G, C, E), at the 2nd fret a C# Major chord, and so on.

While major chords are immediately accessible, other chord types are also within reach. Minor chords, dominant 7ths, and suspended chords can be formed by adding one or two fingers to specific strings relative to the barred position. The unusually wide intervals between strings 4 and 3, and between 2 and 1, could also inspire unique melodic and harmonic approaches, making it an excellent tuning for exploring unusual voicings and fingerstyle patterns on the Cigar Box Guitar.

How to Tune

To achieve the "Cigar Box Open B" tuning, follow these precise adjustments for each string:

• String 4 (Lowest): Tune down 3 semitones to reach B2. This is a moderate adjustment and should be well within the safe tension limits for most string gauges.
• String 3: Tune down 1 semitone to reach F4#. This is a minor adjustment.
• String 2: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to remain at B3.
• String 1 (Highest): Tune down 1 semitone to reach D5#. This is a minor adjustment.

All specified movements are within a safe range (less than 4 semitones up or down), so a change in string gauge is generally not required based on these tuning instructions alone. Always tune carefully and listen to your instrument.

The target notes for the "Cigar Box Open B" tuning are as follows:

• String 4: B2
• String 3: F4#
• String 2: B3
• String 1: D5#