Drop B (9 String) Tuning Analysis

This fascinating and incredibly deep 9-string guitar tuning, officially named "Drop B (9 string)", delves into the extreme lower registers, pushing the boundaries of what's typically considered a guitar. As the original description humorously notes, "Lowest string on your guitar is now the lowest string on a 5-string bass. Yves Carbonne will still insist on tuning an octave lower though," indicating its profound depth, with the lowest string reaching B0 – an entire octave below the standard low B of a 5-string bass.

Verbal Analysis

The soundscape offered by this tuning is truly colossal. With B0 as its foundation, it's ideal for producing earth-shattering djent riffs, cavernous doom metal, or expansive, atmospheric soundscapes where individual notes resonate with immense gravity. The extreme low end provides a unique sonic texture, blurring the lines between guitar and bass. However, its most striking and unusual characteristic is the non-linear interval structure in its lowest strings. The jump from B0 (string 9) to F#2 (string 8), followed by B1 (string 7), creates a highly dissonant and non-traditional intervallic sequence that demands creative approaches. This isn't a tuning for conventional strumming across all strings; instead, it encourages targeted playing, drone notes, and exploiting the extreme range for textural complexity.

Technical Analysis

• Instrument Type: 9-String Guitar.
• Tuning Notes (Lowest to Highest): B0, F#2, B1, E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4.
• Key Observations:
  • The lowest string, B0, provides an unprecedented sub-bass foundation, far deeper than typical baritone or extended-range guitar tunings.
  • Strings 6 through 1 (E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4) mirror a standard EADGBe tuning, albeit shifted down by two octaves relative to standard guitar E (E4). This preserves familiar fingerings for many chords and scales on the higher strings.
  • String 7 (B1) perfectly complements the E2 on string 6, creating a B-standard extension (B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4) for the top seven strings, allowing for familiar power chords and riffs in B.
  • The most unusual aspect is the arrangement of the two lowest strings: String 9 is B0, String 8 is F#2, and String 7 is B1. This means String 8 (F#2) is actually higher in pitch than String 7 (B1). This creates a massive skip of an octave and a perfect fifth between String 9 and String 8 (B0 to F#2), followed by a descent of a minor sixth from String 8 to String 7 (F#2 to B1). This highly irregular interval structure between the lowest three strings makes traditional chord voicings across these strings impractical, instead favoring single-note lines, drones, or specific wide-interval voicings.
• Open Chords & Reachable Shapes:
  • No single common open chord is formed by all nine open strings due to the irregular intervals in the lowest range.
  • However, standard EADGBe shapes are perfectly transferable to strings 1-6 (E4-E2). For example, an open E minor chord can be played on strings 1-6 (022000 relative to E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4).
  • Power chords are readily accessible on strings 1-7 in a B-standard pattern. For instance, a B power chord can be formed on strings 7, 6, 5 as B1, E2, A2 (or 022 fingering relative to B1). The lowest B0 on string 9 can serve as a massive root for a power chord when paired with B1 on string 7, or even with the F#2 on string 8, though the F#2 is an octave and a fifth above B0.
  • The unique structure of B0, F#2, B1 allows for rich, complex voicings or low, resonant drones, particularly useful in extreme metal and experimental genres.

Considerations

Achieving B0 requires a significantly thick string, likely well into the bass string gauges, to maintain tension and intonation. The vast range and irregular lowest intervals make this tuning a specialist's tool, demanding intentional composition and exploration rather than casual improvisation.

Current Tuning Notes

• String 9 (Lowest): B0
• String 8: F#2
• String 7: B1
• String 6: E2
• String 5: A2
• String 4: D3
• String 3: G3
• String 2: B3
• String 1 (Highest): E4

How to Tune Your Guitar

To achieve the "Drop B (9 string)" tuning, follow these specific string adjustments:

• String 9 (Lowest): Tune down 2 semitones from C0 to reach B0. This is a significant drop, ensure your string can handle the slack without buzzing.
• String 8: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its current F#2.
• String 7: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its current B1.
• String 6: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its current E2.
• String 5: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its current A2.
• String 4: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its current D3.
• String 3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its current G3.
• String 2: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its current B3.
• String 1 (Highest): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its current E4.

String Gauge Advisory: The tuning down of String 9 by 2 semitones is within a manageable range for standard string gauges designed for extended-range guitars. However, reaching a B0 note will inherently require a very thick string (e.g., .090 or heavier) to maintain proper tension and intonation, irrespective of the semitone movement from its assumed starting point of C0.