Overview: Slipknot Iowa Album Tuning

This is the legendary tuning used throughout Slipknot's iconic "Iowa" album. It's designed to deliver a profoundly heavy and aggressive sound, characterized by extremely low registers and strategic dissonances. This tuning is not for the faint of heart, pushing the boundaries of conventional guitar setup to achieve the band's signature sonic brutality.

Technical Analysis:

The open tuning for this setup is B2 F#3 B2 E3 G3 G#5 (from lowest to highest string).

• The foundation of this tuning lies in the deep B2 on both the 6th and 4th strings. This unison low B creates an incredibly dense and powerful bottom end, perfect for crushing riffs and chugging. It effectively functions as a "Double Drop B" configuration for these specific strings.
• The 5th string is tuned to F#3, forming a perfect fifth above the low B. This allows for easy open B5 power chords (B-F#-B) using the 6th, 5th, and 4th strings, providing immense weight and clarity to heavy rhythm parts.
• The 3rd string is tuned to E3, a perfect fourth above the root B. When combined with the lower strings (B-F#-B-E), this can create a Bsus4 voicing, adding a sense of tension or broader harmonic texture.
• The 2nd string is tuned to G3. This note, alongside the B2 (root) and F#3 (fifth), and E3 (fourth), leans towards a darker, minor tonality, or can create complex chord extensions. It forms a minor sixth interval above the B root.
• Perhaps the most striking feature is the 1st string, tuned to an unusually high G#5. This note is almost three octaves above the lowest B string and stands out as a stark, piercing element. While it creates significant dissonance if strummed openly with all lower strings, it is undoubtedly intended for specific melodic motifs, screeching harmonics, or extreme lead lines that cut through the mix, offering a jarring contrast to the immense low end. This high G# adds a layer of metallic, almost industrial harshness.

Due to the prominent low B2 and F#3, this tuning naturally lends itself to powerful, heavy power chords and single-string riffs. The presence of G3 and E3 allows for broader harmonic possibilities within the aggressive framework, but the G#5 strongly indicates its use for targeted, dissonant, or high-register melodic work rather than full open chord voicings.

How to Tune:

Achieving this unique tuning involves significant adjustments. Please follow these instructions carefully. Note that some of these movements are extreme and may require a different string gauge to ensure proper tension, intonation, and to prevent string breakage or damage to your instrument.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 7 semitones to B2. This is a considerable increase in tension; a thicker gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 3 semitones to F#3.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 3 semitones to E3.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 4 semitones to G3. Tuning down 4 semitones is significant; considering a different gauge string for optimal performance is advised.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 4 semitones to G#5. Tuning up 4 semitones is significant; considering a different gauge string for optimal performance is advised.

Always tune slowly and re-check intonation after making large adjustments.

Open String Notes:

• String 6: B2
• String 5: F#3
• String 4: B2
• String 3: E3
• String 2: G3
• String 1: G#5