Shelter Tuning Analysis

The 'Shelter' tuning, famously used for the song by Porter Robinson and Madeon, is a captivating and unique guitar setup designed to evoke a spacious and ethereal soundscape. This tuning plunges several strings significantly, creating a resonant foundation that is both deep and bright.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning offers a wide sonic palette, characterized by its open, airy feel. The substantial drop in pitch on the lower strings creates a rich, expansive bass, while the upper strings remain relatively high, contributing to shimmering arpeggios and melodic lines. The overall effect is one of grandeur and introspection, perfectly suited for ambient, electronic-influenced, or progressive music genres. It lends itself beautifully to fingerstyle playing where the open strings can ring out, creating lush harmonic textures.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for this tuning are B1-F#3-B2-F#4-A#4-C#5. Analysing the intervals, we find a powerful B5 (B-F#-B) on the lower three strings, creating a deep, resonant base. The upper strings (F#4-A#4-C#5) form a clear F# major triad. When combined, the open tuning offers a complex and evocative harmony, strongly suggesting a B major tonality, possibly with a Lydian flavour (B Lydian contains F#, A#, C#), or a Bmaj7#11 chord depending on the harmonic context. This structure makes it incredibly versatile for creating rich, chordal voicings and allows for easy access to F# major shapes and related harmonies simply by barring across the upper strings. The repeating B and F# notes across different octaves provide a strong sense of root and fifth, ensuring a full and harmonious sound even with minimal fretting.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'Shelter' tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these string movements:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 5 semitones to B1. (Note: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant drop. Consider using a heavier gauge string for better tension and tone stability.)
• 5th String (A): Tune down 3 semitones to F#3.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F#4.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 1 semitone to A#4.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 3 semitones to C#5.

6th String: B1

5th String: F#3

4th String: B2

3rd String: F#4

2nd String: A#4

1st String: C#5