BF#BF#BE Guitar Tuner
BF#BF#BE | BG♭BG♭BE Open B Sitar Drone - Guitar tuning, chords & scales
Step into a world of rich, resonant sound with the 'Open B Sitar Drone' tuning. This unique setup transforms your guitar into an instrument capable of producing captivating, drone-like soundscapes reminiscent of traditional Eastern music. It's not designed for conventional chords but rather for creating immersive textures, modal melodies, and a profound sense of atmosphere. Ideal for ambient, folk, world music, or experimental genres, this tuning encourages exploration beyond standard harmonic conventions.
Technical Analysis:
This is a highly re-entrant tuning for Guitar, meaning that the strings are not arranged in a strictly descending order of pitch from thickest to thinnest. The open string notes are configured as follows, from 6th (lowest) to 1st (highest) string: B1, F#3, B2, F#4, B3, E4.
Re-entrant Structure:
- The 5th string (F#3) is pitched significantly higher than the 4th string (B2).
- The 3rd string (F#4) is the highest note in the entire tuning, pitched higher than both the 2nd (B3) and 1st (E4) strings.
Open Chord and Intervals:
When strummed open, this tuning produces a variant of a Badd11 chord (B - F# - E). The tuning heavily features the root (B) and perfect fifth (F#) across multiple octaves, creating a powerful, sustained drone. The E adds a suspended fourth or eleventh quality, providing a modal color.
- 6th String (B1) to 5th String (F#3): A very wide ascending interval (an augmented 12th), creating a large jump in pitch.
- 5th String (F#3) to 4th String (B2): A descending perfect fourth, with F#3 pitched 7 semitones higher than B2.
- 4th String (B2) to 3rd String (F#4): Another very wide ascending augmented 12th.
- 3rd String (F#4) to 2nd String (B3): A descending perfect fourth, with F#4 pitched 7 semitones higher than B3.
- 2nd String (B3) to 1st String (E4): A standard perfect fourth.
Chordal and Playing Potential:
Due to its highly re-entrant and wide-interval structure, traditional Western chord shapes will not translate directly. This tuning excels in:
- Drone Playing: The resonant B and F# notes across multiple octaves create a natural, sustained drone.
- Modal Melodies: The layout is ideal for crafting intricate melodic lines on the higher strings, which can weave around the sustained open lower notes.
- Harmonic Textures: Strumming across strings can produce unique and complex harmonic clusters, perfect for atmospheric sound design.
- Barre Chords: Barring across a single fret will produce variations of the open Badd11 chord, shifting the root while maintaining the inherent drone quality. For example, barring at the 7th fret would result in an F#add11 voicing.
How to Tune:
This tuning involves significant changes for some strings. Please use a reliable tuner and proceed with caution. For string movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, considering a different gauge string is advisable to maintain optimal tension and prevent string breakage or damage to your instrument.
- 6th String: Tune to B1. This involves tuning down 5 semitones. A heavier gauge string is recommended for this significant drop in pitch.
- 5th String: Tune to F#3. This involves tuning down 3 semitones.
- 4th String: Tune to B2. This involves tuning down 3 semitones.
- 3rd String: Tune to F#4. This involves tuning down 1 semitones.
- 2nd String: Tune to B3. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
- 1st String: Tune to E4. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
6th String (Low E): Tuned to a very low B1, providing the deep harmonic anchor for the drone.
5th String (A): Tuned to F#3, making it re-entrant and pitched higher than the 4th string.
4th String (D): Tuned to B2, sitting an octave above the 6th string and reinforcing the B drone.
3rd String (G): Tuned to F#4, this is the highest note in the entire tuning, pitched re-entrantly above the 2nd and 1st strings.
2nd String (B): Remains at its standard pitch, B3, contributing another octave of the root.
1st String (High E): Remains at its standard pitch, E4, adding the distinctive suspended fourth/eleventh quality.
Comments - have your say on BF#BF#BE
Capos for BF#BF#BE
Capo | Tuning | Name |
---|---|---|
-1 | A#FA#FA#D# | Karnivool - Aeons 2 |
0 | BF#BF#BE | Open B Sitar Drone |
1 | CGCGCF | Csus4 |
More BF#BF#BE Resources
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Songs tuned to BF#BF#BE
Artist | Song | Album | Tab |
---|---|---|---|
Muse | Won’t Stand Down | Will of the People | |
Muse | Kill or Be Killed | Will of the People |
Please use the below form to submit a song for BF#BF#BE that is not already on gtdb.org.
Tuning Map
- Fret
- S6
- S5
- S4
- S3
- S2
- S1
- -13
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F#
- A#
- D#
- -12
- E
- A
- D
- G
- B
- E
- -11
- F
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C
- F
- -10
- F#
- B
- E
- A
- C#
- F#
- -9
- G
- C
- F
- A#
- D
- G
- -8
- G#
- C#
- F#
- B
- D#
- G#
- -7
- A
- D
- G
- C
- E
- A
- -6
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F
- A#
- -5
- B
- E
- A
- D
- F#
- B
- -4
- C
- F
- A#
- D#
- G
- C
- -3
- C#
- F#
- B
- E
- G#
- C#
- -2
- D
- G
- C
- F
- A
- D
- -1
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F#
- A#
- D#
- 0
- E
- A
- D
- G
- B
- E
- 1
- F
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C
- F
- 2
- F#
- B
- E
- A
- C#
- F#
- 3
- G
- C
- F
- A#
- D
- G
- 4
- G#
- C#
- F#
- B
- D#
- G#
- 5
- A
- D
- G
- C
- E
- A
- 6
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F
- A#
- 7
- B
- E
- A
- D
- F#
- B
- -5
- -3
- -3
- -1
- 0
- 0