Exploring the 'B/F# Octave with Flat Fifth and Minor Second' Tuning

The 'B/F# Octave with Flat Fifth and Minor Second' tuning, as its name boldly suggests, is an ultra dissonant and highly unconventional setup for the 8-string guitar. Described as "great for mathcore!", this tuning is engineered to produce a dense, aggressive, and often unsettling soundscape, making it ideal for genres that thrive on tension, complexity, and rhythmic disruption.

Technical Breakdown

This tuning centers around a recurring pattern of B and F# notes across multiple octaves, with crucial deviations that introduce extreme dissonance. Let's analyze its structure:

• Octave Foundation: The tuning establishes a strong low-end foundation with B0 on the 8th string, and then repeats B and F# in octave pairings: B0 (8th string), B1 (6th string), B2 (4th string), B3 (1st string) and F#2 (7th string), F#3 (5th string), F#4 (2nd string). This creates a wide, powerful sound with a tritone (augmented fourth/diminished fifth) interval between B and F# across the neck.
• The Dissonant Core: The truly defining elements are found on the 3rd string. While the other F# notes follow a consistent pattern, the 3rd string is tuned to F3 (F natural). This F3 creates two significant, highly dissonant intervals with its adjacent strings:
  • Flat Fifth: The interval between the 4th string (B2) and the 3rd string (F3) is a diminished fifth (or flat fifth). This interval is inherently unstable and creates a strong sense of unresolved tension.
  • Minor Second: The interval between the 3rd string (F3) and the 2nd string (F#4) is a minor second (a half step). This is one of the most dissonant intervals in Western music, producing a grating, clashing sound that is central to the 'mathcore' aesthetic.
• Overall Effect: The result is a highly chromatic and atonal sound when strummed openly or played across adjacent strings. It deliberately avoids traditional harmonic resolution, instead embracing a chaotic and fragmented sonic identity.

Chords & Playability

Given its extreme dissonance, this tuning is not designed for conventional major or minor chords. Instead, it lends itself to:

• Dissonant Clusters: Open string combinations will inherently create jarring, complex voicings. These can be utilized for percussive, rhythmic, or textural effects rather than melodic harmony.
• Octave & Tritone Power: The strong B and F# octaves provide a solid foundation for heavy, chugging riffs. Experimenting with two-string voicings of B-F# (tritone) will yield a dark and aggressive sound.
• Minor Second Voicings: The F3-F#4 (3rd and 2nd string) interval is perfect for creating dense, grinding textures or stabs. Barring across these two strings on any fret will maintain the minor second relationship, producing immediate tension.
• Unconventional Shapes: This tuning encourages exploration beyond standard chord shapes. Players will find unique advantages in developing fingerings that capitalize on the open string dissonances and octave relationships to construct unsettling harmonies and intricate, angular riffs characteristic of mathcore and avant-garde metal.

Here are the notes for each string in this unique tuning:

String 8: B0

String 7: F#2

String 6: B1

String 5: F#3

String 4: B2

String 3: F3

String 2: F#4

String 1: B3

How to Tune Your Guitar to This Setup

To achieve the 'B/F# Octave with Flat Fifth and Minor Second' tuning, follow these precise adjustments for each string:

• String 8 (B0): Tune down 2 semitones from its previous note (C1).
• String 7 (F#2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 6 (B1): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 5 (F#3): Tune up 2 semitones from its previous note (E3).
• String 4 (B2): Tune up 2 semitones from its previous note (A2).
• String 3 (F3): Tune up 3 semitones from its previous note (D3). While this is a notable change, it is generally within safe limits for standard strings.
• String 2 (F#4): Tune down 1 semitone from its previous note (G4).
• String 1 (B3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).