Tuning Analysis: B drop maj 7

This intriguing tuning, named "B drop maj 7," is described as a "fusion of drop B with a touch of 2000s metalcore." It certainly lives up to its heavy metal inspiration, grounding the guitar in a deep, resonant B. However, a closer look reveals a highly unconventional and technical setup that will challenge and inspire adventurous players.

Verbal Analysis

At its core, this tuning provides a profoundly low B on the 6th string, perfect for crushing riffs, chugging rhythms, and a massive sonic foundation often found in metalcore genres. The "drop" aspect refers to this heavily lowered 6th string. The overall landscape is dark and heavy, inviting powerful, aggressive playing. However, the subsequent strings introduce a complex and surprising array of pitches that diverge significantly from typical guitar tunings, creating a unique sonic palette. It's not a tuning for easy, traditional strumming but rather for intricate, often dissonant, or highly specific voicings.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes, from low to high (6th to 1st string), are: B1, F#3, B2, F#4, G3, D4. This is an extremely unconventional tuning characterized by massive jumps and even drops in pitch between adjacent strings. Let's examine the intervals in semitones:

• 6th String (B1) to 5th String (F#3): An immense leap of +19 semitones (a Major 6th + Octave). This creates a vast chasm between the lowest two strings.
• 5th String (F#3) to 4th String (B2): A significant drop of -7 semitones (a Perfect 5th down). This is highly unusual; strings typically ascend in pitch.
• 4th String (B2) to 3rd String (F#4): Another huge jump of +19 semitones (a Major 6th + Octave).
• 3rd String (F#4) to 2nd String (G3): An even larger drop of -11 semitones (a Major 7th down). This puts the 2nd string (G3) almost an octave below the 3rd string (F#4).
• 2nd String (G3) to 1st String (D4): A standard interval, a Perfect 5th up (+7 semitones).

This complex arrangement means that standard chord shapes are virtually unusable. The name "B drop maj 7" is somewhat misleading, as the open strings (B, D, F#, G, with doubled B and F#) actually form a B minor 6th (Bm6) chord (B-D-F#-G). The "maj 7" component isn't present in the open strings. The unique intervals suggest this tuning is designed for specific, perhaps arpeggiated, percussive, or avant-garde voicings, rather than traditional melodic playing or strumming. The low B provides a fantastic foundation for powerful, open-string riffs, while the inner strings offer a rich, albeit challenging, harmonic landscape.

Chords and Playability

While traditional chord shapes are rendered obsolete, this tuning opens up new creative avenues:

• Open Chord: The open strings sound a rich B minor 6th chord (B-D-F#-G). This could be used as a brooding, melancholic, or jazzy open voicing.
• Power Chords: The dropped 6th string (B1) is excellent for one-finger power chords (e.g., fretting the 6th string for B5, or 1st fret for C5). Due to the massive interval to the 5th string, using only the 6th string for heavy riffs is a primary use case.
• Unique Voicings: Players will need to experiment to discover unique chord voicings that leverage the unusual intervals. This could lead to highly original and distinctive sounds. The large octave displacement means that a single fret position across multiple strings will produce very dissonant or widely spaced arpeggios.

This tuning is best suited for experienced players looking to push the boundaries of their instrument, particularly in genres demanding a heavy, low-end presence combined with experimental harmonic textures.

Open String Notes

The open notes for the "B drop maj 7" tuning are as follows, from thickest (6th) to thinnest (1st) string:

• 6th String: B1
• 5th String: F#3
• 4th String: B2
• 3rd String: F#4
• 2nd String: G3
• 1st String: D4

How to Tune

To achieve the "B drop maj 7" tuning, follow these instructions for each string. Please note that movements exceeding 4 semitones (either up or down) may require a different string gauge for optimal tension and to prevent string breakage or excessive floppiness.

• 6th String (thickest): Tune down 5 semitones to B1. (Caution: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant change; consider a heavier gauge string for optimal tension.)
• 5th String: Tune down 3 semitones to F#3.
• 4th String: Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• 3rd String: Tune down 1 semitone to F#4.
• 2nd String: Tune down 4 semitones to G3. (Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a notable change; a heavier gauge string might be beneficial for better tension.)
• 1st String (thinnest): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.