Verbal Analysis

This is one of 7 Mirror Tuning® tunings invented by Bernard “Senchant” Birgenheier 4/15/25 learn more at Senchant.com. This “7 String Mirror Tuning®” offers a profoundly unique and expansive soundscape for the adventurous guitarist. It’s designed to challenge conventional playing while opening up new harmonic possibilities. The wide range, particularly the deep B0 on the 7th string and the soaring F#5 on the 1st string, provides an orchestral breadth. The name “Mirror Tuning” suggests an underlying symmetry, even if the intervallic structure isn't immediately obvious in a linear fashion. This tuning feels highly specialized, encouraging exploration of open voicings and intricate arpeggios, moving away from standard chord shapes. It’s likely to appeal to players seeking avant-garde textures, complex jazz harmonies, or a heavy, resonant bottom end combined with bright, articulate highs. The significant drops and rises in pitch between adjacent strings create unexpected melodic pathways, making it fertile ground for original compositions.

Technical Analysis

The open notes of this tuning are B0, F#2, C#3, A2, E3, B3, F#5. This tuning spans an impressive range of nearly five octaves (from B0 on the 7th string to F#5 on the 1st string), providing a vast sonic palette.

The intervallic structure between adjacent strings (from 7th to 1st) is as follows:

• 7th String (B0) to 6th String (F#2): A perfect fifth up (F# is two octaves higher in pitch class).
• 6th String (F#2) to 5th String (C#3): A major third up (+4 semitones).
• 5th String (C#3) to 4th String (A2): A perfect fourth down (-5 semitones). This descent in pitch between adjacent strings is a key characteristic, creating a non-linear melodic texture and requiring a unique approach to fretboard navigation.
• 4th String (A2) to 3rd String (E3): A perfect fifth up (+7 semitones).
• 3rd String (E3) to 2nd String (B3): A perfect fifth up (+7 semitones).
• 2nd String (B3) to 1st String (F#5): A perfect fifth up (F# is two octaves higher in pitch class).

Notably, the A Major triad (A2, C#3, E3) is formed across strings 4, 5, and 3, offering a readily available open chord voicing. The prominent perfect fifth intervals on the lowest two strings (B0-F#2) and the highest three strings (E3-B3-F#5) provide a powerful foundation for open power chords. The "mirror" aspect could refer to the symmetry around the 4th string (A2) when considering the intervallic relationships. This tuning deviates significantly from standard parallel fourths/fifths tunings, demanding a fresh approach to the fretboard and opening doors to truly distinctive sonic explorations.

Open String Notes

• 7th String: B0 (The lowest note, providing a deep, resonant foundation for the tuning.)
• 6th String: F#2 (A perfect fifth above the 7th string in pitch class, two octaves higher.)
• 5th String: C#3 (A major third above the 6th string, contributing to unique harmonic possibilities.)
• 4th String: A2 (A perfect fourth below the 5th string, acting as a central pivot and part of an A Major triad.)
• 3rd String: E3 (A perfect fifth above the 4th string, completing the open A Major triad.)
• 2nd String: B3 (A perfect fifth above the 3rd string, offering a familiar power chord interval.)
• 1st String: F#5 (A perfect fifth above the 2nd string in pitch class, two octaves higher, providing the highest melodic range.)

How to Tune

Follow these instructions carefully to achieve the “7 String Mirror Tuning®”:

• 7th String (B0): Tune down 12 semitones. (Caution: This is a full octave drop. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised to maintain proper tension and tone and prevent string floppiness.)
• 6th String (F#2): Tune down 10 semitones. (Caution: This is a significant drop. A heavier gauge string is advised.)
• 5th String (C#3): Tune down 8 semitones. (Caution: This is a significant drop. A heavier gauge string is advised.)
• 4th String (A2): Tune down 5 semitones. (Caution: This is a notable drop. Consider a slightly heavier gauge string to maintain optimal playability.)
• 3rd String (E3): Tune down 3 semitones. (Take care when adjusting the tension.)
• 2nd String (B3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• 1st String (F#5): Tune up 2 semitones. (Take care when adjusting the tension, as tuning up increases stress on the string.)