The "Badd9" tuning is a beautifully resonant and emotive setup, perfectly encapsulated by its description as "sad and beautiful, good enough to just strum." It provides a rich sonic landscape that encourages open, ambient playing and unique chord voicings, offering a compelling alternative to standard tuning.

Technical Analysis

This tuning transforms your guitar into an open Badd9 chord. This means you can create lush, full-bodied sounds by simply strumming all open strings. The notes, from the lowest (6th string) to highest (1st string), are B1, F3#, C4#, D4#, F4#, and B3. Let's break down the harmonic structure of this open tuning:

• 6th String (B1): The fundamental root note, providing a deep, grounding bass.
• 5th String (F3#): This is the perfect 5th above B, reinforcing the B major quality and adding harmonic stability.
• 4th String (C4#): This note is a Major 9th (or Major 2nd) above B. It's the key ingredient that gives the tuning its distinctive "add9" character, adding a sophisticated, slightly sparkling, and melancholic quality.
• 3rd String (D4#): The Major 3rd above B, defining the major quality of the chord.
• 2nd String (F4#): Another perfect 5th, an octave higher than the 5th string's F#, adding brightness and resonance to the chord.
• 1st String (B3): An octave above the lowest B, completing the chord and providing a strong melodic anchor on the higher register.

The open strings fundamentally form a Badd9 chord (B - D# - F# - C#), voiced specifically as B1-F3#-C4#-D4#-F4#-B3. This makes the tuning exceptionally versatile for creating expansive soundscapes, drone-based music, or simply strumming for a harmonically rich foundation. Since the open tuning itself is a complex chord, moving a single finger or barring across frets will instantly yield fascinating variations and new chords, often retaining the add9 quality. For example, a full barre across all strings at the 1st fret will produce a Cadd9 chord, and at the 2nd fret, a C#add9, opening up a world of interesting harmonic possibilities with minimal effort.

How to Tune

Given the significant changes from standard tuning, it's recommended to approach this tuning carefully. When string movements exceed four semitones in either direction, considering a different gauge string for optimal tension and playability is advisable, as the existing strings might become too slack or too tight for their intended purpose.

• 6th String (Low E to B1): Tune down 5 semitones. This is a substantial drop; proceed slowly to avoid breaking strings or damaging your guitar.
• 5th String (A to F3#): Tune down 3 semitones.
• 4th String (D to C4#): Tune down 1 semitone.
• 3rd String (G to D4#): Tune down 4 semitones. This is a considerable drop; exercise caution.
• 2nd String (B to F4#): Tune down 5 semitones. Another significant drop; be careful.
• 1st String (High E to B3): Tune down 5 semitones. This is also a major adjustment downwards.

6th String: Tune your low E string down to B1.
5th String: Tune your A string down to F3#.
4th String: Tune your D string down to C4#.
3rd String: Tune your G string down to D4#.
2nd String: Tune your B string down to F4#.
1st String: Tune your high E string down to B3.