BGDGAD Tuning: Andy McKee's Signature Sound

This unique tuning, famously utilized by fingerstyle virtuoso Andy McKee, offers a profound sonic palette, particularly suited for intricate melodic lines, rich harmonies, and percussive techniques on the acoustic guitar. It's designed to provide a deeply resonant bass coupled with open, ringing strings that lend themselves to modern fingerstyle compositions.

Verbal Analysis

The BGDGAD tuning immediately strikes with its low, rumbling B-string, providing a powerful foundation. The open strings create a lush, somewhat melancholic, and expansive sound that is both full and harmonically interesting without forming a simple major or minor triad. The recurring G and D notes across octaves provide a sense of stability and resonance, making it easy to find sympathetic vibrations and sustain. This tuning excels in pieces that require a wide dynamic range, from delicate arpeggios to powerful, percussive chords, often evoking a contemplative or epic mood.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes are B1-G2-D3-G3-A3-D4. While not a conventional open chord, the tuning contains strong elements of D and G. For instance, the strings 5, 4, and 3 (G2-D3-G3) form a clear G major triad. The top four strings (D3-G3-A3-D4) outline a Dsus4 chord (D-G-A-D). Combined with the low B, this creates a complex harmony that can be interpreted as a B minor 7th suspended 4th, or simply a resonant open voicing with strong D and G characteristics.

Open Chordal Possibilities & Reachable Shapes:

• The open G2-D3-G3 (strings 5-4-3) is a G Major chord, providing a natural harmonic anchor.
• The open D3-G3-A3-D4 (strings 4-3-2-1) forms a Dsus4 chord, offering an open and suspended quality.
• Fretting the 2nd fret on the 6th string to C# allows for a B minor sound when combined with the open D and A.
• Barring across the top four strings (D-G-A-D) at various frets will yield interesting suspended or add-note chords, leveraging the inherent open intervals.
• Chords with a D or G root will naturally resonate well, but the unique intervals (e.g., the minor 7th between B and A, or the minor 3rd between B and D) open up possibilities for rich dominant or minor voicings that are easily accessible with minimal fretting.

How to Tune

To achieve the BGDGAD tuning from standard EADGBe tuning, follow these steps:

• String 6 (Low E to B1): Tune down 5 semitones from E to B1. Caution: This is a significant drop. Tuning down 5 semitones can cause the string to feel very loose and potentially buzz. For optimal tone, tension, and playability, a heavier gauge string (e.g., for a Baritone or Drop B tuning) is highly recommended.
• String 5 (A to G2): Tune down 2 semitones from A to G2.
• String 4 (D to D3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at D3.
• String 3 (G to G3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at G3.
• String 2 (B to A3): Tune down 2 semitones from B to A3.
• String 1 (High E to D4): Tune down 2 semitones from E to D4.

Open String Notes:

• String 6: B1
• String 5: G2
• String 4: D3
• String 3: G3
• String 2: A3
• String 1: D4