Tuning Analysis: Celtic Drone C

The 'Celtic Drone C' tuning is a rich and resonant open tuning, perfectly suited for the evocative soundscapes of Celtic and Folk music. It is essentially a deeply lowered variation of the popular DADGAD tuning, bringing a much darker and more robust foundation while maintaining the characteristic open, ringing quality.

Verbal Description

This tuning offers an immediate sense of depth and warmth, largely due to its low C root on the 6th string. The arrangement of notes, C-A-C-G-A-D, provides multiple octaves of C and A, creating a powerful drone effect that underpins melodies and arpeggios beautifully. It evokes a timeless, earthy feel, ideal for traditional folk tunes, ballads, and fingerstyle arrangements where a rich, sustained sound is desired. Players will find that the open strings resonate harmonically, allowing for expressive dynamics and a broad tonal palette, especially when exploring modal melodies.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for the 'Celtic Drone C' tuning are, from lowest to highest: C2, A2, C3, G3, A3, D4. This creates a fascinating sonic landscape:

• The lowest three strings (C-A-C) establish a strong foundational drone, forming a C major chord with an added 6th (A).
• The overall open tuning contains the notes C, A, G, D, effectively forming a C6/9 (C, G, A, D) without the E, or a Gsus2/C. This gives it a versatile quality, allowing it to lean towards C major, A minor, or even G modal sounds depending on melodic context.
• The repeated C and A notes across different octaves (C2, C3 and A2, A3) create a natural resonance and provide convenient points for harmonizing.
• Intervals between adjacent strings:
  • String 6 (C2) to String 5 (A2): Major 6th (9 semitones)
  • String 5 (A2) to String 4 (C3): Minor 3rd (3 semitones)
  • String 4 (C3) to String 3 (G3): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
  • String 3 (G3) to String 2 (A3): Major 2nd (2 semitones)
  • String 2 (A3) to String 1 (D4): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)

Chords within Reach

Due to the open chord structure, several resonant voicings are readily available:

• Open C Sus2/6 (C, A, C, G, A, D): The full open tuning itself creates a beautiful, spacious chord.
• C Major/C6/Cadd9 variations: By simply fretting certain strings, you can easily achieve different voicings of C major, C6 (often just by barring across frets), and Cadd9.
• G Sus2 (G, A, D): Utilizing the open G, A, and D strings provides a clear Gsus2, which works wonderfully as a dominant or subdominant harmony.
• A Minor/A Dorian: The presence of A notes at A2 and A3 means that A minor shapes will feel natural, especially when emphasizing the A as a root.
• Power Chords: The parallel C notes on strings 6 and 4, and A notes on strings 5 and 2, make it easy to create powerful, resonant movable chord shapes.
• Drone-based Melodies: The open low C and G strings serve as excellent drones for melodic exploration, particularly in C Major, A Minor, or G Mixolydian/Dorian contexts.

How to Tune Your Guitar to Celtic Drone C

To achieve the 'Celtic Drone C' tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E, follow these steps:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 4 semitones to C2. Note: A drop of this magnitude (-4 semitones) is significant. For optimal string tension and tone, consider using a heavier gauge string for your low E.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to A2.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 2 semitones to C3.
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to G3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.

6th String: C2 (Lowest string)

5th String: A2

4th String: C3

3rd String: G3

2nd String: A3

1st String: D4 (Highest string)