The Piano C Major Tuning is an expansive and rich open tuning designed to transform your guitar into a resonant chordal instrument, much like a piano. As its original description suggests, it's "Usada para tocar acordes de piano no violão" (Used to play piano chords on the guitar), providing a full, harmonious sound with minimal effort.

Technical Analysis

This tuning arranges the open strings to form a complete C Major chord across the entire instrument. The notes from low to high are C2, E2, G2, C3, E3, and G4. This C-E-G-C-E-G pattern provides a massive, ringing C Major chord when strummed open, offering incredible sustain and fullness. The intervals are carefully chosen to stack perfect fifths and major thirds, creating a robust harmonic foundation.

The advantage of this tuning is immediate access to major chords. Simply barring all strings at any fret will yield a major chord corresponding to that fret (e.g., fret 1 for C# Major, fret 2 for D Major). Beyond simple barre chords, the inherent C-E-G structure allows for easy exploration of C Major family chords. You can readily discover different inversions of C Major, add 7ths to create Cmaj7, or easily find relative minor chords (like A minor) with minor finger adjustments. The wide range of notes, spanning from C2 to G4, offers a broad sonic palette perfect for accompaniment, fingerstyle arrangements, or even melodic playing over the ringing open strings.

How to Tune from Standard E

Tuning to Piano C Major involves significant changes from standard E Standard tuning. Please proceed with caution, especially with the strings tuned down multiple semitones, as this can affect string tension and potentially require a different string gauge for optimal performance and to prevent breakage or poor intonation. For strings exceeding 4 semitones of change (either up or down), a different gauge string is strongly advised.

• String 6 (Low E): From E2, Tune down 4 semitones to C2. (Significant drop, consider a heavier gauge string.)
• String 5 (A): From A2, Tune down 5 semitones to E2. (Significant drop, consider a heavier gauge string.)
• String 4 (D): From D3, Tune down 7 semitones to G2. (A full perfect fifth drop, a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.)
• String 3 (G): From G3, Tune down 7 semitones to C3. (A full perfect fifth drop, a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.)
• String 2 (B): From B3, Tune down 7 semitones to E3. (A full perfect fifth drop, a heavier gauge string is strongly advised.)
• String 1 (High E): From E4, Tune up 3 semitones to G4. (Increased tension, proceed carefully. May require a lighter gauge string if going from a very heavy set.)

These extensive movements mean you might need to adjust your guitar's truss rod and intonation after changing to this tuning, especially if you plan to keep it for extended periods. Always listen carefully to your guitar and its strings.

String 6: C2 (The lowest note, providing a deep foundation for the C Major chord.)

String 5: E2 (The major third of the C Major chord, enriching the bass.)

String 4: G2 (The perfect fifth, completing the low register C Major triad.)

String 3: C3 (An octave above the 6th string, reinforcing the root.)

String 2: E3 (An octave above the 5th string, adding brightness to the major third.)

String 1: G4 (The highest note, completing the C Major chord with a bright perfect fifth.)