Tuning Overview: C Over G Major

The "C Over G Major" tuning, as its name suggests, creates a rich and resonant sound by layering a C Major chord foundation with a G Major chord on top. This tuning is described as "smooth easy" and truly lives up to that, offering a lush open voicing that is highly inspiring for both strumming and fingerstyle playing.

Technical Analysis: Open Chord Voicing

With the open strings tuned to C2 E2 G2 G3 B3 D4, this tuning immediately presents a full C Major 9 (Cmaj9) chord.

• The lowest three strings (C2, E2, G2) form a clear C Major triad.
• The highest three strings (G3, B3, D4) beautifully articulate a G Major triad.
• When played together, the combined C-E-G-G-B-D voicing creates a powerful C Major 9 chord, with the doubled G adding significant harmonic richness and sustain.

This inherent Cmaj9 voicing makes it exceptionally easy to explore complex harmonic landscapes. Playing simple barre shapes across the neck will often yield sophisticated major 7th, major 9th, and even dominant 7th voicings with minimal effort. It's fantastic for creating drone-like textures or for composing pieces with a strong, open C major tonality.

How to Tune Your Guitar to C Over G Major

To achieve this rich tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these precise string adjustments:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 4 semitones from E to C2. (Careful adjustment is recommended, as this is approaching the limit where a heavier gauge string might be beneficial for tension).
• 5th String (A): Tune down 5 semitones from A to E2. (A different gauge string is advised for optimal tension and tone).
• 4th String (D): Tune down 7 semitones from D to G2. (A different gauge string is highly advised for optimal tension and tone).
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from G to G3.
• 2nd String (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from B to B3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 2 semitones from E to D4.

Important Note on String Gauges: For strings requiring a change of 5 semitones or more (A string, D string) or even 4 semitones (Low E string) in this tuning, you may find that using a heavier gauge string set will provide better string tension, improved intonation, and a more robust tone, especially for the significantly downtuned strings.

6th String (Low E): Tuned to C2

5th String (A): Tuned to E2

4th String (D): Tuned to G2

3rd String (G): Tuned to G3

2nd String (B): Tuned to B3

1st String (High E): Tuned to D4