Tuning Overview: All Major Thirds 8s

The "All Major Thirds 8s" tuning for an 8-string guitar presents a truly unique and symmetrical soundscape. While its name suggests a uniform major third interval across all strings, the actual tuning presents a fascinating variation that results in a powerful C Augmented chord when played open. This tuning is designed to open up new harmonic possibilities, particularly for exploring augmented sounds and patterns.

Verbal Analysis

Upon first strum, this 8-string tuning immediately resonates with a bright, full C Augmented chord (C-E-G#). The repetition of these notes across different octaves creates a rich, expansive sound. The inherent symmetry of the major third intervals (where they do occur) means that familiar chord shapes can be easily shifted up or down the fretboard to transpose augmented chords seamlessly. However, players will quickly notice the intriguing drops in pitch between certain strings (specifically string 6 to 5, and string 3 to 2), which introduces a unique contour and challenges traditional chord voicings, while also offering fresh opportunities for arpeggiation and melodic lines that jump across octaves. This tuning encourages an adventurous approach, pushing beyond conventional guitar fingering to discover its inherent musical logic.

Technical Analysis

This 8-string tuning features the following open notes from thickest (8th) to thinnest (1st) string: C2, E2, G#3, C3, E3, G#4, C4, E4.

While named "All Major Thirds," a strict analysis of the intervals between adjacent strings reveals a more complex and inventive structure:

• String 8 (C2) to String 7 (E2): Major Third (+4 semitones)
• String 7 (E2) to String 6 (G#3): Major Tenth (+16 semitones, equivalent to an octave plus a Major Third)
• String 6 (G#3) to String 5 (C3): Descending Major Sixth (-10 semitones; C3 is a Major Sixth below G#3). This is a significant drop in pitch, effectively placing a lower string higher on the fretboard than its preceding string.
• String 5 (C3) to String 4 (E3): Major Third (+4 semitones)
• String 4 (E3) to String 3 (G#4): Major Tenth (+16 semitones, an octave plus a Major Third)
• String 3 (G#4) to String 2 (C4): Descending Major Sixth (-10 semitones; C4 is a Major Sixth below G#4). Another notable drop in pitch.
• String 2 (C4) to String 1 (E4): Major Third (+4 semitones)

The open strings collectively form a C Augmented triad (C-E-G#) voiced across multiple octaves. This harmonic foundation makes playing augmented chords remarkably intuitive: a single finger across any fret will yield an augmented chord, with each fret moving up a semitone and maintaining the augmented quality. The unusual descending intervals (G#3 to C3 and G#4 to C4) break the simple major-third-across-all-strings pattern, introducing interesting melodic and harmonic possibilities that differentiate it from a purely symmetrical tuning. This structure offers a challenging yet rewarding landscape for exploring advanced chord voicings, arpeggios, and lead lines that leverage the specific octave displacement.

Open String Notes

For this 8-string tuning, the open strings are set as follows, from the thickest (8th) to the thinnest (1st) string:

• String 8: C2 (Low C)
• String 7: E2
• String 6: G#3 (G-sharp an octave above the G# that would form a major third with E2)
• String 5: C3
• String 4: E3
• String 3: G#4 (G-sharp an octave above the G# that would form a major third with E3)
• String 2: C4
• String 1: E4 (High E)

How to Tune Your Guitar

Please follow these specific instructions to achieve the "All Major Thirds 8s" tuning. Be mindful of significant pitch changes, especially when tuning strings up. Important Safety Note: When tuning a string up or down by 4 semitones or more, it is strongly recommended to consider using a different gauge string to prevent potential string breakage or damage to your instrument. Proceed with caution.

• String 8 (C2): Tune up 6 semitones to reach C2. (Warning: Tuning up 6 semitones is a significant change; consider a heavier gauge string.)
• String 7 (E2): Tune up 5 semitones to reach E2. (Warning: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change; consider a heavier gauge string.)
• String 6 (G#3): Tune up 4 semitones to reach G#3. (Warning: Tuning up 4 semitones can be stressful; proceed with caution, a different gauge string might be advisable.)
• String 5 (C3): Tune up 3 semitones to reach C3.
• String 4 (E3): Tune up 2 semitones to reach E3.
• String 3 (G#4): Tune up 1 semitone to reach G#4.
• String 2 (C4): Tune up 1 semitone to reach C4.
• String 1 (E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).