Tuning Overview: Open D#6add9 (7-String)

The "Open D#6add9" tuning presents a uniquely rich and versatile landscape for a 7-string guitar. As indicated by its name, playing all strings open immediately resolves into a lush D#6add9 chord. This provides a deep, resonant harmonic foundation, perfect for creating expansive atmospheric soundscapes, intricate fingerstyle arrangements, or powerful, full-bodied chordal work.

Beyond its open chord capability, this tuning cleverly doubles as a variant of C standard tuning for a 6-string guitar (typically C F A# D# G C), but with the added benefit of an extra high F on the first string. This dual functionality offers immense flexibility; musicians can readily apply familiar chord shapes and scale patterns from C standard on the lower six strings, while simultaneously leveraging the unique open chord voicings and the extended melodic range provided by the high F for both lead and harmonic exploration.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for this 7-string tuning are, from low to high: C2, F2, A#3, D#4, G3, C4, F4. A detailed look at the intervals between adjacent strings reveals a fascinating blend of common perfect fourths and several distinctive, wider jumps and inversions:

• String 7 (C2) to String 6 (F2): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• String 6 (F2) to String 5 (A#3): This is a significant jump of a Compound Augmented Fourth (or Major 10th), spanning 18 semitones. This wide interval dramatically expands the melodic and harmonic possibilities between these two strings.
• String 5 (A#3) to String 4 (D#4): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• String 4 (D#4) to String 3 (G3): A particularly unique and intriguing interval, this is a drop of a Compound Major 3rd (or Minor 6th DOWN), moving 9 semitones lower. This inversion creates unusual voicing opportunities and necessitates a creative approach to standard fretboard patterns.
• String 3 (G3) to String 2 (C4): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• String 2 (C4) to String 1 (F4): Perfect Fourth (P4)

The recurring perfect fourth intervals (C2-F2, A#3-D#4, G3-C4, C4-F4) offer familiar ground for guitarists, making scale and arpeggio shapes highly transposable across these specific string sets. However, the substantial leaps between F2-A#3 and the inverted D#4-G3 relationship on strings 4 and 3 challenge conventional playing, encouraging exploration of unique harmonic textures and unconventional fingerings. The D#6add9 chord, formed by the open strings (D#, G, A#, C, F), serves as the core sonic identity of this captivating tuning.

Chords and Playability

The open D#6add9 chord is inherently rich and complex, making it an excellent choice for sustained drones, arpeggiated figures, or as a vibrant harmonic bed for melodic improvisation. Players already familiar with C standard tuning will find the lower six strings (C2, F2, A#3, D#4, G3, C4) provide a welcoming and adaptable framework, allowing them to transfer many of their existing chord voicings and scale patterns. The addition of the high F4 string significantly expands the guitar's melodic range, opening new avenues for lead playing, intricate fills, and sophisticated harmonic extensions.

While the open string intervals are not uniformly consistent, the clusters of perfect fourths facilitate relatively straightforward movement for power chords and certain barre shapes. The distinctive D#4-G3 interval between strings 4 and 3 means that traditional barre chord shapes across these specific strings will likely require adaptation or an exploration of more open voicings and creative fingerings. This tuning is particularly well-suited for genres such as progressive rock, metal, jazz fusion, and any musical style that benefits from deep, resonant harmonies, extended range, and a foundation of unique open chord voicings.

How to Tune Your Guitar

To achieve the Open D#6add9 tuning, you will adjust each string from its standard tuning position. The string movements for this tuning are relatively moderate, primarily involving tuning up by a single semitone. For movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, considering a different string gauge is often advisable, but in this specific tuning, the adjustments fall well within typical and safe limits for standard guitar strings.

• String 7 (Lowest String): Tune up 1 semitone.
• String 6: Tune up 1 semitone.
• String 5: Tune up 1 semitone.
• String 4: Tune up 1 semitone.
• String 3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 2: Tune up 1 semitone.
• String 1 (Highest String): Tune up 1 semitone.

Always proceed with caution and tune incrementally to ensure the safety of your guitar and strings.

String 7: C2

String 6: F2

String 5: A#3

String 4: D#4

String 3: G3

String 2: C4

String 1: F4