The "Abyssal 9-String Drop" tuning plunges your 9-string guitar into the deepest sonic depths imaginable. As the original description notes, this is designed to be "the lowest tuning possible on the submit page," pushing the boundaries of what's typically heard from a guitar. This isn't just a low tuning; it's a foundational tremor that redefines heavy.

Verbal Analysis

Prepare for an incredibly dark, resonant, and almost subterranean sonic landscape. This tuning is ideal for extreme metal, djent, drone, or experimental music where immense sonic weight, profound low-end impact, and a sense of colossal scale are paramount. Each strum will feel like an earthquake, delivering crushing power and a thick, guttural tone that resonates deep within the listener. The sheer depth allows for innovative rhythmic textures and menacing, slow-moving chords that command attention.

Technical Analysis

This tuning takes a standard 9-string setup and drops every single string by an astonishing 13 semitones (a full octave plus one semitone). The open notes are:

• String 9: C0
• String 8: F0
• String 7: A#1
• String 6: D#2
• String 5: G#2
• String 4: C#3
• String 3: F#3
• String 2: A#3
• String 1: D#4

The interval structure from the lowest string (C0) upward is primarily in perfect fourths (P4, P4, P4, P4, P4, P4, M3, P4). This extended standard pattern, maintaining the classic Major Third interval between the 3rd and 2nd string (F#3 to A#3) that is familiar from standard guitar tunings, allows for both immense power chords across the lower strings and more conventional chord voicings higher up, albeit in an extremely low register.

Open chords in this tuning will be less about traditional shapes and more about vast, resonant power chords or drones. For instance, the lowest three strings (C0, F0, A#1) can form the basis of an F Major or A# Major triad, creating an incredibly deep and unsettling foundation. The repeating perfect fourths across most strings make it easy to craft heavy, low-end riffs by simply barring across frets. Due to the extreme low frequencies, this tuning will require specialized amplification setups and heavily gauge-optimized strings to achieve clarity and intonation.

Tuning Notes:

• String 9 (Lowest): C0
• String 8: F0
• String 7: A#1
• String 6: D#2
• String 5: G#2
• String 4: C#3
• String 3: F#3
• String 2: A#3
• String 1 (Highest): D#4

How to Tune:

This tuning involves an extreme drop for all strings. Given that each string is tuned down 13 semitones, which far exceeds the general recommendation of -4 semitones, it is absolutely essential to use a significantly heavier gauge of strings specifically designed for ultra-low tunings to ensure proper tension, intonation, and to prevent damage to your instrument or strings. Regular gauge strings will be too loose and unusable.

• String 9 (Lowest): Tune down 13 semitones to C0.
• String 8: Tune down 13 semitones to F0.
• String 7: Tune down 13 semitones to A#1.
• String 6: Tune down 13 semitones to D#2.
• String 5: Tune down 13 semitones to G#2.
• String 4: Tune down 13 semitones to C#3.
• String 3: Tune down 13 semitones to F#3.
• String 2: Tune down 13 semitones to A#3.
• String 1 (Highest): Tune down 13 semitones to D#4.