This is an exceptionally deep and unconventional tuning designed for a 9-string guitar, pushing the instrument's lower limits into truly abyssal territory. As its original description aptly puts it, "Too low mate even I could probably not tune this without them flapping", indicating the extreme challenge and necessity for specialized equipment.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning is not for the faint of heart or traditional playing styles. It dives into frequencies usually reserved for bass instruments, creating a sonic landscape that is incredibly dense, often muddy, and intensely resonant. It's perfectly suited for genres like ultra-heavy doom metal, experimental music, or ambient soundscapes where low-end rumble and textural dissonance are paramount. The immense slack on standard strings would make this unplayable, demanding custom, ultra-heavy gauge strings, possibly even bass strings for the lowest registers, to achieve any semblance of tension and intonation. This tuning encourages a focus on single-note riffs, power chords using few strings, and drone-like passages rather than complex open chord voicings. The overall feel would be one of immense weight and darkness, perfect for creating a truly subterranean sonic experience.

Technical Analysis

The open tuning notes for this 9-string guitar are: C0, F0, A1#, D2#, G2#, C3#, F3#, A3#, E3. The fundamental frequencies are extraordinarily low, with C0 being the lowest C on a standard 88-key piano. Analysing the intervals, the lower strings exhibit a pattern of Perfect 4ths (C0-F0, A1#-D2#, D2#-G2#, G2#-C3#, C3#-F3#), but with a notable Augmented 4th (tritone) between F0 and A1#. Higher up, the pattern deviates further with a Major 3rd (F3#-A3#) and another Diminished 5th (tritone) between A3# and E3. This non-uniform interval structure, coupled with the extremely low register, means that traditional open chords are challenging to impossible to voice effectively. Instead, this tuning facilitates complex, low-register drones and crushing, dissonant power chords that leverage the specific intervals. The tuning is not built around common major/minor tonalities but rather for its raw, foundational sonic impact. Due to the extreme down-tuning, intonation will be a significant challenge across the fretboard, and the sustain will be immense, potentially leading to a 'piano-like' decay on some notes.

How to Tune 'Lowest tuning ever?'

Achieving this tuning requires extreme caution and, most likely, a specialized set of very heavy gauge strings or even bass strings for the lowest notes. Tuning down beyond 4 semitones (or up) can severely impact string tension and intonation on standard gauges, leading to floppy strings and poor sound. This tuning far exceeds those limits on almost every string, meaning a different gauge string is strongly advised for every string.

• String 9 (Lowest): Tune to C0. This requires you to Tune down 13 semitones. This is more than a full octave down, indicating an extreme drop from a typical string's fundamental pitch.
• String 8: Tune to F0. This requires you to Tune down 13 semitones.
• String 7: Tune to A1#. This requires you to Tune down 13 semitones.
• String 6: Tune to D2#. This requires you to Tune down 13 semitones.
• String 5: Tune to G2#. This requires you to Tune down 13 semitones.
• String 4: Tune to C3#. This requires you to Tune down 13 semitones.
• String 3: Tune to F3#. This requires you to Tune down 13 semitones.
• String 2: Tune to A3#. This requires you to Tune down 13 semitones.
• String 1 (Highest): Tune to E3. This requires you to Tune down 12 semitones. This is a full octave down from a standard E4.

Important Note on String Gauge: Given that almost every string is tuned down by an entire octave or more (-12 or -13 semitones), it is imperative to use significantly heavier gauge strings than standard to maintain any usable tension, prevent buzzing, and ensure proper intonation. Attempting this tuning with regular guitar strings will result in an unplayable, flappy mess and very poor sound quality. Specialized gauges designed for ultra-low tunings are highly recommended, and for the lowest strings, bass guitar strings might even be necessary.