Verbal Analysis:

The "Cittern Modal C Drone" tuning for your Cittern unlocks a rich, resonant soundscape. Centered around C and G, with the unique addition of an F on the 5th string and a bright D on the 1st string, this tuning deliberately avoids a standard major or minor third. This creates a beautifully open, suspended, or modal quality that is perfect for folk music, creating deep drones, or exploring unique harmonic textures. The open strings themselves form complex suspended chords, providing a strong, ringing foundation that encourages exploration beyond traditional chord shapes.

Technical Analysis:

• Open Notes: The open strings are tuned to C2 - F2 - C3 - G3 - C4 - D4 (from lowest to highest string).
• Interval Relationships:
  • String 6 (C2): The foundational root.
  • String 5 (F2): A perfect fourth above C2.
  • String 4 (C3): An octave above C2.
  • String 3 (G3): A perfect fifth above C3, or two octaves and a perfect fifth above C2.
  • String 2 (C4): An octave above C3, providing strong resonance with the other C notes.
  • String 1 (D4): A major second above C4, adding a bright, leading tone.
• Chordal Analysis: The combined open strings (C F C G C D) do not form a simple major or minor triad. Instead, they create a rich C-suspended-fourth-add-ninth (Csus4(add9)) or a C11 chord (missing a major/minor 3rd). This suspended quality makes the tuning incredibly versatile, allowing it to imply both major and minor tonalities, or lend itself beautifully to various modes without a dominant third.
• Playability and Chord Voicings:
  • The multiple C notes (C2, C3, C4) provide a strong, ringing drone, making this tuning exceptionally resonant.
  • Open power chords (C5, G5, F5) are naturally available.
  • Fingering around the open C and G notes will easily yield C-based suspended chords (Csus2, Csus4) and G-based chords (G5, Gsus4).
  • The F2 on the 5th string can be effectively used as a drone or a root for F-based voicings.
  • Chords that require a natural major or minor third (E or Eb) would need to be fretted.

How to Tune Your Cittern to Modal C Drone:

When adjusting your strings, please be mindful of the semitone movements. Significant changes (4 semitones or more, up or down) may require a different string gauge to avoid breakage or excessive slack.

• String 6 (Lowest C): Tune down 4 semitones to C2. Note: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change; consider a heavier gauge string if this causes excessive slack.
• String 5: Tune down 4 semitones to F2. Note: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change; consider a heavier gauge string if this causes excessive slack.
• String 4: Tune down 2 semitones to C3.
• String 3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to G3.
• String 2: Tune up 1 semitones to C4.
• String 1 (Highest D): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.