The "Super Tritone" tuning for a 9-string Guitar is an audacious and highly experimental setup, explicitly designed to challenge conventional harmony. As its original description provocatively states, "No should use this tuning, ever." – a clear indication of its unique and perhaps unsettling sonic character. This tuning features an extreme, repeating pattern of tritones across all nine strings, creating a landscape of intense dissonance.

Verbal Analysis

Sonically, the "Super Tritone" tuning is anything but traditional. Open strumming will immediately reveal a thick, grating cluster of C and F# notes spread across several octaves. This creates a deeply dissonant, almost unsettling sound that resists conventional melodic or harmonic resolution. It's a tuning that screams "experimental," "industrial," or "noise music." Players seeking sweet melodies or common chord progressions will find themselves utterly frustrated, but those exploring avant-garde soundscapes, harsh textures, or drone-based compositions might discover a potent tool. The sheer tension created by the constant tritone interval is its defining characteristic, making it unsuitable for most genres but potentially groundbreaking for niche, extreme styles.

Technical Analysis

This 9-string guitar tuning is structured around a dominant interval: the tritone (C to F#). The notes are laid out as a repeating pattern across various octaves:

• String 9 (lowest): C0
• String 8: F1#
• String 7: C1
• String 6: F2#
• String 5: C2
• String 4: F3#
• String 3: C3
• String 2: F4#
• String 1 (highest): C4

Notice that every adjacent pair of strings forms a tritone, either ascending (C to F#) or descending (F# to C), often spanning an octave. For example, String 9 (C0) and String 8 (F1#) are a tritone plus an octave, while String 8 (F1#) and String 7 (C1) are a tritone plus an octave down. This consistent interval creates an unwavering dissonant harmonic base.

Traditional open chords are virtually impossible in this tuning. There are no perfect fifths, major/minor thirds, or other foundational harmonic intervals present. Any open strum will yield a dense cluster of C and F# notes. However, some specific voicings or approaches might be possible:

• Octaves: Players can easily find octaves of C (strings 9, 7, 5, 3, 1) and F# (strings 8, 6, 4, 2) across the neck. This allows for powerful, low-end drone work or driving, single-note riffs with octave reinforcement.
• Dissonant Power Chords: While not a traditional power chord, playing two adjacent strings will always yield a tritone. This could be leveraged for incredibly heavy, unsettling two-note "power chords" that emphasize tension.
• Cluster Chords / Noise: This tuning excels at creating dense, dissonant textures. Full open strumming or fretting multiple strings at the same fret will produce large, cacophonous clusters perfect for industrial, drone, or ambient noise genres. The lack of traditional harmony forces a focus on texture, timbre, and rhythmic impact.

How to Tune

Achieving the "Super Tritone" tuning requires significant adjustment from standard guitar tunings, particularly given the 9-string nature. All strings are tuned down considerably from their assumed standard pitches. Please note that tuning strings down by more than 4 semitones (especially 8 or more) often requires a heavier gauge string to maintain proper tension and intonation without becoming too slack.

• String 9 (Lowest): Tune down 13 semitones to C0. This is a very significant drop, equivalent to a whole octave and a semitone. A much heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 8: Tune down 12 semitones to F1#. This is a full octave down. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 7: Tune down 11 semitones to C1. This is nearly a full octave down. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 6: Tune down 10 semitones to F2#. This is a very substantial drop. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 5: Tune down 9 semitones to C2. This is also a considerable drop. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 4: Tune down 8 semitones to F3#. Another significant drop. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 3: Tune down 7 semitones to C3. This is a large drop. A heavier gauge string is advised.
• String 2: Tune down 5 semitones to F4#. This is a considerable drop. A heavier gauge string is advised.
• String 1 (Highest): Tune down 4 semitones to C4. This is also a significant drop and might benefit from a heavier gauge, though it's at the boundary.

String 9: Tuned to C0 (the lowest note on a standard 88-key piano). This is an extremely low note.

String 8: Tuned to F1#, a tritone above C0, but an octave higher, resulting in a very deep and dissonant interval when played with string 9.

String 7: Tuned to C1, an octave above String 9 and a tritone below String 8 (F1#), maintaining the dissonant pattern.

String 6: Tuned to F2#, continuing the tritone interval with String 7 (C1) and an octave above String 8 (F1#).

String 5: Tuned to C2, an octave above String 7 and forming another tritone with String 6 (F2#).

String 4: Tuned to F3#, maintaining the tritone relationship with String 5 (C2) and an octave above String 6 (F2#).

String 3: Tuned to C3, an octave above String 5 and forming a tritone with String 4 (F3#).

String 2: Tuned to F4#, continuing the tritone with String 3 (C3) and an octave above String 4 (F3#).

String 1 (Highest): Tuned to C4, the highest C in this tuning, an octave above String 3 and a tritone below String 2 (F4#).