This unique tuning, prominently featured in Ben Howard's "Small Things" and noted as a top-rated tab, offers a rich and distinctive sonic landscape. It departs significantly from standard guitar tuning, creating a deep, resonant foundation and unexpected harmonic possibilities.

Verbal Analysis

Often associated with Ben Howard's intricate fingerstyle and atmospheric sound, this tuning is specifically designed for particular melodic and percussive applications rather than conventional strumming. The significant pitch drops and varied intervals between strings produce a somewhat unconventional feel, encouraging exploration of open string harmonies and unique voicings. The overall mood leans towards melancholic and introspective, characteristic of the artist's signature style. It provides a unique canvas for creating complex arpeggios and rhythmic patterns that would be difficult to achieve in standard tuning.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to C2-G2-A#3-D#4-G3-C4. A striking feature is the very low C2 on the 6th string, providing a deep, impactful bass foundation. Analyzing the open strings, we discover they form a powerful **C minor 7 chord**: C (root), G (perfect 5th), A# (minor 7th, or Bb), D# (minor 3rd, or Eb), G (octave higher 5th), and C (octave higher root). This means that simply strumming all open strings will yield a full, rich C minor 7 sonority, making this chord incredibly accessible. While not conducive to standard chord shapes, the open C minor 7 structure suggests that barring across any fret would create different minor 7 chords (e.g., barring the 1st fret yields a C# minor 7, the 2nd fret a D minor 7, and so on). This provides a powerful basis for modal playing and chord voicings built around the minor 7th harmony.

The tuning features several large interval jumps and drops between adjacent strings. For instance, there's a significant upward leap from G2 to A#3 (a minor third plus an octave relative to the lower G), and an unconventional downward drop from D#4 to G3. These deliberate, non-standard intervals are crucial to achieving the distinctive sounds heard in songs utilizing this tuning, pushing the guitarist to discover new melodic and harmonic movements beyond traditional patterns and opening doors to creative fingerings unique to this setup.

How to Tune

To achieve this unique tuning, adjust your guitar strings from standard EADGBe as follows:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 4 semitones to C2.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 4 semitones to A#3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 4 semitones to D#4.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 4 semitones to G3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 4 semitones to C4.

Important Note on String Gauges: All strings in this tuning are tuned down by 2 to 4 semitones from their standard pitch. While these changes are generally manageable for standard string gauges, you should always exercise caution when tuning to avoid string breakage or damage to your guitar. For strings tuned down by 4 semitones (the majority in this tuning), it is advisable to consider using a slightly heavier gauge string set. This can help maintain optimal string tension, improve intonation, and enhance playability, especially if you plan to keep your guitar in this tuning for extended periods.