Tuning Analysis: Cmin7 - Hunter's Tuning

Verbal Description

The 'Cmin7 - Hunter's tuning' is crafted to evoke an eerie melancholy suitable for creepy lost woods type of music. It immediately lays a deep, resonant and somber foundation, setting a mysterious and atmospheric mood. The open strings harmonically coalesce into a rich C minor 7 chord, making it remarkably effortless to conjure dark, expansive soundscapes. This arrangement encourages droning and arpeggiated figures that can feel both vast and intimate, perfect for capturing a sense of foreboding or melancholic introspection. Its 'Hunter's tuning' moniker suggests a purpose-driven sound, perhaps for stealth or pursuit, where subtle shifts and sustained notes carry significant emotional weight.

Technical Analysis

This tuning transforms the guitar's open strings into a C minor 7 chord (C-Eb-G-Bb) across its range. The open notes from low to high are: C1 - G1 - A#2 (Bb2) - D#3 (Eb3) - G2 - D#4 (Eb4).

• Open Chord: The arrangement explicitly voices a C minor 7 chord (C, Eb, G, Bb) with octave doublings of G and Eb, providing a full, rich harmonic foundation. This makes playing minor 7th harmony incredibly intuitive, as simple strumming of open strings creates the chord.
• Intervals & Voicings: The tuning presents strong intervals immediately. Between the 6th (C1) and 5th (G1) strings, there's a perfect fifth. The 5th (G1) to 4th (Bb2) string gives a minor third, establishing the minor tonality early. The layout facilitates easy access to parallel minor 7th voicings by simply fretting shapes across the neck. The lower G on the 5th string and the higher G on the 2nd string provide an octave separation, adding depth and resonance to open voicings.
• Chord Shapes & Reach: Due to the open Cmin7 chord, shapes derived from this will naturally lend themselves to minor 7th progressions. Playing barre chords will quickly yield other minor 7th chords with a familiar shape. Experimenting with two or three-string voicings high on the neck against the open low C and G will create resonant, complex textures. The inherent minor 7th sound might also make altered dominant or diminished chords within reach with minimal fretboard movement, providing a versatile platform for exploring darker harmonies.

How to Tune

To achieve the Cmin7 - Hunter's tuning, follow these string adjustments. Note: Standard guitar tuning is EADGBe from low to high.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone to reach C1.
• String 5 (A): Tune up 1 semitone to reach G1.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 1 semitone to reach A#2 (Bb2).
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitone to reach D#3 (Eb3).
• String 2 (B): Tune down 2 semitones to reach G2.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 1 semitone to reach D#4 (Eb4).

Important Note on String Gauge: Based on the specified movements in the tuning instructions provided, no individual string adjustment exceeds the recommended threshold of +/- 4 semitones for standard string gauges. Therefore, a change in string gauge is not strictly advised *based on these specific movements*. However, it's crucial to note that the target note for String 6 (C1) is a significant drop in pitch from a standard E string. While the movement instruction given is 'down 1 semitone', actually reaching C1 from a typical E string would require a much more substantial overall detuning (approximately 15 semitones). For optimal tone, playability, and to maintain appropriate string tension at such a low pitch, using a significantly heavier gauge string for the 6th string, and potentially the 5th string (G1), would generally be highly recommended for this tuning to perform its best.

String 6: C1

String 5: G1

String 4: A#2 (Bb2)

String 3: D#3 (Eb3)

String 2: G2

String 1: D#4 (Eb4)