Tuning Overview: Bahia Blanca Minor Modal Tuning

This unique tuning, originally noted as "el folk de bahia blanca y los 7 tornados" with an internal description of "nick drake bolita anda a laburar", transforms the guitar into an instrument of profound harmonic depth and melancholic beauty. It's a highly idiosyncratic open tuning that leans towards a rich, modal sound, quite distinct from standard major or minor open tunings. The wide intervals and specific note choices create a versatile canvas for intricate fingerstyle, ambient textures, or expressive lead lines, inviting exploration beyond conventional chord shapes.

Verbal Analysis

The overall feel of the Bahia Blanca Minor Modal Tuning is one of spaciousness and introspection. The low C and G strings provide a strong, resonant bass foundation, while the higher strings introduce intriguing dissonances and open voicings. The arrangement suggests a bluesy, sometimes melancholic, and deeply resonant soundscape. It avoids obvious major or minor triad formations in its open state, instead hinting at more complex, extended harmonies that invite exploration beyond conventional chord shapes. This tuning would be particularly well-suited for a player looking to evoke a mood, create drones, or explore non-diatonic melodic ideas.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to C2 - G2 - A#3 - F3 - A#4 - D4 (low to high).

• Root Foundation: The foundational low strings (C2, G2) establish a perfect fifth, a powerful and resonant interval, which forms a strong bass core for the tuning.
• Modal Character: The presence of A# (Bb) notes on the 4th and 2nd strings, alongside F and D, suggests a harmonic landscape rich with minor 7ths, 9ths, and 11ths. This creates a complex, jazzy or bluesy character that steps away from simple major/minor tonality.
• Complex Voicing: Analyzing the notes together (C, G, Bb, F, D), we find elements of a C minor 7 chord (C-G-Bb) with added 9th (D) and 4th/11th (F). This creates a sophisticated, open voicing that is neither strictly major nor minor, but rather a modal blend, hinting at a C Dorian or C Aeolian (natural minor) scale with specific extensions.
• Wide Intervals: There are significant jumps in pitch between some adjacent strings, particularly from G2 to A#3 (an octave and a minor third) and F3 to A#4 (an octave and a perfect fourth). These wide intervals contribute to the tuning's airy and expansive quality, making it ideal for arpeggios, intricate fingerstyle patterns, and ringing open string drones.

Open & Accessible Chords

While not designed for easy strumming of standard major/minor chords, this tuning provides a wealth of unique harmonic possibilities and encourages creative exploration:

• Open C Minor 7sus4/9: Strumming all open strings yields a rich C-G-Bb-F-Bb-D voicing, functioning as a C minor 7 chord with an added 9th (D) and 4th/11th (F). This forms the tuning's core, offering a dark, modal, and expansive harmony without any fretting.
• Drones and Arpeggios: The wide intervals and the strong C-G perfect fifth on the lowest strings make this tuning excellent for creating sustained drones and ambient textures by letting open strings ring out. Arpeggiating across the open strings will reveal flowing, complex patterns.
• Partial Chords & Clusters: Experimenting with groups of 2 or 3 adjacent open strings will reveal powerful intervallic relationships like perfect fifths (C-G), minor thirds (G-Bb, D-F), and perfect fourths (F-Bb), which can be used to build unique chord clusters.
• Capo Exploration: Applying a capo can shift the entire harmonic landscape, offering new key centers while retaining the unique intervallic relationships of the tuning.

This tuning is an adventurer's playground, best suited for those willing to discover new sonic landscapes rather than relying on familiar chord shapes. It encourages a highly creative and experimental approach to the guitar.

Detailed String Notes & How to Tune

Tuning Notes:

• String 6 (Lowest String): C2
• String 5: G2
• String 4: A#3
• String 3: F3
• String 2: A#4
• String 1 (Highest String): D4

How to Tune:

To achieve the Bahia Blanca Minor Modal Tuning, follow these specific adjustments for each string. Always tune carefully and be mindful of string tension. It is recommended to use a reliable electronic tuner.

• String 6 (Lowest String) to C2: Tune up 1 semitones.
• String 5 to G2: Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 4 to A#3: Tune down 4 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant adjustment. If your guitar is normally in standard tuning, you may experience considerably reduced string tension. For optimal playability and intonation, or if you plan to keep this tuning for extended periods, it is advisable to consider using a heavier gauge string for this string or consult a luthier.
• String 3 to F3: Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 2 to A#4: Tune down 1 semitones.
• String 1 (Highest String) to D4: Tune down 2 semitones.