The "Joni River" tuning, as its name suggests, is a characteristic open tuning often associated with the legendary Joni Mitchell and her iconic song "River." This unique setup transforms the standard guitar into a vibrant sound canvas, perfect for folk, acoustic, and singer-songwriter styles, enabling rich harmonies and open string resonance.

Technically, the open strings are tuned to C G C A C E (from low E to high E). This arrangement immediately forms a beautiful C6 chord (C-E-G-A) with the open strings, making it incredibly accessible to play full, resonant chords without complex fingerings. The doubled C and G notes on the lower strings provide a strong, grounding bass foundation, while the C-A-C-E configuration on the upper strings adds a bright, open quality with the characteristic major 6th interval. This tuning simplifies chord progressions, allowing players to move complex voicings with minimal effort, often by simply barring across the fretboard to transpose the C6 shape to other keys. The specific intervals between the strings—a perfect 5th (C-G), perfect 4th (G-C), major 6th (C-A), minor 3rd (A-C), and major 3rd (C-E)—create a rich harmonic tapestry that invites exploration and improvisation, making it a favorite for intricate fingerstyle arrangements.

Here are the target notes for each string and a detailed guide on how to achieve the "Joni River" tuning from standard EADGBe:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 4 semitones to C2. This is a significant drop, causing the string to become noticeably looser. While within the practical limits, for optimal tone and playability, especially if using this tuning frequently, considering a slightly heavier gauge string might be beneficial to maintain tension and clarity.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2. This is a common and easy adjustment.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 2 semitones to C3. This is also a common and easy adjustment.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 2 semitones to A3. This will increase the string's tension slightly but is well within safe limits for a standard gauge.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitones to C4. A minor adjustment, resulting in a slight increase in tension.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.

Always tune slowly and check the pitch regularly. Remember to stretch your strings after tuning, especially after significant changes, to help them settle and hold their pitch more reliably.