Tuning Analysis: Making Tracks

Verbal Description

The 'Making Tracks' tuning presents a unique and expansive sound palette for the guitar. It features a deep, resonant low end built upon perfect fifths, contrasting sharply with a high, bright, and somewhat dissonant upper register. The open strings offer a blend of stable foundational notes and tense, intriguing intervals. This tuning evokes a sense of journey or exploration, potentially lending itself well to atmospheric soundscapes, complex arpeggios, or experimental melodic lines where traditional chord voicings are less of a priority. The significant interval jumps suggest a sonic architecture that prioritizes individual note resonance and harmonic tension over conventional strumming patterns, creating a sound that feels both grounded and soaring.

Technical Analysis

This is a highly customized and unconventional tuning, set to C2 G2 D3 D#4 A#4 D5#. Examining the intervals between open strings:

• String 6 (C2) to String 5 (G2): Perfect Fifth (7 semitones)
• String 5 (G2) to String 4 (D3): Perfect Fifth (7 semitones)
• String 4 (D3) to String 3 (D#4): Octave + Minor Second (13 semitones). This is a very wide and impactful interval.
• String 3 (D#4) to String 2 (A#4): Perfect Fifth (7 semitones)
• String 2 (A#4) to String 1 (D5#): Perfect Fourth (5 semitones)

The low strings (C2-G2-D3) establish a robust, open power chord structure, reminiscent of drop tunings or open D variants. The substantial jump to D#4 then creates a sudden, almost jarring, shift in register, followed by a D# power chord (D#4-A#4) and a repeating D# an octave higher (D5#). The clash between the open D3 and D#4 (a minor second interval) signifies that strumming all open strings will produce a dissonant and harmonically rich, but not typically 'pleasant,' sound. This tuning seems designed for specific melodic passages, drone accompaniment, or fingerstyle where the notes can be carefully articulated to leverage the unique intervals and their inherent tension.

Open Chords and Playability

While a full open strum is highly dissonant due to the D3-D#4 clash, several harmonic elements are present and easily accessible:

• C5 Power Chord: Strings 6 & 5 (C2-G2)
• G5 Power Chord: Strings 5 & 4 (G2-D3)
• D#5 Power Chord: Strings 3 & 2 (D#4-A#4)
• Open D# Octave/Power Chord: Strings 3 & 1 (D#4-D5#)

The wide interval between the 4th and 3rd strings will significantly alter standard chord shapes, requiring players to adapt their fingering. It might be particularly effective for slide guitar or for creating sustained drone effects, allowing the player to highlight the perfect fifths and fourths on adjacent strings, while navigating the unique tensions elsewhere. Exploration of single-note melodic lines and two- or three-note chord voicings will likely be most rewarding.

How to Tune to Making Tracks

To achieve the 'Making Tracks' tuning, start from standard E tuning and adjust each string as follows:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 4 semitones to C2. (Note: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change; ensure your string gauge can handle it. This is a drop in tension.)
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2. (This is a drop in tension.)
• String 4 (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to D3.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 4 semitones to D4#. (Critical Note: The instruction 'Tune down 4 semitones' from standard G3 would result in Eb3. However, the target note D4# is significantly higher than G3. To reach D4# from standard G3 requires tuning up 9 semitones, not down 4. Please ensure you are tuning to the target note D4# and be extremely cautious with string tension, as this is a large upward interval from standard tuning. A different string gauge may be advised to avoid string breakage.)
• String 2 (B): Tune down 1 semitone to A4#. (Critical Note: The instruction 'Tune down 1 semitone' from standard B3 would result in A#3. However, the target note A4# is significantly higher than B3. To reach A4# from standard B3 requires tuning up 8 semitones. Please ensure you are tuning to the target note A4# and be extremely cautious with string tension, as this is a large upward interval from standard tuning. A different string gauge may be advised to avoid string breakage.)
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 1 semitone to D5#. (Critical Note: The instruction 'Tune down 1 semitone' from standard E4 would result in Eb4 (D#4). However, the target note D5# is significantly higher than E4. To reach D5# from standard E4 requires tuning up 11 semitones. Please ensure you are tuning to the target note D5# and be extremely cautious with string tension, as this is a very large upward interval, almost an octave from standard tuning. A different string gauge is strongly advised to avoid string breakage.)

Important Considerations:

• For strings requiring changes of more than 4 semitones (either up or down), or if you experience significant discrepancies between tuning instructions (e.g., 'tune down' when the target note is much higher), consider using a different string gauge to avoid damage to your strings or instrument. Tuning up more than 4 semitones (especially 8+ semitones as indicated for the higher strings here) can be hazardous for standard gauge strings.
• Always tune carefully and check intonation after making significant tuning adjustments. Use a reliable tuner to ensure accuracy, especially with the higher strings where the written movement contradicts the target note in relation to standard tuning.