The Dave Evans/Kaki King tuning, also known as CGDGAD, transforms your standard guitar into an instrument with a profound, open, and resonant character. This distinctive tuning is largely attributed to the influential fingerstyle guitarist Dave Evans, who is believed to have developed it as early as 1970. Since its inception, it has been embraced and popularized by other renowned artists such as El McMeen and Kaki King, who have both utilized its unique sonic qualities in their musical compositions.

Verbal Analysis:

This tuning creates a deep and expansive soundscape, moving significantly away from the conventional EADGBe. The open strings C-G-D-G-A-D present a complex yet harmonious cluster of notes. It can be perceived as a C chord with significant extensions – specifically, a C(add2, add6) or a C6(add9) without the major third (E). This absence of a major third makes the open tuning quite suspended and harmonically ambiguous, yet highly musical and versatile. The deliberate doubling of G and D notes across different octaves contributes to a lush, ringing sustain, making it exceptionally well-suited for intricate fingerstyle arrangements, drone-based compositions, and creating expansive ambient textures.

Due to the open intervals, barring all strings at a single fret will yield fascinating suspended chord voicings. For instance, fretting all strings at the 5th fret will produce an F(add2,add6) or F6(add9)-like chord (F-C-G-C-D-G). This structural consistency makes it an intuitive tuning for exploring modal harmonies and building cohesive harmonic progressions across the fretboard. The low C and G strings provide a powerful, fundamental bass foundation, while the higher D-G-A-D sequence offers a bright, suspended quality, echoing aspects of Dsus4 tunings but with a deeper, richer bass register.

Technical Analysis:

The CGDGAD tuning involves substantial adjustments from the standard EADGBe configuration, particularly on the bass strings:

• String 6 (Low E) is tuned down 4 semitones to C2.
• String 5 (A) is tuned down 2 semitones to G2.
• String 4 (D) remains at D3 (no change).
• String 3 (G) remains at G3 (no change).
• String 2 (B) is tuned down 2 semitones to A3.
• String 1 (High E) is tuned down 2 semitones to D4.

The resulting open string notes are C2, G2, D3, G3, A3, D4. Analyzing the intervals of these notes from the lowest C (C2):

• String 6 (C2): Root
• String 5 (G2): Perfect Fifth (P5)
• String 4 (D3): Major Ninth (M9)
• String 3 (G3): Perfect Fifth (P5) (an octave above G2)
• String 2 (A3): Major Sixth (M6)
• String 1 (D4): Major Ninth (M9) (an octave above D3)

This configuration provides a wide tonal palette, spanning three octaves from the low C2 to the high D4. The strategic placement of two G's and two D's at different octaves facilitates sympathetic resonance, significantly enhancing the sustain and overall harmonic depth. The deliberate absence of a major third (E) or minor third (Eb) in the open tuning contributes to its highly versatile and suspended quality, allowing it to integrate seamlessly into various harmonic contexts without immediately implying a major or minor tonality.

How to Tune to Dave Evans/Kaki King (CGDGAD)

Achieving the Dave Evans/Kaki King tuning involves several significant adjustments from the standard EADGBe tuning. Please approach each string adjustment with care, and use a reliable electronic tuner to ensure accuracy.

• String 6 (Low E to C2): Tune down 4 semitones to C2. This is a substantial drop from the standard E. Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones significantly reduces string tension. For optimal playability, intonation, and to prevent string floppiness, especially if this will be your primary tuning, considering a heavier gauge string for your low E is strongly advised.
• String 5 (A to G2): Tune down 2 semitones to G2.
• String 4 (D to D3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 3 (G to G3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 2 (B to A3): Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
• String 1 (High E to D4): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.

Upon completion, your guitar's open strings will be tuned to: C2 - G2 - D3 - G3 - A3 - D4.