Verbal Analysis

Ted's Orchestra is an incredibly ambitious and unique guitar tuning, specifically crafted to achieve a expansive, symphonic sound. As its name suggests, it aims to deliver a breadth of harmonic possibilities that evoke the grandeur of an orchestra. This tuning moves far beyond conventional guitar voicings, creating a rich, sometimes dissonant, but always interesting harmonic foundation. It's an excellent choice for composers, experimental musicians, or anyone seeking to infuse their guitar playing with a larger-than-life, cinematic quality. The open strings resonate with a complex blend of major, augmented, and minor intervals, allowing for lush arpeggios, sustained drones, and chords that feel incredibly full and layered.

Technical Analysis

The open strings for Ted's Orchestra tuning are set to the following pitches, from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st) string: C2 - G2 - E3 - G4# - C4 - D5#. Let's break down the intervallic relationships:

• String 6 (C2): Serves as a deep, resonant root, anchoring the entire tuning in a C tonal center.
• String 5 (G2): A perfect fifth above the low C, providing fundamental harmonic support and stability.
• String 4 (E3): A major third above the low C, which, combined with the C and G of the lower strings, forms a strong C major triad in the lower register.
• String 2 (C4): An octave above the low C, reinforcing the root and completing a C major chord across the bottom four strings (C-G-E-C).
• String 3 (G4#): This is a pivotal note, an augmented fifth above C, and an octave above G#3. Its presence creates a distinct tension against the natural G on String 5, hinting at a C augmented sound (C-E-G#). The simultaneous major third (E), perfect fifth (G), and augmented fifth (G#) are the core of this tuning's orchestral character.
• String 1 (D5#): Enharmonically Eb5, this note adds further complexity. It functions as a minor third relative to the C root, or a major third above the G#. This note introduces a minor inflection or an altered extension, intensifying the unique harmonic blend and creating rich, sometimes dissonant, open voicings that are characteristic of orchestral scoring.

Open Chords & Reachable Shapes

The open strings themselves form a dense and complex sonority. It's not a simple major or minor chord, but rather a rich, altered harmony centered around C. This allows for:

• A full, ringing Cmaj(add#5, add b3) or a C augmented (add P5, add b3) chord when all open strings are strummed, creating a unique, suspended orchestral quality.
• By selectively muting the 3rd (G#) and 1st (D#) strings, a clear and resonant C major triad (C-G-E-C) can be easily achieved on the lower and middle strings.
• Similarly, by muting the 5th (G) and 1st (D#) strings, a powerful C augmented triad (C-E-G#-C) is readily available.
• The wide intervallic range and unique note choices make this tuning highly conducive to open-string arpeggios, creating sweeping, almost harp-like textures. Sliding barre shapes up the neck will yield intricate altered chords, opening up a new world of harmonic exploration for the adventurous player.

How to Tune

To set your guitar to Ted's Orchestra tuning from standard E Standard tuning (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4), please follow these precise string adjustments:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 4 semitones from E2 to C2. (Within safe limits for standard string gauges.)
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones from A2 to G2. (Within safe limits for standard string gauges.)
• String 4 (D): Tune up 2 semitones from D3 to E3. (Within safe limits for standard string gauges.)
• String 3 (G): Tune up 1 semitone from G3 to G#3. (Within safe limits for standard string gauges.)
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone from B3 to C4. (Within safe limits for standard string gauges.)
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 1 semitone from E4 to D#4. (Within safe limits for standard string gauges.)

Important Note on String Gauges: All specified string movements for this tuning are within the generally accepted safe range of +/- 4 semitones for standard guitar string gauges. Therefore, a specialized string gauge is not explicitly advised based on these movement instructions.

String 6: C2

String 5: G2

String 4: E3

String 3: G4#

String 2: C4

String 1: D5#