Welcome to the unique and resonant world of the CGGFAC Fadd9 tuning! This innovative setup transforms your standard guitar into a canvas for rich, open voicings and deep, sonorous textures. Originally conceived by a player looking to capture specific sonic qualities and make it easily retrievable, this tuning offers a fresh perspective on chordal exploration.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to C2 G2 G2 F3 A3 C4. This configuration creates a vibrant Fadd9 chord with a low C root, making it sound like an Fadd9/C. The full chord is formed by C (root), G (perfect 5th), F (perfect 4th/major 7th from G, or root of F), A (major 3rd from F), and C (octave).

• The doubled G strings (5th and 4th) create a strong drone effect and add a powerful resonance, especially when played open.
• The presence of the F and A on adjacent strings (3rd and 2nd) naturally forms a major third interval, which is the cornerstone of major chords.
• With the lowest string tuned down to C2, this tuning offers a significantly deeper range than standard E standard, ideal for powerful low-end riffs or resonant ambient textures.
• The open Fadd9/C voicing means that simple barres can yield complex and beautiful chords. For instance, barring across the 1st fret would give you a C#G#G#F#A#C# voicing, following the original player's description.
• This tuning is particularly well-suited for fingerstyle playing, allowing individual notes of the open chord to ring out, or for powerful strumming that leverages its inherent harmonic richness.

How to Tune

To achieve the CGGFAC Fadd9 tuning, you will need to adjust several strings significantly from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E). Please proceed with caution, especially with larger semitone adjustments.

• Low E String (6th String): Tune down 4 semitones to C2.
• A String (5th String): Tune down 2 semitones to G2.
• D String (4th String): Tune down 7 semitones to G2. Caution: This is a significant drop of over 4 semitones. Consider using a heavier gauge string for optimal tone and tension if you plan to keep your guitar in this tuning long-term.
• G String (3rd String): Tune down 2 semitones to F3.
• B String (2nd String): Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
• High E String (1st String): Tune down 4 semitones to C4.

Always tune slowly and check your intonation after tuning, especially with such drastic changes. Enjoy exploring the unique sonic possibilities of CGGFAC Fadd9!

Here are the target notes for each string in the CGGFAC Fadd9 tuning, from the lowest (6th) string to the highest (1st) string:

• 6th String: C2
• 5th String: G2
• 4th String: G2
• 3rd String: F3
• 2nd String: A3
• 1st String: C4