This unique and evocative guitar tuning, famously used by Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief for her song "Simulation Swarm," presents a rich sonic landscape distinct from standard guitar tunings. Verbally, it can be described as a deeply resonant and somewhat melancholic tuning, characterized by its open, sustained quality and the strategic placement of identical notes across different octaves. The prevalence of C# across three strings (the 6th, 4th, and 1st strings) provides a strong, droning root foundation, while the A# and F notes add color and complexity to the overall harmony.

Technical Analysis:

The tuning for your Guitar is: C#3 A#3 F3 C#4 G#4 C#5 (from the lowest E string to the highest E string).

When strummed open, the combination of notes C#, F, G#, and A# forms a C# Major 6th chord. This chord (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Major 6th) is voiced across the strings as C#3 (6th string), A#3 (5th string), F3 (3rd string), C#4 (4th string), G#4 (2nd string), and C#5 (1st string). A key technical observation is the non-sequential ascent of pitches – for example, F3 on the 3rd string is lower than C#4 on the 4th string. This creates unique and wide interval relationships and harmonic possibilities that are challenging or impossible to achieve in standard tuning.

Chords and Playability:

The open C# Major 6th chord serves as a fundamental sonic anchor for this tuning. The multiple C# and A# notes invite drone-based playing and fingerstyle techniques that can highlight the sympathetic resonances between strings, creating a rich texture. Simple barring techniques across higher frets will naturally yield various inversions and extensions of the C# Major 6th, as well as chords related to its underlying scale (e.g., C# Lydian, C# Major scale). The unique intervals between adjacent strings (e.g., A#3 to C#4 is a minor third, C#4 to F3 is a major third down or minor sixth up) suggest that exploring bluesy or modal melodic lines will be particularly rewarding. This tuning encourages a creative approach to chord shapes, often utilizing open string drones to fill out the harmony and evoke the distinctive sound found in "Simulation Swarm."

How to Tune Your Guitar

To achieve the Adrianne Lenker "Simulation Swarm" tuning, follow these specific adjustments. Please refer to a reliable electronic tuner for accuracy, and tune carefully.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune to C#3. This requires you to tune down 3 semitones from its original pitch.
• 5th String (A): Tune to A#3. This requires you to tune up 1 semitone from its original pitch.
• 4th String (D): Tune to C#4. This requires you to tune down 1 semitone from its original pitch.
• 3rd String (G): Tune to F3. This requires you to tune down 2 semitones from its original pitch.
• 2nd String (B): Tune to G#4. This requires you to tune down 3 semitones from its original pitch.
• 1st String (High E): Tune to C#5. This requires you to tune down 3 semitones from its original pitch.

All string movements for this tuning are within a safe range for standard gauge guitar strings. However, always exercise caution when adjusting string tension, especially when tuning up.