Verbal Analysis: The 'Augmented Split' Tuning

This experimental tuning, originally dubbed "2X M3" by its creator, truly lives up to its new name, 'Augmented Split'. The creator's stated goal of "seperating the top and lowest three strings by a fifth just to sea what happens" has resulted in a fascinating and highly unconventional sonic landscape. The overall feel is one of tension, dissonance, and expansive, almost ethereal harmony due to the prevalence of augmented intervals. It's a tuning that will challenge traditional chord shapes and fingerings, encouraging exploration and innovative playing styles. The arrangement of notes by pitch, where the 5th string (A string) is the lowest, followed by the 4th string (D string), before the 6th string (Low E string), creates a uniquely disorienting yet intriguing foundation. This setup prevents a simple strum from creating a conventional root-position chord, instead offering complex clusters.

Technical Analysis

The 'Augmented Split' tuning is defined by the following open notes, from thickest to thinnest string:

• String 6 (Low E): C#3
• String 5 (A): F2
• String 4 (D): A2
• String 3 (G): F#4
• String 2 (B): A#4
• String 1 (High E): D4

When arranged by pitch from lowest to highest, the notes are: F2, A2, C#3, D4, F#4, A#4. This reveals the core characteristic of the tuning: it forms two distinct augmented triads.

• The lower three physical strings (6, 5, 4) produce: F2, A2, C#3, which is an F Augmented triad (F Aug) in an open voicing. Note that String 5 (F2) is the actual lowest pitch.
• The higher three physical strings (3, 2, 1) produce: D4, F#4, A#4, which is a D Augmented triad (D Aug).

The intervals between adjacent physical strings are quite wide and varied:

• String 6 (C#3) to String 5 (F2): A significant drop of 9 semitones (a Major 6th down). This places the 5th string lower than the 6th.
• String 5 (F2) to String 4 (A2): An ascending Major 3rd (4 semitones up).
• String 4 (A2) to String 3 (F#4): A massive leap of 20 semitones (an Octave + Major 6th up). This is the "split" point the creator might have been aiming for.
• String 3 (F#4) to String 2 (A#4): An ascending Minor 3rd (3 semitones up).
• String 2 (A#4) to String 1 (D4): A drop of 7 semitones (a Perfect 5th down).

Chords and Playability: The open strings themselves present a unique, shimmering, and dissonant augmented chord (F Aug / D Aug relationship). Barring across the lower three physical strings (5, 4, 6 in pitch order: F-A-C#) will yield F augmented chords. Barring across the higher three physical strings (1, 3, 2 in pitch order: D-F#-A#) will yield D augmented chords. Due to the highly irregular intervals and the reordering of string pitches, traditional major and minor chord shapes will be almost entirely unplayable without significant adaptation. This tuning is ideally suited for experimental music, ambient soundscapes, or compositions that specifically leverage the augmented sonority and wide, non-linear voicings. Fingerstyle might allow for individual notes from the F Aug and D Aug to be combined in creative ways.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'Augmented Split' tuning from standard EADGBe tuning, follow these steps. Please note that several strings are tuned down significantly; consider using a lighter gauge for Strings 4 and 5 if you intend to keep them at these lower tensions for extended periods.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 3 semitones from E to C#3.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 4 semitones from A to F2. Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones significantly reduces string tension. A different gauge string is advised for optimal playability and intonation.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 5 semitones from D to A2. Caution: Tuning down 5 semitones drastically reduces string tension. A different gauge string is strongly advised for optimal playability and intonation.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitone from G to F#4.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 1 semitone from B to A#4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 2 semitones from E to D4.

The 'Augmented Split' tuning consists of the following notes for each string, from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st):

• String 6: C#3 (C sharp in the 3rd octave)
• String 5: F2 (F in the 2nd octave) - This is the lowest pitched string in the tuning.
• String 4: A2 (A in the 2nd octave)
• String 3: F#4 (F sharp in the 4th octave)
• String 2: A#4 (A sharp in the 4th octave)
• String 1: D4 (D in the 4th octave)