This deeply resonant and highly altered guitar tuning is aptly named after "Kakegurui - Deal with the Devil (arr. by Eddie Van der Meer)," reflecting its unique and dramatic sonic qualities. It's a tuning that descends significantly from standard EADGBe, creating a dark, open, and atmospheric soundscape.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning creates an immediate sense of depth and mystery due to all strings being tuned down, some quite significantly. The arrangement of notes—C#3 F#3 C#4 F#4 A3 C#5—is particularly striking. The open strings themselves form a rich, complex chord, dominated by C# and F#, with an intriguing A3 appearing as the second string's lowest note, creating a unique internal voicing. This gives the tuning a strong, almost drone-like quality, making it excellent for arpeggiated figures, intricate fingerstyle arrangements, and expressive melodic playing. It has a melancholic, yet powerful character, perfect for cinematic or dramatic musical pieces.

Technical Analysis

• Tuning Configuration: The guitar is tuned to C#3 F#3 C#4 F#4 A3 C#5 from low to high.
• Intervals: From the low C#3, the intervals are P1 (C#3), P4 (F#3), P8 (C#4), P11/P4+P8 (F#4), M6 (A3), P15/P8+P8 (C#5). The placement of A3 (Major 6th) lower than C#4 and F#4 creates a distinctive, inverted chord voicing, adding to its unique texture.
• Overall Pitch: The entire tuning is significantly lower than standard, with the lowest string dropping 3 semitones from E to C#. This will result in a looser feel and a darker, more resonant tone.
• String Gauge Recommendation: While no string drops beyond 3 semitones (the threshold for immediate gauge change), multiple strings (6th, 5th, 2nd, 1st) are tuned down by 2 or 3 semitones. For optimal string tension, intonation stability, and to maintain clarity, using a slightly heavier gauge string set is highly recommended for this level of down-tuning.

Open Chords & Playability

• Open Chord: Strumming all open strings yields a complex, resonant chord that can be interpreted as a C#sus4add6 (C# F# A) or an F#sus2 with C# in the bass (F# G# C# with an added C# and A). This chord is rich, dark, and highly expressive, forming the core of the tuning's character.
• Drone & Arpeggio Friendly: The repeated C# and F# notes across different octaves make this tuning perfect for creating sustained drones and intricate arpeggios that highlight these tonal centers, allowing for spacious and ambient musical textures.
• Easy Fingerings for Sus Chords: Barring across the lower strings will often result in sus4-type chords or their inversions, due to the prevalence of the P4 interval. For instance, a single finger across the 6th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings at various frets will easily produce variations of sus4 chords, making complex harmonies accessible and intuitive.
• Rhythmic Potential: The low, resonant nature of this tuning, combined with the spread of intervals, can lend itself to powerful, driving rhythmic patterns, especially when emphasizing the lower C# and F# notes, creating a strong percussive foundation.

Tuning Notes & How to Tune

Here's how to set up your guitar for this unique tuning from standard EADGBe:

• String 6 (Low E String): Tune down 3 semitones from E2 to C#3.
• String 5 (A String): Tune down 3 semitones from A2 to F#3.
• String 4 (D String): Tune down 1 semitone from D3 to C#4.
• String 3 (G String): Tune down 1 semitone from G3 to F#4.
• String 2 (B String): Tune down 2 semitones from B3 to A3.
• String 1 (High E String): Tune down 3 semitones from E4 to C#5.