This unique guitar tuning is notably associated with the song "Five Degrees" by the late artist Lil Peep. As described, it's a specialized tuning where particular attention must be paid to the lowest three strings, which are crucial for achieving the song's intended sound. The tuning presents a highly unconventional and somewhat challenging setup, departing significantly from standard guitar tuning.

Verbal Analysis

"Lil Peep's Five Degrees Tuning" is an extremely experimental and potentially hazardous setup, particularly for the 4th string. The tuning creates a very specific sonic palette, characterized by deep, dropped bass notes contrasted with an unusually high-pitched 4th string. The original description suggests that only the lowest three strings are essential, which makes sense given their radical alteration and the unusual relationship between them. The upper three strings remain in standard GBE configuration, offering a familiar tonal anchor within an otherwise alien landscape.

The combination of a dropped 6th string (C#3) and 5th string (G2) with an extremely high 4th string (G4#) creates a wide dynamic range and an inherent dissonance that would be a hallmark of this tuning. This is not a tuning designed for traditional chord progressions but rather for specific melodic lines, arpeggios, and atmospheric textures, fitting the aesthetic often found in Lil Peep's music.

Technical Analysis

The open notes of this tuning, from thickest (String 6) to thinnest (String 1), are: C#3 G2 G4# G3 B3 E4.

• The 6th string (Low E) is tuned down significantly to C#3.
• The 5th string (A) is tuned down to G2.
• The 4th string (D) is tuned to an exceptionally high G4#. This is the most striking feature, placing this string at a pitch higher than the 3rd and 2nd strings, and even the 1st string (E4), which is highly unusual and creates a banjo-like or mandolin-like tessitura on what is typically a mid-range guitar string.
• The 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings (G, B, High E) remain at their standard pitches of G3, B3, and E4 respectively.

The juxtaposition of G2, G4#, and G3 across strings 5, 4, and 3 is particularly dissonant and harmonically complex, creating an intervallic structure that challenges conventional guitar playing. The presence of a G major triad (G3, B3, E4) on the upper three strings allows for familiar voicings in that register, but their integration with the lower, radically altered strings will require specific fingerings and muting techniques.

Chords and Voicings

• Upper Strings (3, 2, 1): Since these strings remain in standard GBE, open G Major, E minor, C Major (without bass), and other common chord fragments are readily available in this register.
• Lower Strings (6, 5, 4): The combination of C#3, G2, and G4# creates a highly unique and dissonant cluster. C# (root), G (diminished 5th from C#), G# (major 5th from C#). This makes forming traditional chords challenging and will likely lead to open, extended, or highly textured voicings specific to the song. Playing the 6th and 5th strings (C#3, G2) yields an interval of a diminished 5th, which is quite tense. When the 4th string (G4#) is added, the resultant sound is angular and bright due to its very high pitch.
• Overall Open Chord: The full open tuning (C#3 G2 G4# G3 B3 E4) is not a conventional chord. It presents a complex, multi-octave voicing with inherent tension due to the repeated G notes across different octaves (G2, G3, G4#) and the C# root in the bass.

How to Tune

To achieve this unique tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E (low to high), follow these string movements. Note that standard guitar tuning usually denotes strings from thickest (6th) to thinnest (1st) as E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4. Please tune carefully and check string tension:

• String 6 (Low E string, E2): Tune down 3 semitones from E2 to C#2. Note: While tuning down 3 semitones is generally within safe limits, the ultimate target note specified for this string in the tuning details is C#3. Tuning a standard Low E (E2) up 9 semitones to C#3 would be a very significant tension increase. Please ensure you are targeting C#2 if following the 3 semitone drop, or consider a lighter gauge string if the C#3 pitch is indeed the goal from E2.
• String 5 (A string, A2): Tune down 2 semitones from A2 to G2. This movement is within the normal range for string tension.
• String 4 (D string, D3): Tune up 6 semitones from D3 to G#3. Caution: Tuning up 6 semitones exceeds the recommended range (+4 semitones) for standard string gauges, indicating a lighter gauge string is strongly advised for this string. Furthermore, the specified target pitch for this string is G4# (an entire octave higher than what 'up 6 semitones from D3' would imply, which is G#3). Achieving G4# from a standard D string would be an 18-semitone increase, which is extremely dangerous and highly likely to cause string breakage and potential instrument damage. A specialized or much lighter gauge string (e.g., a banjo string) would be essential, and professional setup is recommended. Proceed with extreme caution and consider if the G4# target is truly intended for a standard guitar D string.
• String 3 (G string, G3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from G3 to G3.
• String 2 (B string, B3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from B3 to B3.
• String 1 (High E string, E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from E4 to E4.

The final pitches for each string, from thickest (String 6) to thinnest (String 1), are:

String 6 (Low E): C#3

String 5 (A): G2

String 4 (D): G4#

String 3 (G): G3

String 2 (B): B3

String 1 (High E): E4