Verbal Description: Alesund Tuning

The Alesund tuning for Guitar plunges the instrument into a deep, resonant soundscape, centered around a low C#. It's an atmospheric and somewhat brooding tuning, moving all strings down from standard EADGBe. The resulting open chord is not a simple major or minor, but rather a rich C#sus2(add b7) or C#add9(b7) voicing with a strong fifth and added tension notes. This creates a powerful, droning quality perfect for ambient music, folk, or rock with a darker edge. The wide intervals between some strings, especially the 6th (C#), 3rd (D#), and 1st (C), offer unique harmonic possibilities and open up a new sonic palette for composition and improvisation.

Players will find this tuning excellent for open-string ringing chords and arpeggios, where the C# and G# provide a stable foundation. The D# and C notes introduce a distinctive tension, making the tuning suitable for exploring modal harmonies and creating lush, complex sound textures without complex fingerings. Barring across the neck will yield similar rich voicings, preserving the unique interval structure and allowing for easy transposition.

Technical Analysis: Alesund Tuning (C# G# C# D# G# C)

• Instrument Type: Guitar
• Open Notes: C3#, G3#, C4#, D4#, G4#, C4 (from low to high string)
• Key/Harmony: The tuning prominently features C# and its perfect fifth G#, establishing a strong C#5 core. The D# on the 3rd string acts as a major second (or 9th), while the C on the 1st string functions as a minor seventh relative to C#. This combination creates an open C#sus2(b7) or C#add9(b7) chord voicing, offering a rich, suspended quality with a bluesy or atmospheric feel due to the minor seventh.
• Interval Relationships (relative to C# on 6th string):
  • String 6 (C3#): Root
  • String 5 (G3#): Perfect Fifth
  • String 4 (C4#): Octave
  • String 3 (D4#): Major Second / Ninth
  • String 2 (G4#): Octave + Perfect Fifth
  • String 1 (C4): Minor Seventh
• Chordal Possibilities:
  • Open C#sus2(b7): The open strings directly form a resonant C#sus2 with a minor seventh (C#, D#, G#, C).
  • C#5 Drone: By simply muting the 3rd and 1st strings, a powerful C#5 chord can be achieved, perfect for heavy riffs or atmospheric pads.
  • Exploration of Modes: The non-standard intervals encourage players to explore different modal landscapes rather than relying on traditional major/minor shapes. Fingerings that utilize the open C# and G# for drone notes will be particularly effective.
  • Easy Power Chords: The adjacent C# and G# strings (6th, 5th, 4th, 2nd) make it easy to form C#5 or G#5 power chords across the fretboard with minimal effort, providing a solid, heavy foundation.

How to Tune: Alesund Tuning

This tuning requires all strings to be detuned significantly from standard EADGBe. Please proceed carefully and use a reliable tuner.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 3 semitones from E3 to C3#.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 1 semitones from A3 to G3#.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 1 semitones from D4 to C4#.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 4 semitones from G4 to D4#. Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change. If you plan to keep your guitar in this tuning for extended periods, or if you notice intonation issues, a heavier gauge string set might be advised to maintain proper tension and tone.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 3 semitones from B4 to G4#.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 4 semitones from E5 to C4. Caution: Similar to String 3, tuning down 4 semitones is a substantial drop. Consider a heavier gauge string for this string as well to ensure optimal playability and intonation.

String 6 (Low E): Tuned down to C3#.

String 5 (A): Tuned down to G3#.

String 4 (D): Tuned down to C4#.

String 3 (G): Tuned down to D4#.

String 2 (B): Tuned down to G4#.

String 1 (High E): Tuned down to C4.