The "Viva La Vida" tuning is a distinctive open tuning prominently featured by Chris Martin of Coldplay for their iconic song. This tuning transforms the guitar into a resonant instrument, primarily based around a C#sus2 chord, providing a bright and spacious harmonic landscape.

Technically, the open strings are tuned to C# G# C# D# G# D# (from low E to high e). This arrangement immediately forms a C#sus2 chord when strummed open, characterized by its root (C#), perfect fifth (G#), and major second (D#). The repetition of C#, G#, and D# across the strings creates a rich, layered sound with natural drones, lending itself perfectly to the anthemic and reflective qualities of the song it's named after.

This tuning offers a unique palette for songwriting. With the open strings forming a C#sus2, it encourages exploration of suspended harmonies and allows for easily accessible power chords built on C# and its related intervals. Moving up the neck, simple barre shapes or two-finger voicings can readily yield D#sus2 (two frets up from C#) and G#sus2 (seven frets up from C#) chords, maintaining the characteristic open, suspended feel. The intervallic structure avoids a strong major or minor tonality in its open form, providing a versatile sound that can feel hopeful, pensive, or grand depending on melodic context.

How to Tune

To achieve the "Viva La Vida" tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these string adjustments:

• Low E String (6th String): Tune down 3 semitones from E to C3#.
• A String (5th String): Tune down 1 semitone from A to G3#.
• D String (4th String): Tune down 1 semitone from D to C4#.
• G String (3rd String): Tune down 4 semitones from G to D4#.
• B String (2nd String): Tune down 3 semitones from B to G4#.
• High E String (1st String): Tune down 1 semitone from E to D5#.

Important Note on String Gauge: Several strings in this tuning require significant detuning (3 or 4 semitones down). While generally manageable, for optimal string tension, intonation, and playability, especially with the 6th, 3rd, and 2nd strings, you may consider using a slightly heavier gauge string set if you plan to use this tuning regularly. Tuning down more than 4 semitones can lead to very loose strings, while tuning up more than 4 semitones can risk string breakage or neck damage.

6th String (Low E): C3#
5th String (A): G3#
4th String (D): C4#
3rd String (G): D4#
2nd String (B): G4#
1st String (High E): D5#