Verbal Analysis of Flat Moon Tuning

To play the song "For River" from the game "To the Moon" on one guitar, you can use this tuning with a capo on the first fret. This specific setup is designed to capture the unique sonic atmosphere of the piece.

Listen to "For River" here
View additional details here

The 'Flat Moon' tuning, as its evocative name suggests, creates a dreamy and atmospheric soundscape, perfectly suited for the melancholic and beautiful themes of the aforementioned soundtrack. The open strings are C#3, G#3, D#4, G#4, A#4, D#5. This collection of notes forms a rich C#sus2(add6) chord (C#, D#, G#, A#), characterized by its open, suspended, and slightly ethereal quality.

The presence of perfect fifths (C#-G# on the 6th and 5th strings, G#-D# on the 5th and 4th strings) and perfect fourths (D#-G# on the 4th and 3rd strings, A#-D# on the 2nd and 1st strings) provides a strong, resonant foundation. This structure encourages sustained notes and ambient textures, allowing for a lush, full sound, further enhanced by the duplicated G# and D# notes across different octaves.

The inclusion of A# (enharmonically Bb) adds a distinctive harmonic color, introducing a subtle tension and wistfulness often associated with dreamlike or reflective music. This tuning is particularly well-suited for fingerstyle arrangements, allowing the open strings to ring out and create cascading harmonies with minimal effort. The open C# root with its suspended second and major sixth offers a stable yet intriguing harmonic environment for melodic lines and drones.

With the recommended capo on the first fret, the entire tuning shifts up by one semitone, effectively becoming Dsus2(addBb) (D, E, A, Bb, E). This raises the overall pitch, potentially adding brightness while maintaining the tuning's inherent suspended and open qualities. This makes it a versatile tuning for achieving expressive and emotional musical passages.

Technical Analysis of Flat Moon Tuning

This tuning is specifically designed for a standard Guitar. The precise open string notes, from the lowest (6th string) to the highest (1st string), are:

• String 6: C#3
• String 5: G#3
• String 4: D#4
• String 3: G#4
• String 2: A#4
• String 1: D#5

Compared to standard EADGBe tuning, the required adjustments for each string are moderate. The individual string movements are all within the advised safe range of -4 to +4 semitones from standard pitch. This indicates that a standard string gauge should generally be suitable without encountering excessive tension issues or significant looseness that might compromise playability or intonation.

How to Tune to Flat Moon

To achieve the 'Flat Moon' tuning, carefully follow these instructions for each string, starting from standard EADGBe guitar tuning. Use a reliable tuner to ensure accuracy for each specified note.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 3 semitones to C#3.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 1 semitones to G#3.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 1 semitones to D#4.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 1 semitones to G#4.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 1 semitones to A#4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 1 semitones to D#5.

As all movements are within 4 semitones up or down, a standard set of guitar strings should generally accommodate this tuning without requiring a different gauge.