"The KJ special" is a uniquely crafted tuning, described by its creator as something that "came up with it on accident. straight fire tbh". This informal declaration hints at its unconventional yet impactful sound.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning presents a compelling and somewhat dark sonic landscape. With its blend of C#, G#, D#, and F, it doesn't immediately conform to a simple major or minor open chord. The abundance of C# and G# (the root and fifth of C#) provides a strong foundation, while the D# adds a pronounced 9th. The most distinctive feature is the F4 on the highest string (1st string), which is actually lower in pitch than the C#5 on the 2nd string. This creates a fascinating re-entrant tuning, leading to unexpected melodic and harmonic possibilities, often found in folk instruments or modern experimental guitar. The resulting open sound is rich and complex, capable of producing anything from brooding ambient textures to sharp, driving riffs. It encourages exploration outside of standard chord shapes, offering fresh voicings and an immediate sense of character.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for "The KJ special" are C#3 - G#3 - D#4 - G#4 - C#5 - F4 (low to high string). Let's examine the intervals:

• 6th String (C#3) to 5th String (G#3): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• 5th String (G#3) to 4th String (D#4): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• 4th String (D#4) to 3rd String (G#4): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)
• 3rd String (G#4) to 2nd String (C#5): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)
• 2nd String (C#5) to 1st String (F4): This is a re-entrant interval. The 1st string F4 is an 8-semitone descent (minor 6th) from the 2nd string C#5, making the F4 lower in pitch than C#5.

The notes available across the open strings are C#, G#, D#, and F. An immediate open chord interpretation could be a G#sus4(b7) on the higher strings (G# D# G# C# F) with a low C# pedal tone from the 6th string. This gives it a suspended, almost modal quality with a distinct minor seventh (F relative to G#). Alternatively, if we consider C# as the root, it contains the notes for a C#add9 (C# G# D#) with the F adding an unexpected flavor, potentially leaning towards a C# minor sound or a dominant 7th quality for a different root. The repeated C# and G# notes across different octaves provide a powerful, resonant sound for open strumming and allow for easily movable barre chords up and down the neck, particularly power chords and suspended voicings. The re-entrant F string opens up new melodic phrasing opportunities, where the highest string can provide a lower harmony or a drone, creating a unique texture.

How to Tune "The KJ special"

To achieve this tuning, you'll be adjusting several strings from standard E Standard tuning. Please tune carefully, especially with larger pitch changes. While no string requires an extreme tension change that necessitates a new gauge (as no string moves more than 4 semitones up or down), always be mindful of your guitar's neck and string tension when altering tunings.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 3 semitones to C#3.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 1 semitone to G#3.
• 4th String (D): Tune up 1 semitone to D#4.
• 3rd String (G): Tune up 1 semitone to G#4.
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 2 semitones to C#5.
• 1st String (High E): Tune up 1 semitone to F4.

Here are the notes for each string in "The KJ special" tuning, from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st):

• 6th String: C3#
• 5th String: G3#
• 4th String: D4#
• 3rd String: G4#
• 2nd String: C5#
• 1st String: F4