Verbal Description: The Alesund SKM Tuning

The Alesund SKM tuning offers a deep, resonant, and somewhat mysterious sonic landscape. With its foundation in low C# and G# notes, it immediately evokes a powerful, almost drone-like quality, ideal for atmospheric soundscapes, heavy riffing, or expressive fingerstyle. The prominent perfect fifth intervals across most strings create a sense of openness and power, making power chords and modal playing intuitive.

However, the real character emerges with the highest strings. The tight minor second interval between the 2nd string (A#) and the 1st string (C) introduces a unique tension and a distinctly melancholic or exotic flavor. This close interval allows for expressive bends and can create a 'crunchy' or dissonant texture when strummed open, providing a fresh harmonic palette beyond standard tunings. It feels like a tuning designed for specific moods – perhaps introspective, dark, or dramatically vast, much like the rugged beauty of the Norwegian coast after which it is named.

Technical Analysis: C# Melodic Minor Resonance

This tuning is structured as C#3 G#3 G#3 D#4 A#4 C4, from the 6th (lowest) to the 1st (highest) string. When considering the notes in relation to a C# root, we find the following intervallic structure (with C interpreted as B# for melodic minor context):

• String 6 (C#3): Root
• String 5 (G#3): Perfect 5th
• String 4 (G#3): Perfect 5th (doubled)
• String 3 (D#4): Major 2nd (or 9th)
• String 2 (A#4): Major 6th (or 13th)
• String 1 (C4): Major 7th (interpreting C as B#)

This configuration closely resembles a C# Melodic Minor (Ascending) scale structure (C# D# E F# G# A# B#) with the 3rd and 4th omitted, and a doubled 5th. The open strings offer a powerful, extended C# chord voicing that is neither strictly major nor minor, but rather modal and rich with extensions.

Intervallic Relationships (Adjacent Strings):

• String 6 (C#) to String 5 (G#): Perfect 5th
• String 5 (G#) to String 4 (G#): Unison
• String 4 (G#) to String 3 (D#): Perfect 5th
• String 3 (D#) to String 2 (A#): Perfect 5th
• String 2 (A#) to String 1 (C): Minor 2nd (1 semitone)

The abundance of perfect fifths (6-5, 4-3, 3-2) makes power chords incredibly easy to achieve with minimal effort, allowing for thick, ringing voicings. The unison G# (strings 5 and 4) provides a natural drone point. The most striking feature is the minor second interval on the highest two strings, which can be leveraged for highly expressive melodic lines or to create a dense, dissonant cluster chord when strummed open, adding a distinctly modern or melancholic edge.

Open Chords and Playing Potential:

• C#5 Power Chord: Easily formed on the lowest three strings (C# G# G#) by simply strumming them open.
• Open Drones: The doubled G# provides a natural drone, while the C# base offers a strong tonic for extended ambient passages.
• Barre Chords: Moving a single finger across the neck will produce parallel chord shapes with the unique C# G# G# D# A# C interval structure, opening up new harmonic possibilities that are easy to access.
• Melodic Opportunities: The tight interval on the top two strings can be exploited for bluesy bends or to create unique scalar runs that emphasize tension and release.

How to Tune:

To achieve the Alesund SKM tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these string adjustments:

• 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 down 6 semitones to G#3. *Caution: Tuning down 6 semitones is a significant drop; consider a heavier gauge string for optimal performance and stability.*
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 4 semitones to D#4. *Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant drop; consider a heavier gauge string for optimal performance and stability.*
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 1 semitone to A#4.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 4 semitones to C4. *Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant drop; consider a heavier gauge string for optimal performance and stability.*

Ensure your guitar's intonation is checked after making such significant tuning adjustments.

String 6: C#3

String 5: G#3

String 4: G#3

String 3: D#4

String 2: A#4

String 1: C4