The 'Open D Melancholy' tuning, originally named DACEAB, offers a truly unique and evocative sound palette. As its description "Sad and pretty" suggests, it excels at creating atmospheric, reflective, and emotionally resonant music. This tuning invites fingerstyle players, songwriters, and ambient artists to explore rich harmonic textures and poignant melodies. Its open, somewhat suspended quality allows for intricate voicings and droning effects, making it perfect for conveying a sense of longing or bittersweet beauty.

Technical Analysis

• Open Notes: The strings are tuned to D2-A2-C3-E3-A3-B3. This wide-ranging set of notes spans nearly two octaves, providing a full and resonant sound.
• Key Intervals: The tuning features a prominent D in the bass, with a Perfect 5th (A) and Minor 7th (C) above it, hinting strongly at a D minor 7th tonality. The subsequent intervals (Major 3rd from C to E, Perfect 4th from E to A, Major 2nd from A to B) introduce extensions and a slightly suspended quality.
• Harmonic Character: When all strings are strummed open, the resulting D-A-C-E-A-B voicing creates a Dm7(add9, add13) chord. This sophisticated combination, with the absence of a strong major or minor third in the lowest strings, combined with the presence of the 9th (E) and 13th (B), cultivates an open, melancholic, and extended harmony that is both thoughtful and dreamy.

Open Chords & Playability

When strummed open, this tuning produces a rich, complex sound that can be interpreted as a Dm7(add9, add13) chord. While not a conventional major or minor triad, it provides a stable harmonic base for exploration.

• A Minor Triad: A notable and easily accessible feature is the perfect A minor triad formed on the 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings (A2-C3-E3). This makes it very easy to weave in melodies and arpeggios around A minor.
• D Minor 7th Feel: The low D-A-C on strings 6-5-4 gives a clear D minor 7th sound, grounding the tuning firmly in a D minor mode.
• Versatile for Fingerstyle: The open intervals and drone-friendly low strings make this tuning excellent for fingerstyle compositions, allowing for expressive melodic lines over sustained harmonies.
• Accessible Barre Chords: Moving a single barre shape up and down the neck will reveal a fascinating array of minor, suspended, and extended chords, often retaining the melancholic character of the open tuning.

Open String Notes

String 6: D2
String 5: A2
String 4: C3
String 3: E3
String 2: A3
String 1: B3

How to Tune (From Standard EADGBe)

To achieve the 'Open D Melancholy' tuning from standard EADGBe, carefully adjust each string as follows:

• String 6 (Low E to D2): Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 5 (A to A2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4 (D to C3): Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 3 (G to E3): Tune down 3 semitones.
• String 2 (B to A3): Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 1 (High E to B3): Tune down 5 semitones. Important Note: Tuning a string down by 5 semitones is a significant change in tension. If you plan to use this tuning frequently, considering a lighter gauge string for your high E might improve playability and string longevity. Generally, movements exceeding 4 semitones (either up or down) warrant a review of your string gauge to avoid breakage or intonation issues.

Always tune slowly and check your intonation, especially after making substantial changes to string tension.