Tuning Analysis: Cailleach Celtic Drone Tuning

This unique tuning, originally named "Cailleach Celtic drone tuning" and inspired by the "Cailleach goddess inspired song," is designed for a standard Guitar. It evokes a mystical, ancient, and deeply resonant soundscape, perfect for folk, Celtic, or ambient musical styles.

Technical and Verbal Analysis

The open tuning features the notes D-A-C-G-C-C from lowest to highest string. This combination creates a rich, complex harmony with strong drone characteristics, living up to its "drone tuning" namesake.

• The lowest two strings, D2 and A2, form a perfect fifth, providing a solid and resonant bass drone. This interval is fundamental in many folk and traditional music forms, offering a powerful foundation.
• Strings 4, 3, 2, and 1 (C3, G3, C4, C4) present a layered C major sound. The C-G interval is a perfect fifth, reinforcing a stable, open harmony. The repeated C notes on the top two strings create a bright, ringing drone, adding significant sustain and harmonic richness.
• When all strings are played open, the full chord is D-A-C-G-C-C. This can be technically interpreted as a Cadd9sus2 chord with a D root (D A C G C C), or perhaps a Cmaj7sus2 with a D bass, showcasing its modal ambiguity and flexibility. The strong presence of C, particularly in the upper register, makes C major or C Lydian modes easily accessible. Simultaneously, the low D and A suggest possibilities for D Dorian or D Aeolian explorations, offering a melancholic yet powerful sound palette fitting for a "Cailleach goddess" theme.
• The inherent drone quality, particularly from the repeated C notes and the D-A fifth in the bass, encourages melodic playing over the open strings, allowing for expressive single-note lines and arpeggios that resonate beautifully. The close proximity of C and G makes common chord shapes around these notes particularly resonant, and the openness of the top two C strings facilitates easy access to harmonies based around the C major triad.

How to Tune

To achieve the Cailleach's Lament Drone tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning, follow these specific string movements. Please refer to the specified note and semitone adjustments:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2. (Original: E2 -> D2)
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to A2. (Original: A2 -> A2)
• String 4 (D): Tune down 2 semitones to C3. (Original: D3 -> C3)
• String 3 (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to G3. (Original: G3 -> G3)
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone to C4. (Original: B3 -> C4)
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 4 semitones to C4. (Original: E4 -> C4)
  Note on String 1: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change. While generally manageable, if you frequently use this tuning or notice excessive string looseness, consider using a slightly heavier gauge string for optimal tone and tension.

The notes for the Cailleach's Lament Drone tuning are as follows:

String 6: D2

String 5: A2

String 4: C3

String 3: G3

String 2: C4

String 1: C4