This unique guitar tuning, aptly named Dmaj7 #11, transforms your instrument into a canvas for rich, extended harmonies. As described by its creator, it's an experimental tuning that sounds "pretty cool", and we wholeheartedly agree. It departs significantly from standard tuning, inviting players to explore complex chord voicings and melodic ideas that are less common in traditional setups.

Verbal Analysis

The Dmaj7 #11 tuning offers a truly distinctive sound. When strummed open, it immediately presents a lush, bright, and slightly mysterious chord. It's a sound often associated with contemporary jazz, fusion, or ambient music, giving your guitar an expressive, almost piano-like quality. The arrangement of notes fosters a sense of openness and airiness, making it ideal for fingerstyle playing, creating evolving soundscapes, or exploring melodic improvisation over its inherent harmonic structure. It encourages players to think beyond typical chord shapes and discover new sonic territories.

Technical Analysis

This is an open chord tuning for the Guitar, centered around a D Major 7th chord with an augmented 11th. The open strings, from low to high, are D2 - A2 - C#4 - F#4 - G#4 - C#5. When analyzed against the root note of D, the intervals are as follows:

• 6th String (D2): Root (P1)
• 5th String (A2): Perfect 5th (P5)
• 4th String (C#4): Major 7th (M7)
• 3rd String (F#4): Major 3rd (M3)
• 2nd String (G#4): Augmented 4th / Sharp 11th (A4 / #11)
• 1st String (C#5): Major 7th (M7) - an octave above the C#4

The presence of both the Major 3rd (F#) and the #11 (G#) creates the characteristic 'Lydian' color often found in Dmaj7#11 chords, giving it a soaring, ethereal quality. The lower D-A establishes a strong, resonant foundation, while the higher strings introduce the rich extensions.

Chords and Playability

This tuning inherently offers a wealth of harmonic possibilities:

• Open Chord: The most immediate benefit is the stunning Dmaj7#11 chord available simply by strumming all open strings. This serves as a fantastic drone or starting point for compositions.
• Barre Chords: Due to its open chord nature, barring all strings at any fret will instantly give you a transposed Maj7#11 chord. For example, barring at the 2nd fret yields an Emaj7#11, and at the 5th fret, a Gmaj7#11.
• Power Chords & Bass Lines: The D2-A2 on the 6th and 5th strings provides an easy D5 power chord and a solid foundation for bass lines in the key of D.
• Upper Voicings: The cluster of C#4-F#4-G#4-C#5 on the upper four strings forms interesting voicings that can be explored independently, offering bright, chime-like arpeggios or complex upper structures.
• Creative Fingerings: The unique intervals between strings will encourage creative fingerings for common chord shapes, often resulting in fresh, unexpected voicings. This tuning would be particularly rewarding for slide guitarists seeking a rich, harmonically complex open sound.

Here are the specific notes for each string in the Dmaj7 #11 tuning, from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st) string:

• String 6 (Low E): D2
• String 5 (A): A2
• String 4 (D): C#4
• String 3 (G): F#4
• String 2 (B): G#4
• String 1 (High E): C#5

How to Tune Your Guitar

To transform your guitar from standard EADGBe tuning to the Dmaj7 #11 tuning, follow these precise adjustments for each string:

• 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 C#4): Tune down 1 semitone.
• String 3 (G to F#4): Tune down 1 semitone.
• String 2 (B to G#4): Tune down 3 semitones.
• String 1 (High E to C#5): Tune down 3 semitones.

All described tuning adjustments involve tuning strings down or keeping them standard, and are within safe limits for typical guitar string gauges. For any tuning adjustments exceeding 4 semitones up or down, considering a different string gauge might be advised for optimal performance and safety.