The "Screaming Father" tuning offers a deep, resonant, and somewhat haunting sonic landscape, perfectly suited for styles requiring a powerful drone or atmospheric soundscapes. The core of this tuning revolves around a D-A-D drone foundation, topped by three unison A notes across the higher strings. This unique arrangement encourages a distinctive playing style, as the upper A strings are designed to be treated almost as a single, thick voice, often barred together to create a massive, sustained tone.

Technical Analysis

The open tuning presents as D2-A2-D3-A3-A3-A3. This configuration creates a rich harmonic canvas, primarily an open Dsus2 or a powerful D5 chord with a dominant A presence. The three unison A notes on the highest strings (A3, A3, A3) create an incredibly thick and resonant sound, making these strings ideal for unison melodies, power chords, or sustained drones. The lower D-A-D section acts as a stable and powerful bass drone, anchoring the entire tuning.

Open Chords & Reachable Shapes:

• Open D Drone/Dsus2: The open strings themselves form a D-A-D-A-A-A, which is a powerful Dsus2 or a D5 chord with a strong emphasis on the A. This makes the open position incredibly resonant and a natural starting point for compositions.
• Unison & Octave Barre Chords: The triple A on the top three strings means that barring across these strings at any fret will produce a powerful unison or octave effect. For instance, barring at the 2nd fret would yield B notes, creating a unique texture when played against the lower D-A-D drone.
• Power Chords: The D-A-D low end is perfect for thick power chords rooted on D or A, while the high A-A-A provides a perfect accompaniment for heavy riffing or melodic lines.
• Modal Playing: The strong D and A presence makes this tuning highly conducive to playing in D or A modes, allowing for fluid melodic lines and atmospheric textures.

As suggested in the tuning's description, intentionally detuning the third and fourth A strings by a few cents (microtonal adjustments) can further enhance the richness and complexity of the sound, adding an almost chorused or phase-like quality to the drone.

How to Tune

To achieve the Screaming Father tuning, follow these specific adjustments from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E):

• Low E String (6th String): Tune down 2 semitones from E2 to D2.
• A String (5th String): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains A2.
• D String (4th String): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains D3.
• G String (3rd String): Tune up 2 semitones from G3 to A3.
• B String (2nd String): Tune down 2 semitones from B3 to A3.
• High E String (1st String): Tune down 7 semitones from E4 to A3. Caution: Tuning down 7 semitones is a significant change. It is strongly advised to use a heavier gauge string for the 1st string to avoid potential string breakage or poor intonation.

String 6 (Low E): D2
String 5 (A): A2
String 4 (D): D3
String 3 (G): A3
String 2 (B): A3
String 1 (High E): A3