Verbal Analysis

The 'Pink Moon Tuning' presents a truly ethereal and resonant soundscape, deeply associated with the evocative music of artists like Nick Drake. At its core, this tuning creates a rich, open Dsus4 chord, but with a bright, ringing F# on the highest string, giving it a unique character. It feels both melancholic and hopeful, with a beautiful shimmer that comes from the interplay of the open strings. The low D-A-D drone provides a powerful foundation, allowing for deep, resonant bass notes and a sustained sonic texture. This tuning invites a fingerstyle approach, where the individual notes can ring out and weave together, creating complex harmonic tapestry with minimal effort.

Technical Analysis

This tuning is a D-based altered tuning, set to D A D G D F#. Let's break down the intervals from the primary root D:

• 6th String (D1): The foundational Root D, providing a deep bass.
• 5th String (A2): A Perfect 5th above the root, reinforcing the D tonality.
• 4th String (D3): An Octave above the 6th string D, adding fullness.
• 3rd String (G3): A Perfect 4th above the lowest D, creating the 'sus4' quality. This G note is crucial for the unique flavor of the tuning.
• 2nd String (D4): Another Octave D, further enhancing the resonance and D tonality.
• 1st String (F#5): A Major 3rd above the lowest D, providing brightness and clearly establishing a D Major flavor, despite the prominent G (4th).

The combination of D, F#, A, and G results in a Dmaj(add4) or Dsus4 sound. It's similar to DADGAD but the G on the 3rd string and F# on the 1st string diverge significantly, creating a brighter, more open major-suspended feel.

Open Chords and Harmonics

The open strings themselves form a rich Dsus4 / Dmaj(add4) chord. This means simply strumming the open strings yields a beautiful, full-bodied chord. Many open-string harmonies and drones become instantly accessible. Barring all strings at any fret will produce major suspended chords (e.g., barring at the 2nd fret yields an Esus4, at the 5th fret Gsus4), making complex voicings surprisingly easy to achieve. The low D-A-D allows for powerful drone notes, perfect for creating dynamic textures and basslines with minimal effort. The high F# means that traditional D minor voicings would require fretting the first string at the first fret (F natural), shifting its character significantly.

Capo Considerations

The tuning description mentions (capo 2nd fret). This is a common practice with this tuning. While the physical open strings are D A D G D F#, applying a capo at the 2nd fret shifts the *sounding* pitch of all strings up by two semitones. Therefore, when played with a capo on the 2nd fret, the effective tuning becomes E B E A E G#. This transforms the open Dsus4 into an open Esus4, allowing for the same open chord shapes and harmonic possibilities but in the key of E.

Tuning Notes

String 6 (Lowest String): D1

String 5: A2

String 4: D3

String 3: G3

String 2: D4

String 1 (Highest String): F#5

How to Tune

To achieve the 'Pink Moon Tuning' (D A D G D F#), follow these specific adjustments for each string. Please note that these movements are relative to an unspecified starting point and are designed to bring your strings to the target notes. Always tune carefully and listen for pitch, using a reliable tuner.

• String 6 (Lowest String) to D1: Tune up 1 semitone.
• String 5 to A2: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4 to D3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 3 to G3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 2 to D4: Tune up 3 semitones.
• String 1 (Highest String) to F#5: Tune up 2 semitones.

Important Tuning Advice

When adjusting your strings, especially when tuning up multiple semitones, always proceed with caution to avoid string breakage. For movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down from standard tuning, it is generally advised to consider a different gauge of string to ensure optimal tension and safety. The adjustments for String 2 (+3 semitones) are within a generally safe range but should still be approached with care.