Midwest Emo DAEABC# Tuning Analysis

This intriguing and resonant guitar tuning, explicitly named "Midwest Java Emo" by its creator, opens up a world of bright, shimmering textures and complex harmonic possibilities. It’s a perfect candidate for genres like Midwest Emo, Math Rock, or any style seeking intricate fingerstyle patterns, open voicings, and a unique sonic character. The combination of open fifths and wide intervals creates a rich, sustained sound ideal for arpeggiated melodies and lush chordal textures.

Technical Breakdown

The tuning configures your guitar strings to D2-A2-E3-A3-B3-C#5, from the lowest (6th) to the highest (1st) string. Let's break down the intervals between adjacent strings:

• 6th String (D2) to 5th String (A2): A perfect fifth (P5). This provides a strong, foundational open interval, common in many alternate tunings.
• 5th String (A2) to 4th String (E3): Another perfect fifth (P5). The presence of two consecutive open perfect fifths in the lower register creates a powerful, drone-like quality and contributes to the tuning's resonant nature.
• 4th String (E3) to 3rd String (A3): A perfect fourth (P4). This is a familiar interval from standard tuning, providing a point of reference and a stable step.
• 3rd String (A3) to 2nd String (B3): A major second (M2). This narrow, yet open, interval adds a subtle tension and harmonic interest, particularly useful for melodic lines.
• 2nd String (B3) to 1st String (C#5): An octave plus a major second, or a major ninth (M9). This is a very wide and sparkling interval that contributes significantly to the tuning's bright and chimey character, placing a high C# note far above the B string.

Open Chords and Voicings

The open strings themselves form a rich and complex voicing: D-A-E-A-B-C#. Analyzing these notes reveals several possibilities:

• As a D-based chord: The notes include D (root), A (perfect fifth), C# (major seventh), E (major ninth), and B (major thirteenth/sixth). This essentially forms a very lush Dmaj13(#11) or Dmaj7add9add13, offering a bright, extended major sound. The E on the 4th string can also evoke a Dsus2 or Dsus4 quality, depending on context.
• Resonant Arpeggios: The open perfect fifths (D-A, A-E) make this tuning exceptionally good for arpeggios that ring out. The higher A-B-C# cluster provides a shimmering quality, perfect for melodic fragments.
• Midwest Emo Character: This tuning is highly conducive to the characteristic bright, often dissonant-yet-melodic soundscapes of Midwest Emo. It encourages fingerpicking patterns that utilize the open strings, creating intricate, intertwining melodies and harmonies that are both expansive and emotionally resonant. Chords can be built by adding just a few fretted notes, quickly yielding complex, beautiful voicings. For example, simply barring across the 3rd or 4th fret can produce interesting harmonies, while the open A and D provide a solid base.

Overall, the Midwest Emo DAEABC# tuning is an exciting landscape for exploration, inviting players to discover new harmonic possibilities and expressive melodic lines.

How to Tune Your Guitar to Midwest Emo DAEABC#

To achieve the unique sound of the Midwest Emo DAEABC# tuning, adjust your guitar strings according to the following instructions. Always use a reliable tuner. Exercise caution when tuning strings up significantly, as it increases string tension. For movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, considering a different string gauge might be advisable, though none of the adjustments below fall into that extreme category.

• 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 E3: Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 3 (G) to A3: Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 2 (B) to B3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 1 (High E) to C#5: Tune down 3 semitones.

Please ensure your guitar is properly intonated after changing to any alternate tuning, especially one with significant pitch changes.