Tuning Analysis: DAEADF#

This unique tuning for the Guitar, aptly named DAEADF#, ventures far from standard EADGBE, opening up a fresh sonic landscape. As described by its creator, it's a tuning that 'sounded nice' and invites exploration.

Verbal Analysis

The immediate impression of DAEADF# is its bright, open, and resonant quality, largely due to the open strings forming a D Major chord. When strummed open, this tuning sings out a full D Major sound, infused with the added depth of the repeated D and A notes, and the chime of the high F#. This creates a natural drone effect, perfect for folk, blues, or ambient styles where sustained harmonies are desired. The tuning provides a rich foundation, making it particularly inviting for slide guitar or fingerstyle playing where the inherent harmony can be easily exploited. Players might find themselves exploring new melodic pathways and chord voicings that feel both familiar (due to the D Major foundation) and entirely novel.

Technical Analysis

The tuning is structured as follows, from low to high: D2 - A2 - E3 - A3 - D4 - F#5.

• Open Chord: The most striking technical feature is that all open strings together form a D Major chord (D, F#, A). Specifically, with the notes D2, A2, E3, A3, D4, F#5, it creates a lush Dadd9 or Dmaj9 chord voicing, where the E3 acts as a perfect 4th above A2, or a major 9th above the root D2, adding considerable harmonic richness.
• Repeated Notes: The presence of two 'D' notes (D2, D4) and two 'A' notes (A2, A3) across different octaves provides a powerful and resonant drone. This repetition simplifies certain chord shapes and allows for easy harmonic anchoring.
• Intervals: The intervals between adjacent strings are:
  • D2 to A2: Perfect 5th
  • A2 to E3: Perfect 4th
  • E3 to A3: Perfect 4th
  • A3 to D4: Perfect 4th
  • D4 to F#5: Major 3rd
  This sequence of three consecutive perfect 4ths (A2-E3, E3-A3, A3-D4) on the middle strings creates a consistent 'power chord' type interval, which can be easily leveraged for riffing or lead lines. The final Major 3rd on the highest strings (D4-F#5) provides that characteristic bright, major sound.
• Chord Shapes & Reach:
  • D Major: Strumming all open strings immediately gives you a D Major chord.
  • Root-5th Power Chords: The D-A-D pattern on strings 6, 5, 4 and 3, 2, 1 allows for easy D and A power chords by simply muting strings or barring.
  • Open & Barred Chords: By fretting all strings at a single fret (barring), you can achieve different major chords. For example, barring at the 2nd fret would yield an E Major chord (E-B-F#-B-E-G#), transforming the D Major open sound into a movable chord shape.
  • Drone & Melodic Leads: The open D and A strings are excellent for droning while playing melodies or chords on the higher strings.

How to Tune

To achieve the DAEADF# tuning from standard EADGBE, follow these specific string adjustments:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones from E2 to D2.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at A2.
• 4th String (D): Tune up 2 semitones from D3 to E3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune up 2 semitones from G3 to A3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 3 semitones from B3 to D4.
• 1st String (High E): Tune up 2 semitones from E4 to F#5.

Important Note on String Gauges: While the individual string movements in this tuning are generally within a safe range (with the 2nd string tuning up 3 semitones being the largest adjustment), it's always wise to exercise caution when tuning strings significantly up or down. For movements exceeding 4 semitones in either direction, considering a different gauge string is often advised to prevent excessive tension or looseness and potential damage to your instrument.