The "Asus4 (Modal)" tuning transforms your standard guitar into a vibrant soundscape, centered around an A suspended 4th chord. This open tuning offers a rich, resonant sound perfect for modal explorations, droning textures, and slide guitar. Its unique intervallic structure encourages creative chord voicings and melodic possibilities, moving beyond conventional guitar shapes.

Technical Analysis

This tuning reconfigures the standard E-A-D-G-B-E guitar setup to D-A-E-A-E-E. The open strings themselves form an Asus4 chord (A, D, E) with a strong D bass, giving it a powerful, open, and slightly ambiguous quality. The presence of two E strings in the upper register (Strings 1 and 2) creates a natural chime and drone, especially effective for sustained notes and atmospheric playing. The octave D on the lowest string provides a deep foundation, contrasting with the higher register's clarity.

Chords and Playability

Strumming all open strings immediately yields an Asus4 chord with a D root (D A E A E E), offering a full and resonant sound. This makes it incredibly easy to play a variety of suspended chords and modal harmonies simply by barring across the frets. For instance, barring all strings at the first fret would give you A#sus4 (or Bb-sus4), at the second fret Bsus4, and so on. The duplicated E notes in the higher strings create a natural chorus effect and allow for easy melodic phrasing around these stable tones. The tuning's structure is conducive to both rhythmic strumming and intricate fingerstyle patterns, making it versatile for genres like folk, rock, ambient, and blues.

How to Tune

Please proceed with care when adjusting string tension, especially for upward tuning movements. Always check your string gauge if tuning beyond 4 semitones up or down, as this may require a different string set to prevent breakage or poor intonation.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones from E2 to D2.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from A2 to 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 5 semitones from B3 to E4. Please exercise caution when tuning this string up significantly. Consider a lighter gauge string if you plan to keep this tuning for an extended period.
• 1st String (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from E4 to E4.

String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change to A2.
String 4 (D): Tune up 2 semitones to E3.
String 3 (G): Tune up 2 semitones to A3.
String 2 (B): Tune up 5 semitones to E4.
String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change to E4.