The DAEBAE Tuning is a distinctive custom guitar tuning that deviates significantly from standard EADGBe. It's notably utilized by the band TTNG for their song "I'll Take The Minute Snake" from their album "13000." This tuning creates a unique sonic landscape, offering a blend of open resonance and specific harmonic possibilities favored in math-rock and post-rock genres.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning provides a rich, expansive sound with a strong low-end foundation from the dropped D (D2) and the open A (A2). The arrangement of notes—D2 A2 E3 B3 A3 E4—leads to a somewhat ambiguous yet resonant open voicing. The repetition of A (A2 and A3) and E (E3 and E4) across different octaves creates a chimey, almost harp-like quality when strummed open. It's a tuning that encourages arpeggiated figures and intricate fingerpicking due to the interesting intervals between adjacent strings, making it ideal for complex melodic lines and textures.

Technical Analysis

Compared to standard tuning (E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4), the DAEBAE tuning features a mix of dropped and raised strings:

• 6th String (Low E): Dropped a full step (2 semitones) to D2.
• 5th String (A): Remains at A2 (no change).
• 4th String (D): Raised a full step (2 semitones) to E3.
• 3rd String (G): Raised a major third (4 semitones) to B3.
• 2nd String (B): Dropped a full step (2 semitones) to A3.
• 1st String (High E): Remains at E4 (no change).

The open strings D-A-E-B-A-E do not form a conventional major or minor chord. Instead, they present a complex voicing containing the notes D, A, E, and B. This can be analyzed as a Dsus2sus4 chord (D-A-E) with an added B, or a D6/9sus2/4. This gives it a rich, open, and slightly jazzy or suspended feel. The stacked perfect 5ths on the bottom two strings (D-A) and top two strings (A-E) provide a strong, resonant foundation, while the E3-B3 (perfect 5th) and B3-A3 (major 2nd) intervals in the middle strings add unique tension and color.

Chords and Voicings

While not designed for simple open chord strumming, this tuning facilitates interesting voicings:

• Open Voicing: The DAEBAE open strings create a unique D-based sound (D, A, E, B, A, E). This contains the root (D), perfect 5th (A), major 9th (E), and major 6th (B), offering a D6/9sus2sus4 quality perfect for ambient and intricate melodic work. This open chord is rich and provides a strong foundation for fingerstyle playing.
• Power Chords: The D-A on the 6th and 5th strings, and A-E on the 2nd and 1st strings, are perfect 5ths. This makes it easy to create powerful D5 and A5 chords by simply barring or fretting these pairs, useful for driving rhythmic sections.
• D/A Family Chords: By fretting notes that complete D major (F#) or A major (C#) chords, a variety of D and A family chords become readily accessible. For instance, playing the 2nd fret on the 3rd string (C#) along with open A, E, B, A, E might create an interesting A-based voicing with extended harmonics.
• Interval Play: The unique intervals, particularly the major 2nd between the 3rd (B3) and 2nd (A3) strings, can be exploited for interesting melodic and harmonic clusters, characteristic of TTNG's complex, arpeggiated style.

Overall, the DAEBAE tuning is an experimental and expressive choice, moving beyond conventional harmony to explore complex, resonant textures and specific melodic lines.

Notes in DAEBAE Tuning

• 6th String (Low E): D2
• 5th String (A): A2
• 4th String (D): E3
• 3rd String (G): B3
• 2nd String (B): A3
• 1st String (High E): E4

How to Tune

To achieve the DAEBAE tuning from standard E Standard (E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4), follow these steps carefully:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones from E2 to D2.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Remains at A2.
• 4th String (D): Tune up 2 semitones from D3 to E3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune up 4 semitones from G3 to B3. Caution: Tuning up 4 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string for this string to avoid excessive tension or breakage. Tune slowly and carefully.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 2 semitones from B3 to A3.
• 1st String (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Remains at E4.