The "Michael Hedges: Fusion of the 5 Elements" tuning, often associated with the legendary fingerstyle guitarist Michael Hedges, is a captivating and deeply resonant open tuning. It's designed to unlock a unique sonic palette, moving far beyond standard guitar voicings.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning evokes a sense of expansive space and rich harmonic complexity, characteristic of Hedges' innovative approach. The open strings offer a blend of deep drones and bright, shimmering tones, creating a soundscape that can be at once melancholic, majestic, and intricate. It's particularly well-suited for percussive techniques, intricate arpeggios, and lush chord voicings that ring out with sustain. The arrangement of notes lends itself to ambient soundscapes, modern classical compositions, and experimental folk.

Technical Analysis

The tuning uses the notes D, A, E, F, A, E from low to high (D2 A2 E3 F3 A3 E4 when observing typical guitar range). The provided JSON indicates these notes are represented an octave higher than their fundamental intended pitches (likely D1 A1 E2 F2 A2 E3), which is important context for understanding its true sonic depth. The intervals between the strings are highly unconventional, leading to its distinctive character:

• Low D (6th string) to A (5th string): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• A (5th string) to E (4th string): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• E (4th string) to F (3rd string): Minor 2nd (1 semitone) - a very tight, tension-building interval
• F (3rd string) to A (2nd string): Major 3rd (4 semitones)
• A (2nd string) to E (1st string): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)

The open strings D-A-E-F-A-E themselves form a rich, complex sonority. When strummed open, they produce a sound akin to a Dm9(no5) chord, featuring the root (D), perfect fifth (A), major ninth (E), and minor third (F). The duplicate A and E strings provide powerful resonance and allow for innovative melodic and harmonic exploration.

Chordal Possibilities

While not a simple open major or minor chord, this tuning immediately offers:

• Open Voicing: The full open tuning produces a rich, suspended D minor-esque sound (D-A-E-F-A-E), which can be used as a stable drone or the foundation for complex fingerstyle passages.
• D Minor Shapes: The presence of D, F, and A in the open tuning makes D minor chords (and their inversions) easily accessible across the neck, often with added extensions or open string resonance.
• A Minor Shapes: Barring the open strings at the 7th fret (yielding A E B C E B) suggests an A minor tonality, ripe for exploration.
• G Minor Shapes: Barring at the 5th fret (yielding G D A Bb D A) provides a G minor feel.
• Harmonic Potential: The unique intervals, particularly the minor 2nd between the 4th and 3rd strings (E to F), create intriguing dissonances and resolutions, pushing players to explore non-traditional chord voicings and melodic ideas. The two Perfect 5th intervals on the bass strings (D-A-E) provide a strong, resonant foundation, typical of many DAE-based Hedges tunings.

Tuning Notes

• String 6 (Low E): D2
• String 5 (A): A2
• String 4 (D): E3
• String 3 (G): F3
• String 2 (B): A3
• String 1 (High E): E4

How to Tune

To achieve the "Michael Hedges: Fusion of the 5 Elements" tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones (1 whole step) from E to D.
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Stays at A.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 2 semitones (1 whole step) from D to E. Please tune this string carefully.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 2 semitones (1 whole step) from G to F.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 2 semitones (1 whole step) from B to A.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Stays at E.

Important Tuning Advice: When tuning strings up, especially by more than a semitone, proceed slowly and carefully to avoid string breakage. While no string in this tuning exceeds a change of 2 semitones (up or down), which is generally safe for standard string gauges, always exercise caution. If a tuning requires movements exceeding 4 semitones (up or down), a different string gauge might be advisable.