The DAFGCE Eclectic Tuning is a highly distinctive and harmonically rich custom tuning for the guitar, significantly departing from the standard EADGBe. This configuration unlocks a unique sonic palette, blending familiar harmonic anchors with a series of intriguing intervallic relationships. It's a tuning that encourages exploration and offers a fresh perspective for composers and improvisers.

Verbal Analysis

Upon first encounter, this tuning presents a wide and expressive array of notes across the strings. The lowest two strings, tuned to D and A, immediately establish a powerful and resonant D5 power chord foundation, providing a deep and authoritative bottom end. As you ascend the fretboard through F, G, C, and E, the tuning weaves in a complex tapestry of minor, major, and suspended qualities. It possesses a feel that is both grounded and expansive, hinting at modal possibilities such as D minor or Dorian due to the prominent D, F, A, and C notes, yet the inclusion of G and E extends these harmonies into richer suspended and jazz-influenced voicings.

This tuning is particularly well-suited for fingerstyle guitarists, experimental musicians, and those seeking to discover unique chord voicings and textures. The broad intervals between certain strings, such as the major 6th jump from A2 to F3, naturally inspire new melodic phrases and chord shapes that are unachievable in standard tuning. It fosters a sense of open space, allowing notes to ring out and blend, thereby creating lush, sustained soundscapes.

Technical Analysis

The open strings of this tuning are D2-A2-F3-G3-C4-E4. Let's analyze the intervallic relationships:

• 6th String (D2): The root, anchoring the entire tuning with a deep bass note.
• 5th String (A2): A perfect 5th above D2, strongly reinforcing the D power chord foundation.
• 4th String (F3): This is a minor 3rd (octave up) from D2, or a major 6th above A2. It introduces a minor tonality to the dominant D.
• 3rd String (G3): A perfect 4th (octave up) from D2, and a major 2nd above F3. This adds a suspended quality or hints at a G major chord within the D context.
• 2nd String (C4): A minor 7th (two octaves up) from D2, and a perfect 4th above G3. This completes a D minor 7 chord structure.
• 1st String (E4): A major 2nd (two octaves up) from D2, or a major 9th. It is also a major 3rd above C4. This note contributes a bright, extended harmony to the overall sound.

When strummed openly, the collective notes form a sophisticated D minor 7 (add9, add11) chord (D-A-F-G-C-E). This rich voicing provides a full, resonant, and often melancholic yet dynamic sound. Other notable open or easily accessible chord possibilities include:

• D5: Achieved by strumming just the lowest two strings (D-A).
• Dm(add9): Using D-A-F-C-E for a lush D minor sonority with an added ninth.
• Cmaj9sus4/D: If you focus on the higher strings (G-C-E) played over the D bass, it can create an intriguing C major 9th suspended 4th sound over a D pedal.
• Fmaj7sus2/D: Considering the F-G-C-E sequence over the low D, this offers another unique harmonic color.

The distinct intervallic leaps, particularly the major 6th between A2 and F3 and the perfect 4th between G3 and C4, offer exciting new pathways for developing arpeggios and melodic phrases. Common chords like open C major (C-E-G) or F major (F-A-C) are often within easy reach with minimal fretting, creating resonant voicings that complement or contrast the underlying D and A bass notes.

Open String Notes:

• 6th String (Low E): D2
• 5th String (A): A2
• 4th String (D): F3
• 3rd String (G): G3
• 2nd String (B): C4
• 1st String (High E): E4

How to Tune:

To achieve the DAFGCE Eclectic Tuning, precisely follow these string adjustments from standard EADGBe tuning:

• 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 3 semitones from D3 to F3. Note: Tuning a string up by 3 semitones is a notable adjustment; please proceed with care to mitigate the risk of string breakage, particularly if using lighter gauge strings.
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from G3 to G3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 1 semitone from B3 to C4.
• 1st String (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from E4 to E4.

As a general guideline, for string movements that exceed 4 semitones (either up or down), it is often advisable to consider using a different string gauge to ensure optimal playability, maintain intonation, and prolong string life. While no string in this specific tuning goes beyond this 4-semitone threshold, the 3-semitone increase on the 4th string does warrant careful and gradual tuning.