Verbal Analysis

The 'Alturistic Indifference' tuning is a highly experimental and audaciously dissonant setup, perfectly embodying its stated intent for "cluster chords and minor 2nds." Forget conventional harmony; this tuning plunges the guitar into a world of tension, density, and sonic intrigue. Strumming the open strings immediately reveals a dense, almost chaotic sonic landscape that is far from traditional harmonious voicings. It's designed for the adventurous player seeking avant-garde, experimental, and textural sounds, where clashes and evocative tension are not just tolerated, but celebrated. This tuning encourages an approach focused on sonic textures rather than traditional melodies or chord progressions, making it ideal for ambient soundscapes, modern compositions, or exploring the outer limits of guitar sonics.

Technical Analysis

The open notes of this tuning are D2, B2, C#4, A3, C4, and A#4 (from lowest to highest string). When analyzed within a single octave, these notes form a tightly packed chromatic cluster: A, A#, B, C, C#, D. This arrangement directly facilitates the creation of highly dissonant cluster chords and provides unique opportunities for percussive and sustained textural playing.

• Minor 2nds: A defining characteristic is the prevalence of minor second intervals. Notably, B (String 5) and C (String 2) are a minor 2nd apart, as are C (String 2) and C# (String 4), and A (String 3) and A# (String 1). These tight intervallic relationships are central to the tuning's sonic identity.
• Complex Voicing: The intervallic structure from the lowest string (D2) creates a complex voicing: a Major 6th to B2, a two-octave-plus Major 7th to C#4, a one-octave-plus Perfect 5th to A3, a one-octave-plus Minor 7th to C4, and a two-octave-plus Augmented 5th/Minor 6th to A#4. This is a deliberate departure from consonant tunings.

Open and Reachable Chords

Traditional major or minor triads are not readily available in an open position; instead, the open strings themselves form a rich, complex, and highly dissonant cluster. This tuning excels at facilitating voicings with tight intervallic relationships. For instance, a single finger barred across adjacent or near-adjacent strings will immediately yield dense clusters:

• Barring across strings 5, 2, and 4 (B2, C4, C#4) can produce a tight B-C-C# cluster.
• A simple two-string fret on strings 3 and 1 will yield an A-A# minor 2nd.

Its strength lies in its ability to produce rich, complex harmonic textures with minimal effort, especially for modern classical, jazz fusion, ambient music, or experimental noise. Players should think in terms of texture, dissonance, and individual note relationships rather than conventional chord shapes.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'Alturistic Indifference' tuning, adjust your guitar strings as follows:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to reach D2.
• String 5 (A): Tune up 2 semitones to reach B2.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 1 semitone to reach C#4.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 2 semitones to reach A3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone to reach C4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 6 semitones to reach A#4. Caution: A significant drop of 6 semitones is beyond the recommended range (typically +/- 4 semitones) for standard string gauges. It is highly advisable to use a heavier gauge string for your first string to maintain proper tension and avoid breakage or intonation issues.

Here are the notes for each string in the 'Alturistic Indifference' tuning, from the lowest (thickest) to the highest (thinnest):

• String 6: D2
• String 5: B2
• String 4: C#4
• String 3: A3
• String 2: C4
• String 1: A#4