The "Clocks" tuning, as described by its creator, is designed for playing traditional music alongside instruments like the bagpipe and rebec. This suggests a unique sonic character that likely emphasizes drones, open harmonies, and modal possibilities, offering a distinctive sound palate for such genres.

Technical Analysis: Open Notes and Chord Voicings

This tuning sets the guitar's open strings to D2 B2 D3 F#4 B3 E4. Let's break down its intervallic structure from the lowest D:

• Low D (String 6): The root, providing a strong bass foundation.
• B (String 5): A Major 6th above the low D.
• D (String 4): An octave above the low D, reinforcing the root.
• F# (String 3): A Major 3rd above the low D, establishing a D Major tonality.
• B (String 2): An octave above the 5th string B, reinforcing the Major 6th.
• E (String 1): A Major 2nd (or 9th) above the low D.

When strummed open, this tuning produces a rich D(add6, add9) chord (D-F#-B-E over a low D bass). This creates a bright, open sound with a distinct suspended or modal feel due to the prominent B (6th) and E (9th). The absence of the perfect 5th (A) keeps the chord airy and less harmonically dense, allowing for greater melodic and modal exploration without potential clashes.

Chords and Playability

The "Clocks" tuning is particularly versatile for traditional and folk music styles:

• Open D(add6, add9): The natural open strum provides a full, shimmering D chord with a unique color. This can serve as an excellent drone or a rich home chord, perfectly suiting a bagpipe-like drone quality.
• B Minor Implications: With the notes B, D, and F# present across strings, a B minor triad is strongly implied. Fingering a simple barre across the upper strings or even just muting the lowest D can quickly yield B minor based harmonies. This allows for easy transitions between D major and B minor tonalities, which are common in many folk traditions.
• Dorian and Mixolydian Flavors: The prominent D, B, and E notes lend themselves well to exploring D Dorian (D E F# G A B C# D) and D Mixolydian (D E F# G A B C D) scales, which are frequently used in traditional European music. Melodies can easily weave around the open strings, creating sustained, resonant sounds.
• Drone Potential: The repeated D and B notes across octaves make this an excellent tuning for creating sustained drones, a characteristic often found in bagpipe and rebec music. Simple two or three-string voicings can achieve powerful, resonant effects, perfect for accompanying traditional melodies.
• Easy Barre Chords: Moving a single finger across various frets on the D, B, D, F#, B, E strings can produce interesting harmonic clusters and power chords, shifting the root while maintaining the intervallic relationships. For instance, a barre at the 2nd fret would yield an E(add6, add9) based chord, and at the 7th fret, an A(add6, add9) based chord.

How to Tune to Clocks (D B D F# B E)

To achieve the "Clocks" tuning, adjust your guitar from standard EADGBe tuning according to the following string movements. Always use a reliable tuner and tune carefully, working one string at a time.

• String 6 (Low E to D2): Tune down 2 semitones. This involves loosening the string significantly from its standard E2.
• String 5 (A to B2): Tune up 2 semitones. This tightens the string from its standard A2.
• String 4 (D to D3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains at its standard D3 tuning.
• String 3 (G to F#4): Tune down 1 semitone. This involves loosening the string slightly from its standard G4.
• String 2 (B to B3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains at its standard B3 tuning.
• String 1 (High E to E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains at its standard E4 tuning.

Important Considerations for Tuning:

Please note the following advice regarding string tension and gauge:

• The movements for String 6 (down 2 semitones) and String 5 (up 2 semitones) are moderate. While generally safe for standard string gauges, always tune slowly to allow the strings to settle.
• As a general rule, if a string needs to be tuned down by more than 4 semitones (e.g., -5, -6) or up by more than 4 semitones (e.g., +5, +6), it is advisable to consider a different string gauge. This helps to avoid excessive slack or tension, which could potentially damage your guitar or strings and affect playability. This particular tuning falls within safe limits for most standard string sets.