About the Roslyn Bon Iver Tuning

This unique guitar tuning, famously used by Bon Iver in both live performances and studio recordings for his song "Roslyn", offers a distinct and resonant sonic landscape. It ventures significantly beyond standard guitar tuning to create a rich harmonic foundation.

Verbal Analysis

The Roslyn Bon Iver tuning immediately strikes the ear with its open, shimmering quality, characterized by a prominent D bass and a sparkling high end. The arrangement of notes fosters a sense of ethereal warmth and complexity, allowing for lush chord voicings with minimal effort. It evokes a feeling of spaciousness and introspection, typical of Bon Iver's signature sound. Playing the open strings yields a rich, sustained harmony that invites experimentation and lends itself well to atmospheric, layered guitar parts.

Technical Analysis

The tuning for this Guitar, from low to high, is D2-B2-D3-F4#-D4-F5#. Compared to standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning, this is a highly customized setup. The open strings reveal a unique D-based harmony. If we analyze the intervals from the lowest D (D2), we get:

• 6th String (D2): The Root (P1)
• 5th String (B2): A Major 6th (M6) above the root D
• 4th String (D3): An Octave (P8) above the root D
• 3rd String (F4#): A Major 3rd (M3) above the root D
• 2nd String (D4): Two Octaves (P15) above the root D
• 1st String (F5#): A Major 3rd (M3) two octaves higher than the D3, or a Major 17th (M17) above the root D

Technically, this tuning is best described as an open Dmaj6 (no 5th) voicing. It heavily reinforces the root (D) and the major third (F#) across multiple octaves, along with the distinctive major sixth (B). The absence of the fifth (A) allows for a more open and less harmonically dense sound, giving space for the D and F# to resonate. This configuration naturally lends itself to creating expansive, sustained chords. Simple barres across frets will produce various Dmaj6-like voicings (e.g., barring at the 2nd fret would yield an Emaj6-like chord, maintaining the D-based open intervals relative to the new root, but in the unique Bon Iver voicing). Due to the nature of this tuning, many common chord shapes will not translate directly. However, the open strings themselves form a beautiful chord, and single-finger or two-finger additions can easily create suspended chords, added-note chords, or even minor harmonies by targeting specific notes. The open tuning provides a fantastic canvas for drone-based music and arpeggiated figures, allowing for a rich, textured sound with relatively simple finger positions.

How to Tune Your Guitar for Roslyn Bon Iver

To achieve the Roslyn Bon Iver tuning (D2 B2 D3 F4# D4 F5#), you'll need to adjust your strings from standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning. Please proceed with care, especially with significant string tension changes. Generally, tuning up 3 or 4 semitones requires caution, as it increases string tension considerably. For changes exceeding 4 semitones up or down, a different string gauge is often advised to prevent string breakage or damage to your instrument. Based on the specified string movements, only the 2nd string (B string) involves a 3-semitone jump.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
• 5th String (A): Tune up 2 semitones to B2.
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at D3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F4#.
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 3 semitones to D4. (Caution: Tuning a string up 3 semitones increases tension significantly. Proceed with care and check your tuner frequently.)
• 1st String (High E): Tune up 2 semitones to F5#.