Tuning Analysis: Aranpo's Layered D

This intriguing tuning, dubbed "Aranpo's Layered D" (originally named "Aranpo's Materials" with the description "not sure to be honest, not at all but it's definitely a tuning"), is a highly experimental and unconventional setup for the guitar. It breaks from traditional tuning patterns, offering a unique sonic landscape characterized by vast octave shifts and non-linear pitch progression across the strings.

Verbal Observations

Aranpo's Layered D presents a sound that is both spacious and harmonically complex. Unlike tunings designed for easy strumming of common chords, this setup encourages exploration beyond conventional boundaries. The extreme jumps in pitch between adjacent strings create an open, almost orchestral quality, with notes layered across multiple octaves. It might appeal to players seeking avant-garde sounds, ambient textures, or those looking to challenge their understanding of the fretboard. It's a tuning ripe for percussive techniques, arpeggiated figures, and creating unique drones, rather than traditional chord-melody playing. The inherent 'weirdness' hinted at by the original description is certainly borne out by its structure.

Technical Analysis

The tuning notes are as follows, from the lowest (thickest) string to the highest (thinnest):

• String 6: D2
• String 5: B2
• String 4: F4#
• String 3: A3
• String 2: B3
• String 1: E4

The intervals between adjacent strings are highly irregular:

• String 6 (D2) to String 5 (B2): Major 6th (9 semitones)
• String 5 (B2) to String 4 (F4#): Compound Perfect 5th (31 semitones). This is an extremely large jump of over two and a half octaves, making String 4 incredibly high pitched relative to String 5.
• String 4 (F4#) to String 3 (A3): Descending minor 3rd (down 9 semitones). This is a highly unusual reversal, with the lower-numbered string (String 3) pitched significantly lower than the higher-numbered string (String 4).
• String 3 (A3) to String 2 (B3): Major 2nd (2 semitones)
• String 2 (B3) to String 1 (E4): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)

The open strings, when considering pitch classes (D, B, F#, A, B, E), contain the notes D, E, F#, A, B. This collection of notes forms a Dmaj13 (without the C#) or a Dmaj9(add6). Specifically, the notes D, F#, and A are present (D2, F4#, A3), forming a D Major triad. However, the extreme octave displacements mean this D Major triad is voiced unconventionally, creating a very open and spread-out sound. For instance, the F4# is two octaves above the D2, while the A3 is an octave and a minor third below the F4#. This makes traditional chord shapes difficult, but opens up unique voicings and melodic possibilities.

Given the significant tension changes required for String 4 (+4 semitones), players should exercise caution and potentially consider a different string gauge to ensure guitar integrity and optimal playability.

Open String Notes

Here are the notes for each string in Aranpo's Layered D tuning, from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st) string:

String 6: D2 (Low D)
String 5: B2 (B an octave above String 6's D)
String 4: F4# (F sharp, two octaves above String 5's B)
String 3: A3 (A, pitched lower than String 4's F#)
String 2: B3 (B, a step above String 3's A)
String 1: E4 (High E)

How to Tune (from Standard EADGBe)

To achieve Aranpo's Layered D tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps:

• String 6 (Low E String): Tune down 2 semitones from E2 to D2. This is a moderate drop, ensuring good string tension.
• String 5 (A String): Tune up 2 semitones from A2 to B2. This is a moderate increase in tension.
• String 4 (D String): Tune up 4 semitones from D3 to F4#. This is a significant increase in tension. Caution is advised; for sustained use, consider a lighter gauge string to prevent potential damage to your instrument or string breakage.
• String 3 (G String): Tune up 2 semitones from G3 to A3. This is a moderate increase in tension.
• String 2 (B String): Keep as is; no change from B3 to B3.
• String 1 (High E String): Keep as is; no change from E4 to E4.