"Dmajor7 Open" Tuning Analysis

The "Dmajor7 Open" tuning presents a unique and resonant soundscape, perfectly suited for ambient, drone, shoegaze, and intricate fingerpicking styles. As its creator noted, this tuning encourages experimentation and offers a rich, open quality that can inspire new melodic and harmonic ideas.

Verbal Description

This tuning immediately evokes a sense of spaciousness and introspection. With its open Dmaj7 voicings, it provides a lush, ethereal foundation, making it ideal for creating atmospheric textures and sustained sonic washes. The inherent resonance from the open strings allows for beautiful ringing overtones, perfect for sustained chords and arpeggios that hang in the air. Fingerpicking will reveal intricate harmonies, while strumming can produce a shimmering, full-bodied sound that is both complex and inviting. The arrangement of notes, particularly the descending interval from the second to the first string (C#5 to E4), lends itself to interesting melodic contours and unexpected voice leading, contributing to its suitability for drone and shoegaze.

Technical Analysis

The open strings of this tuning are D2, F#3, C#4, F#4, C#5, E4.

• Core Chord: The prominent notes D, F#, C# form a D major seventh chord. With the added E (on string 1), it creates a Dmaj7add9 without the perfect fifth (A). This omission of the fifth, combined with the presence of the 9th, gives the chord a very open, suspended, and slightly unresolved quality, perfect for modern ambient and shoegaze genres.
• Voicing and Duplication: The tuning features duplicated notes: F# on strings 5 and 3, and C# on strings 4 and 2. This strategic duplication adds density and richness to the open sound, creating a natural chorus-like effect.
• Interval Relationships:
  • String 6 (D2) to String 5 (F#3): A Major 3rd (plus an octave, or 17 semitones). This wide interval from the bass provides a strong foundation.
  • String 5 (F#3) to String 4 (C#4): A Perfect 5th (7 semitones). A consonant interval that grounds the tuning.
  • String 4 (C#4) to String 3 (F#4): A Perfect 4th (5 semitones). This creates a very common and strong harmonic relationship.
  • String 3 (F#4) to String 2 (C#5): A Perfect 5th (7 semitones). Another strong, consonant interval.
  • String 2 (C#5) to String 1 (E4): A descending Minor 3rd (9 semitones down from C#5 to E4). This inverted interval, where the highest string is lower than its adjacent string, is a distinctive feature, contributing to the tuning's unique harmonic character and making it excellent for drone and non-standard melodic phrasing.
• Reachable Chords: The open strings provide the Dmaj7add9 chord. Barre chords become simplified: a barre across all strings at the 2nd fret would yield an Emaj7add9 voicing, while a barre at the 5th fret would produce an Gmaj7add9. Many open position chords can be easily formed by fretting just one or two strings, while others will require re-thinking familiar shapes. The consistent P4 and P5 intervals on the middle strings (Strings 4-3 and 3-2) can make some power chord shapes easily transferable, but the unique top and bottom intervals will encourage new discoveries.

Tuning Notes & How to Tune

Final Tuned Notes

When tuned, your guitar strings will sound the following notes:

• String 6 (Low E): D2
• String 5 (A): F#3
• String 4 (D): C#4
• String 3 (G): F#4
• String 2 (B): C#5
• String 1 (High E): E4

How to Tune Your Guitar

Follow these instructions carefully to achieve the "Dmajor7 Open" tuning from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e):

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 3 semitones to F#3.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 1 semitone to C#4.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F#4.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 2 semitones to C#5.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.

Important Note: All string adjustments for this tuning are within a safe range for standard guitar string gauges. However, always tune slowly and carefully to avoid string breakage.