Tuning Analysis: Message Descended (DGCFBC)

This unique guitar tuning, drawing its inspiration from Coldplay's song "A Message," offers a deeply resonant, somewhat melancholic, and distinct sonic palette. It significantly alters the standard guitar tuning, creating new opportunities for harmonic and melodic expression. While often broadly described as 'one tone down,' a closer examination reveals a more nuanced configuration, especially concerning the highest string.

Verbal Analysis

The Message Descended tuning fundamentally lowers the overall pitch of the guitar, contributing to a darker and heavier sound, characteristic of many alternative and rock compositions. Most of the lower strings are dropped by a full step (two semitones), providing a powerful and satisfying depth to open string voicings and riffs. The low D2 offers a robust foundation. A key characteristic of this tuning is the dramatic drop of the high E string by two full steps (four semitones) to C4, juxtaposed with the standard B3 on the second string. This creates unique and compelling intervals that encourage exploration beyond traditional chord shapes, leaning towards suspended, modal, and power chord voicings.

Musicians employing this tuning can expect to uncover new textures and emotional layers. The open strings D-G-C-F-B-C do not form a simple major or minor chord, but the presence of two C notes (on the 4th and 1st strings) establishes a strong tonal anchor. The F and B on the 3rd and 2nd strings create a tritone – a powerful and often dissonant interval that can be strategically used for bluesy inflections, jazz voicings, or resolved for dramatic effect. The consistent perfect fourths between the lower four strings (D-G-C-F) make movable power chords (5ths) particularly straightforward to play, offering a solid rhythmic base.

Technical Analysis

• Instrument Type: Guitar (6-string)
• Base Tuning Relationship: This tuning is a specific variation of D Standard (DGCFAD), where the 2nd string remains at B and the 1st string is further dropped to C.
• Open String Notes (Low to High): D2 - G2 - C3 - F3 - B3 - C4
• Intervals Between Open Strings:
  • String 6 (D2) to String 5 (G2): Perfect 4th (P4)
  • String 5 (G2) to String 4 (C3): Perfect 4th (P4)
  • String 4 (C3) to String 3 (F3): Perfect 4th (P4)
  • String 3 (F3) to String 2 (B3): Augmented 4th / Tritone (A4)
  • String 2 (B3) to String 1 (C4): Minor 2nd (m2)
• Potential Chords and Voicings:
  • While the open strings do not spell a simple major or minor triad, the tuning facilitates modal playing around D or C.
  • The lower four strings (D-G-C-F) maintain the perfect fourth interval relationship, allowing for easy and powerful movable power chords (root-5th).
  • The open strings 4, 3, 2, 1 (C-F-B-C) can form a rich, complex cluster chord, such as a Cmaj7sus4 with an added F, or an Fmaj7#11 without a strict root.
  • The D on the 6th string and C on the 4th string create a natural minor seventh interval, hinting at D minor tonalities.
  • With minimal fretting, open D minor (D-F-A) can be found by adding A on the G string (2nd fret on 3rd string) or B string (3rd fret on 2nd string). Similarly, C major (C-E-G) shapes are within easy reach.

How to Tune

To achieve the Message Descended (DGCFBC) tuning from standard EADGBe, carefully adjust each string as follows:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 2 semitones to C3.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 2 semitones to F3.
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to B3.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 4 semitones to C4.
  Important Note: Tuning the 1st string down by 4 semitones is a significant adjustment. For optimal string tension, intonation, and playability, especially if this tuning is used frequently, considering a heavier gauge string for the 1st string is advisable.

String 6 (Low E): D2

String 5 (A): G2

String 4 (D): C3

String 3 (G): F3

String 2 (B): B3

String 1 (High E): C4