The "Frozen Love Tuning" (D-G-D-A-C-F) is a distinctive setup, reportedly used on the Buckingham Nicks track "Frozen Love." This tuning moves away from standard guitar voicings to offer a unique sonic landscape, ideal for players seeking to explore fresh harmonic territories and textures. Its character leans towards a rich, resonant drone on the lower strings combined with complex, suspended harmonies on the higher strings. It invites intricate fingerstyle passages and allows for a broad palette of expressive sounds, echoing the atmospheric and often melancholic styles associated with the artists mentioned.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are D2-G2-D3-A3-C4-F4, from low to high. The foundation of the tuning is set by the low D-G-D (strings 6, 5, 4), which creates a powerful and resonant open G power chord (G2-D3) or an inverted Dsus4/G with the D2. This provides a strong, drone-like bass. The interval between the 6th and 5th string (D2 to G2) is a perfect fourth. The 5th and 4th string (G2 to D3) is a perfect fifth. Moving up, the 3rd string is tuned to A3, forming a perfect fifth with the D3 below it, but a major second with the G2 (5th string). The interval between the 4th and 3rd string (D3 to A3) is a perfect fifth. The top three strings (A3-C4-F4) present more complex intervals: a minor third from A to C (3rd to 2nd string), and a perfect fourth from C to F (2nd to 1st string). Collectively, the open strings (D, G, D, A, C, F) contain the unique set of notes D, G, A, C, F. This combination does not readily form a simple major or minor triad. Instead, it closely approximates a D minor 7 chord with an added 4th (G), or a D minor 11 (without the E). It can also be interpreted as a G suspended chord with a D bass. This complex arrangement suggests a tuning rich in suspended and extended minor harmonies rather than a straightforward major or minor open chord.

Open Chord Possibilities & Voicings

• The open D-G-D bass strings provide a strong, resonant drone that can serve as a powerful rhythmic or harmonic anchor.
• While not a simple open major/minor chord, the tuning readily facilitates a D minor 7 or D minor 11 tonality, offering a melancholic or introspective feel due to the combination of D, F, A, C with the added G.
• Barring all six strings at any fret will produce movable chord shapes that maintain the unique harmonic character of the open tuning, allowing for exploration of these extended suspended voicings across the fretboard.
• The intervals between strings encourage unique melodic lines and arpeggios that would be less intuitive in standard tuning, opening up new creative pathways for composition and improvisation.

Open String Notes:

String 6 (lowest): D2
String 5: G2
String 4: D3
String 3: A3
String 2: C4
String 1 (highest): F4

How to Tune:

To achieve this unique "Frozen Love Tuning" from standard EADGBE guitar tuning:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2.
• String 4 (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to D3.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 2 semitones to A3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone to C4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 1 semitone to F4.

Important Tuning Considerations:

When adjusting string tension, always exercise caution. Generally, tuning a string by more than 4 semitones (up or down) from its standard pitch may require considering a different string gauge to maintain optimal playability, intonation, and string longevity. For this particular "Frozen Love Tuning," all specified string movements are within a safe range (maximum of 2 semitones up or down), so a change in string gauge is typically not necessary.