Tuning Analysis: Slow Motion

The 'Slow Motion' tuning (D G D F C D) immediately evokes a deep, somewhat melancholic, and expansive soundscape. It's a non-standard tuning that moves away from conventional major or minor triads to create a unique harmonic canvas. This tuning is excellent for players looking for a rich, atmospheric sound, particularly suitable for ambient, blues, folk, or cinematic music where a reflective or introspective mood is desired.

Technically, this tuning is built around a prominent D root, featuring three D strings (6th, 4th, and 1st strings) across octaves. The open strings collectively form a complex chord with D as the root, including a perfect 4th (G), a minor 3rd (F), and a minor 7th (C). This creates a D minor 7th chord with an added 11th (Dm7(add11)), or alternatively, it can be viewed as a G suspended 4th chord over a D bass (Gsus4/D). This sophisticated open voicing provides a full, resonant harmony without any fretting, making it very expressive.

Due to the stacked D notes and the inherent minor 3rd and minor 7th, this tuning offers easy access to:

• Open Dm7(add11) / Gsus4/D: The open strings themselves are a rich, complex chord, ready to be strummed.
• D Minor Chords: Many D minor voicings will be readily available across the fretboard, especially utilizing the multiple D strings as drones.
• Suspended Chords: The presence of the G note in relation to the D and C suggests that G-based suspended chords or voicings will sound particularly resonant.
• Drone-based Playing: The strong D root across multiple octaves makes this tuning ideal for creating sustained drones and modal explorations, giving a sense of depth and space.

The 'Slow Motion' tuning encourages exploration beyond standard chord shapes, offering a fresh perspective on harmony and melody. Its unique intervals and resonant open strings make it a powerful tool for crafting evocative and atmospheric guitar pieces.

Open String Notes:

• String 6 (Low E String): D2
• String 5 (A String): G2
• String 4 (D String): D3
• String 3 (G String): F3
• String 2 (B String): C4
• String 1 (High E String): D4

How to Tune:

To achieve the 'Slow Motion' tuning, follow these adjustments from standard E A D G B E 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 down 2 semitones to F3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone to C4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.

Important Note on String Gauge: All string adjustments for this tuning are within a safe range of -4 to +4 semitones. Therefore, a change in string gauge is generally not advised, but always ensure your guitar's truss rod is correctly adjusted for optimal playability and neck relief.