This is a distinctive and atmospheric open tuning for the Guitar, famously utilized in Big Thief's song "Mythological Beauty." It moves beyond standard open chords, offering a rich sonic landscape perfect for intricate fingerpicking, ambient textures, and expressive chord voicings. The overall sound is lush and somewhat suspended, creating a unique emotional resonance that can be both reflective and expansive, perfectly suited for the song's beautiful and ethereal quality.

Technical Analysis

The tuning consists of the notes D2 G2 D3 F#4 G3 D4, from the lowest to the highest string. At its core, this is a variation of an Open D tuning, characterized by a prominent D major triad (D, F#) across the strings. However, the inclusion of two G notes (G2 and G3) introduces a strong suspended 4th element (G is the fourth of D), giving the tuning its unique "Dsus4" character rather than a simple D major. The specific arrangement of notes allows for a dense harmonic structure even with open strings, emphasizing quartal and suspended voicings. The intervals from the lowest D (D2) are: Root (D2), Perfect 4th (G2), Octave (D3), Major 3rd (F#4, two octaves up), Perfect 4th (G3, one octave up), and Octave (D4, two octaves up).

Open Chords and Possibilities

• Strumming all open strings produces a rich, complex Dsus4 chord, perfect for ambient pads, arpeggiated figures, or driving rhythms.
• A full barre across all strings at any fret will maintain the intervallic relationships, allowing for easy transposition of the open Dsus4 sound. For example, a barre at the 2nd fret yields an Esus4, and at the 5th fret, a Gsus4.
• The pairing of D and G on adjacent strings (6th-5th and 2nd-1st) and the octave D-D on 6th-4th and 4th-1st strings lend themselves well to droning notes and open string pedal tones, creating a sustained, resonant quality crucial for atmospheric music.
• The presence of F# on the 3rd string firmly grounds the D major tonality, while the surrounding Gs add tension and release. Experiment with simple two-finger voicings to create unique harmonic clusters, such as fretting the 3rd string at the 1st fret (G) while letting the surrounding D and G strings ring, creating interesting quartal harmony or a D7sus4 flavor.

How to Tune

To achieve the Open Dsus4 Harmony tuning, carefully adjust your guitar strings from standard E-A-D-G-B-E (low to high) as follows:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2.
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to D3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F#4.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 4 semitones to G3. Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change. If you plan to use this tuning frequently or for extended periods, it is advisable to consider using a heavier gauge string for the 2nd string to maintain optimal tension and tone. Always tune carefully to avoid string damage.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.