Verbal Analysis

This intriguing tuning, named "American Football Sad C," immediately evokes a sense of melancholic introspection. It draws inspiration from the math rock/emo genre, specifically referencing the band American Football, known for their distinctive use of open tunings and arpeggiated, often poignant, guitar voicings. The "sad" descriptor perfectly captures the nuanced, slightly dissonant, and somber character of the open strings. This isn't a bright, open major tuning; instead, it leans into minor tonalities and unique intervals, creating an atmosphere that is at once familiar and unsettling. It's an excellent choice for musicians looking to craft introspective soundscapes, intricate arpeggios, or provide a darker, more textured foundation for genres like post-rock, indie, or of course, emo.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes for this tuning, from low to high, are: D#3, A2, C3, G3, C4, D5#.

Analyzing the harmonic content, the tuning presents a unique cluster of notes: D#, A, C, G, C, D#. When reordered and considering D# as Eb, the core notes are C, Eb, G, A. This structure closely resembles a C minor add6 chord (C Eb G A), giving the open strings a distinctive melancholic and sophisticated character. The presence of two Eb (D#) notes reinforces the minor third, while the C-G-C sequence across strings 4, 3, and 2 provides a strong C major triad, which is then colored by the Eb and A notes. The intervallic relationships between adjacent open strings are:

• String 6 (D#3) to String 5 (A2): This is an interval of an Augmented 4th (tritone) downwards (A2 to D#3 is an augmented 4th).
• String 5 (A2) to String 4 (C3): A Minor 3rd upwards.
• String 4 (C3) to String 3 (G3): A Perfect 5th upwards.
• String 3 (G3) to String 2 (C4): A Perfect 4th upwards.
• String 2 (C4) to String 1 (D5#): A Major 9th upwards (or a Major 2nd up an octave).

The arrangement of the middle strings (4, 3, 2) as C-G-C makes them very versatile for simple barres and power chords. The low D# (Eb) and high D# (Eb) create a strong, consistent minor third which can serve as a drone or a core harmonic element. Chords that might be easily within reach due to these open voicings and shapes include:

• C minor add6 (open): The natural resonance of the open strings forms this sophisticated chord.
• Minor Chords with a Root on String 4: Barring strings 4, 3, and 2 at any fret will give you strong major/minor triad shapes, which can then be augmented by the other open strings. For example, barring the 5th fret on strings 4, 3, and 2 would give F-C-F, creating an F major sound.
• Suspended Chords: The G-C on strings 3-2 naturally lends itself to sus4 voicings when manipulated.
• Open Voicings with Drone Notes: The consistent D# (Eb) on both outer strings (6th and 1st) can create a strong drone effect, particularly suitable for atmospheric and sustained textures, enhancing the tuning's melancholic mood.

How to Tune: American Football Sad C

To achieve this unique tuning, you will adjust your guitar from standard EADGBe tuning (from low to high: E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4) as follows:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone from E2, resulting in D#2 (Eb2).
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The A string remains A2.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 2 semitones from D3, resulting in C3.
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The G string remains G3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 1 semitone from B3, resulting in C4.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 1 semitone from E4, resulting in D#4 (Eb4).

Open String Notes

Once tuned, the open string notes for this configuration will be:

• 6th String: D3#
• 5th String: A2
• 4th String: C3
• 3rd String: G3
• 2nd String: C4
• 1st String: D5#

Please note: The specified target notes for the 6th string (D3#) and 1st string (D5#) are an octave higher than what a 1-semitone movement from standard E2 and E4 respectively would typically produce. When tuning, please use a reliable tuner to reach the exact D3# and D5# pitches as your final reference points for the open strings.