Description: EbBbEbFBbDb (Sleep Tuning)

This unique tuning, known as "Sleep Tuning," is famously used for the intro to Godspeed You! Black Emperor's track "Sleep." It crafts a distinctive, atmospheric soundscape, perfect for droning, experimental, and melancholic musical expressions. The tuning features a blend of perfect fifths, unusual intervals, and a rich harmonic cluster that encourages a non-traditional approach to the instrument.

Technical Analysis:

• Open String Notes: The tuning presents the open strings as Eb3, Bb3, Eb4, F3, Bb4, Db5. These notes are often written with sharps (D3#, A3#, D4#, F3, A4#, C5#), but Eb/Bb/Db nomenclature is used for harmonic clarity.
• Root and Harmony: The repetition of Eb and Bb across the lower strings (Eb3, Bb3, Eb4) creates a strong, resonant Eb power chord foundation. When all strings are strummed open, the resulting notes are Eb, F, Bb, and Db. This collection of pitches can be interpreted as an Eb minor 7 chord with an added major 9th (Eb-m7add9). This harmony is rich, complex, and slightly dissonant, contributing to the tuning's characteristic melancholic and expansive sound.
• Intervallic Relationships:
  • String 6 (Eb3) to String 5 (Bb3): Perfect 5th.
  • String 5 (Bb3) to String 4 (Eb4): Perfect 5th. These two intervals create a powerful, stackable drone.
  • String 4 (Eb4) to String 3 (F3): A highly unusual and wide descending Major 7th (11 semitones down). This large drop between adjacent strings is a key feature, preventing conventional chord voicings and encouraging open string usage or single-note lines.
  • String 3 (F3) to String 2 (Bb4): Compound Perfect 4th (a perfect 4th plus an octave).
  • String 2 (Bb4) to String 1 (Db5): Minor 3rd.
• Chordal Possibilities:
  • Open Eb5: Strumming the lowest three strings (Eb3, Bb3, Eb4) readily yields a powerful Eb5 chord, ideal for heavy, sustained drones and riffs.
  • Open Eb Minor 7 / Eb-m7add9: The full open tuning (Eb-Bb-Eb-F-Bb-Db) can be fully leveraged for complex, resonant voicings that evoke a melancholic and vast sonic landscape.
  • Due to the non-standard intervals, particularly the wide gap between strings 4 and 3, traditional chord shapes will be difficult or impossible to execute. This encourages the player to explore new voicings, open string drones, and modal harmony. Barring techniques across the fretboard will create movable versions of the open string harmony, allowing for transposition of the tuning's unique intervallic character.

How to Tune:

To achieve the EbBbEbFBbDb (Sleep Tuning) from standard EADGBe, follow these precise string movements. Please exercise caution when tuning, especially with upward string tension changes.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone to Eb. (Recommended: Standard Gauge)
• String 5 (A): Tune up 1 semitone to Bb. (Recommended: Standard Gauge)
• String 4 (D): Tune up 1 semitone to Eb. (Recommended: Standard Gauge)
• String 3 (G): Tune down 2 semitones to F. (Recommended: Standard Gauge)
• String 2 (B): Tune down 1 semitone to Bb. (Recommended: Standard Gauge)
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 3 semitones to Db. (Recommended: Standard Gauge)

Note: While individual string movements are within the safe range for standard gauge strings, please note that the final target notes (Eb3 Bb3 Eb4 F3 Bb4 Db5) result in a higher overall pitch for some lower strings compared to standard EADGBe, while others are significantly lower. This unique combination contributes to the distinctive tension and resonant qualities of this tuning.

Tuning Notes:

String 6 (Low E): D3# (Eb3)

String 5 (A): A3# (Bb3)

String 4 (D): D4# (Eb4)

String 3 (G): F3

String 2 (B): A4# (Bb4)

String 1 (High E): C5# (Db5)