A Sonic Landscape for 'Parasite'

This unique tuning, originally crafted for Nick Drake's melancholic masterpiece 'Parasite' (as noted in the Ultimate Guitar tab), creates a rich, resonant, and somewhat suspended sonic landscape. It avoids the use of a capo, allowing the open strings to ring freely, contributing to the song's signature ethereal quality.

Verbal Analysis:

The overall feel of this tuning is deeply resonant and slightly melancholic, perfect for fingerstyle playing that emphasizes sustained notes and intricate harmonies. The multiple instances of D♯ create a powerful drone, giving the tuning a rich, sustained foundation. The interplay between the G♯ (a perfect 4th) and G (a major 3rd) against the root D♯ adds a beautiful tension and release, providing both major tonality and a touch of suspension. This blend contributes to the haunting, reflective mood characteristic of Nick Drake's work.

Technical Analysis:

The open strings are tuned to:

• Low E String (6th): D♯3 (Eb3)
• A String (5th): A♯3 (Bb3)
• D String (4th): D♯4 (Eb4)
• G String (3rd): G♯4 (Ab4)
• B String (2nd): D♯5 (Eb5)
• High E String (1st): G4

Analyzing the intervals from the lowest D♯ (Root):

• 6th String (D♯3): Root
• 5th String (A♯3): Perfect 5th
• 4th String (D♯4): Octave
• 3rd String (G♯4): Perfect 4th
• 2nd String (D♯5): Octave
• 1st String (G4): Major 3rd

The open tuning forms a D♯ Major chord with an added perfect 4th (G♯). Specifically, it outlines a D♯ Major triad (D♯, G, A♯) beautifully voiced across the strings, augmented by the ringing G♯ which acts as a suspended 4th. This "D♯maj(add4)" chord provides both stability and a gentle, unresolved tension, ideal for harmonic exploration.

The multiple D♯ notes (on strings 6, 4, and 2) create a powerful and sustained drone effect, allowing other notes to chime over this stable foundation. Due to the open D♯ major chord structure, simple barre shapes or single-finger fretting can often yield complex and full-sounding chords, making intricate harmonies more accessible. Chords like D♯ major, D♯sus4, and even variations of A♯ can be readily formed or implied by utilizing the open strings and minimal fretting.

How to Tune Your Guitar for Nick Drake's D#maj4 Open Tuning:

Please follow these instructions carefully. For significant changes (tuning up or down 4 or more semitones), consider using a different gauge string to avoid excessive tension or breakage.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone to D♯3 (Eb3).
• 5th String (A): Tune up 1 semitone to A♯3 (Bb3).
• 4th String (D): Tune up 1 semitone to D♯4 (Eb4).
• 3rd String (G): Tune up 1 semitone to G♯4 (Ab4).
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 4 semitones to D♯5 (Eb5). Caution: Tuning up 4 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string for this string to prevent excessive tension or breakage.
• 1st String (High E): Tune up 3 semitones to G4.