The 'Loathe Alt Tune Step Up' is a profoundly unconventional and extremely low tuning, pushing the boundaries of standard guitar configurations. It's characterized by an immense drop in pitch across all strings, resulting in a dark, resonant, and almost bass-like sonic palette. This tuning is ideal for genres that demand heavy, atmospheric textures, deep sonic impact, and unique harmonic structures, often found in modern metal, doom, or experimental music.

Verbal Analysis

At its core, this tuning creates a deep, thundering foundation. The lowest two strings, tuned to D#1 and B1, plunge into the sub-bass register, delivering an incredibly thick and powerful drone capability. The wide and irregular intervals between strings, particularly the massive jumps (up 20 semitones from B1 to F#3!) and the large drop from D#1 to B1, mean that traditional chord shapes are largely impractical or impossible. Instead, this tuning encourages an exploration of open string voicings, single-note riffs, and complex arpeggiated patterns that exploit the unique intervallic relationships. The overall sonic character leans towards a brooding, expansive sound, where individual notes ring out with significant sustain due to the low tension. The upper strings introduce a brighter, almost Lydian quality to the otherwise heavy foundation, allowing for intriguing melodic and harmonic contrasts.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes, from low to high, are: D#1, B1, F#3, B2, E3, G#4. This yields an unusual but harmonically rich cluster of notes when played open, specifically B, D#, E, F#, G#. This collection can be interpreted as a B Lydian-like sound, providing a bright and ethereal quality despite the extreme low end. Interestingly, the lowest four strings (D#1, B1, F#3, B2) collectively form a powerful B Major chord (B/D#), with the D# acting as a strong bass foundation. The addition of E3 and G#4 expands this into more complex voicings, hinting at an E Major chord (E, G#, B) if the B1 is considered the root. The extreme down-tuning across all strings requires a significantly heavier string gauge to maintain adequate tension, intonation, and playability, preventing excessive floppiness and fret buzz. Without heavier strings, the playability will be severely compromised.

How to Tune

Given the extreme down-tuning across all strings, it is highly recommended to use significantly heavier gauge strings for this tuning to maintain playability, proper intonation, and to prevent excessive floppiness or potential damage to your instrument. Proceed with caution when tuning.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 10 semitones to D#1. This is an extremely large drop in pitch; a very heavy gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 10 semitones to B1. Another drastic reduction in tension; a very heavy gauge string is strongly advised.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 8 semitones to F#3. This is a considerable drop; a heavier gauge string is advised.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 8 semitones to B2. This is a considerable drop; a heavier gauge string is advised.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 7 semitones to E3. This is a significant drop; a heavier gauge string is advised.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 8 semitones to G#4. This is a considerable drop; a heavier gauge string is advised.