Verbal Analysis

The 'Gallery Diminished' tuning, originally featured by scruffpuppie on "an art gallery could never be as magnificent as you", is a deeply atmospheric and highly unconventional setup for the guitar. It involves significant downward tuning across most strings, resulting in a rich, dissonant, and evocative sound when strummed open. The unique characteristic of this tuning is its strong diminished chord voicing, lending itself to melancholic, introspective, or avant-garde musical styles. The powerful unison of D#3 on the 6th and 5th strings creates a resonant, almost drone-like foundation in the bass, while the wide intervallic leaps, especially to the high D#5 on the 1st string, provide a shimmering, expansive top end. This tuning encourages a creative approach to chord voicings and melodic lines, moving away from standard major/minor tonalities.

Technical Analysis

This tuning transforms the standard EADGBe configuration into the following open notes: D#3, D#3, C3, F3, A3, D#5. The open strings collectively form a D# diminished 7th chord (D#-F-A-C) across different octaves. This immediate harmonic complexity on open strumming distinguishes it from more common open tunings, providing a ready-made, tension-filled harmony.

Key intervals and observations:

• String 6 (D#3) & String 5 (D#3): Tuned to an identical D#3, creating a powerful unison in the bass register that adds considerable depth and resonance.
• String 5 (D#3) to String 4 (C3): This interval is a major 6th up (or minor 3rd down), a unique spacing that contributes to the tuning's distinct character.
• String 4 (C3) to String 3 (F3): A perfect 4th, a common and stable interval often found in various tunings.
• String 3 (F3) to String 2 (A3): A major 3rd, contributing to the chordal structure.
• String 2 (A3) to String 1 (D#5): This is a significantly wide interval of an augmented 4th plus an octave, providing a very bright and high-pitched upper register that dramatically expands the tuning's overall range.
• Chords that are readily accessible in this tuning naturally include the inherent D#dim7 on open strings. Exploring shapes shifted up the fretboard will yield variations of this diminished harmony, or allow for the creation of unique, expansive voicings by combining open and fretted notes. Common diatonic chords will require significant re-learning of finger positions due to the altered string relationships.

How to Tune

This tuning requires significant adjustments from standard EADGBe tuning. Please note the recommended string gauge warnings for larger movements to ensure optimal playability and string longevity.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone to reach D#3.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 6 semitones to reach D#3. (Caution: Tuning down 6 semitones is a very significant change from standard A2. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised to maintain adequate tension, intonation, and tone.)
• String 4 (D): Tune down 2 semitones to reach C3.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 2 semitones to reach F3.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 2 semitones to reach A3.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 1 semitone to reach D#5.

Ensure your guitar is properly intonated after such a drastic tuning change to maintain accurate pitch across the fretboard.