The "Nic Fit Drone" tuning, prominently featured by Sonic Youth in their song "Nic Fit," offers a thick, resonant, and often dissonant soundscape. It's a hallmark of experimental and noise-rock guitar, moving far beyond conventional tunings to unlock unique harmonic possibilities.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning creates an incredibly dense and layered sound due to the unison pairing of the lowest two strings (D#3-D#3) and the middle two strings (C#4-C#4), followed by two G# notes separated by an octave (G#4-G#5). This structure inherently produces a droning quality, where open string strumming results in a massive, sustained sound rather than a clear chord. It encourages textural playing, exploring slides, feedback, and the interplay of close intervals. The unusual note relationships promote non-traditional chord voicings and open up new avenues for sonic exploration, characteristic of Sonic Youth's pioneering sound.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for this tuning are: D#3, D#3, C#4, C#4, G#4, G#5. Looking at the intervals from low to high:

• String 6 (D#3) and String 5 (D#3) are in unison.
• String 5 (D#3) to String 4 (C#4) is a minor 7th (10 semitones) ascending.
• String 4 (C#4) and String 3 (C#4) are in unison.
• String 3 (C#4) to String 2 (G#4) is a perfect 5th (7 semitones) ascending.
• String 2 (G#4) to String 1 (G#5) is a perfect octave (12 semitones) ascending.

The combined open strings present a collection of notes: D#, C#, G#. This forms a G#sus4/G#5 chord type (G# as root, C# as 4th, D# as 5th) but with a complex voicing due to the octave displacement and unisons. While not a conventional open chord, the structure offers immediate access to a powerful and sustained G#sus4 power chord by simply strumming all open strings. Barre chords will produce similar root-4th-5th structures, maintaining a consistent harmonic character across the fretboard.

The unisons on the lower and middle string pairs make this tuning exceptionally well-suited for heavy, sustained riffs and drone-based music. Simple finger placements can achieve rich, full sounds, while the wide intervals encourage experimental lead lines and unconventional harmonic exploration. The tuning's inherent tension and resonance are perfect for genres demanding textural depth and sonic adventurousness.

How to Tune

To achieve the "Nic Fit Drone" tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these string adjustments:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone to D#3. (Original note: E3)
• String 5 (A): Tune down 6 semitones to D#3. (Original note: A3) Warning: Tuning down 6 semitones is a significant change; a heavier gauge string is advised for optimal tension and tone.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 1 semitone to C#4. (Original note: D4)
• String 3 (G): Tune down 6 semitones to C#4. (Original note: G4) Warning: Tuning down 6 semitones is a significant change; a heavier gauge string is advised for optimal tension and tone.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 3 semitones to G#4. (Original note: B4) Take care when tuning down 3 semitones.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 4 semitones to G#5. (Original note: E5) Warning: Tuning up 4 semitones is a significant change; a lighter gauge string is advised to prevent string breakage and ensure proper intonation.

Always tune carefully, using a reliable tuner, and be mindful of your guitar's neck tension, especially with such drastic string changes. If you plan to use this tuning frequently, consider having your guitar professionally set up for it.