Tuning Analysis: Open B Major

This tuning, aptly named "MayB major? It's B minors more cheery sister," indeed embodies a bright and uplifting character. As described by its creator, it's a "peppy relative" discovered through exploration, offering a distinctly major feel. The original description also mentions it involves turning "high and low d sharps into regular ol D" from a previous B minor tuning, suggesting a transformation to a more 'cheery' state, which perfectly aligns with its B Major identity.

Verbal Observations:

When strummed open, this tuning immediately presents a full, resonant B Major chord. The spread of the notes across the strings creates a rich harmonic texture, making it sound vibrant and 'cheery,' living up to its name. It's an excellent choice for styles requiring a bright, foundational major chord, or for songwriting that aims for an optimistic or anthemic feel. The open voicing makes it very accessible for big, ringing chords, perfect for anthems, folk, rock, or even pop genres where a strong major tonality is desired.

Technical Observations:

This tuning is a true Open B Major. The open strings are tuned to B, D#, and F#, which are the root, major third, and perfect fifth of the B Major triad, respectively, distributed across multiple octaves. The specific note configuration is:

• String 6 (Low): D#3 (Major 3rd of B)
• String 5: F#3 (Perfect 5th of B)
• String 4: B2 (Root of B, the lowest note)
• String 3: F#4 (Perfect 5th of B, one octave higher than String 5)
• String 2: B3 (Root of B, one octave higher than String 4)
• String 1 (High): D#5 (Major 3rd of B, one octave higher than String 6)

The harmonious arrangement of these notes means that simply strumming all open strings produces a clear, ringing B Major chord. This makes it incredibly easy to play songs in the key of B Major, as many common chord shapes can be simplified to single-finger barres across frets. For example, barring all strings at the first fret would yield a C Major, the second fret a C# Major, and so on. This accessibility to major chords, combined with the resonant open strings, makes it a very inspiring tuning for composition and performance. While minor chords and more complex voicings will require specific fingerings, the strong major foundation offers a great starting point for creative exploration in a bright key.

How to Tune to Open B Major:

To achieve this vibrant Open B Major tuning from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), follow these steps:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone from E to D#3. This is a minor adjustment and should be safe for most standard string gauges.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 3 semitones from A to F#3. While this is a noticeable drop, it is generally manageable with standard string gauges. If you frequently use this tuning, you might consider a slightly heavier gauge for this string to maintain optimal tension and intonation.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones from D to B2. Similar to String 5, this is a significant drop. Consider a slightly heavier gauge for optimal performance if this becomes a regular tuning.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitone from G to F#4. This is a minor adjustment.
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The B string remains at B3.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 1 semitone from E to D#5. This is a minor adjustment.

Important Note on String Gauges: For strings requiring a drop of 3 semitones (String 5 and String 4), while generally acceptable, if you find the strings too loose or experience intonation issues, or plan to use this tuning frequently, considering a slightly heavier string gauge for those specific strings could improve playability and tone. Tunings that involve movements exceeding 4 semitones (up or down) generally advise a different string gauge for optimal performance and to prevent string breakage or excessive tension. In this tuning, while we don't exceed that 4-semitone threshold, the 3-semitone drops are significant enough to warrant consideration for a slightly heavier gauge if desired.

Open String Notes:

String 6 (Low E string): D#3
String 5 (A string): F#3
String 4 (D string): B2
String 3 (G string): F#4
String 2 (B string): B3
String 1 (High E string): D#5