This unique tuning, which the creator describes as something they 'just messing around and found it and it sounds nice,' is indeed full of character. It offers a rich, melancholic, and somewhat mystical sound, particularly lending itself to arpeggiated patterns and sustained notes. The significant drop in pitch across all strings creates a deep, resonant quality, while the unusual intervals, especially the large jump between the 3rd and 2nd strings, open up possibilities for distinctive voicings not typically found in standard tunings. It could be wonderfully expressive for ambient music, fingerstyle, or genres that explore modal harmony and drone elements.

Technical Analysis

Technically, this tuning presents the open notes D#3, F#3, C#4, F3, G#4, C#5 from low to high string. At its core, it features a strong presence of C# and its minor third (F), along with a perfect fifth (G#), effectively forming a C# minor chord (C#4, F3, G#4, C#5) within the open strings. However, the inclusion of D#3 (a minor second above C#) and F#3 (a major fourth above C#) introduces a distinct modal flavor, reminiscent of Phrygian or even Locrian modes, giving it a darker, more exotic texture than a simple minor tuning. The interval structure is highly irregular: a minor third (D#3-F#3), followed by a perfect fifth (F#3-C#4), then another minor third (C#4-F3), and a striking octave-plus-minor-third jump (F3-G#4, a 15-semitone interval), concluding with a perfect fourth (G#4-C#5). This structure encourages exploring open string drones and provides easy access to C# minor shapes, with the D# and F# adding compelling extensions and color tones. The open strings also inherently contain an F minor chord (F3, G#4, C#5) with a major 6th (D#3) and a flat 2nd (F#3), offering alternative harmonic perspectives.

How to Tune Your Guitar

To achieve the 'C# Modal Minor Drone' tuning from standard E Standard tuning, follow these steps:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitones from E to D#3 (Eb3).
• String 5 (A): Tune down 3 semitones from A to F#3 (Gb3).
• String 4 (D): Tune down 1 semitones from D to C#4 (Db4).
• String 3 (G): Tune down 2 semitones from G to F3.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 3 semitones from B to G#4 (Ab4).
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 3 semitones from E to C#5 (Db5).

All string movements are within a normal range for standard string gauges. No special string gauge is typically required for this tuning as all strings are tuned down by 3 semitones or less.