Tuning Analysis: D# Major 9th (Enharmonically Eb Major 9th)

This unique tuning, named "D# Major 9th" by its creator, opens up a world of rich harmonic possibilities. While technically named D# Major 9th, the notes themselves beautifully outline an Eb Major 9th chord (D#, G, D, G, A#, F enharmonically resolves to Eb, G, D, G, Bb, F). This creates a sophisticated, full-bodied sound perfect for jazz, blues, fusion, or even progressive rock where complex harmonies are desired. As its creator stated, the goal was to "make something new," and this tuning certainly achieves that.

Verbal Analysis

Strumming all open strings yields an immediate, lush Eb Major 9th chord. This means you have a built-in harmonic foundation that can be used for atmospheric soundscapes, intricate fingerstyle arrangements, or as a starting point for improvisational lead lines. The arrangement of the notes offers interesting melodic opportunities across the fretboard. The presence of the root (D#/Eb), major third (G), perfect fifth (A#/Bb), major seventh (D), and major ninth (F) provides a complete jazz voicing right at your fingertips.

Because of the open chord, simple movable shapes can yield other rich dominant or minor 9th chords. Experiment with barring fingers across frets to discover new voicings and clusters. The unchanged D and G strings provide familiar anchors within the altered landscape, allowing for easier navigation and the creation of familiar melodic phrases. This tuning encourages exploration beyond standard chord shapes, pushing you into new sonic territories and inspiring fresh compositions.

Technical Analysis

• Overall Chord: The open strings (D#3, G2, D3, G3, A4#, F4) form an Eb Major 9th chord (Eb, G, Bb, D, F), where D# is enharmonically Eb, and A# is enharmonically Bb. This is a complete five-note chord voicing, featuring Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Major 7th, and Major 9th.
• Intervals from Root (D#/Eb):
  • 6th String (D#3): Root (Eb)
  • 5th String (G2): Major 3rd (G)
  • 4th String (D3): Major 7th (D)
  • 3rd String (G3): Octave of Major 3rd (G)
  • 2nd String (A4#): Perfect 5th (Bb)
  • 1st String (F4): Major 9th (F)
• String Relationships: The tuning presents an interesting blend of familiar and altered string relationships. The D and G strings remain in their standard pitch, which can serve as a reference point. The wide interval spread, particularly across the lower strings (D# to G to D), contributes to a full and resonant open sound.

How to Tune

To achieve the "D# Major 9th" tuning, follow these precise adjustments from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e):

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone from E to D#.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 2 semitones from A to G.
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from D to D.
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from G to G.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 1 semitone from B to A#.
• 1st String (High E): Tune up 1 semitone from E to F.

Important Note: Significant tuning adjustments (typically exceeding 4 semitones up or down) can put undue stress on your guitar neck and strings, or result in very loose strings. For movements larger than 4 semitones, it is generally advised to consider a different string gauge to optimize playability and guitar health. In this tuning, all string movements are within the generally safe range of +/- 2 semitones, but always tune carefully.

The open strings for this "D# Major 9th" tuning are as follows (from lowest to highest pitch):

• 6th String: D3#
• 5th String: G2
• 4th String: D3
• 3rd String: G3
• 2nd String: A4#
• 1st String: F4