Verbal Analysis

The "Ulcerate" tuning plunges the guitar into a realm of extreme depth and dissonance, characteristic of modern death metal and avant-garde soundscapes. The predominant use of sharp notes (D#, G#, A#, C#) across the entire range gives it a dark, almost claustrophobic feel. This tuning encourages heavy, percussive riffing and complex, angular chord voicings, moving far beyond conventional major/minor structures. The significant drops in pitch on several strings suggest a tuning designed for downtuned, aggressive playing, likely benefiting from heavier gauge strings to maintain tension and clarity.

Technical Analysis

This tuning is D# G# A# D# A# C# (low to high). Let's break down the intervals and potential:

• The open tuning presents a highly dissonant cluster, not forming a simple major or minor chord.
• Strings 6, 5, 4 (D# G# A#) form a fragment reminiscent of a G# minor chord (G# B D#), but with A# instead of B. This creates a powerful, heavy base, especially with the G# being a perfect fifth above the D#.
• The open D# octave between string 6 (D#3) and string 3 (D#4) provides a solid foundation for power chords and allows for droning effects.
• The repeated A# on string 4 (A#3) and string 2 (A#4) creates another strong octave interval, offering further harmonic possibilities and a sense of unity despite the overall dissonance.
• The interval between string 3 (D#4) and string 2 (A#4) is a perfect fifth, making it easy to form two-string power chords by barring a single fret. This is a common feature in drop tunings.
• The interval between string 2 (A#4) and string 1 (C#5) is a minor third. This can be used to create dark, bluesy, or very heavy intervals when combined with the lower strings.
• Open chords are not readily apparent in traditional forms. This tuning encourages a more modular approach, focusing on two or three-string voicings, power chords, and dissonant clusters. The open strings themselves can form a dense, unsettling chord (D#3 G#3 A#3 D#4 A#4 C#5).
• Due to the repeated octaves and fifths (D# and A#), one-finger bar chords across these specific strings will yield powerful results. For instance, barring strings 6, 5, 4 at the first fret would give E G C, or at the second fret F G# C#.
• This tuning is highly conducive to riff-based music where individual string clarity and low-end rumble are prioritized.

How to Tune

To achieve the "Ulcerate" tuning, you will need to adjust your strings as follows. Please exercise caution when tuning, especially with larger semitone movements. For movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, a different string gauge is generally advised to prevent breakage or poor tension.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone to D#3. This is a moderate adjustment.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 1 semitone to G#3. This is a moderate adjustment.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 4 semitones to A#3. This is a significant drop, consider a heavier gauge string.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 4 semitones to D#4. This is a significant drop, consider a heavier gauge string.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 1 semitone to A#4. This is a moderate adjustment.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 3 semitones to C#5. This is a notable drop, consider a slightly heavier gauge string.

Here are the notes for each string in the "Ulcerate" tuning, from the thickest (low) string to the thinnest (high) string:

• String 6 (Low E): D#3
• String 5 (A): G#3
• String 4 (D): A#3
• String 3 (G): D#4
• String 2 (B): A#4
• String 1 (High E): C#5