This is an extreme 8-string guitar tuning, specifically tailored for the aggressive and atmospheric sound characteristic of the djent genre, famously utilized by bands such as Northlane during their 'Alien' era. It plunges most strings deep into the sub-bass register, creating a profoundly dark, heavy, and percussive sonic foundation ideal for complex rhythmic patterns and crushing riffs. The highly dropped tension demands a robust guitar setup, typically requiring much heavier gauge strings to maintain playability and intonation.

Technical Breakdown:

• Open Notes: D#2 G#2 A#2 D#3 G#3 C#4 F3 A#4 (from lowest String 8 to highest String 1).
• Lowest Register: The tuning kicks off with an incredibly deep D#2 on the lowest string, providing immense sonic weight and resonance crucial for djent.
• Interval Structure: The tuning features several perfect 4ths (D#-G#, A#-D#, D#-G#, G#-C#) which facilitate easy power chord shapes. An unusual Major 2nd interval occurs between G#2 (String 7) and A#2 (String 6), slightly altering typical bar chord voicings. The most striking aspect is the significant drop from C#4 (String 3) to F3 (String 2), a major 6th descent in pitch, followed by a major 6th ascent to A#4 (String 1). This unconventional wide interval between String 3, String 2, and String 1 creates unique melodic opportunities and can be leveraged for extreme string skipping.

Chords and Voicings:

• Power Chords: The prevalence of perfect fourths among the middle strings (A#2 D#3 G#3 C#4) makes conventional and extended power chords extremely accessible with one-finger barres, forming thick, heavy voicings perfect for low-end chugging and rhythmic riffing.
• Open Voicings: The full open string set (D# G# A# D# G# C# F A#) implies an A# minor 7 (add 4) tonality. With A# as the root, the notes present are A#, C# (minor 3rd), D# (perfect 4th), F (perfect 5th), and G# (minor 7th). This provides a rich, dark, and versatile harmonic landscape for composition without fretting.
• Dissonance and Dynamics: The extreme pitch difference between String 3 (C#4), String 2 (F3), and String 1 (A#4) can be exploited for highly dissonant chords, wide arpeggios, and dynamic lead lines that leap across octaves, creating a unique texture and sense of tension in your music.

Current Open String Notes:

• String 8 (Lowest): D2#
• String 7: G2#
• String 6: A2#
• String 5: D3#
• String 4: G3#
• String 3: C4#
• String 2: F3
• String 1 (Highest): A4#

How to Tune (from Standard 8-String F# Standard F#2-B2-E3-A3-D4-G4-B3-E4):

• String 8 (F#2): Tune down 3 semitones to D#2.
• String 7 (B2): Tune down 3 semitones to G#2.
• String 6 (E3): Tune down 6 semitones to A#2. (Note: This movement exceeds 4 semitones; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension and tone.)
• String 5 (A3): Tune down 6 semitones to D#3. (Note: This movement exceeds 4 semitones; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension and tone.)
• String 4 (D4): Tune down 6 semitones to G#3. (Note: This movement exceeds 4 semitones; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension and tone.)
• String 3 (G4): Tune down 6 semitones to C#4. (Note: This movement exceeds 4 semitones; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension and tone.)
• String 2 (B3): Tune down 6 semitones to F3. (Note: This movement exceeds 4 semitones; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension and tone.)
• String 1 (E4): Tune down 6 semitones to A#4. (Note: This movement exceeds 4 semitones; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension and tone.)