"Open Gile" Guitar Tuning Analysis

As the tuning description boldly states, "Real rock n roll for a guitar. Made by the gods, for the gods." The Open Gile tuning truly lives up to its hype, offering a rich, resonant, and powerful sound that can lay the foundation for some epic rock anthems and bluesy riffs. This tuning, with its lowered intervals and unique structure, invites a heavy, driving feel, perfect for styles demanding both depth and melodic clarity.

Technical Analysis: The B Major 6 Powerhouse

The Open Gile tuning transforms your guitar into an open B Major 6 chord. The open strings are tuned to D#3, G#3, B2, F#4, B3, D#5 (from low E to high E string). When these notes are arranged, they reveal the core components of a B Major 6 chord: B (root), D# (major third), F# (perfect fifth), and G# (major sixth).

• B (Root): Found on String 4 (B2) and String 2 (B3).
• D# (Major Third): Found on String 6 (D#3) and String 1 (D#5).
• F# (Perfect Fifth): Found on String 3 (F#4).
• G# (Major Sixth): Found on String 5 (G#3).

This rich voicing means that simply strumming all open strings produces a full, harmonically complete B Major 6 chord. This is incredibly versatile for songwriting, allowing for immediate major key harmonization. The doubled B and D# notes across octaves provide a powerful, ringing quality, while the presence of the major sixth (G#) adds a sophisticated, slightly nostalgic or jazzy flavor to the otherwise robust rock foundation.

Playing Potential and Chordal Reach

With a B Major 6 as your open chord, creating music becomes intuitive.

• Open Chord Exploration: You can effortlessly slide a single finger across a fret to create other Major 6 chords. For instance, fretting all strings at the 1st fret would give you a C Major 6, the 2nd fret a C# Major 6, and so on. This makes barre chords incredibly simple and powerful.
• Power Chords: The interval relationships between the lower strings (D#-G#-B or B-F#-D#) are conducive to easily forming power chords (root-fifth) or even minor chords with minimal effort, especially if you focus on the lower three or four strings. The open D# and B on strings 6 and 4 are particularly strong.
• Melodic Leads: The unique intervals also open up new melodic possibilities. Scales played over this tuning will sound fresh and unexpected, pushing players beyond standard patterns.
• Resonance and Sustain: The generally lowered tuning, particularly on the D string going down to B, provides a looser string tension, potentially leading to increased sustain and a fatter tone.

This tuning is a fantastic choice for those looking to inject a fresh, harmonically rich, and powerful sound into their rock, blues, or even experimental music.

How to Tune: Open Gile

This section guides you through adjusting your guitar from standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning to the Open Gile tuning. Please be mindful of string tension when making significant changes.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone from E to D3#.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 1 semitone from A to G3#.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones from D to B2. (Note: Tuning down 3 semitones is a moderate change. While generally safe, if you tune up or down by more than 4 semitones, a different gauge string is often advised to maintain optimal tension and tone. In this case, tuning down 3 semitones is acceptable but be aware of the tension change.)
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitone from G to F4#.
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from B to B3.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 1 semitone from E to D5#.

Always double-check your tuning after all adjustments are made, as changing one string can slightly affect the tension of others.