Tuning Analysis: D#m6(add4) Open Tuning

This unique guitar tuning, which we've named D#m6(add4) Open Tuning, presents a rich and complex sonic landscape. While its original moniker, 'Only OGs know this Maj9 trick,' hints at its potential for crafting sophisticated Major 9th voicings, the open strings themselves reveal a deep and melancholic character. It's a tuning that invites experimentation, offering a sound palette suitable for genres ranging from ambient soundscapes and cinematic scores to blues, folk, and even some progressive rock where a moodier, more introspective tone is desired.

Verbal Analysis

Imagine a dark, brooding atmosphere with a hint of bittersweet nostalgia. That's the feeling this tuning evokes. The open chord is not immediately a simple major or minor, but rather a sophisticated, almost jazzy, minor 6th chord with an added perfect 4th. This combination creates a sense of suspension and unresolved tension that can be incredibly emotive. Chords played up the neck with simple barre shapes will resonate with this same rich complexity, providing a consistent tonal flavor throughout your playing. It encourages a less conventional approach to chord voicings and melodic lines, often leading to unexpected and beautiful harmonies. The overall downward movement of the strings also results in a slightly slacker string tension, which can contribute to a darker, more resonant tone and easier string bending.

Technical Analysis

• Open Chord Structure: When strummed open, this tuning produces a D# minor 6th chord with an added perfect 4th (D#m6(add4)). The constituent notes are D#, G#, C, F#, A#, D#.
• Root and Intervals: The root of the open chord is D#. From the lowest D#, the intervals are:
  • D# (Root)
  • G# (Perfect 4th)
  • C (Minor 6th)
  • F# (Minor 3rd, an octave higher)
  • A# (Perfect 5th, an octave higher)
  • D# (Octave)
• Chord Possibilities: While the open chord itself is a D#m6(add4), the specific arrangement of intervals makes it fertile ground for exploring various voicings. Sliding a finger across a single fret, or employing simple two or three-finger shapes, can easily yield different minor 7th, suspended, or even dominant 7th chords in various keys. As suggested by its original namer, this tuning might indeed offer a 'trick' for readily accessing Major 9th voicings with minimal effort, perhaps through a specific barre position or combination of open and fretted notes, by leveraging the unique interval relationships between strings.

How to Tune

To achieve the D#m6(add4) Open Tuning, you will be tuning all strings down from standard EADGBe tuning. Please note all movements are within a safe range (less than 4 semitones), so a different string gauge is not strictly necessary for these adjustments, but always tune carefully.

1. 6th String (Low E): Tune down 1 semitone from E to D#.
2. 5th String (A): Tune down 1 semitone from A to G#.
3. 4th String (D): Tune down 2 semitones from D to C.
4. 3rd String (G): Tune down 1 semitone from G to F#.
5. 2nd String (B): Tune down 1 semitone from B to A#.
6. 1st String (High E): Tune down 1 semitone from E to D#.