This unique guitar tuning, known as D#G#D#G#CF, is notably featured in the song 'July' by the Japanese band Bloodthirsty Butchers. It diverges significantly from standard tuning, offering a distinctive sonic landscape that hints at dark, atmospheric, and resonant qualities.

Verbal Analysis:

The tuning's character is immediately striking due to the low register of the two heaviest strings (D#3 and G#3), creating a deep, rumbling foundation. This sets a serious or melancholic mood. The subsequent strings follow a repeating pattern of a perfect fourth then a perfect fifth, building a strong, resonant drone. The higher strings, C4 and F4, introduce a contrasting brightness, often leading to suspended or complex harmonic voicings when played alongside the lower notes. It's a tuning designed less for open strumming of conventional chords and more for intricate riffs, pedal tones, and creating a specific emotional texture.

Technical Analysis:

• Open Notes: From low to high, the strings are tuned to D#3, G#3, D#4, G#4, C4, and F4.
• Interval Relationships:
  • String 6 (D#3) to String 5 (G#3): Perfect Fourth (4 semitones)
  • String 5 (G#3) to String 4 (D#4): Perfect Fifth (7 semitones)
  • String 4 (D#4) to String 3 (G#4): Perfect Fourth (4 semitones)
  • String 3 (G#4) to String 2 (C4): Major Third (4 semitones)
  • String 2 (C4) to String 1 (F4): Perfect Fourth (5 semitones)
• Chordal Implications:

  While not a standard open major or minor chord, this tuning offers unique harmonic possibilities:

  • The lowest four strings (D#3, G#3, D#4, G#4) create a powerful, resonant foundation, essentially providing a D#5 power chord (D# and G# being a perfect fourth apart) or a G#sus2/D# (G# with its perfect fifth D#). This allows for easy drone notes and heavy riffing.
  • Analyzing the full open tuning (D#3, G#3, D#4, G#4, C4, F4) reveals a rich harmonic structure. If we consider G# as the root, the notes present are: G# (root), C (Major 3rd), D# (Perfect 5th), and F (minor 7th). This strongly outlines an open G# Major 7th chord, with the lowest D# acting as a foundational fifth in the bass.
  • This makes the tuning highly effective for open string drones that resonate with a G# Major 7th harmony, creating sustained soundscapes, and crafting melodies that utilize these unique intervallic relationships. Barring across frets on the lower strings will easily yield powerful chord voicings within this G# tonality.

Tuning Notes:

• String 6 (Low E): D3#
• String 5 (A): G3#
• String 4 (D): D4#
• String 3 (G): G4#
• String 2 (B): C4
• String 1 (High E): F4

How to Tune:

To achieve the D#G#D#G#CF tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these precise string adjustments:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 1 semitones from E3 to D#3.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 1 semitones from A3 to G#3.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 1 semitones from D4 to D#4.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 1 semitones from G4 to G#4.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitones from B3 to C4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 1 semitones from E4 to F4.

Important Note: All string movements for this tuning are within 1 semitone, which are common and safe adjustments for standard string gauges. For tunings requiring movements of 4 or more semitones (up or down), a different string gauge is generally advised to maintain optimal tension and prevent damage.