Tuning Analysis: Open C (Matt Corby Souls A'Fire)

This unique guitar tuning, labeled 'Open C' and associated with the phrase 'matt corby souls a'fire', offers a rich and resonant sonic palette. While sharing its name with more common Open C variations, this particular arrangement presents a distinct character, providing a versatile foundation for melodic and percussive playing styles.

Verbal Analysis

The arrangement of notes creates a full and expansive sound when strummed open, evocative of a grand, resonant piano chord. It's particularly well-suited for blues, folk, and contemporary fingerstyle, offering a deep, drone-like quality on the lower strings while providing clear harmonic possibilities on the higher ones. The 'matt corby souls a'fire' descriptor suggests a soulful, emotive, and possibly percussive approach to playing, where the open strings can ring out to create atmosphere and depth.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to E2-A2-C3-G3-C4-E4, from low to high. When strummed together, these notes form a complex yet harmonious chord. The core C major triad (C-G-C-E) is prominently present across strings 4 through 1 (C3-G3-C4-E4), giving the tuning its 'Open C' identity. The addition of the A2 on the 5th string effectively creates a C6 chord sound (C-E-G-A), enriching the harmony. The lowest E2 on the 6th string deepens the overall resonance and subtly hints at an E minor quality if perceived from the lowest note, or serves as a strong bass foundation.

A key advantage of this tuning's construction is that barring all strings across any fret will instantly yield a major chord shape, making key changes incredibly straightforward and powerful for rhythm guitarists. For example, barring at the 5th fret would produce an F major chord. The inclusion of the A2 string also allows for easy access to A minor (A-C-E) voicings, often by simply muting the low E string or incorporating it for a broader, sophisticated harmony.

The string movements required from standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning are moderate. Only the 4th string is tuned down by 2 semitones (from D to C), and the 2nd string is tuned up by 1 semitone (from B to C). These minor adjustments are well within the safe limits for standard guitar strings and do not necessitate a change in string gauge, ensuring good playability and intonation across the fretboard.

How to Tune Your Guitar to Open C

To achieve the 'Open C' tuning (E2-A2-C3-G3-C4-E4), please follow these specific adjustments from standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 0 semitones from E2 (standard). Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The final note will be E2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 0 semitones from A2 (standard). Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The final note will be A2.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 2 semitones from D3 (standard). Tune down 2 semitones. The final note will be C3.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 0 semitones from G3 (standard). Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The final note will be G3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitones from B3 (standard). Tune up 1 semitones. The final note will be C4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 0 semitones from E4 (standard). Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The final note will be E4.

Note: The string movements for this tuning are relatively minor (maximum of 2 semitones down, 1 semitone up), meaning your current string gauge should be suitable without issues.