Verbal Analysis:

The 'Charango Lute Fusion' tuning offers a truly unique sonic landscape, blending the bright, re-entrant qualities of the Charango with the rich, resonant tones often associated with lute-like instruments. As described by its creator, the primary goal of this tuning is to achieve a brighter sound from the treble strings, consciously diverging from the traditional low-to-high bass order of a standard guitar.

Players familiar with Charango patterns will find this tuning particularly intuitive for the higher five strings, as it aligns with standard Charango tunings but raised one whole tone. This allows for direct application of known Charango fingerings and strumming patterns, albeit transposed higher, facilitating a smooth transition for players accustomed to the Charango's unique voice.

For guitarists, the tuning suggests that standard guitar patterns on the 'lower five strings' can be utilized, though they will be transposed by two and a half steps (or five semitones). The description specifically notes that a 'C pattern starting on 6th strings' (likely referring to a movable chord shape with its root on the 6th string, or a specific scale shape) will now sound as a G chord. This implies a significant re-harmonization of familiar shapes, opening up new harmonic possibilities without relearning fundamental finger positions. The ability to use a capo on the second fret for a 1.5-tone lower sound, or the third fret for a 1-tone lower sound, further enhances its versatility for quick key changes and transpositions.

Technical Analysis:

This tuning results in the following open string notes from lowest to highest nominal string position:

• 6th String: E2
• 5th String: A2
• 4th String: D3
• 3rd String: F#4
• 2nd String: B3
• 1st String: F#5

The most striking technical aspect of this tuning is its prominent re-entrant character. Unlike standard guitar tunings where strings are progressively higher in pitch as they become thinner, here we observe a non-linear arrangement:

• The 3rd string (F#4) is significantly higher in pitch than the 2nd string (B3) and even an octave above the expected F#3 from a semitone drop from G3.
• The 2nd string (B3) is itself higher than the 4th string (D3), but lower than the 3rd string (F#4).
• The 1st string (F#5) reaches an exceptionally high pitch, an octave above the expected F#4 from a two-semitone rise from E4.

This unique pitch ordering (E2 < A2 < D3 < B3 < F#4 < F#5 when ordered by actual pitch) is characteristic of instruments like the Charango and ukulele. This design facilitates a bright, shimmering quality and allows for specific Charango strumming and arpeggio techniques that differ greatly from traditional guitar playing.

In terms of open chords, the notes E, A, D, F#, B, F# do not form a single conventional guitar chord. However, the presence of E, A, and D provides a strong tonal foundation, potentially allowing for open drone effects. The re-entrant nature means that standard guitar chord shapes will need significant adaptation, or entirely new fingerings will emerge to leverage the unique intervallic relationships. The focus shifts from traditional chord voicings to the melodic and rhythmic possibilities offered by the Charango-like string configuration.

How to Tune:

To set your guitar to the 'Charango Lute Fusion' tuning, follow these precise string adjustments from standard guitar tuning (EADGBe):

• 6th String (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note for this string is E2.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note for this string is A2.
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note for this string is D3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 1 semitone from its original G3 position. This adjustment would typically result in F#3. However, the target note for this string is F#4, indicating a re-entrant tuning where this string is intended to be an entire octave higher than F#3. This significant upward shift in octave is a key feature of this tuning and will likely necessitate a specialized, lighter gauge string to reach F#4 safely and effectively.
• 2nd String (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note for this string is B3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune up 2 semitones from its original E4 position. This adjustment would typically result in F#4. However, the target note for this string is F#5, meaning it is intended to be an entire octave higher than F#4. This makes it an exceptionally high-pitched string, a defining characteristic of re-entrant tunings, and will absolutely require a specialized, very light-gauge string to reach F#5 without risk of breakage or excessive tension.

String Gauge Considerations: While the individual semitone movements for this tuning are relatively minor (down 1, up 2), the stated target notes for the 3rd (F#4) and 1st (F#5) strings are significantly higher in octave than what a standard guitar string at its original position would achieve with these small semitone changes. This strongly implies that these strings are intended to be re-entrant and will require specialized, much lighter gauge strings to safely reach these very high pitches, ensuring proper tension and playability. Using standard gauge strings for these high octave pitches could lead to excessive tension and string breakage.