Verbal Analysis

This custom 8-string guitar tuning, aptly named "Asus2 8string" by its creator, is crafted for players who appreciate the rich, open sound of suspended chords. The tuning establishes a dominant A suspended second (Asus2) harmony across the open strings, creating a lush, resonant foundation. The repetition of E, A, and B notes across various octaves provides a powerful, almost drone-like quality, reminiscent of open tunings found in folk and experimental music but adapted for the extended range of an 8-string instrument. It's designed to make complex harmonies easily accessible and provide a wide sonic palette for both rhythm and lead playing. The creator's note of being a "fan of sus chords" is clearly evident in the thoughtful construction of this tuning.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for this 8-string tuning are: E1, A1, E2, A2, B2, E3, A3, E4. Analysing these notes reveals a clear A suspended second (Asus2) chord (A, E, B) played across multiple octaves, with the E and A notes heavily reinforced. The intervallic structure creates a dense, resonant sound:

• Between String 8 (E1) and String 7 (A1): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• Between String 7 (A1) and String 6 (E2): Perfect Fifth (P5)
• Between String 6 (E2) and String 5 (A2): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• Between String 5 (A2) and String 4 (B2): Major Second (M2)
• Between String 4 (B2) and String 3 (E3): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• Between String 3 (E3) and String 2 (A3): Perfect Fourth (P4)
• Between String 2 (A3) and String 1 (E4): Perfect Fifth (P5)

The overall voicing of E-A-E-A-B-E-A-E results in a full Asus2 chord (A, B, E) with strong emphasis on the root (A) and fifth (E), and the added major second (B) giving it its suspended quality. This structure facilitates easy access to power chords and drone effects. Barre chords across the lower strings will naturally form variations of Asus2 or Amaj9 type chords. The consistent intervals of fourths and fifths between many strings make for predictable and powerful voicings.

Open Chords & Reachable Shapes

• Open Asus2 Chord: Strumming all open strings yields a powerful, multi-octave Asus2 chord (A-E-A-E-B-E-A-E). This is the fundamental sound of the tuning and provides an immediate, full-bodied suspended harmony.
• Open Power Chords: The repeated E and A notes across octaves make E5 (E-E) and A5 (A-A) very resonant. For instance, strumming strings 8, 7, 6 (E1-A1-E2) creates a massive E power chord, while strings 7, 6, 5 (A1-E2-A2) give an equally strong A power chord.
• A Major / A Minor: By utilizing string 4 (B2), you can easily pivot to A major or A minor. Fret string 4 at the 2nd fret (C#3) while strumming all other open strings to achieve an A Major chord. Fret string 4 at the 1st fret (C3) for an A Minor chord. This allows for quick harmonic shifts with minimal finger movement.
• Octaves: The tuning's structure allows for easy octaves across multiple string sets, such as E1 (string 8) and E2 (string 6), A1 (string 7) and A2 (string 5), and E3 (string 3) and E4 (string 1), which can be utilized for melodic lines and bass reinforcement.

How to Tune

To achieve the "Asus2 8string" tuning, follow these specific adjustments for each string, starting from the lowest (8th) to the highest (1st):

• String 8 (Lowest): Tune to E1. Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 7: Tune to A1. Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 6: Tune to E2. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 5: Tune to A2. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4: Tune to B2. Tune down 3 semitones.
• String 3: Tune to E3. Tune down 3 semitones.
• String 2: Tune to A3. Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 1 (Highest): Tune to E4. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

Note: All string movements are within standard gauge recommendations (less than 4 semitones up or down), so a standard set of 8-string guitar strings should suffice.

Tuning Notes Overview

Below are the precise notes for each string in the Asus2 8string tuning, from the thickest (8th) to the thinnest (1st).

String 8: E1
String 7: A1
String 6: E2
String 5: A2
String 4: B2
String 3: E3
String 2: A3
String 1: E4