A sus4 - The Octave Drone

This is a unique 8-string guitar tuning, centered around the resonant qualities of an A suspended 4th chord. It offers a massive, open sound that's rich with octaves and unisons, perfect for creating powerful drones, heavy riffs, or expansive soundscapes. The arrangement of notes, particularly the repeated D3 and the spread of E, A, and D across multiple octaves, gives it a very full and almost orchestral character when played open.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for this 8-string guitar are: E1, A1, E2, D3, D3, E3, A3, E4.

• Root & Intervals: The tuning strongly emphasizes the notes E, A, and D. These notes form an A suspended 4th chord (A, D, E) when played together, with a strong emphasis on the root A, its perfect fourth D, and its perfect fifth E. The presence of multiple octaves for E (E1, E2, E3, E4) and A (A1, A3), along with unison D notes (D3, D3), creates a deep, layered resonance.
• Chordal Opportunities: Strumming all open strings produces a colossal A sus4 chord. This makes it incredibly easy to establish a strong harmonic foundation. Power chords (5ths) are easily accessible across various string sets due to the octave and unison relationships. For instance, an E5 (E-A-E) or A5 (A-E-A) can be formed with minimal effort. The identical D3 notes on strings 5 and 4 allow for effortless barring to create drone effects or to establish a D-based harmony.
• Playability: The repeated D notes and octave E's and A's provide a familiar framework for players accustomed to drop tunings or open chords, while the expansive range of an 8-string allows for deep bass and shimmering highs. The specific string movements indicate a significantly altered tuning from standard, encouraging exploration of new fingerings and chord shapes.

How to Tune

To achieve the "A sus4" tuning for your 8-string guitar, follow these specific adjustments for each string:

• String 8 (Lowest E): Tune down 2 semitones to E1.
• String 7: Tune down 2 semitones to A1.
• String 6: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E2.
• String 5: Tune up 5 semitones to D3. Note: This is a significant upward adjustment (+5 semitones). For optimal playability and to prevent string breakage, a lighter gauge string is strongly advised for this string.
• String 4: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to D3.
• String 3: Tune down 3 semitones to E3.
• String 2: Tune down 2 semitones to A3.
• String 1 (Highest E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.