EAGF#CD Guitar Tuner

EAGF#CD | EAGG♭CD Ascendant Drone - Guitar tuning, chords & scales

Description - Ascendant Drone

Just made this tuning out of curiosity.

The "Ascendant Drone" tuning presents a fascinating and unconventional sonic landscape, stepping far outside the boundaries of standard guitar tunings. It's an ideal choice for guitarists looking to explore ambient textures, experimental soundscapes, or evoke a sense of open, suspended motion. The lower strings establish a deep, resonant foundation with a drone-like quality, while the upper strings introduce unexpected harmonic tensions and wide melodic possibilities. This tuning challenges traditional chord voicings, instead inviting players to discover unique arpeggios, single-note melodies that weave across vast intervallic jumps, and dissonant clusters that resolve in surprising ways. It leans heavily into modal and suspended harmonic colors, making it less suitable for conventional strumming but highly rewarding for intricate fingerstyle, slide guitar, or creating evocative, atmospheric music.

Technical Analysis (E2 A2 G2 F#4 C4 D4)

Overall Structure: This is a highly non-standard tuning with a significant two-octave jump between the 4th (G2) and 3rd (F#4) strings, creating a unique sonic split between the bass and treble registers.
Bottom Strings (E2 A2 G2): These three strings form an E minor 7th chord with an added 4th (A), providing a rich, dark, and sustained foundation. The E-A interval is a Perfect 4th (+5 semitones), and A-G is an ascending Minor 7th (+10 semitones relative to A2, or a descending Major 2nd).
Upper Strings (F#4 C4 D4): These strings introduce significant harmonic tension. The F#4 to C4 is a tritone (Augmented 4th/Diminished 5th), a highly dissonant interval. The C4 to D4 is a Major 2nd, adding a suspended or modal flavor.
Intervallic Jumps:
- String 6 (E2) to String 5 (A2): Perfect 4th (+5 semitones)
- String 5 (A2) to String 4 (G2): Minor 7th (+10 semitones)
- String 4 (G2) to String 3 (F#4): Major 13th (+23 semitones) – a massive leap that creates a distinct separation in the guitar's range.
- String 3 (F#4) to String 2 (C4): Tritone / Augmented 4th (+6 semitones)
- String 2 (C4) to String 1 (D4): Major 2nd (+2 semitones)
Open Chords & Voicings: This tuning does not easily yield standard major or minor open chords. It naturally encourages:
- Modal Chords: The E-A-G-F# sequence suggests an E Dorian or E minor 7(add4, 9) feel, opening doors for modal explorations.
- Suspended Voicings: The C-D interval on the higher strings can be utilized for suspended 2nd or 9th chords.
- Drones and Arpeggios: The wide intervals and dissonances are perfect for creating ringing drones or arpeggiated figures, especially across the G2-F#4 gap.
- Slide Guitar: The open intervals and inherent tensions would be highly expressive with a slide.
Challenges: The extreme range for the 3rd string (F#4 from a standard G3) would require tuning up 11 semitones. This is a very high tension for a typical guitar string and would likely necessitate a significantly lighter gauge string or could risk breakage. The large intervallic jump between the 4th and 3rd strings will require a different approach to fretboard navigation.

How to Tune (from Standard EADGBe)

Important: Changes exceeding 4 semitones (up or down) may require a different string gauge to ensure proper tension and prevent breakage. Proceed with caution.

String 6 (Low E): From E2, keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Final Note: E2.
String 5 (A): From A2, keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Final Note: A2.
String 4 (D): From D3, tune down 7 semitones to G2. This is a significant drop; a heavier gauge string may be advisable. Final Note: G2.
String 3 (G): From G3, tune down 1 semitone to F#3. Note: The target tuning note provided for this string is F#4, which would require tuning up 11 semitones from G3. This is an extremely high tension for a standard string and would likely require a significantly lighter gauge string. Please verify the intended target note (F#3 or F#4). Final Note (as per tuning notes): F#4.
String 2 (B): From B3, tune up 1 semitone to C4. Final Note: C4.
String 1 (High E): From E4, tune down 2 semitones to D4. Final Note: D4.