Prepare for the deepest depths of sonic devastation with the 'Drop e0 meshuggah mindsmirror' tuning. This extreme 9-string guitar setup plunges your instrument into the sub-sonic realm, famously associated with the groundbreaking, polyrhythmic soundscapes of bands like Meshuggah, and also noted as being used in "Minds Mirror" and some of the tuning creator's own songs. It's a tuning designed not for traditional melodies or conventional chords, but for earth-shattering riffs, industrial textures, and immense, dissonant power. The incredibly low E0 provides a foundational rumble, while the intricate interplay of sharped notes creates a uniquely unsettling and powerful harmonic palette, perfect for djent, progressive metal, and experimental music that demands ultimate heaviness.

Technical Analysis

This 9-string tuning features the following open notes, from lowest to highest:

• String 9: E0 (an extremely low sub-bass note)
• String 8: A#1
• String 7: D#2
• String 6: G#2
• String 5: C#3
• String 4: F#3
• String 3: B2
• String 2: D#4
• String 1: G#4

The intervals between strings are highly irregular, moving far beyond standard guitar tuning conventions. The tuning begins with a massive leap from E0 to A#1 (an augmented fourth spanning an octave and a half), followed by a series of perfect fourths (A#1-D#2, D#2-G#2, G#2-C#3, C#3-F#3). A notable inversion occurs between String 4 and String 3, with F#3 dropping to B2 (a diminished fifth downwards), creating a wide, dissonant jump. The ascent then resumes with a significant leap from B2 to D#4 (a major third across two octaves), concluding with a perfect fourth to G#4. This structure is designed for maximum sonic impact, prioritizing wide intervals and open string dissonance over conventional harmony.

Given the extreme low end and irregular intervals, traditional open chords are largely impractical. Instead, this tuning excels at:

• Heavy Riffing: Exploiting the lowest strings for crushing, single-note or two-note power chord style riffs (e.g., fretting two lowest strings at the same fret) that leverage the deep E0 and its neighboring dissonances.
• Dissonant Textures: The combination of sharped notes and wide intervals across the fretboard facilitates unique, unsettling, and industrial-sounding clusters and arpeggios.
• Lead & Melody: The higher strings (B2, D#4, G#4) can form partial chords (e.g., an implied B major triad with B, D#, and an F# if fretted) or be used for leads that stand out against the extremely low foundation. The G#4 to D#4 perfect fourth provides a stable foundation for higher-register melodic work.

How to Tune

To achieve this exceptionally low and wide-ranging tuning, adjust each string according to the following movements:

• String 9 (Lowest): Tune down 9 semitones. This is a substantial drop and will require a much heavier gauge string than typically found in a standard 9-string set to maintain tension and intonation effectively.
• String 8: Tune down 8 semitones. This is a significant alteration, a heavier string gauge is highly recommended.
• String 7: Tune down 8 semitones. This is a significant alteration, a heavier string gauge is highly recommended.
• String 6: Tune down 8 semitones. This is a significant alteration, a heavier string gauge is highly recommended.
• String 5: Tune down 8 semitones. This is a significant alteration, a heavier string gauge is highly recommended.
• String 4: Tune down 8 semitones. This is a significant alteration, a heavier string gauge is highly recommended.
• String 3: Tune down 8 semitones. This is a significant alteration, a heavier string gauge is highly recommended.
• String 2: Tune down 8 semitones. This is a significant alteration, a heavier string gauge is highly recommended.
• String 1 (Highest): Tune down 8 semitones. This is a significant alteration, a heavier string gauge is highly recommended.

Important Note on String Gauge: For any string movement exceeding 4 semitones (either up or down), it is strongly advised to use a different gauge string. This helps ensure proper string tension, accurate intonation, prevents premature string breakage, and protects your instrument's neck from undue stress due to inadequate or excessive tension.

String 9: E0

String 8: A#1

String 7: D#2

String 6: G#2

String 5: C#3

String 4: F#3

String 3: B2

String 2: D#4

String 1: G#4