About Celestial Tuning

This unique "Celestial Tuning" opens up a truly expansive and atmospheric sonic landscape on the guitar. Originally adapted from a Charles Berthoud bass tuning and then further modified for guitar, it moves beyond traditional harmony to craft a sound that is both ethereal and profoundly resonant. It's a tuning that invites experimentation, perfect for creating shimmering drones, rich, unconventional harmonies, and deeply textured soundscapes in genres ranging from ambient and modern classical to experimental rock.

The interplay of strong foundational notes with striking dissonances creates a sense of both groundedness and suspended wonder, making it ideal for players looking to break new ground and discover fresh melodic and harmonic possibilities.

Technical Analysis & Open Chords

The open string notes for Celestial Tuning are, from low to high: E2, A#3, E3, F#4, B3, E4. This setup establishes a strong E tonal center, featuring E notes prominently on the 6th, 4th, and 1st strings across multiple octaves (E2, E3, E4). The 2nd string is tuned to B3, providing a perfect fifth above the E root, which reinforces the E's foundational presence.

The distinctive character of this tuning emerges from the 5th and 3rd strings:

• The 5th string, A#3, introduces an augmented fourth (or diminished fifth) interval against the E root. This creates a compelling tension or a vibrant Lydian-esque #11 color.
• The 3rd string, F#4, adds a major second (or 9th) over the E.

When strummed open, this tuning produces an intricate E(add9, #11) voicing (E - A# - E - F# - B - E). This is far from a standard major or minor chord, leaning instead towards a complex, shimmering E Lydian sonority. This combination facilitates powerful open string drones and unique chord voicings that are richly textured, offering both consonant anchors and intriguing dissonant colors.

Familiar chord shapes will be re-imagined and transformed; for example, a standard barre chord on the 6th string will now yield entirely new harmonic results. The presence of the root, perfect fifth, major ninth, and augmented eleventh provides a versatile palette for crafting both compelling melodic lines and dense, atmospheric harmonic pads. The absence of a clear major or minor third in the open tuning lends itself to harmonic ambiguity, allowing the tuning to adapt fluidly to various musical contexts and moods.

Target Notes

Here are the target notes for each string in Celestial Tuning (from thickest to thinnest):

• 6th String: E2
• 5th String: A#3
• 4th String: E3
• 3rd String: F#4
• 2nd String: B3
• 1st String: E4

How to Tune

To achieve Celestial Tuning, follow these precise adjustments for each string. Please use a reliable chromatic tuner for accuracy.

• 6th String (E2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• 5th String (A#3): Tune up 1 semitone from standard tuning.
• 4th String (E3): Tune up 2 semitones from standard tuning.
• 3rd String (F#4): Tune down 1 semitone from standard tuning.
• 2nd String (B3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• 1st String (E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

All string movements for this tuning are within safe limits (less than 3 semitones up or down). Therefore, no special string gauge is typically required.