Description of EEBBEF# Tuning

This unique tuning, prominently featured in Lee Ranaldo's guitar part for Sonic Youth's "Wish Fulfilment," creates a distinctive and often dissonant soundscape characteristic of the band's experimental approach.

Verbal Analysis

The EEBBEF# tuning immediately presents a dense, resonant quality with its doubled low E strings, providing a powerful and drone-like foundation. The subsequent B notes (an octave apart) add to this rich, sustained texture, suggesting a deep, open chord feel. The higher E and the exceptionally high F# string introduce a shimmering, almost piercing quality, creating a wide intervallic spread that can yield both lush harmonics and sharp, attention-grabbing dissonances. This setup lends itself well to open string ringing, unconventional arpeggios, and percussive attacks, fostering an atmosphere of tension and release often explored in noise rock and experimental genres. It encourages a departure from standard chord shapes, pushing the player to explore new voicings and melodic possibilities across the fretboard.

Technical Analysis

The tuning consists of the notes: E2, E2, B2, B3, E4, F5#. Let's break down the intervals and potential harmonic implications:

• String 6 (E2) & String 5 (E2): These are tuned in unison, providing a colossal low end and a strong fundamental.
• String 5 (E2) & String 4 (B2): A perfect fifth interval (E to B), reinforcing a strong power chord feel in the lower register.
• String 4 (B2) & String 3 (B3): An octave apart, creating a full, ringing B note across registers.
• String 3 (B3) & String 2 (E4): A perfect fourth interval (B to E).
• String 2 (E4) & String 1 (F5#): This is a complex interval; F#5 is an octave plus a major second above E4. This wide leap creates significant tension and brightness.

When strummed open, the tuning suggests an E-based harmony, specifically an E suspended 4th (E-B-E) with the high F# acting as a prominent major second or ninth. The lack of a G# means it's not a clear E major, but the strong E and B presence creates a powerful, open "drone" chord that can be explored in various harmonic contexts, often implying an E major tonality due to the strong root and fifth. The high F# adds a distinct color, inviting melodic lines that play against this implied E harmony.

How to Tune (from Standard EADGBe)

Achieving the EEBBEF# tuning from standard EADGBe requires significant adjustments to most strings. Please proceed with caution, especially when tuning strings up significantly, as this can increase tension and potentially damage lighter gauge strings or the guitar itself. For changes exceeding 4 semitones up or down, a different string gauge is strongly advised.

• String 6 (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Stays E2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 5 semitones from A2 to E2. (This is a significant drop; a lighter gauge string may be too slack for comfortable play, or a heavier gauge might be needed if this were a primary tuning).
• String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones from D3 to B2.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 4 semitones from G3 to B3. (Caution advised; a heavier gauge string might be beneficial for this increase in tension).
• String 2 (B): Tune up 5 semitones from B3 to E4. (Caution advised; a heavier gauge string is strongly recommended for this increase in tension to prevent breakage or excessive strain on the instrument).
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 2 semitones from E4 to F#4. Please note: The specified target note for String 1 in this tuning is F5#. Tuning a standard E4 string up by only 2 semitones will result in F#4, an octave lower than F5#. Achieving F5# from a standard E4 string would require tuning up 14 semitones, which is highly impractical and would almost certainly break the string. If the F5# is the desired target, a significantly lighter gauge string (e.g., a banjo string) or an alternative approach like capoing at the 12th fret for an F#4 string would be necessary. For the purposes of these tuning instructions based on string movements, the practical outcome for a standard E4 string is F#4.

String 6 (Low E): E2

String 5 (A): E2

String 4 (D): B2

String 3 (G): B3

String 2 (B): E4

String 1 (High E): F5#