This unique tuning, aptly named "snjór úlfur" (Snow Wolf) from an Icelandic song, offers a distinctive sonic landscape. It transforms the guitar into an open C Major chord, making it incredibly resonant and allowing for rich, ringing harmonies right from the open strings. The standard tuning notes are modified to create a full C Major sonority: E2 G2 C3 G3 C4 E4. This arrangement provides a powerful and fundamental harmonic base.

Verbal Analysis

"snjór úlfur Tuning" evokes a bright, open, and slightly melancholic feel, perfect for folk, ambient, or atmospheric music. The prevalence of C, E, and G notes across the strings creates a rich, sustained C Major sound that rings out with minimal effort. It lends itself well to drone-like playing, where individual notes or simple two-note voicings can float over the open chord. The strategic placement of the root (C), third (E), and fifth (G) allows for intuitive melodic exploration within the C major scale, even for those new to altered tunings. The low E and high E strings remain at their standard pitch, acting as natural bookends to the C Major core.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes are configured as E2 G2 C3 G3 C4 E4. This results in an open C Major chord (C-E-G) spread across the fretboard. Breaking down the intervals from low to high:

• E2 (6th string): The 3rd of C Major.
• G2 (5th string): The 5th of C Major.
• C3 (4th string): The Root of C Major.
• G3 (3rd string): The 5th of C Major.
• C4 (2nd string): The Root of C Major.
• E4 (1st string): The 3rd of C Major.

The tuning primarily features perfect fifths and major thirds, making it very consonant. Specifically, the relationship between strings 5-4 (G2-C3) is a perfect 4th, 4-3 (C3-G3) is a perfect 5th, 3-2 (G3-C4) is a perfect 4th, and 2-1 (C4-E4) is a major 3rd. The E2-G2 interval is a minor third, adding to the overall harmonic density. This arrangement allows for easy access to the C Major chord and its inversions, simply by strumming the open strings.

Accessible Chords & Shapes

Given the open C Major tuning, several chord voicings become naturally accessible or simplified:

• Open C Major: Strumming all open strings produces a full, resonant C Major chord.
• C Sus2/Sus4: Easily achieved by simply fretting specific strings. For instance, replacing the E (3rd) with a D (2nd fret on 1st string) or F (1st fret on 1st string) would create sus2 or sus4 voicings.
• G Major/Dominant (V Chord): By barring at the 7th fret, you can achieve a G Major chord (G-B-D). The open G strings (5th and 3rd) can be incorporated as drones or muted.
• F Major (IV Chord): A barre at the 5th fret would yield an F Major chord (F-A-C).
• Movable Barre Chords: Any barre across a single fret will produce a major chord (or a variation thereof) due to the underlying C-G-C-E-G-C structure, shifting the entire C Major harmony up the neck. For example, a barre at the first fret would be C# Major.
• Drone Opportunities: The repeated G and C notes offer excellent opportunities for drone playing, where specific strings are left open while others are fretted for melodic or harmonic contrast.

This tuning is particularly effective for slide guitar, where the open major chord allows for smooth transitions between different major keys with a simple slide.

Tuning Notes (Low to High)

String 6 (Low E): E2
String 5 (A): G2
String 4 (D): C3
String 3 (G):): G3
String 2 (B): C4
String 1 (High E): E4

How to Tune (from Standard E-A-D-G-B-E)

• String 6 (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The string remains at E2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones. Adjust from A2 to G2.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 2 semitones. Adjust from D3 to C3.
• String 3 (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The string remains at G3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone. Adjust from B3 to C4.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The string remains at E4.

Important Note on String Gauges: When tuning strings significantly up or down (generally exceeding 4 semitones in either direction), it is advisable to consider using a different gauge string to prevent undue tension or slack, which can affect playability and potentially damage your instrument. For this "snjór úlfur Tuning," all string movements are within a safe range, so a standard light or medium gauge set should be suitable.