Tuning Analysis: Milan Sunday Makeshift

The "Milan Sunday Makeshift" tuning, as its original prompt suggests, appears to be an unconventional and possibly ad-hoc arrangement, perhaps necessitated by unforeseen circumstances such as a broken string and limited access to a music shop. This five-string setup diverges significantly from standard guitar tunings, presenting a unique and challenging sonic landscape for the adventurous guitarist.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning is characterized by its highly unusual string intervals and a non-linear pitch progression, particularly between the higher strings. It is not designed for conventional open chords, but rather encourages a more experimental approach to playing. The wide jumps in pitch between certain strings, such as the large interval from the 3rd string (D3) to the 2nd string (F#4), create a distinct, somewhat dissonant, and open sound. Furthermore, the pitch of the 1st string (A3) being lower than the 2nd string (F#4) is highly unconventional and will produce a unique harmonic spread that defies typical strumming patterns. This setup lends itself to fingerstyle playing, arpeggios, and exploring unique melodic and harmonic voicings that are difficult or impossible to achieve in standard tuning. The overall feel is one of raw improvisation, possibly melancholic or suspenseful, due to the unexpected pitch relationships.

Technical Analysis

The open notes, from the lowest available string (String 5) to the highest physically positioned string (String 1), are E2, G2, D3, F#4, A3. This yields the following interval structure between consecutively numbered strings:

• String 5 (E2) to String 4 (G2): Minor Third (3 semitones)
• String 4 (G2) to String 3 (D3): Perfect Fifth (7 semitones)
• String 3 (D3) to String 2 (F#4): Major Tenth (15 semitones) – This is a very significant jump in pitch, spanning more than an octave and a half.
• String 2 (F#4) to String 1 (A3): Descending Minor Ninth (-9 semitones) – Unusually, the pitch of String 1 is lower than String 2, which is highly unconventional for a standard guitar string progression (where strings typically ascend in pitch from lowest to highest physical position).

When all five open strings are strummed together in their given order (E2-G2-D3-F#4-A3), they produce a complex voicing. If we re-order the notes by pitch (E2, G2, A3, D3, F#4), they outline an E minor 11 (no 5th) chord (E-G-A-D-F#). However, due to the actual string order and the descending interval between String 2 and String 1, directly strumming the open strings will likely produce a much more avant-garde and dissonant texture rather than a clear, conventional chordal sound. This tuning encourages exploration of unique voicings and arpeggiated figures rather than traditional chord shapes.

How to Tune

This section details the specific adjustments required to achieve the Milan Sunday Makeshift tuning. It assumes a starting point from standard guitar tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e for a 6-string guitar). Please pay close attention to the specified semitone movements and target notes, especially for the higher strings, which exhibit highly unusual pitches and adjustments.

• String 5 (Lowest available string): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is E2. (This is the standard Low E string).
• String 4: Tune down 2 semitones. The target note is G2. (This is typically tuned down from a standard A2 string).
• String 3: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is D3. (This is typically the standard D3 string).
• String 2: Tune down 1 semitone. The target note is F#4. This target note is exceptionally high for a second string (which is typically G3 in standard tuning). Tuning a standard G3 string up to F#4 would be a dramatic +11 semitone change (G3 to F#4) and is highly risky without a lighter gauge string. The instruction to "tune down 1 semitone" implies the string's intended starting pitch before tuning is an exceptionally high G4. Caution is strongly advised, and a suitable string gauge (likely a very light one) is essential if aiming for F#4. This adjustment exceeds the general guideline of +/- 4 semitones.
• String 1 (Highest physically positioned string): Tune down 2 semitones. The target note is A3. This target note is lower than the standard high E4 string and also lower than the F#4 on String 2. If starting from a standard high E4 string, tuning down 2 semitones would yield D4, not A3. The instruction "tune down 2 semitones" to reach A3 suggests the string's intended starting pitch before tuning is B3 (standard 2nd string) or a similar pitch.

Important Note on String Gauges: For any tuning adjustments exceeding 4 semitones up or down, it is generally advised to consider using a different string gauge to avoid excessive tension or slack, which can damage the instrument or affect playability. The F#4 target for String 2 represents a significant deviation from standard string tension for a typical guitar setup, and extreme caution should be exercised. It would likely require a much lighter gauge string if starting from a standard higher string, or a re-evaluation of the tuning's practicality given its high pitch relative to the string number.

String 5: E2 (Lowest available string, standard Low E)

String 4: G2

String 3: D3

String 2: F#4 (Exceptionally high pitch for this string position)

String 1: A3 (Lower in pitch than String 2, unconventional for highest string position)