The "Alternating Thirds" tuning, as described, is a fascinating and highly musical setup for the guitar. It's designed to make complex harmonies readily available with minimal effort, making it particularly useful for songwriters and composers looking for rich textural layers.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning lives up to its name by creating a harmonic landscape that echoes the principles of the "FACEGB" tuning, a system known for its alternating major and minor third intervals. The provided notes are a direct half-step down transposition of FACEGB (E G# B D# F# A#), adapted for a longer scale guitar, which helps maintain string tension despite the lower pitch. This arrangement makes it incredibly easy to form diatonic chords, often requiring just one or two fingers. Imagine strumming a full, evocative chord with a single finger – that's the power this tuning offers. It's particularly adept at allowing melodies to resonate across the strings, creating a harp-like sustain that enriches any musical passage. The description highlights its utility for composing textural layers and songwriting, as it simplifies chord discovery and voicings.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to E2 G#3 B2 D#4 F#4 A#4. When these notes are arranged in a single octave, they form an Emaj7#11 chord (E - G# - B - D# - F# - A#). This distinctive chord structure immediately implies the Lydian mode, providing a bright, airy, and somewhat mystical sonic foundation.

Observing the intervals between consecutive strings reveals a re-entrant nature, where string pitches do not strictly ascend:

• String 6 (E2) to String 5 (G#3): Octave + Major Third (+16 semitones)
• String 5 (G#3) to String 4 (B2): Major Sixth down (-9 semitones) - a significant drop making this a re-entrant tuning.
• String 4 (B2) to String 3 (D#4): Octave + Major Third (+16 semitones)
• String 3 (D#4) to String 2 (F#4): Minor Third (+3 semitones)
• String 2 (F#4) to String 1 (A#4): Minor Third (+3 semitones)

Despite the re-entrancy, the underlying Lydian chord structure remains dominant.

Open Chords and Reachable Voicings

The open tuning itself presents a rich Emaj7#11 chord, immediately providing a complex and sophisticated harmony. This is the ultimate open chord for this tuning.

Due to its construction, simply barring all strings at any fret will transpose this Emaj7#11 chord, allowing players to instantly access any Lydian #11 chord across the fretboard (e.g., Fmaj7#11 at the 1st fret, F#maj7#11 at the 2nd, etc.).

Beyond the full open chord, several clear triads are embedded within the open strings:

• The bottom three strings (E2, G#3, B2) form an E Major triad (though with G# an octave higher than standard).
• Strings 4, 3, and 2 (B2, D#4, F#4) also articulate a clear B Major triad, again with octave displacements.
• The top three strings (D#4, F#4, A#4) form a concise D# Minor triad, offering a darker counterpoint to the overall Lydian feel.

The arrangement of two consecutive minor thirds on the top strings (D#4-F#4-A#4) creates accessible minor chord voicings with minimal finger movement. The design truly enables the "one or two finger" chord concept for a wide array of diatonic harmonies, facilitating expressive and harmonically rich playing.

Open Tuning Notes

String 6 (low E): E2

String 5: G#3

String 4: B2

String 3: D#4

String 2: F#4

String 1 (high E): A#4

How to Tune

To achieve the "Alternating Thirds" tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these adjustments for each string:

• String 6 (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 5 (A string): Tune down 1 semitones to G#.
• String 4 (D string): Tune down 3 semitones to B.
• String 3 (G string): Tune down 4 semitones to D#.
• String 2 (B string): Tune down 5 semitones to F#. Note: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant adjustment. Consider using a lighter gauge string for optimal tension and playability.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 6 semitones to A#. Note: Tuning down 6 semitones is a significant adjustment. Consider using a lighter gauge string for optimal tension and playability.

General Recommendation: When tuning strings up or down by 5 semitones or more (exceeding a range of -4 to +4 semitones), it is generally recommended to use a different string gauge to maintain proper string tension and avoid potential damage to your guitar or strings.