This unique guitar tuning, named "Rivers in Your Mouth" after the Ben Howard song it's associated with, offers a rich and expansive sound. It is designed to be played with a capo on the second fret, which further enhances its sonic character by raising the overall pitch and creating a brighter, more shimmering tone. Without the capo, the open strings form an intriguing Fmaj13sus2 voicing.

Verbal Analysis

The open strings immediately present a full, resonant quality, dominated by major intervals that lend themselves to melodic and fingerstyle playing. The low F string provides a strong foundation, while the upper strings weave together to create a bright and open sound. The presence of both a G and a D note alongside the F major triad (F-A-C) adds a beautiful complexity, making the tuning feel both familiar and distinct. With the capo at the second fret, the tuning transforms into a glorious Gmaj13sus2, offering a sparkling, uplifting feel perfect for intricate arpeggios and spacious chord progressions.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes are F2 A2 C3 A3 G3 D4 (low to high). This tuning builds upon an F major triad (F-A-C) but introduces significant extensions and revoicings. The interval structure relative to the lowest F is: Root (F), Major 3rd (A), Perfect 5th (C), Octave + Major 3rd (A), Major 9th (G), and Major 13th (D). This creates an open Fmaj13sus2 chord. When a capo is applied at the second fret, the effective open notes become G2 B2 D3 B3 A3 E4, which forms an open Gmaj13sus2 chord, providing a bright and ringing sound with a natural major tonality.

Potential Chords & Voicings

Due to the open Fmaj13sus2 (or Gmaj13sus2 with capo) voicing, many chords will naturally ring out with a full, suspended, or extended major quality. Moving a single finger or two can easily yield other major, minor, or suspended chords with rich overtones. For instance, barre chords across the fretboard will often take on a distinct extended major or dominant sound. Simple two or three-finger shapes can create interesting voicings, making it an excellent tuning for exploring unique harmonic landscapes and fingerstyle arrangements.

How to Tune

• String 6 (Low E to F2): Tune up 1 semitones. Start with your low E string and carefully raise its pitch by one semitone to reach F2.
• String 5 (A to A2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Your A string remains at its standard pitch, A2.
• String 4 (D to C3): Tune down 2 semitones. Lower your D string by two semitones to reach C3.
• String 3 (G to A3): Tune up 2 semitones. Raise your G string by two semitones to reach A3.
• String 2 (B to G3): Tune down 4 semitones. Lower your B string significantly by four semitones to reach G3. Caution: Tuning down by four semitones is a substantial change. If you plan to use this tuning frequently, consider using a lighter gauge string for your second string to avoid excessive slack or potential intonation issues.
• String 1 (High E to D4): Tune down 2 semitones. Lower your high E string by two semitones to reach D4.

String 6: F2 (Low E string)

String 5: A2 (A string)

String 4: C3 (D string)

String 3: A3 (G string)

String 2: G3 (B string)

String 1: D4 (High E string)