Tuning Analysis: 2face

The "2face" tuning for an 8-string guitar presents a rich and resonant open sound, designed around an F major 7th chord. This tuning offers a unique palette for both rhythmic accompaniment and melodic exploration, particularly in genres where lush, expansive voicings are desired.

Verbal Description

Imagine an 8-string guitar where just strumming the open strings creates a beautifully full F major 7th chord. That's the essence of "2face." The notes are laid out in such a way that the root (F), major third (A), perfect fifth (C), and major seventh (E) are all present and repeated across multiple octaves, from the rumbling low F1 to the bright high E4. This arrangement makes it incredibly easy to create vast, harmonious soundscapes with minimal effort. Open chords in Fmaj7 are instantly available, and with slight fingerings, you can easily access F major (by muting the E strings or changing them), A minor, C major, or E minor voicings, adding depth and color to your playing. It’s a tuning that encourages experimentation with drones, arpeggios, and expansive chord progressions.

Technical Analysis

This 8-string tuning is an open Fmaj7 chord, comprising the notes F1, A1, C2, E2, F3, A3, C4, and E4 from lowest to highest string. The intervallic structure relative to the lowest F1 string is as follows:

• String 8 (F1): Root (R)
• String 7 (A1): Major 3rd (M3)
• String 6 (C2): Perfect 5th (P5)
• String 5 (E2): Major 7th (M7)
• String 4 (F3): Octave (8va)
• String 3 (A3): Octave + Major 3rd (8va + M3)
• String 2 (C4): Octave + Perfect 5th (8va + P5)
• String 1 (E4): Octave + Major 7th (8va + M7)

The consistent repetition of the Fmaj7 arpeggio across octaves creates a highly sympathetic resonance, making it ideal for ambient textures, fingerstyle compositions, or driving chordal work where an Fmaj7 serves as the tonic.

How to Tune

To achieve the "2face" tuning from your current setup, follow these instructions for each string:

• String 8 (F1): Tune down 1 semitones.
• String 7 (A1): Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 6 (C2): Tune down 4 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change; consider a heavier gauge string if this is a permanent tuning to maintain proper tension and tone.
• String 5 (E2): Tune down 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant change; consider a heavier gauge string if this is a permanent tuning to maintain proper tension and tone.
• String 4 (F3): Tune up 3 semitones.
• String 3 (A3): Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 2 (C4): Tune up 1 semitones.
• String 1 (E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

Always tune carefully and check string tension, especially when making significant changes.