The F Major 9 tuning transforms your guitar into a rich, resonant harmonic canvas, perfect for jazz, fusion, and sophisticated acoustic arrangements. With its open F Major 9 voicing, it offers a lush, full sound without needing to fret a single note. This tuning invites experimentation with open string drones and provides easy access to complex chord voicings that might be challenging in standard tuning. It's particularly well-suited for fingerstyle playing where its harmonic density can truly shine.

Technically, this tuning is built around an F Major 9 chord, with the open strings providing the root (F), major third (A), perfect fifth (C), major ninth (G), perfect fifth (C again), and major seventh (E). The specific notes are F2-A2-C3-G3-C4-E4. This arrangement provides a powerful harmonic foundation. Open chords readily available include a full F Major 9 (all strings open, forming F-A-C-G-C-E), F Major (by muting or removing the G string), and F Major 7. By simply barring across certain frets, you can transpose this rich voicing up and down the neck. The parallel C notes on the 4th and 2nd strings, along with the E on the 1st string and G on the 3rd string, create interesting intervals and possibilities for arpeggios and melodic lines. The proximity of the 6th string F and 5th string A allows for easy bass lines and power chord shapes within the F Major context.

This unique tuning was submitted by Doobie on 21st November 2010.

The target notes for the F Major 9 tuning are as follows:

• String 6: F2
• String 5: A2
• String 4: C3
• String 3: G3
• String 2: C4
• String 1: E4

How to Tune

To achieve the F Major 9 tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps:

• String 6 (Low E string): Tune up 1 semitone from E2 to F2. This is a minor adjustment and generally safe for standard gauge strings.
• String 5 (A string): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from A2 to A2.
• String 4 (D string): Tune down 2 semitones from D3 to C3. This is a moderate drop and should be fine for standard gauge strings.
• String 3 (G string): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from G3 to G3.
• String 2 (B string): Tune up 1 semitone from B3 to C4. This is a minor adjustment and generally safe for standard gauge strings.
• String 1 (High E string): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from E4 to E4.

General Warning: While all string movements in this tuning are within generally safe limits (less than 4 semitones up or down), always tune carefully and gradually. For extreme tunings beyond 4 semitones up or down, considering a different gauge string is often advised to maintain string tension and prevent damage to your instrument or strings.