Verbal Description:

The 'modified nver meant' tuning, originating from an intriguing discovery on a five-string guitar, offers a uniquely rich and full sonic landscape for a six-string instrument. It immediately evokes a sense of warmth and complexity, centered around the key of F. The repetition of the F note across three octaves (F2, F3, F4) provides a strong, resonant drone foundation, making it excellent for open, ringing chords and atmospheric playing. The inclusion of A2 and C3 alongside the lowest F2 naturally forms an F Major chord, making this a very accessible and powerful tuning for F-based compositions. The G3 string adds a sophisticated twist, transforming the basic F Major into a vibrant F Major 9 chord when all strings are strummed open, lending itself to jazz, blues, or more contemplative styles. The close proximity of the G3 and F3 on adjacent strings (3rd and 2nd) also opens up possibilities for interesting melodic interplay and fingerstyle patterns with minimal hand movement. This is a tuning that invites exploration, offering both a grounded feel and surprising harmonic depth, perfect for a guitarist seeking a fresh, inspiring sound.

Technical Analysis:

This 6-string guitar tuning is set to F2-A2-C3-G3-F3-F4 (low to high).

• The lowest three strings (F2, A2, C3) perfectly form an F Major triad, providing a strong harmonic base.
• When all strings are played open, the tuning clearly presents an F Major 9 chord (F-A-C-G-F-F), due to the G3 being the 9th of F. This gives the open tuning a sophisticated and full-bodied sound, ready for complex voicings without fretting.
• The intervals from low to high are: Major 3rd (F2-A2), Minor 3rd (A2-C3), Perfect 5th (C3-G3), Minor 7th (G3-F3, which is a descending Major 2nd), and Perfect Octave (F3-F4).
• The repeated F notes at F2, F3, and F4 provide a powerful root drone, ideal for sustained notes and rich harmonic textures.
• The somewhat unusual interval of a descending Major 2nd between the 3rd (G3) and 2nd (F3) strings can facilitate unique melodic runs and two-note chord voicings by simply playing adjacent open strings.
• This tuning encourages exploration of open string harmonies and offers a departure from standard intervals, promoting creative fingerings and chord shapes, particularly in the key of F Major.

Open & Reachable Chords:

• F Major 9 (Open): Strumming all six open strings (F2-A2-C3-G3-F3-F4) immediately yields a full, rich F Major 9 chord.
• F Major Triad (Open): Playing just the lowest three strings (F2, A2, C3) gives a clear F Major triad. Adding the 2nd and 1st strings (F3, F4) reinforces this powerfully.
• F Major Suspended 2nd (Fsus2): By muting the A2 string (string 5) and playing F-C-G-F-F, you can achieve an Fsus2 sound, highlighting the G as a 9th/sus2.
• Power Chords: The parallel Fs on strings 6, 2, and 1 make it easy to create powerful, resonant drone effects, while fingering power chords on the middle strings.
• Drones: The strong presence of F across octaves allows for very effective F drone notes against melodic lines or chord changes on other strings.

How to Tune:

To achieve the 'modified nver meant' tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 1 semitone from E2 to F2.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains A2.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 2 semitones from D3 to C3.
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains G3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 6 semitones from B3 to F3. *Caution: Tuning down 6 semitones is a significant change. A lighter gauge string for the 2nd string might be advisable to maintain proper tension and intonation, and prevent potential floppiness.*
• 1st String (High E): Tune up 1 semitone from E4 to F4.

Always tune carefully and check intonation after making significant changes to string tension.

6th String: F2
5th String: A2
4th String: C3
3rd String: G3
2nd String: F3
1st String: F4