This unique tuning, known as 'Stay Home' from American Football, establishes a rich and resonant F Major tonality, perfect for intricate melodic and harmonic textures. It's an excellent choice for players looking to explore open, sustained chords and arpeggiated figures.

Verbal Analysis

The open strings of this tuning—F A D A C E—immediately evoke a bright, almost shimmering sound. The inclusion of the Major 7th (E) alongside the F root creates a sophisticated, yearning quality, characteristic of emo and post-rock genres. The doubled A note (A2 and A3) adds a lush depth and resonance, allowing for fuller, more expansive voicings. This tuning is designed to facilitate open, ringing chords and arpeggios, where the notes blend and sustain beautifully, fostering a dreamy and melancholic yet distinctly major-key atmosphere.

With the open strings forming an Fmaj7(add6) chord, many common chord shapes will take on new, interesting colors. For example, a simple one-finger barre across a fret can easily transpose this rich Fmaj7(add6) quality. The open string configuration itself is a complete chord, providing a foundational harmony that players can build upon with minimal fretting, making it very intuitive for melodic exploration.

Technical Analysis

From a technical standpoint, the tuning F2 A2 D3 A3 C4 E4 provides a rich harmonic palette. Analyzing the notes relative to the F root (F2), we find:

• F2: Root
• A2: Major 3rd
• D3: Major 6th
• A3: Octave of A2 (Major 3rd relative to F)
• C4: Perfect 5th
• E4: Major 7th

• 6th to 5th (F2 to A2): Major 3rd (4 semitones)
• 5th to 4th (A2 to D3): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)
• 4th to 3rd (D3 to A3): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• 3rd to 2nd (A3 to C4): Minor 3rd (3 semitones)
• 2nd to 1st (C4 to E4): Major 3rd (4 semitones)

The presence of a perfect 5th interval between the 4th and 3rd strings (D3 to A3) and the two Major 3rd intervals (F2-A2 and C4-E4) create a harmonious and open sound. The open strum itself provides an Fmaj7(add6) chord. Simple shapes such as barring all strings at the 1st fret will produce an F#maj7(add6), and at the 3rd fret, a G#maj7(add6), providing easy transpositions of the core harmony.

Tuning Notes

• String 6 (Low E string): Tuned to F2
• String 5 (A string): Tuned to A2
• String 4 (D string): Tuned to D3
• String 3 (G string): Tuned to A3
• String 2 (B string): Tuned to C4
• String 1 (High E string): Tuned to E4

How to Tune (from Standard E Tuning)

To achieve the 'American Football - Stay Home (FADACf)' tuning from standard E tuning (EADGBe), follow these precise string movements:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 1 semitone from E2 to F2.
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at A2.
• String 4 (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at D3.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 2 semitones from G3 to A3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone from B3 to C4.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at E4.

Note on String Gauge: All string movements are within 4 semitones of standard tuning. Therefore, your current string gauge should be suitable for this tuning without requiring a change. Always tune gradually and carefully.