This is a truly distinctive guitar tuning, famously featured in 'Those Luminous Noises Are God' by Pretend, and it is accurately described as 'very melancholic'. It deviates significantly from standard tuning to create a rich, often dissonant, and highly evocative soundscape. This tuning is not for the faint of heart, offering a unique sonic palette perfect for atmospheric, experimental, or emotionally charged compositions.

Verbal Analysis

The 'Luminous Sus4 Drop' tuning immediately signals its unique character with its unusual note choices, creating a deeply melancholic and resonant feel. The dropped 3rd string (G to F) contributes significantly to this sombre mood, while the lifted 6th and 5th strings (E to F, A to A#) provide a dense, almost droning quality in the lower register. The open strings don't form a simple major or minor chord, but rather a complex harmonic cluster that sounds both brooding and expansive. This tuning lends itself beautifully to sustained notes, arpeggios that highlight its inherent dissonances, and atmospheric textures, making it ideal for creating soundscapes that evoke introspection or a sense of yearning.

Technical Analysis

• Standard Tuning: E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4
• Luminous Sus4 Drop: F2 A#3 D3 F3 B3 E4

Analyzing the open string notes (F2, A#3, D3, F3, B3, E4) reveals a fascinating harmonic structure. The lowest four strings (F-A#-D-F) form a strong Fsus4 chord (F being the root, A# as the perfect 4th, D as the perfect 5th, and the high F as the octave). This suspended quality inherently creates tension and a sense of unresolved yearning. However, the addition of B3 and E4 on the higher strings introduces significant dissonance to this Fsus4 base:

• The B3 acts as a #11 (or a minor 2nd above the A#), adding a sharp, bright dissonance.
• The E4 acts as a Major 7th to the F root, further enhancing the complex, non-standard harmonic character.

This combination results in an open voicing that can be described as Fsus4(add#11, M7), making it exceptionally rich and unconventional. It's a tuning designed not for strumming simple pop chords, but for intricate fingerstyle, ambient textures, or crafting unique chord voicings that capitalize on its specific harmonic intervals.

Open Chords & Reachable Shapes

While the open tuning itself forms a complex Fsus4(add#11, M7) chord, it's not a readily recognizable 'open chord' in the traditional sense. Instead, it offers a springboard for:

• Fsus4 Voicings: The bottom four strings (F-A#-D-F) provide an excellent foundation for Fsus4 voicings, allowing for easy drone or arpeggiated patterns.
• Drone Textures: The strong root (F) and fifth (D) on the lower strings, combined with the dissonant higher notes, are perfect for creating sustained, melancholic drones.
• Movable Shapes: Sliding simple two or three-finger shapes up and down the neck will yield unique chord clusters, as the inherent intervals of the tuning will shift harmonically. For instance, a simple two-string power chord shape on the 6th and 4th strings will always yield a root-fifth relationship (F-D), allowing for easy power chord movement across the neck relative to the F root.
• Melodic Exploration: The specific intervals encourage melodic lines that highlight the tuning's unique tensions and resolutions, perfect for expressive lead work.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'Luminous Sus4 Drop' tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps:

• Low E String (6th String): Tune up 1 semitone to F2.
• A String (5th String): Tune up 1 semitone to A#3.
• D String (4th String): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to D3.
• G String (3rd String): Tune down 2 semitones to F3.
• B String (2nd String): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to B3.
• High E String (1st String): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.

6th String: F2

5th String: A#3

4th String: D3

3rd String: F3

2nd String: B3

1st String: E4