Tuning Analysis: F A# D# F A D

This unique guitar tuning, aptly named F A# D# F A D, is a fascinating departure from standard guitar tunings, born out of a practical necessity as described by its creator. It presents a rich sonic palette with both consonant and potentially dissonant intervals, offering adventurous guitarists a new landscape for composition and improvisation.

Verbal Analysis

The story behind this tuning is quite compelling: a broken guitar nut on the A string prompted its owner to tune that string up a half step to make it playable when fretted. This initial adjustment then inspired the creative decision to tune the rest of the guitar strings in harmony with this altered A string, resulting in the current configuration. The creator states the tuning is "based on A#", a claim strongly supported by the open string voicings.

When strummed open, this tuning produces a complex, yet surprisingly cohesive sound. The notes F, A#, D#, F, A, D reveal a strong relationship to A# major, featuring the root (A#), major third (D), perfect fifth (F), and major seventh (A). The presence of D# (the perfect fourth of A#) adds a 'suspended' quality, suggesting an A# major 7th (add4) or an A#sus4/maj7 sound. This rich open chord invites experimentation with ambient textures and unique harmonic movements. The pairing of F on both the 6th and 3rd strings provides a resonant anchor, while the D# on the 4th string provides a strong modal flavor. The upper strings (F, A, D) can be seen as an F major triad with an added D, or a D minor triad (D, F, A) in second inversion.

The tuning offers a distinct character that lends itself well to genres requiring unique harmonic textures, such as math rock (like American Football, which partly inspired the creator), jazz fusion, or progressive rock. It encourages players to explore new fingerings and shapes rather than relying on standard chord voicings, fostering a fresh approach to the instrument.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes for this tuning are as follows:

• 6th String: F2
• 5th String: A#3
• 4th String: D#4
• 3rd String: F3
• 2nd String: A3
• 1st String: D4

Analyzing the intervals between adjacent open strings provides insight into its structure:

• 6th (F2) to 5th (A#3): Augmented 3rd (4 semitones)
• 5th (A#3) to 4th (D#4): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)
• 4th (D#4) to 3rd (F3): Minor 3rd (3 semitones) - note the octave drop here where F3 is lower than D#4
• 3rd (F3) to 2nd (A3): Major 3rd (4 semitones)
• 2nd (A3) to 1st (D4): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)

The open strings F, A#, D#, F, A, D create a rich sonority containing the notes of an A# major triad (A#, D, F) and a D# major triad (D#, F, A#). The full collection of unique notes is F, A, A#, D, D#. The presence of both A and A#, and D and D#, offers chromatic tension and release possibilities within the open tuning itself. The repeating F note on the 6th and 3rd strings, and the perfect fourths between strings 5-4 and 2-1, create natural resonant points.

Chordal Opportunities and Shapes

This tuning, while unconventional, opens up several interesting chordal possibilities:

• Open Chord Resonance: Strumming all strings open yields a complex A#-related chord (A#maj7sus4 or D#maj7/A#). This can be used as a home base for compositions.
• Power Chords: The Perfect 4th intervals between strings 5-4 (A#-D#) and 2-1 (A-D) allow for easy two-string power chords by simply barring a single fret. For example, barring the 1st fret on strings 5-4 would yield B-E.
• Triads:
• An A# Major triad (A#, D, F) can be easily formed using strings 5 (A#), 1 (D), and 6 or 3 (F).
• A D# Major triad (D#, F, A#) can be formed using strings 4 (D#), 6 or 3 (F), and 5 (A#).
• The top three strings (F3, A3, D4) form a D minor triad (D-F-A) in second inversion (A-D-F), which can be easily moved up and down the neck.
• Unique Voicings: Players will find new voicings for common chords, and the minor 3rd between strings 4-3 and major 3rd between strings 3-2 are particularly useful for creating new triad and arpeggio shapes. Experimentation with single-finger barring or two-finger shapes across non-adjacent strings will unveil many creative harmonies.

How to Tune

To achieve the F A# D# F A D tuning from standard E A D G B E:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 1 semitones to F2. *Care should be taken when tuning up, especially if exceeding 4 semitones. This string is within a safe range.*
• 5th String (A): Tune up 1 semitones to A#3. *Care should be taken when tuning up, especially if exceeding 4 semitones. This string is within a safe range.*
• 4th String (D): Tune up 1 semitones to D#4. *Care should be taken when tuning up, especially if exceeding 4 semitones. This string is within a safe range.*
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 2 semitones to F3. *This string is within a safe range for tuning down.*
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 2 semitones to A3. *This string is within a safe range for tuning down.*
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4. *This string is within a safe range for tuning down.*

When tuning, always proceed slowly and check the pitch frequently. For significant changes (more than 4 semitones up or down), a different string gauge might be advised to ensure proper string tension and to prevent string breakage or damage to your instrument.

• String 6: F2 (Low F)
• String 5: A#3 (A sharp)
• String 4: D#4 (D sharp)
• String 3: F3 (Middle F)
• String 2: A3 (A natural)
• String 1: D4 (High D)