Verbal and Technical Analysis of Kurt Vile's Check Baby Tuning

This unique guitar tuning, famously utilized by Kurt Vile for his song "Check Baby," offers a distinct sonic landscape that deviates significantly from standard tuning. It presents a rich, somewhat melancholic, and deeply resonant open voicing. The combination of notes creates a dense harmonic texture, making it ideal for drone-based compositions, intricate fingerpicking, and creating open, shimmering chords that are not readily available in conventional tunings.

Technically, the open strings are tuned to F2, A#3, D#4, G3, C4, and D5#. Analyzing these notes reveals a complex harmonic structure. If we consider F as the root, the open strings contain the notes F, A# (B-flat), C, G, and D# (E-flat). This forms an Fsus4 chord (F-A#-C) with additional color tones: G (a major 2nd or 9th) and D# (a minor 7th). Thus, the open tuning essentially presents a sophisticated Fsus4(add9, b7) voicing. The repetition of D# an octave apart on the 4th and 1st strings adds a strong harmonic anchor and a resonant quality.

The unique intervals and close voicings in the middle strings (D#4, G3, C4) create opportunities for easily accessible, unconventional chord shapes. Simple one or two-finger frettings can yield surprisingly full and complex chords. The low F string provides a deep, driving root, while the high D# offers bright, ethereal counterpoints. This tuning encourages exploration beyond standard chord shapes, prompting players to discover new harmonic possibilities and melodic lines that naturally emerge from the open string relationships.

How to Tune Your Guitar to Kurt Vile's Check Baby Tuning

Please be cautious when adjusting string tension. If you are tuning strings up by 4 or more semitones, or down by 5 or more semitones, it is advisable to consider using a different gauge string to prevent potential damage to your instrument or strings.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune the Low E (6th) string Up 1 semitone to F2.
• 5th String (A): Tune the A (5th) string Up 1 semitone to A3#.
• 4th String (D): Tune the D (4th) string Up 1 semitone to D4#.
• 3rd String (G): Keep the G (3rd) string as is; no change (0 semitones) at G3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune the B (2nd) string Up 1 semitone to C4.
• 1st String (High E): Tune the High E (1st) string Down 1 semitone to D5#.

Here are the target notes for each string in this tuning:

• 6th String: F2
• 5th String: A3#
• 4th String: D4#
• 3rd String: G3
• 2nd String: C4
• 1st String: D5#