Verbal Analysis: The Sound of the Monuments Groove Foundation

As the original description suggests, this 8-string tuning is designed for crafting "dirty riffs" and adding a fresh, "funky" edge to your playing when other tunings feel stale. The open strings, when strummed together, create a deeply resonant and powerful sound that truly lives up to the 'Monuments' name, laying down a formidable sonic foundation. It leans into a dark, rich, and incredibly heavy texture, perfect for modern metal, djent, or experimental progressive genres where a thick, chugging low-end is paramount. The wide intervals and repeating note patterns across octaves give it a cathedral-like sustain, making it ideal for open-string chugs and sustained power chords that truly fill the room with an almost orchestral depth.

Technical Analysis: Unpacking the Fsus4(add b7, 11) Core

This 8-string tuning resolves to the notes F1, A#2 (Bb2), F2, A#3 (Bb3), D#4 (Eb4), F3, A#4 (Bb4), D#5 (Eb5). When reduced to their fundamental pitch classes, the open strings consist primarily of F, A# (enharmonically Bb), and D# (enharmonically Eb). This creates a rich Fsus4 chord (F-Bb-C) with an added minor seventh (Eb) and an implied eleventh (Bb, which is also the perfect fourth). More precisely, it’s an Fsus4(omit 5)add b7, add 11 voicing, which produces a complex, open, and powerful sonic landscape without needing to fret any notes.

• Repeating Intervals & Octaves: A key characteristic of this tuning is the prominent repetition of F, A#, and D# notes across different octaves. For example, F1 (8th string), F2 (6th string), and F3 (3rd string) are all F notes, providing a strong root presence. Similarly, A#2 (7th string), A#3 (5th string), and A#4 (2nd string) are all A# (Bb). D#4 (4th string) and D#5 (1st string) are octaves of each other. This strategic placement ensures a harmonically dense and resonant sound when multiple open strings are played together, creating a powerful drone.
• Open Chord Voicings: While not a traditional major or minor open chord, the full open strum yields a massive Fsus4(add b7, 11) voicing. This inherent sound is extremely modern and heavy, providing a unique harmonic backdrop for riffs.
• Power Chord Access: The prevalence of perfect fourth intervals (A# is a perfect fourth above F, D# is a perfect fourth above A#) means that powerful two- or three-note chords (root-fifth or root-octave-fifth) are easily formed by fretting adjacent strings on the same fret. For instance, playing the 8th and 6th strings open creates an octave F, and adding the 7th string (A#) forms a strong Fsus4 triad. Moving this shape up the neck allows for versatile power chord riffing.
• Versatile for Drop Riffing: The low F notes on the 8th, 6th, and 3rd strings provide an incredibly deep foundation for drop-style riffing, enabling powerful chugs, extended range exploration, and an overall formidable low-end presence. The higher A# and D# notes offer melodic contrast and harmonic density in the mid-to-high range.

How to Tune:

To achieve the Monuments Groove Foundation tuning, follow these precise adjustments for each string based on their movement:

• 8th String (lowest): Tune down 1 semitone to F1.
• 7th String: Tune down 1 semitone to A#2.
• 6th String: Tune up 1 semitone to F2.
• 5th String: Tune up 1 semitone to A#3.
• 4th String: Tune up 1 semitone to D#4.
• 3rd String: Tune down 2 semitones to F3.
• 2nd String: Tune down 1 semitone to A#4.
• 1st String (highest): Tune down 1 semitone to D#5.