Yvette Young's IG Song Tuning

This unique tuning, featured by Yvette Young for a new song posted on Instagram on November 16th, presents a captivating sonic landscape that is both rich and harmonically complex. It's characteristic of Yvette's progressive and often arpeggiated style, offering a blend of open resonance and intriguing harmonic relationships that challenge traditional chordal approaches.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to F2 B2 C3 G3 C4 E4. This arrangement features a prominent C major triad (C-G-C-E) across the middle to high strings (4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings), making open C major voicings readily available and exceptionally resonant. The addition of the B2 on the 5th string extends this into a Cmaj7 harmony. The lowest string, tuned to F2, introduces a perfect 4th (or major 11th) relative to C, creating a full and sophisticated Cmaj11 sound without a 9th. The interval between the lowest two strings (F2 to B2) is an augmented 4th (a tritone), which provides a distinctive tension or an open, ambiguous quality that Yvette often utilizes for melodic exploration and textural depth. This tuning is excellent for creating wide, ringing arpeggios and voicings that hover between familiar harmonies and open-ended dissonance, providing a modern, expansive feel.

How to Tune

To achieve Yvette Young's IG Song Tuning from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), follow these steps carefully:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 1 semitone from E2 to F2.
• 5th String (A): Tune up 2 semitones from A2 to B2.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 2 semitones from D3 to C3.
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change from G3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 1 semitone from B3 to C4.
• 1st String (High E): Keep as is; no change from E4.

Important Note on String Gauge: All string movements in this tuning (maximum of 2 semitones up or 2 semitones down) are well within the safe range for standard gauge guitar strings. However, for tunings that require movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, it is generally recommended to consider using a heavier or lighter string gauge respectively, to ensure optimal playability, intonation, and string longevity.

6th String: F2

5th String: B2

4th String: C3

3rd String: G3

2nd String: C4

1st String: E4