Verbal Analysis

The 'FCFAEA (Open Fmaj7)' tuning plunges your guitar into extremely low registers, offering a dark and resonant sonic landscape. As the tuning description states, it's essentially the same as an A# F A# D A D tuning but lowered by two and a half steps, resulting in very low pitches across all strings. This means the strings will feel very slack if using standard gauges, making the recommendation for a baritone guitar or significantly thicker strings absolutely crucial for playability, intonation, and preventing string breakage (due to extreme slackness leading to fret buzz or lack of tension for vibration). It's designed to provide a rich, full-bodied sound that is deep and expansive.

This tuning is particularly suited for styles that benefit from a massive, low-end presence, such as doom metal, drone, or ambient music, but also offers unique harmonic possibilities for jazz or progressive genres. The open strings immediately form a glorious F Major 7th chord, meaning you can simply strum all open strings for an instant, lush harmony. This characteristic makes playing barre chords incredibly easy; by barring all strings at any fret, you instantly get a major 7th chord corresponding to that fret's root note. For instance, barring at the 1st fret yields F#maj7, at the 2nd fret Gmaj7, and so on.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes are F1-C2-F2-A2-E3-A3. This arrangement explicitly outlines an Fmaj7 chord (F-A-C-E) with a strong root (F1, F2), a prominent major 3rd (A2, A3), and the major 7th (E3), all supported by the perfect 5th (C2). The octave spacing of the F and A notes adds to the fullness of the open chord.

Let's examine the intervals between the open strings from lowest to highest:

• String 6 (F1) to String 5 (C2): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• String 5 (C2) to String 4 (F2): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)
• String 4 (F2) to String 3 (A2): Major 3rd (4 semitones)
• String 3 (A2) to String 2 (E3): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• String 2 (E3) to String 1 (A3): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)

This tuning features a varied set of intervals, breaking from more symmetrical tunings. The repeated F and A notes across octaves provide a solid harmonic foundation. The presence of two perfect 5ths and two perfect 4ths, along with a major 3rd, allows for a rich harmonic palette even with minimal fingering. The substantial drop in pitch across all strings (ranging from 7 to 11 semitones down from standard E standard tuning) means that standard guitar string gauges will be extremely slack, almost unplayable, validating the recommendation for specific instrumentation or string thickness.

Accessible Chords & Shapes:

• Open Fmaj7: Strumming all strings open delivers a full, resonant F major 7th chord.
• Barre Major 7th Chords: By simply barring all strings at any fret, you instantly form the corresponding Major 7th chord. This makes modulations across major 7th harmonies very intuitive and easy to execute.
• Power Chords: Given the repeated F notes on strings 6 and 4, and the C on string 5, simple 5th shapes (power chords) are easily formed, especially on the lower strings, providing a massive, low-end drive.
• Minor Chords: To form an F minor chord, you would need to flatten the A notes (on strings 3 and 1) to A♭. This would typically involve fretting those strings, but could also be achieved with a partial barre or specific fingerings.
• Suspended Chords: Given the open F and C, a G on the 3rd string (fretted at the 3rd fret from open A) or a B♭ on the 2nd string (fretted at the 6th fret from open E) could easily introduce suspended harmonies over the F root.

This tuning provides a powerful foundation for creative exploration, particularly if you are seeking a deep, complex harmonic texture or extreme low-end aggression.

String 6: F1

String 5: C2

String 4: F2

String 3: A2

String 2: E3

String 1: A3

How to Tune:

This tuning requires significant string slackening from standard EADGBe tuning. Please be advised that tuning down by more than 4 semitones typically requires a heavier gauge of strings to maintain proper tension, intonation, and playability. For the extreme downtuning in FCFAEA, a baritone guitar or very thick strings are highly recommended.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 11 semitones to F1.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 9 semitones to C2.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 9 semitones to F2.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 10 semitones to A2.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 7 semitones to E3.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 7 semitones to A3.