Tuning Analysis: F C F A# C A Nick Drake Tuning

This unique guitar tuning, famously used by the legendary Nick Drake for his evocative song 'Place to Be', is designed to reproduce the very distinctive sound heard on the album. To ensure accuracy, it's recommended to set your tuner to 432 Hz and use a capo on the 5th fret as a reference point when tuning your strings.

Verbal Description

The 'F C F A# C A Nick Drake Tuning' for guitar offers a rich, resonant, and slightly melancholic soundscape. At its core, the open strings create a unique voicing around the key of F. The prominent F-C-F drone from the lower strings provides a solid, almost orchestral foundation, characteristic of Drake's intricate fingerstyle work. The inclusion of both an A (major third) and an A# (suspended fourth/minor third from C) on the higher strings creates a harmonic tension and complexity. This isn't a simple major or minor triad; it's an extended, modal chord that allows for a wide range of expressive possibilities without complex fretwork.

This tuning is ideal for fingerstyle players seeking lush, open voicings and a specific atmospheric quality. It encourages exploration of melodies and arpeggios that resonate against the open strings. While traditional chord shapes will need to be re-imagined, simple barre chords across the fretboard will yield interesting and often beautiful harmonies, all built upon the F-centric foundation.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes are as follows:

• 6th String: F2 (Root)
• 5th String: C3 (Perfect 5th)
• 4th String: F3 (Octave)
• 3rd String: A#4 (Augmented 4th / Suspended 4th relative to F)
• 2nd String: C4 (Perfect 5th)
• 1st String: A4 (Major 3rd)

This tuning forms an intricate open chord, comprising the notes F, C, A#, and A. It can be technically described as an F Major chord (F-A-C) with an added suspended 4th (A# or Bb). This simultaneous presence of the major third (A) and the suspended fourth (A#) creates a distinct dissonance that resolves into a rich, complex harmony. The intervals provide a strong F drone (F2-C3-F3-C4) and a unique melodic cluster (A#-C-A) on the higher strings. The overall tonality leans towards F, but with a modal ambiguity that is characteristic of Nick Drake's musical style.

Potential Chords/Voicings:

• The open tuning itself presents a rich F Major/Fsus4 blend.
• Simple one or two-finger additions on the higher strings can create surprising arpeggios and melodic fragments.
• Barring across a single fret will produce a movable version of this complex open chord, allowing for exploration in different keys.
• Due to the strong F-C-F foundation, many melodic lines played on the higher strings will naturally sound harmonious.

How to Tune

To achieve this precise tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E, you will need to adjust your strings as follows:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 1 semitone from E2 to F2. (This is a relatively minor adjustment.)
• 5th String (A): Tune up 3 semitones from A2 to C3. (While noticeable, this is generally safe for standard string gauges.)
• 4th String (D): Tune up 3 semitones from D3 to F3. (Similar to the 5th string, this adjustment should be manageable.)
• 3rd String (G): Tune up 3 semitones from G3 to A#4. (This will move the string to a B-flat. A noticeable adjustment, but usually within limits.)
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 1 semitone from B3 to C4. (A small adjustment, typically safe.)
• 1st String (High E): Tune up 5 semitones from E4 to A4. (Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. For optimal playability and to avoid excessive string tension or breakage, considering a lighter gauge string for your 1st string is highly recommended if you plan to use this tuning frequently.)

Always tune slowly and carefully to prevent string breakage, especially when making significant upward adjustments.

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

• 6th String (Low E): Tuned to F2
• 5th String (A): Tuned to C3
• 4th String (D): Tuned to F3
• 3rd String (G): Tuned to A#4
• 2nd String (B): Tuned to C4
• 1st String (High E): Tuned to A4