About the Say To (Yorushika) Tuning

This unique guitar tuning, named "Say To" and notably associated with the Japanese duo Yorushika, transforms your instrument into a rich, resonant soundscape. Departing significantly from standard EADGBe, it creates an Open F tuning (F-C-F-C-F-C) which is ideal for a full, harmonically rich sound with minimal effort.

Verbal Analysis

The Say To tuning offers a deep, ringing quality, primarily due to the low F (F2) on the 6th string and the overall prevalence of F and C notes across all strings. When strummed open, the guitar beautifully articulates a full F major chord, providing an immediate sense of warmth and spaciousness. This makes it incredibly intuitive for creating strong, harmonically dense major chord progressions simply by barring across any fret. The arrangement of perfect fifths and perfect fourths between strings gives it a powerful, droning quality, reminiscent of folk instruments or certain Eastern tunings. Players will find it easy to create melodic lines over a sustained open chord, and its structure naturally lends itself to slide guitar playing, where broad, sweeping sounds can be achieved.

Technical Analysis

The tuning follows an F-C-F-C-F-C pattern, which is a variant of an Open F tuning:

• String 6 (Low E) to F2: Tuned up a semitone, providing a solid bass foundation.
• String 5 (A) to C3: A perfect 5th above the F2, contributing to the F major chord.
• String 4 (D) to F3: A perfect 4th above the C3, completing the octave F.
• String 3 (G) to C4: A perfect 5th above the F3, another C note providing harmonic depth.
• String 2 (B) to F4: A perfect 4th above the C4, completing another F octave.
• String 1 (High E) to C4: A perfect 5th down from F4, resulting in a unison with the 3rd string (C4). This creates a unique voicing where the high strings provide a tighter, clustered harmony.

This structure means that barring across any fret will yield a major chord. For example, barring at the 1st fret gives you an F# major chord, and so on. Minor chords, however, will require specific fingerings, often involving muting the lowest F2 or altering one of the C notes. The repeated F-C intervals across the fretboard simplify scale and arpeggio shapes within the F major tonality, opening up creative possibilities for drone-based compositions and intricate melodic work.

How to Tune

To achieve the Say To tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these precise string adjustments. Please note the significant changes required for some strings; consider a different string gauge if exceeding 4 semitones up or down.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 1 semitones to F2.
• String 5 (A): Tune up 3 semitones to C3.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 3 semitones to F3.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 5 semitones to C4. (Caution: This is a significant adjustment; a heavier gauge string is advised.)
• String 2 (B): Tune up 6 semitones to F4. (Caution: This is a very significant adjustment; a heavier gauge string is advised.)
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 4 semitones to C4. (Caution: This is a significant adjustment; a different gauge string is advised, and be aware of potentially lower string tension.)

Always tune carefully and check string tension to ensure the safety of your instrument.

The open notes for the Say To (Yorushika) tuning are as follows, from the thickest (6th) string to the thinnest (1st) string:

• String 6: F2
• String 5: C3
• String 4: F3
• String 3: C4
• String 2: F4
• String 1: C4