Prepare for a truly unique and harmonically rich experience with the Fadd9 Open Tuning, famously utilized by the innovative musician Jacob Collier in his captivating song, 'The Sun Is In Your Eyes'. This Guitar tuning transforms your instrument into an open Fadd9 chord, providing an immediate lush and resonant sound that is perfect for intricate harmonies, modern jazz, and expressive fingerstyle.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning offers an incredibly full and vibrant sound, reminiscent of a grand piano or a synth pad due to its rich harmonic overtones. Strumming all open strings immediately gives you a beautiful Fadd9 chord, which is both bright and melancholic. It encourages a new way of thinking about the fretboard, making complex voicings feel natural and accessible. The wide intervals and repeating notes across octaves create a deep, shimmering resonance that is characteristic of Collier's distinctive sound. It's an inspiring tuning for exploration, especially if you're looking to break away from traditional guitar voicings.

Technical Analysis

The Fadd9 Open Tuning sets your Guitar to the notes F2 C3 G3 A3 C4 F4 from low to high. This arrangement forms a complete Fadd9 chord (F-A-C-G) across the open strings. Let's break down the intervals relative to the root F:

• 6th String (F2): Root
• 5th String (C3): Perfect Fifth
• 4th String (G3): Major Ninth (or Major Second, an octave higher)
• 3rd String (A3): Major Third
• 2nd String (C4): Perfect Fifth (octave higher than 5th string)
• 1st String (F4): Root (octave higher than 6th string)

The tuning is structured with strong perfect fifths (F-C, C-G) at its base, creating a powerful harmonic foundation. The inclusion of the major third (A) and the major ninth (G) within the open strings provides a lush, extended chord voicing. The repeating root (F) and fifth (C) across multiple octaves adds to the tuning's immense resonance and sustain.

Open Chords and Possibilities

• Open Fadd9 Chord: Strumming all open strings instantly yields a beautiful Fadd9 chord, perfect for rich accompaniments or as a drone.
• Barre Chords: By barring across any fret, you can easily transpose this Fadd9 voicing up the neck. For example, a barre at the first fret would give you an F#add9, at the second fret a Gadd9, and so on. This makes it incredibly easy to access a wide range of extended chords with a simple finger position.
• Unique Voicings: The unique intervallic structure allows for interesting partial chords and arpeggios. Experiment with two or three-string combinations to discover harmonies not easily found in standard tuning. The close proximity of the 3rd and 2nd strings (A3 to C4, a minor third) and 4th and 3rd strings (G3 to A3, a major second) provides a different texture for melodic and harmonic exploration.
• Drone & Melody: The strong root and fifth on the outer strings (F2 and F4, C3 and C4) are excellent for creating drone backdrops, allowing for melodies to be played on the inner strings with compelling harmonic support.

Here are the notes for each string in the Fadd9 Open Tuning:

• 6th String: F2 (Low F)
• 5th String: C3 (Low C)
• 4th String: G3 (Mid G)
• 3rd String: A3 (Mid A)
• 2nd String: C4 (High C)
• 1st String: F4 (High F)

How to Tune

To achieve the Fadd9 Open Tuning from standard EADGBe tuning, please follow these instructions carefully. Pay close attention to the number of semitones each string needs to be adjusted. For string movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, it is generally advised to consider using a different gauge string to avoid potential string breakage or neck tension issues.

• 6th String (Low E): From its standard E2, tune this string up 1 semitone to F2.
• 5th String (A): From its standard A2, tune this string up 3 semitones to C3.
• 4th String (D): From its standard D3, tune this string up 5 semitones to G3. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant increase in tension. We highly recommend using a heavier gauge string for the 4th string to safely achieve this tuning.
• 3rd String (G): From its standard G3, tune this string up 2 semitones to A3.
• 2nd String (B): From its standard B3, tune this string up 1 semitone to C4.
• 1st String (High E): From its standard E4, tune this string up 1 semitone to F4.