Aki Streeter Chord: An Experimental Soundscape

The 'Aki Streeter Chord' tuning, described by its creator as being named after a 'disturbing musician', lives up to its enigmatic namesake by offering a highly unconventional and experimental sonic experience. This tuning departs significantly from standard guitar voicings, creating a soundscape that is rich, often dissonant, and full of surprising turns. With its deeply resonant low strings, extreme intervallic jumps, and pitch crossings, it's perfectly suited for ambient textures, drone music, and compositions that explore harmonic complexity beyond traditional major and minor frameworks. It encourages a highly creative and non-linear approach to playing, inviting players to discover unique melodic and harmonic possibilities.

Technical Analysis

This unique tuning for the Guitar is arranged as follows from the 6th (lowest pitch) string to the 1st (highest pitch) string:

• String 6: F1
• String 5: E2
• String 4: B2
• String 3: G4#
• String 2: C4
• String 1: B3

The tuning features significant pitch crossing, meaning the strings are not ordered strictly from lowest to highest pitch. The lowest notes are F1 (String 6) and E2 (String 5), providing an exceptionally deep and potentially dark foundation. Notably, String 3 (G4#) is the highest pitched string in this tuning, creating a dramatic leap from String 4 (B2). This is followed by a sharp descent to String 2 (C4) and String 1 (B3).

Analyzing the intervals between adjacent open strings reveals the tuning's unconventional nature:

• String 6 (F1) to String 5 (E2): A Major 7th interval (11 semitones) up. This is a very tight and resonant interval in the bass register.
• String 5 (E2) to String 4 (B2): A Perfect 5th interval (7 semitones) up.
• String 4 (B2) to String 3 (G4#): A dramatic jump of two octaves and a minor 6th (32 semitones) up. This creates a vast, open sound when strummed or arpeggiated across these strings, placing a very high note surprisingly early in the string sequence.
• String 3 (G4#) to String 2 (C4): A descending Perfect 4th (7 semitones) down. This is a significant drop in pitch from the highest string to the next.
• String 2 (C4) to String 1 (B3): A descending Major 2nd (1 semitone) down. The top three strings (G4#, C4, B3) form a tight, dissonant cluster that can produce chime-like or unsettling harmonic effects.

When played open, the combined notes (F1, E2, B2, G4#, C4, B3) do not form a traditional major or minor chord. The close proximity of F1 and E2 in the bass creates a strong dissonance, while the high G4# juxtaposed with C4 and B3 offers a complex, multi-layered sound. This tuning encourages exploration of suspensions, augmented qualities, and ambient voicings rather than standard chord shapes, making it a compelling choice for experimental or avant-garde musical styles.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'Aki Streeter Chord' tuning, adjust your guitar strings according to the following instructions. Please note that several strings require significant pitch changes. For movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, it is strongly advised to consider using a different string gauge to prevent string breakage and ensure proper tension.

• String 6 (Lowest Pitch): Tune up 4 semitones to reach F1. (Consider a different string gauge due to significant tuning up.)
• String 5: Tune up 5 semitones to reach E2. (Consider a different string gauge due to significant tuning up.)
• String 4: Tune up 2 semitones to reach B2.
• String 3: Tune up 6 semitones to reach G4#. (Consider a different string gauge due to extreme tuning up.)
• String 2: Tune up 5 semitones to reach C4. (Consider a different string gauge due to significant tuning up.)
• String 1 (Highest Pitch): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to reach B3.

String 6: F1

String 5: E2

String 4: B2

String 3: G4#

String 2: C4

String 1: B3