Tuning Description: Altered FAE Drone

This intriguing tuning, dubbed "Altered FAE Drone," offers a unique sound palette, reminiscent of experimental rock pioneers like Sonic Youth, as suggested by its original inspiration. It's a tuning that blends resonant drones with unexpected harmonic possibilities, moving away from traditional chord shapes and inviting an exploration of texture and open voicings.

Technical Analysis

The tuning from low to high is F2 F2 A2 A3 E3 E4.
Analyzing the intervals, we find a strong foundation in F, with the lowest two strings tuned to a unison F2, creating a powerful drone. Moving up, the third string (A2) forms a major third with the F, establishing an F major tonality. The fourth string (A3) is an octave higher than the A2, reinforcing this note.
The most distinctive feature emerges with the high strings: E3 and E4. The E3 creates a major seventh interval with the F base (F to E), introducing a rich, open, and somewhat suspended quality. The E4 further extends this E an octave higher.
Overall, the tuning presents an F-A-E intervallic structure, effectively an Fmaj7 (without the 5th) or an F Lydian fragment. It's characterized by its open fifths (A-E on strings 4 & 2), octave repetitions (A2-A3, E3-E4), and the resonant unison F2s. This structure encourages sustained notes and arpeggiated figures rather than conventional strummed chords.

Chordal and Melodic Opportunities

• Open Strum: Strumming all open strings (F-F-A-A-E-E) yields a rich, resonant Fmaj7 (no 5th) chord. This sound is bright, open, and slightly dissonant, perfect for atmospheric textures or drone accompaniment.
• F Major Tones: The F and A notes are prominent, allowing for easy establishment of an F major tonal center. Melodies over the lower strings can easily lean into F major scales.
• A-E Power: The A2 (string 4) and E3 (string 2) form a perfect fifth, offering a strong A power chord sound when these strings are played together. This can be easily transposed by fretting these two strings at the same fret.
• Drone Potential: The repeated F2 notes, along with the octaves of A and E, make this tuning ideal for creating sustained drone effects and evolving soundscapes.
• Unconventional Voicings: Standard chord shapes will be completely reharmonized, pushing players to discover new, unique voicings and melodic patterns that exploit the open intervals.

How to Tune (From Standard E-A-D-G-B-e)

Please exercise caution when tuning, especially with large semitone movements. For changes exceeding 4 semitones up or down, a different gauge string is generally advised to prevent breakage or excessive tension/slack.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 1 semitones to F2. (Minor adjustment, should be safe).
• 5th String (A): Tune down 4 semitones to F2. (Significant drop, be careful with string tension).
• 4th String (D): Tune down 5 semitones to A2. (Major drop, consider a heavier gauge if this is a permanent tuning).
• 3rd String (G): Tune up 2 semitones to A3. (Moderate increase, should be safe).
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 7 semitones to E3. (Very significant drop, strongly recommend a heavier gauge string to maintain playability and tone).
• 1st String (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.