The Stills Open F Tuning is a distinctive and highly resonant guitar tuning, famously utilized by Dave Mason (as taught to him by Stephen Stills) for the acoustic rhythm section in the iconic song "Only You Know and I Know." This tuning transforms your instrument into a vibrant sound source, offering a full, bright, and harmonically rich sonic palette.

Verbal & Technical Analysis

When all strings are played open, this tuning immediately forms a robust F Major chord. The notes F2, F2, C3, F3, A3, C4 spell out a clear F Major triad (F-A-C) across the instrument. The prominent Fs on the 6th and 5th strings provide a deep, powerful root foundation, anchoring the sound. The C notes on the 4th and 1st strings add harmonic depth and brilliance, while the A on the 2nd string completes the major quality. This setup results in a rich, ringing F Major that is exceptionally well-suited for strumming, creating drone effects, and excelling in slide guitar applications. Its open, resonant quality lends itself beautifully to folk, acoustic rock, and blues styles, providing a thick, unwavering chordal bed.

One of the primary benefits of an open tuning like this is its immediate playability and creative potential. A simple barre across any single fret will instantly yield a new major chord in the same shape; for example, barring all strings at the 1st fret produces an F# Major chord, the 3rd fret a G Major, and the 5th fret an A Major. This makes transposing songs or exploring different keys incredibly intuitive. Furthermore, the inherent F Major structure can facilitate easy voicings for related chords. With minor adjustments, shapes for F minor, F7, Fsus4, or Fadd9 can often be found close by, leveraging the resonant open strings. The arrangement of the upper strings (F3, A3, C4) makes for particularly accessible triad shapes in higher positions.

How to Tune (Starting from Standard EADGBe)

When adjusting your guitar to this tuning, please exercise caution regarding string tension. Significant changes in pitch, particularly tuning up or movements exceeding 4 semitones in either direction, can put stress on your strings and the guitar's neck. For such large shifts, especially if this tuning is to be used regularly, consider using a different string gauge to ensure optimal playability, maintain proper intonation, and prolong string life.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 1 semitone from E2 to F2.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 4 semitones from A2 to F2. (Note: This is a significant drop. For frequent use, a heavier gauge string for this position may be advisable.)
• 4th String (D): Tune down 2 semitones from D3 to C3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 2 semitones from G3 to F3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 2 semitones from B3 to A3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 4 semitones from E4 to C4. (Note: This is a significant drop. For frequent use, a heavier gauge string for this position may be advisable.)

The Stills Open F Tuning notes, from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st) string, are as follows:

• 6th String: F2
• 5th String: F2
• 4th String: C3
• 3rd String: F3
• 2nd String: A3
• 1st String: C4