The Open F6 Tuning transforms your standard guitar into a vibrant and rich sonic landscape. This unique tuning provides an immediate F6 chord when strummed open, offering a full and resonant sound ideal for a variety of musical styles, from blues and jazz to folk and rock.

Technical Analysis

This tuning features the notes F2-F2-D3-F3-C4-F4, from the lowest (6th) string to the highest (1st) string.

• The two lowest strings are tuned to an identical F2, creating a powerful, resonant bass foundation.
• The open strings form an F6 chord, consisting of the root (F), perfect fifth (C), and major sixth (D). The doubled Fs and the octave Fs provide a lush, full harmonic texture.

Chords and Playability

The Open F6 tuning excels in its playability:

• Open Chords: Strumming all open strings immediately gives you a rich F6 chord, perfect for starting songs or providing a drone.
• Bar Chords: By simply barring all strings across any fret, you can easily play any X6 chord. For example, barring at the 1st fret yields an F#6/Gb6, the 3rd fret gives a G#6/Ab6, and so on. This makes transposing incredibly simple and opens up a world of melodic possibilities with minimal effort.
• Slide Guitar: This tuning is particularly well-suited for slide guitar, allowing you to effortlessly glide through major sixth chords across the fretboard.
• Power Chords: The F-C-F structure across the top three strings (F3-C4-F4) makes power chords and simple melodies very accessible.

Tuning Notes

6th String (Low E Equivalent): F2
5th String (A Equivalent): F2
4th String (D Equivalent): D3
3rd String (G Equivalent): F3
2nd String (B Equivalent): C4
1st String (High E Equivalent): F4

How to Tune Your Guitar to Open F6

To achieve the Open F6 tuning from standard E Standard tuning, follow these specific adjustments for each string:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up to F2. This is a movement of 1 semitone up.
• 5th String (A): Tune down to F2. This is a significant movement of 4 semitones down. Caution is advised here. While within typical limits, movements of 4 or more semitones, especially when tuning down, can sometimes lead to string slackness or may require a different string gauge for optimal tension and intonation.
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change. This string remains D3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down to F3. This is a movement of 2 semitones down.
• 2nd String (B): Tune up to C4. This is a movement of 1 semitone up.
• 1st String (High E): Tune up to F4. This is a movement of 1 semitone up.