Tuning Analysis: So Little While Road

This unique tuning, aptly named "So Little While Road," is famously featured in Antoine Dufour's composition of the same name, from his acclaimed Convergences album. It's a highly idiosyncratic tuning that significantly departs from standard EADGBe, carefully crafted to evoke a specific, resonant, and complex sound palette.

Verbal Analysis

The tuning presents a deeply rich, melancholic, and somewhat modal soundscape. With open notes F2, G#3, C3, C#4, A#4, F4, it immediately suggests a sophisticated harmonic texture. The foundational F-C-F (across strings 6, 4, and 1) provides a strong, clear anchor, while the inclusion of G# (enharmonically Ab), C# (enharmonically Db), and A# (enharmonically Bb) introduces intriguing dissonances and expressive color tones. This combination leans towards an F minor or F Phrygian sound, but with unique and extended harmonic possibilities.

A defining characteristic of this tuning is its non-linear pitch progression. Specifically, String 5 (G#3) is pitched higher than String 4 (C3), and String 2 (A#4) is pitched higher than String 1 (F4). This arrangement is a hallmark of modern fingerstyle guitar, allowing for distinctive melodic and harmonic voicings across adjacent strings that are unattainable in linearly pitched tunings. It encourages unconventional fretboard navigation and opens up possibilities for intricate arpeggios and interwoven melodies.

While not suited for easy open major/minor chord strumming, this tuning excels at deep, complex voicings. A single finger across strings 6, 4, and 1 could easily articulate a powerful F octave or F power chord. The overall structure is ideally suited for the intricate arpeggios, harmonics, and percussive techniques for which Antoine Dufour is renowned. This is a tuning designed for specific compositional ideas rather than general-purpose playing.

Technical Analysis

• Open Notes: From low to high string: F2, G#3, C3, C#4, A#4, F4.
• Implied Harmony: The open strings combine to form a sophisticated F minor sound. When considering G# as Ab, C# as Db, and A# as Bb, the notes are F, Ab, C, Db, Bb, F. This collection contains the root (F), minor third (Ab/G#), perfect fifth (C), minor sixth (Db/C#), minor seventh (Bb/A#), and the octave (F). This strongly outlines an F minor 7 (add b6) chord, providing a rich, dark, and introspective harmonic foundation.
• Key Intervals (between adjacent strings, low to high string order):
  • String 6 (F2) to String 5 (G#3): A compound Augmented 2nd (or Minor 10th), with String 5 being 15 semitones higher than String 6.
  • String 5 (G#3) to String 4 (C3): String 5 is 8 semitones HIGHER than String 4. This is a significant non-linear pitch arrangement.
  • String 4 (C3) to String 3 (C#4): An Augmented Octave, with String 3 being 13 semitones higher than String 4.
  • String 3 (C#4) to String 2 (A#4): A Major 6th, with String 2 being 8 semitones higher than String 3.
  • String 2 (A#4) to String 1 (F4): String 1 is 4 semitones LOWER than String 2. Another non-linear pitch arrangement.

How to Tune

This tuning requires precise adjustments from standard guitar tuning. Please tune each string carefully to achieve the target notes. Pay close attention to the semitone movements, especially for drastic changes, and consider string gauge recommendations.

• String 6 (Low E String to F2): Tune up 1 semitone.
• String 5 (A String to G#3): Tune down 1 semitone.
• String 4 (D String to C3): Tune down 2 semitones.
• String 3 (G String to C#4): Tune down 6 semitones. Caution: This is a very significant drop in tension! Tuning down 6 semitones (a tritone or augmented 4th) from a standard G string can result in a very floppy string and poor intonation. For optimal playability and tone, a heavier gauge string for the G-string is strongly advised.
• String 2 (B String to A#4): Tune down 1 semitone.
• String 1 (High E String to F4): Tune up 1 semitone.

Here are the target notes for each string in the 'So Little While Road' tuning:

• String 6: F2
• String 5: G#3
• String 4: C3
• String 3: C#4
• String 2: A#4
• String 1: F4