Verbal Analysis

This experimental tuning, aptly named 'F#AEAC#E', presents a fascinating and somewhat unconventional soundscape for the guitar. As its original description suggests, it's a playful 'messing up' of traditional chords and tunings, resulting in a unique sonic palette. The most striking feature is the dramatic drop of the 5th string (A2) below the 6th string (F#3), creating an unusually deep and resonant bass foundation. This inverted bass arrangement, combined with soaring high notes on the top strings, makes for a vibrant and wide-ranging open sound that can feel both expansive and intimately droning. It's a tuning that encourages exploration, leaning into rich harmonies and unexpected melodic opportunities, suitable for a range of styles from experimental rock to atmospheric folk.

Technical Analysis

The F#AEAC#E tuning sets the strings to the specific notes of F#3, A2, E3, A3, C#5, and E4, from the 6th to the 1st string respectively. When played open, the notes reveal a strong presence of an A Major 6th chord (A, C#, E, F#). The A2 on the 5th string serves as the lowest fundamental, providing a robust, low-end anchor. The F#3 on the 6th string, while higher in pitch than the 5th, adds a rich minor sixth interval to the A base, contributing to a complex, full sound. The middle strings (E3, A3) fill out the chord, while the exceptionally high C#5 on the 2nd string and E4 on the 1st string introduce bright, ringing overtones. This arrangement supports both powerful, resonant strumming and intricate, melodic fingerpicking, with readily available open harmonies.

Open Chords and Playability

• Open A Major 6th: Strumming all strings open yields a beautiful and full A Major 6th chord (A, C#, E, F#). The low A2 provides a deep root, while the high C#5 and E4 add a sparkling top end.
• F# Minor Voicings: By emphasizing the 6th (F#3), 5th (A2), 3rd (A3), and 2nd (C#5) strings, you can easily find strong F# minor tonalities. Fingerings that incorporate the open E3 on the 4th string can lead to F# minor 7th sounds.
• Drone Potential: The low A2 and F#3, combined with E3 and A3, create a fantastic foundation for drone-based music, especially suitable for blues, folk, or experimental genres. The sustained open notes provide a rich harmonic bed.
• Upper Register Melodies: The high C#5 and E4 on the top strings offer a bright, almost mandolin-like clarity, perfect for melodic leads and arpeggios that can cut through the rich low end created by the inverted bass strings.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'F#AEAC#E' tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps:

• 6th String (Low E to F#3): Tune up 2 semitones. This brings the string from E to F#3.
• 5th String (A to A2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains A2.
• 4th String (D to E3): Tune up 2 semitones. This brings the string from D to E3.
• 3rd String (G to A3): Tune up 2 semitones. This brings the string from G to A3.
• 2nd String (B to C#5): Tune up 2 semitones. This brings the string from B to C#5.
• 1st String (High e to E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains E4.

Note on String Gauges: All string adjustments in this tuning are within a reasonable range (0 to +2 semitones). Therefore, special string gauges are generally not required, and your standard set should accommodate this tuning comfortably.

6th String: F#3

5th String: A2

4th String: E3

3rd String: A3

2nd String: C#5

1st String: E4