Verbal Analysis: Uncharted Harmonies

This tuning, which we'll call the 'Forgotten Chord Tuning' in honor of its serendipitous discovery, offers a truly unique and exploratory experience for the guitarist. It's a tuning that fundamentally challenges conventional fretboard navigation and chord shapes, demanding a fresh perspective. The resulting sound palette is far from standard, leaning towards an atmospheric, sometimes dissonant, yet deeply resonant quality. Its unconventional intervallic relationships create an almost cinematic soundscape, perfect for ambient textures, experimental compositions, or pieces that evoke mystery and introspection. Players will find themselves exploring new sonic territories, where familiar patterns are replaced by an uncharted landscape of open, ringing notes and unexpected harmonic possibilities.

Technical Analysis: Intervallic Maze

The 'Forgotten Chord Tuning' for the Guitar features the following open string notes, from the thickest (6th string) to the thinnest (1st string): F#3, A2, E3, F#4, B2, E4. This is a significant departure from standard tuning, notable for its highly non-linear arrangement of pitches and wide intervallic jumps.

• 6th String (F#3): The lowest F# provides a strong, almost drone-like anchor.
• 5th String (A2): Unusually, this string is a minor third below the 6th string, creating immediate tension and an unexpected harmonic inversion.
• 4th String (E3): Forms a perfect fifth with the 5th string (A2), providing a familiar, stable interval amidst the strangeness.
• 3rd String (F#4): Makes a striking leap of an octave and a major second (14 semitones) above the 4th string (E3). This wide gap significantly alters traditional chord voicings.
• 2nd String (B2): A drastic drop of over an octave (15 semitones) from the 3rd string (F#4). This creates a very low, almost bass-like B string.
• 1st String (E4): Completes the tuning with another large jump, an octave and a perfect fifth (17 semitones) above the 2nd string (B2).

The open strings collectively present the notes A, B, E, and F#. When strummed openly, these notes strongly suggest a Bsus4(add♭7) chord (B-E-F#-A) or a Bm7sus4 voicing. This provides a rich, complex, and somewhat melancholic open chord. The duplication of F# (F#3 and F#4) and E (E3 and E4) at octave intervals will create a powerful, resonant drone effect when these strings are played together. Due to the extreme intervallic shifts, especially between the 4th/3rd and 3rd/2nd strings, standard chord shapes will be largely unusable, pushing the player to discover unique voicings, open-string harmonies, and extended arpeggios that leverage the wide string spacing.

How to Tune

To achieve the 'Forgotten Chord Tuning' from standard EADGBe tuning, follow these precise string adjustments:

• 6th String (Low E) to F#3: Tune up 2 semitones from its standard E3. Please exercise caution as tuning up 2 semitones can place significant additional tension on the string, which may not be suitable for all string gauges or instrument setups.
• 5th String (A) to A2: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its standard A2.
• 4th String (D) to E3: Tune up 2 semitones from its standard D3. As with the 6th string, exercise caution as this upward adjustment can increase string tension considerably.
• 3rd String (G) to F#4: Tune down 1 semitone from its standard G4.
• 2nd String (B) to B2: Tune down a massive 12 semitones (a full octave) from its standard B3. This extreme drop in pitch almost certainly requires a heavier gauge string to maintain adequate tension, prevent floppiness, and ensure proper intonation. Using a standard gauge string may result in a very loose, difficult-to-play string.
• 1st String (High e) to E4: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from its standard E4.

6th String: F#3 - Tuned up 2 semitones from standard E.

5th String: A2 - Remains at standard A.

4th String: E3 - Tuned up 2 semitones from standard D.

3rd String: F#4 - Tuned down 1 semitone from standard G.

2nd String: B2 - Tuned down 12 semitones (an octave) from standard B.

1st String: E4 - Remains at standard high E.