The 'Song Words' tuning for guitar is a unique and highly adventurous setup, diverging significantly from standard EADGBe tuning. As suggested by its name, "WORDS," this tuning appears designed not for conventional open chords, but rather for crafting specific melodic lines, arpeggios, or dissonant harmonic textures to complement lyrical narratives. It results in a complex sonic landscape when played open, offering a palette for experimental and emotionally charged compositions.

Technical Analysis:

The open string notes for this tuning are F#3, A#3, D#4, G#4, A#4, F4. From a theoretical perspective, this collection of notes (F#, A#, D#, G#, A#, F) does not immediately resolve into a common major or minor chord when strummed open. The tuning features a prominent F# as its lowest note, with a recurring A# (Major 3rd above F#) and G# (Major 2nd/9th above F#) in the mid-range. The D# provides a Major 6th from the root F#. The highest string, F4, creates a particularly striking dissonance, being a Major 7th above the root F#3, or a tritone from the open A#4 on the 2nd string. This blend of sharps and a natural F creates a dense and somewhat ambiguous sound, ideal for unconventional voicings and rich harmonic exploration rather than simple strumming patterns.

Chords and Voicings:

While not an open chord tuning in the traditional sense, the 'Song Words' tuning offers interesting partial voicings and arpeggio opportunities:

• Playing the lowest three strings (F#3, A#3, D#4) yields an F# major arpeggio with an added 6th (F#maj6), which has a bright and expansive sound.
• The repeated A# notes (String 5 and String 2) can serve as a drone or a consistent harmonic anchor, allowing for melodic movement against it.
• Fingerstyle players could explore dissonant clusters by combining notes like G#4, A#4, and F4 on the higher strings to create unique melodic and harmonic tensions.
• The open strings can be thought of as a complex F# chord with extensions and altered tones, providing a springboard for chords that might be cumbersome in standard tuning.

How to Tune:

To achieve the 'Song Words' tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these specific string movements:

• String 6 (low E): From standard E2, tune up 2 semitones to reach F3#.
• String 5 (A): From standard A2, tune up 1 semitone to reach A3#.
• String 4 (D): From standard D3, tune up 1 semitone to reach D#4.
• String 3 (G): From standard G3, tune up 1 semitone to reach G#4.
• String 2 (B): From standard B3, tune down 1 semitone to reach A#4.
• String 1 (high E): From standard E4, tune up 1 semitone to reach F4.

String 6 (lowest): F3#

String 5: A3#

String 4: D4#

String 3: G4#

String 2: A4#

String 1 (highest): F4