Step into the sonic landscape of "Heaven Coming Down" by the acclaimed Canadian band The Tea Party with this intriguing guitar tuning. Known for their distinctive and often unconventional tunings, this setup for the Guitar creates a truly unique and resonant soundscape, perfect for atmospheric rock, blues, or any genre seeking a rich, droning quality.

Technical Analysis: F♯ B D F♯ B D

This tuning, internally referred to as "f#bdf#bd", is a masterclass in unconventional voicing and textural depth. The open strings are tuned to F♯3 B2 D3 F♯4 B2 D4, listed from the lowest (6th) to the highest (1st) string. Immediately striking is the repetition of B2 on both the 5th and 2nd strings, creating a powerful unison drone effect right in the middle of the guitar's range. The presence of F♯ and D at different octaves further reinforces this droning quality, providing a rich, layered texture.

Harmonically, the core notes present in the open tuning (B, D, F♯) form a clear B minor triad, which can evoke a sense of introspection or melancholy. Alternatively, if viewed with D as the root, the open strings create a rich D6 chord (D F♯ B), offering a sweet yet complex sound that can be both soaring and grounded. The intervallic relationships between adjacent strings are notably wide and varied: a perfect 5th down from String 6 (F♯3) to String 5 (B2), a minor 3rd up from String 5 (B2) to String 4 (D3), a compound major 3rd (M3 + octave) up from String 4 (D3) to String 3 (F♯4), a compound perfect 4th (P4 + octave) down from String 3 (F♯4) to String 2 (B2), and finally, a compound minor 3rd (m3 + octave) up from String 2 (B2) to String 1 (D4). These significant shifts contribute to its distinct character, making common chord shapes sound entirely new and unique.

Chords and Playability:

This tuning naturally lends itself to open, resonant chords and atmospheric playing:

• The open strings provide a full B minor sound, or a D6 chord if emphasizing the D as the root.
• Barre chords will reveal new inversions and voicings, often sounding more expansive due to the wide intervallic spacing. For instance, a barre at the 2nd fret would transform the open B minor/D6 into a C# minor/E6, but with very unusual octave placements due to the tuning's unique structure.
• Due to the repeated B2 notes, experimenting with drone effects and sustained notes will be highly rewarding, creating a bedrock for melodic lines.
• The unique intervallic structure makes for interesting arpeggios and melodic lines that will weave in and out of different octaves, perfect for creating atmospheric soundscapes and intricate fingerstyle pieces.

How to Tune:

Achieving this distinctive tuning involves a mix of raising and lowering string pitches significantly from standard EADGBe. Please proceed with care, especially for larger movements, and consider string gauge recommendations.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 2 semitones to F♯3.
• 5th String (A): Tune up 2 semitones to B2.
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to D3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F♯4. (Note: While the instruction is to tune down 1 semitone from the standard G3 string, the target note F♯4 is significantly higher than a standard G3. This may require a very light gauge string for the standard G string position, or an octave-up string, to reach this pitch safely without excessive tension or breakage.)
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 12 semitones (a full octave) to B2. (Caution: Tuning down a full octave will make this string very slack. A significantly heavier gauge string is strongly advised for proper tension, intonation, and playability.)
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.

Remember: For string movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, particularly the 2nd string's octave drop, a different string gauge is generally recommended to maintain optimal tension and prevent string breakage (when tuning up) or excessive slack (when tuning down).

String 6: F♯3 (Low E string position)

String 5: B2 (A string position)

String 4: D3 (D string position)

String 3: F♯4 (G string position)

String 2: B2 (B string position)

String 1: D4 (High E string position)