Tuning Analysis: F# Bsus4 Open 7-String

Verbal Description

The F# Bsus4 Open 7-String tuning transforms your instrument into a sonic canvas, rich with open, resonant textures. It’s built around a powerful B-based suspended fourth chord (Bsus4) across the main body of the guitar (strings 6-1), with an extraordinarily deep F# bass note providing a strong, foundational root or fifth. This tuning excels at creating expansive, atmospheric soundscapes, perfect for drone work, open chord harmonies, and intricate arpeggios that span a wide tonal range. The unique re-entrant structure, particularly the very low B on the 6th string, opens up possibilities for melodies and bass lines that weave in unexpected ways, making it excellent for progressive, ambient, or heavy genres where unique voicings are desired. As the original description suggests, the low F# is "good for filling in a low fifth on fret 7", offering immediate access to a key harmonic component for B-based chords.

Technical Analysis

This is a 7-string tuning with the following open notes from lowest to highest string:

• String 7: F#3
• String 6: B1
• String 5: E2
• String 4: B2
• String 3: E3
• String 2: B3
• String 1: E4

The core of this tuning, from String 6 to String 1, establishes a pattern of alternating B and E notes (B1-E2-B2-E3-B3-E4). This creates a consistent sequence of perfect fourths between adjacent strings, forming an open Bsus4 chord voicing (B as the root, E as the suspended fourth). The F#3 on the 7th string serves as the perfect fifth to the B notes, offering a deep, resonant bass foundation for the entire tuning. The extremely low B1 on the 6th string, below E2, introduces a significant re-entrant element, allowing for a broader intervallic landscape.

Chordal Opportunities

With the open strings ringing out, you immediately have a powerful Bsus4 chord (F#-B-E). By simply fretting the 3rd string (E) up to a D# (typically 1st fret, assuming a semitone for D# from E), you can achieve a resonant B Major chord. Similarly, fretting to D can give a B Minor chord. The consistent perfect fourth interval between strings 6-1 allows for easy barre chord shapes across these strings, enabling you to shift the Bsus4 quality to other roots. The F# bass note can be used to create F# minor, F# major, or other chords, or simply as a drone underneath the B-E chordal structure. This tuning facilitates wide, open-string arpeggios and allows for powerful, full-bodied chord voicings with minimal effort.

How to Tune

To achieve the F# Bsus4 Open 7-String tuning from a standard 7-string guitar tuning (B-E-A-D-G-B-E), follow these precise string adjustments:

• String 7 (Lowest B): Tune up 7 semitones to F#3. (Caution advised; tuning up 7 semitones is a significant increase in tension. Consider a slightly lighter gauge string.)
• String 6 (E): Tune down 5 semitones to B1. (Caution advised; tuning down 5 semitones will significantly reduce tension. A heavier gauge string may be beneficial to maintain proper intonation and playability.)
• String 5 (A): Tune down 5 semitones to E2. (Caution advised; tuning down 5 semitones will significantly reduce tension. A heavier gauge string may be beneficial to maintain proper intonation and playability.)
• String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 3 semitones to E3.
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to B3.
• String 1 (Highest E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.

General String Gauge Advice: For any string movement exceeding 4 semitones up or down, it is generally recommended to consider using a different gauge string to optimize tension, tone, and prevent potential damage to the instrument. Tuning up by 7 semitones on String 7 and down by 5 semitones on Strings 6 and 5 are substantial changes, and appropriate string gauges will significantly enhance playability and instrument health.

String 7: F#3

String 6: B1

String 5: E2

String 4: B2

String 3: E3

String 2: B3

String 1: E4