Verbal Analysis:

This is a truly unique and harmonically rich open tuning for the Laúd, drawing inspiration from innovative artists renowned for their experimental approaches to guitar tunings, such as Joni Mitchell, as indicated by the original description "Joni "The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey" adapted to spanish laud." It creates an immediate sense of brightness and sophisticated warmth, with a wide intervallic spread across the strings that produces a chime-like, resonant quality. This tuning is exquisitely suited for intricate fingerpicking patterns, allowing complex harmonies to ring out with sustain, and for open strumming that fills the air with a lush, full sound.

Technical Analysis:

The open strings of this Laúd tuning resolve to the notes: F#3, C#4, A3, B3, E4, and G#5 (from lowest to highest string). When analyzed harmonically, these notes form a distinct A Major 13th chord. Let's break down its components:

• A (Root) - found on the 4th string.
• C# (Major 3rd) - found on the 5th string.
• E (Perfect 5th) - found on the 2nd string.
• G# (Major 7th) - found on the 1st string.
• B (Major 9th) - found on the 3rd string.
• F# (Major 13th, or 6th) - found on the 6th string.

This comprehensive voicing means that simply strumming the open strings delivers a full, expansive A Major 13th harmony, offering a sophisticated tonal palette from the very first note. The wide range of notes, spanning several octaves, provides a vibrant canvas for both melodic improvisation and rich chordal accompaniment.

Open Chords and Possibilities:

The inherent A Major 13th harmony of the open tuning makes it remarkably versatile. Players can achieve variations of A Major, A Major 7th, A Major 9th, and of course, A Major 13th with minimal or no fretting. Moving simple shapes up the neck, such as a one-finger barre, can transpose this entire rich chordal structure into other keys, allowing for immediate access to complex harmonies across the fretboard. The presence of the root (A), 3rd (C#), 5th (E), and 7th (G#) within the middle and upper strings provides a solid framework for melody and harmony, while the 9th (B) and 13th (F#) add colour and extension. This tuning encourages exploration of open-string drones and harmonically dense voicings that would be challenging to achieve in standard tuning.

Tuning Notes:

• String 6 (Lowest): F#3
• String 5: C#4
• String 4: A3
• String 3: B3
• String 2: E4
• String 1 (Highest): G#5

How to Tune (from a common reference):

To achieve the "Open A Maj13 Laúd Tuning", please follow these instructions carefully. Note that several strings require significant pitch adjustments. For any string requiring a tune-up or tune-down of 4 or more semitones, it is highly recommended to consider using a different string gauge to ensure proper tension and prevent string breakage.

• String 6 (Lowest): Tune up 2 semitones to reach F#3.
• String 5: Tune up 4 semitones to reach C#4. (Caution: Consider a different string gauge for this significant tension increase.)
• String 4: Tune up 7 semitones to reach A3. (Extreme Caution: Tuning up 7 semitones is a very substantial change. A heavier gauge string is strongly advised to prevent string breakage and ensure proper playability.)
• String 3: Tune up 4 semitones to reach B3. (Caution: Consider a different string gauge for this significant tension increase.)
• String 2: Tune up 5 semitones to reach E4. (Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. A different gauge string is strongly advised to prevent string breakage and ensure proper tension.)
• String 1 (Highest): Tune up 4 semitones to reach G#5. (Caution: Consider a different string gauge for this significant tension increase.)