Tuning Analysis: Open F# My Bloody Valentine (Come In Alone)

This unique and evocative tuning is famously associated with My Bloody Valentine's track "Come In Alone," and it's designed to create a rich, dense, and often shimmering soundscape. It's a prime example of how alternative tunings can unlock entirely new sonic possibilities, characteristic of the shoegaze genre's ethereal and wall-of-sound aesthetic.

Verbal Analysis

The tuning presents a strong, almost drone-like foundation due to the multiple F# notes across the strings, complemented by C# and A#. This creates an immediate sense of harmonic richness and sustain. The open strings resonate beautifully together, producing a full-bodied F# Major chord with inherent overtones that can sound both bright and haunting. It encourages a playing style focused on open string resonance, subtle melodic lines, and dense chord voicings that emerge from simple finger positions or even single-finger barres.

Because of the repetition of F# across four strings, and the perfect fifth C# on string 5, strumming all open strings yields an incredibly powerful and full F# Major chord (F# - A# - C#). This makes it exceptionally easy to create majestic and resonant F# major voicings. Furthermore, by barring across all strings at any given fret, you can effortlessly shift this open chord shape up or down the neck, instantly creating other major chords (e.g., barring at the first fret yields a G Major chord, the second fret an G# Major chord, and so on). This encourages a melodic approach over a harmonic foundation, allowing for complex textures with relatively simple fretboard navigation.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to F#3, C#4, F#4, F#4, A#4, F#5 (from low E to high E string). This configuration technically forms an Open F# Major tuning. Let's break down the intervals relative to the root F#:

• String 6 (Low E): F#3 (Root)
• String 5 (A): C#4 (Perfect 5th)
• String 4 (D): F#4 (Root - Octave)
• String 3 (G): F#4 (Root - Octave)
• String 2 (B): A#4 (Major 3rd)
• String 1 (High E): F#5 (Root - Two Octaves)

This structure is a pure F# Major chord (F# - A# - C#) spread across multiple octaves. The multitude of F# roots provides immense power and sustain, while the C# (perfect fifth) and A# (major third) complete the triad, giving it a bright and resolved quality. The close proximity of F# on strings 4 and 3, and then A# on string 2, creates a tight cluster that can be exploited for rich, resonant voicings even with minimal fretting, contributing to the signature dense sound of the tuning.

How to Tune

To achieve this tuning, you'll be adjusting your standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) as follows:

• String 6 (Low E to F#3): Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 5 (A to C#4): Tune up 4 semitones. Caution: Tuning up 4 semitones is a significant adjustment. Ensure your guitar's neck and string gauge can handle the increased tension. Consider using a lighter gauge string for this string if you plan to stay in this tuning for extended periods.
• String 4 (D to F#4): Tune up 4 semitones. Caution: Similar to string 5, this is a substantial upward movement. Exercise care or consider a lighter gauge.
• String 3 (G to F#4): Tune down 1 semitone.
• String 2 (B to A#4): Tune down 1 semitone.
• String 1 (High E to F#5): Tune up 2 semitones.

General Tuning Advisory: When tuning strings up or down by 4 semitones or more, it is generally recommended to use a different gauge string optimized for the new tension. This helps prevent string breakage and potential neck damage over time. Always tune slowly and carefully, checking intonation as you go.

Here are the target notes for each string, from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st):

• String 6: F#3
• String 5: C#4
• String 4: F#4
• String 3: F#4
• String 2: A#4
• String 1: F#5