Jacob Collier's 'Sun Is In Your Eyes' Tuning: A Harmonic Exploration

Verbal Analysis

This is a truly unique and intricate open tuning, famously employed by the prodigious musician Jacob Collier for his piece "Sun Is In Your Eyes". It diverges significantly from conventional tunings, designed to unlock a specific, lush harmonic soundscape. Verbally, this tuning evokes a sense of bright, expansive, and perhaps slightly melancholic beauty, perfectly suited for the evocative nature of the song. It’s an arrangement that encourages complex voicings and rich sustain, allowing individual notes to interact in unexpected and pleasing ways, characteristic of Collier's innovative approach to harmony.

Technical Analysis

Technically, the tuning sets the guitar strings to F#2 C#3 G#2 A#2 C#4 F#4 (from thickest to thinnest string). Analyzing the intervals from the lowest F#2, we observe:

• String 6 (F#2): The root of our primary harmonic center.
• String 5 (C#3): A perfect fifth above the low F#.
• String 4 (G#2): A major second (or ninth) above the low F#, adding a gentle tension.
• String 3 (A#2): A major third above the low F#, establishing the F# major quality.
• String 2 (C#4): Another perfect fifth, an octave higher than string 5's C#3.
• String 1 (F#4): The octave of the low F#, completing the resonant foundation.

When strummed open, this tuning produces an F#add9 chord (F# A# C# with an added G#). This sophisticated voicing provides immense harmonic depth and resonance, allowing for rich drones and complex chord extensions with minimal fretting. The presence of two C#s and two F#s at different octaves creates a powerful, full sound, while the G# and A# introduce the characteristic Collier-esque harmony.

Chords & Harmonic Possibilities

The open strings themselves form a beautiful F#add9. This makes playing open chords incredibly rich and full. You can easily create a vast array of suspended, added-note, and altered chords by simply barring across frets or using one or two fingers. The consistent F#-C#-F# relationship across the low, middle, and high strings allows for strong root-fifth-octave voicings to resonate throughout your playing.

• Open Chord: F#add9 (F# C# G# A# C# F#).
• Barre Chords: By barring any fret, you can easily produce a different root with the same rich add9 quality. For example, barring the 2nd fret would yield a G#add9, the 4th fret an A#add9, and so on.
• Voicings: The G# on string 4 and A# on string 3, being a whole step apart, offer interesting melodic and harmonic clusters within easy reach. This close interval allows for unique fingerings for major, minor, and altered chords with the existing F# and C# drones.
• Drones & Melodies: The open string resonance makes this tuning perfect for melodic playing over sustained harmonic backdrops, creating a texture reminiscent of a string ensemble.

How to Tune Your Guitar

To achieve this unique tuning from standard EADGBe, carefully adjust each string as follows. Always use a reliable tuner and tune slowly to prevent string breakage.

• String 6 (Low E to F#): Tune up 5 semitones from E2 to F2#.
• String 5 (A to C#): Tune up 7 semitones from A2 to C3#.
• String 4 (D to G#): Tune down 3 semitones from D3 to G2#.
• String 3 (G to A#): Tune down 6 semitones from G3 to A2#.
• String 2 (B to C#): Tune up 4 semitones from B3 to C4#.
• String 1 (High E to F#): Tune up 4 semitones from E4 to F4#.

Important String Gauge Note: Extreme changes in string tension can affect your guitar's neck and string longevity. Please take the following precautions:

• For String 6 (E to F#), which is tuned up 5 semitones, and String 5 (A to C#), tuned up 7 semitones: these are significant increases in tension. A lighter gauge string is strongly advised to prevent breakage and neck stress.
• For String 3 (G to A#), which is tuned down 6 semitones: this is a substantial decrease in tension. A heavier gauge string may be advisable to maintain proper playability and intonation.
• For String 2 (B to C#) and String 1 (High E to F#), both tuned up 4 semitones: exercise caution as these are at the upper limit of recommended tension increase for standard gauges.
• For String 4 (D to G#), tuned down 3 semitones: proceed with caution, ensuring the string remains taut enough to avoid buzzing.

Always be mindful of your guitar's neck relief when making such significant tuning changes.

String 6 (Low E): F2#

String 5 (A): C3#

String 4 (D): G2#

String 3 (G): A2#

String 2 (B): C4#

String 1 (High E): F4#