The FFBCBA tuning, originally conceived by Jake Edward Lee, is a highly unconventional and musically adventurous setup for the guitar. It bypasses traditional harmonic structures, offering a dense and often dissonant sonic palette that is ripe for experimental music, avant-garde rock, and metal subgenres demanding unique textures and angular voicings. This tuning invites players to explore new melodic and harmonic ideas, challenging the guitar's conventional role.

Technical Analysis:

The open strings are tuned to F#3 - F#3 - B2 - C3 - B3 - A4 (from the lowest to the highest string).

• The tuning opens with a striking unison on the two lowest strings (F#3), providing a strong, foundational drone or a thick, resonant base for riffs.
• From the 5th string's F#3, the 4th string dramatically drops to B2, creating a wide interval (a perfect 5th down from F#) that immediately introduces an unusual harmonic space. This allows for open 5th power chords like B5 using the lower strings (B-F#-B).
• The middle three strings (B2 - C3 - B3) form a very tight and highly dissonant cluster. The B2 to C3 is a minor second, and the C3 to B3 is an ascending major seventh. This 'B-C-B' sequence is the harmonic core of the tuning's unique tension, delivering a sharp and biting tonality.
• The highest string is tuned to A4, forming a minor seventh interval with the adjacent B3. This adds another layer of complexity and dissonance, or can be used melodically to cut through the lower string's density.

Given these unconventional intervals, traditional open chords are largely unavailable or are radically revoiced, requiring a fresh approach to chord shapes. This tuning is better suited for:

• Experimental Riffs: The unison low F# and the immediate drop to B2 encourage heavy, drone-like riffs or unusual arpeggiations.
• Dissonant Harmony: The tight clusters and wide jumps are excellent for crafting modern, dissonant voicings and textures. Open string combinations, particularly across the middle strings, will yield unique and often jarring sonic effects.
• Unique Melodic Lines: The specific string relationships can inspire melodic phrases that naturally incorporate the inherent tension and release of the tuning, pushing beyond typical scalar patterns.

This tuning demands an adventurous spirit from the guitarist, encouraging exploration of new sonic territories and a departure from standard harmonic conventions.

How to Tune to FFBCBA:

To achieve the FFBCBA tuning, start from standard EADGBe tuning and adjust each string according to the following instructions:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 2 semitones to F#3.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 3 semitones to F#3.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 7 semitones to C3. Caution: This is a significant drop in pitch and tension. For optimal playability and to prevent string damage, a different gauge string is advised for this string.
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The string remains at B3.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 5 semitones to A4. Caution: This is a significant increase in pitch and tension. For optimal playability and to prevent string breakage, a different gauge string is advised for this string.