Thurston's F# Sonic Drone Tuning

This unique tuning, famously utilized by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth in the 1980s, is designed for creating expansive, resonant soundscapes rather than conventional chord progressions. Dominated by multiple F# notes across its lower four strings, it establishes a powerful, almost industrial drone. The upper E and B strings introduce open, suspended harmonies, allowing for rich textures and shimmering overtones. It's an ideal tuning for experimental rock, ambient sound design, and noise music, encouraging a less traditional approach to the fretboard.

While not lending itself to standard chord shapes, the open strings themselves form a complex F# drone with an open, suspended quality (F#, B, E). Sliding a single finger across the lower F# strings will immediately yield a thick power chord or octave. The arrangement encourages finding unique voicings, clusters, and glissandos, where slight movements can create surprising harmonic shifts and rich, ambiguous harmony.

Technical Analysis:

• Instrument Type: 6-String Guitar
• Open String Notes: F#3, F#3, F#4, F#4, E4, B3 (low to high).
• Structure: This tuning features an unusual arrangement of four F# notes: two unison F#3s on the lowest strings, followed by two unison F#4s on the middle strings (an octave higher than the F#3s). The 2nd string is E4, which is a Major 7th above the lowest F#. The 1st string is B3, a Perfect 4th above the lowest F#. This creates a layered drone with specific, wide intervals that resist easy classification into simple major or minor chords, favoring textural exploration.

How to Tune:

To achieve this distinctive tuning, start with your 6-string guitar in standard EADGBe tuning. Please note the specific movements for each string:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 2 semitones. The target note for this string is F#3.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 3 semitones. The target note for this string is F#3.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 4 semitones. The target note for this string is F#4.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitones. The target note for this string is F#4.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 5 semitones. The target note for this string is E4.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 5 semitones. The target note for this string is B3.

Important Considerations: Tuning up significantly (4+ semitones) or down significantly (4+ semitones) can put unusual tension on your guitar neck and strings. For String 2 (+5 semitones) and String 1 (-5 semitones), it is highly recommended to consider using a different string gauge to prevent string breakage or damage to your instrument. Always tune slowly and carefully.