Verbal Analysis: The Crimson Drone

The tuning named "Crimson Drone" (F#G#C#AC#E) presents a unique and compelling soundscape, reminiscent of the designer's own description as being "similar to facgce but I made it dumber." This suggests an intention to break from conventional open tunings, introducing elements of tension and unexpected harmonic relationships.

At its core, this tuning features a deep, resonant low end with the F#3 and G#3 strings. This major second interval creates a powerful, sustained drone perfect for heavy riffs, atmospheric soundscapes, or experimental music where a dense, brooding foundation is desired. It avoids the typical root-fifth or root-fourth open power chords, pushing towards a more modal or harmonically ambiguous feel.

The mid-range, with C#4 and A3, introduces a subtle tension. The A3 positioned below the C#4 adds depth, creating an interesting minor sixth interval from the C# to the A, which can sound both dark and expansive. This allows for rich, open voicings that are not immediately resolved.

The most striking and unconventional aspect, likely what the designer refers to as "dumber," is the high end: C#5 followed by E4. This means the thinnest string (String 1) is tuned lower than the string next to it (String 2). This inverted interval (E4 below C#5) creates a unique harmonic pull and prevents typical high-string melodies or chord voicings. It encourages exploration of suspended, open, or arpeggiated figures that revel in their unresolved tension. This makes the tuning particularly suited for ambient, post-rock, heavy, or avant-garde styles where traditional harmonic expectations are subverted.

Open Chords and Sonic Potential:

• The open strings together form a rich, complex F# minor 7 (add9) chord (F# A C# E G#), providing a sophisticated harmonic canvas that can be explored without fretting.
• The low F# G# drone offers a solid foundation for intricate riffing and creates a sense of foreboding or contemplation.
• Experimenting with slides and hammer-ons on the high C#5 and E4 strings will yield distinct and haunting melodic and harmonic textures due to their inverted relationship.
• While not lending itself to simple major/minor open chords, the unique intervals allow for powerful, ambiguous voicings across the fretboard, especially with partial barres or two-finger shapes.

Technical Analysis: F#3 G#3 C#4 A3 C#5 E4

This tuning sets the six strings of the guitar to the following notes, from lowest (String 6) to highest (String 1):

• String 6: F#3
• String 5: G#3
• String 4: C#4
• String 3: A3
• String 2: C#5
• String 1: E4

Interval Analysis (relative to String 6 - F#3):

• F#3 to G#3: Major 2nd (2 semitones)
• F#3 to C#4: Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• F#3 to A3: Minor 3rd (3 semitones)
• F#3 to C#5: Major 10th (15 semitones)
• F#3 to E4: Major 7th (11 semitones)

Compared to standard EADGBe tuning (E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4), this tuning involves significant pitch shifts. For a standard guitar, achieving these target notes would require extremely light gauges for the lower strings and a re-evaluation of bridge/neck tension, as many strings are tuned up by more than 4 semitones (e.g., String 6 from E2 to F#3 is +14 semitones; String 5 from A2 to G#3 is +14 semitones; String 2 from B3 to C#5 is +15 semitones).

However, the provided string movement instructions indicate a more manageable change from an implied higher base tuning (E3 A3 D4 G3 B4 E4), keeping most individual string movements within a +/- 4 semitone range. This suggests the tuning is either for a specialized instrument (e.g., baritone or tenor guitar played in a higher register) or assumes the instrument is already tuned to a significantly higher general pitch.

Tuning Notes:

String 6 (Lowest): F#3

String 5: G#3

String 4: C#4

String 3: A3

String 2: C#5

String 1 (Highest): E4

How to Tune:

To achieve the Crimson Drone tuning, follow these instructions for each string. The movements described are relative to a perceived base tuning of E3-A3-D4-G3-B4-E4, which allows the specified semitone adjustments to be within safe limits for typical guitar strings. If starting from standard EADGBe (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4), many of these changes would exceed safe tension limits and require different string gauges.

• String 6: Tune up 2 semitones to F#3.
• String 5: Tune down 1 semitone to G#3.
• String 4: Tune down 1 semitone to C#4.
• String 3: Tune up 2 semitones to A3.
• String 2: Tune up 2 semitones to C#5.
• String 1: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.