Verbal Analysis:

Named "Valerie's Dreamscape," this F# Major 9th open tuning is a meticulously crafted soundscape, perfect for genres like shoegaze and dreampop, as described in its original conception. It evokes a lush, ethereal quality, almost as if designed for sonic exploration and atmospheric textures. The open F# Major 9th chord rings out with a beautiful complexity, offering a rich, full-bodied sound that is both sophisticated and deeply resonant. This tuning encourages a playing style focused on sustained notes, arpeggiated patterns, and shimmering harmonic washes, making it ideal for creating immersive and dreamy soundscapes. The wide intervals and unique note placement allow for unexpected harmonic voicings and a sense of vast openness, inviting players to discover new melodic and chordal possibilities beyond conventional fingerings. It's a tuning that truly sings, designed to inspire and transport.

Technical Analysis:

This tuning transforms the guitar into an open F# Major 9th chord. The notes, from lowest (6th string) to highest (1st string), are: F3#, G3#, C4#, F3, A4#, C5#.

• The open strings collectively form an F# Major 9th chord. This complex harmony consists of the Root (F#), Major 3rd (A#), Perfect 5th (C#), Major 7th (F natural, enharmonically E#), and Major 9th (G#). This provides immediate access to a rich, extended harmony without needing to fret any strings.
• Adjacent string intervals are quite varied, contributing to the tuning's unique character:
  • String 6 (F3#) to String 5 (G3#): Major 2nd (2 semitones)
  • String 5 (G3#) to String 4 (C4#): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)
  • String 4 (C4#) to String 3 (F3): Major 3rd (4 semitones)
  • String 3 (F3) to String 2 (A4#): Major 3rd + Octave (16 semitones), creating a significantly wide, open interval that enhances resonance.
  • String 2 (A4#) to String 1 (C5#): Major 2nd (2 semitones)
• The prominent Major 2nd intervals between the lowest two and highest two strings offer opportunities for drone notes, subtle harmonic suspensions, and melodic voicing. The significant octave jump between the 3rd and 2nd strings creates a distinct separation, contributing to a very airy and resonant sound, which is well-suited for arpeggiated lines and spacious chord voicings.

Chordal Possibilities:

This tuning naturally provides an F#Maj9 as an open chord, meaning that barring across a single fret will yield other Maj9 chords (e.g., a barre at the 1st fret gives a GMaj9, 2nd fret G#Maj9). This simplifies playing complex jazz and dreampop harmonies across the fretboard. The open, ringing nature of the tuning also makes it amenable to creating unique voicings by selectively fretting strings, emphasizing the inherent resonance. Due to the wide interval between the 3rd and 2nd strings, traditional chord shapes may need reimagining, but this encourages exploration of unique, stretched voicings and partial chords that emphasize the tuning's inherent resonance and complex harmonic character.

How to Tune:

To achieve the Valerie's Dreamscape tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these precise string movements. Please note that movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down may require a different string gauge to ensure optimal tension and prevent string breakage.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 2 semitones to F3#.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 1 semitones to G3#.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 1 semitones to C4#.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 2 semitones to F3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 1 semitones to A4#.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 3 semitones to C5#.

6th String: F3#

5th String: G3#

4th String: C4#

3rd String: F3

2nd String: A4#

1st String: C5#